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Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, the bars that everyone LOVES! Think crisp, chewy, sweet, peanut krispie treat base, layered with creamy peanut butter, and topped with sweet salted chocolate. All made with simple, wholesome ingredients: brown rice krispies, honey, pure maple syrup, natural peanut butter, and dark chocolate. These bars are heavy on the peanut butter and chocolate, sweet, salty, gluten-free, vegan, and, geez…they’re even no-bake! Every last bite is truly delicious.
Happy darn Friday everyone! I felt as though this week especially needed a sweet and easy chocolate peanut butter recipe. I don’t know why exactly, but it just seemed like we could all use these delicious bars this weekend.
So here we are. Yet another chocolate peanut butter treat that I’m way too excited to share. This one was certainly a hit over here.
Inspiration
Honestly, how these came to be I couldn’t tell you. It all started with a scotcheroo recipe. Then turned into a combination of homemade scotcheroos and homemade peanut butter Twix bars.
To put it simply, I wanted to make scotcheroos but I didn’t want to use butterscotch chips. I wanted to avoid overly processed sweets. Because of that, I kept thinking about what else I could do. What flavor could replicate the butterscotch?
And then, it hit me. What if I did a combination of scotcheroos and peanutty Twix. I tested a few things and at first, I struggled. But then I got it right. And well, now my dad’s declaring these his new favorite. And I guess everyone else up at my parent’s house is too.
More than anything they love the way these taste. The textures, the chewiness, the generous amount of peanut butter, and, of course, the thick layer of chocolate on top. But they also love knowing there are no processed sugars, funny ingredients, or artificial anything involved.
Details – chewy peanut krispies
I love to use brown rice krispies for a better-for-you option. You don’t even taste the difference! The “stickiness” that holds the krispie layer together is a basic mix of honey, maple syrup, and then a little bit of peanut butter and coconut oil.
The key is to use a mix of honey and maple syrup. The honey is thicker and stickier than the maple. And when boiled down it really is the glue that holds these treats together.
If you are strictly vegan, you can definitely use all maple syrup. The bars will still be sticky and great. Just slightly less chewy than if you were to use a mix of honey and maple.
The peanutty/carmel like filling
Essentially, this is the same gooey mix as above, just different ratios and no honey.
Peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil boiled together to thicken the mix. The secret to making this layer really delicious is to use a natural peanut butter with just peanuts and salt. Don’t use a no-stir peanut butter that contains oils and/or sugar. This will give you the best flavor and texture.
Pour the peanut butter layer over the chewy krispie treats, then freeze the bars. You only need them to freeze them for 30 minutes to an hour or so. This helps the peanut butter set up quickly so you can continue on with the chocolate.
When the peanut butter is chilled and stiff, pour some melted chocolate over top to finish the layers up. I like to slice the bars before the chocolatey top becomes too hard. This will make the bars much easier to cut and prevents the peanutty filling from getting squished out.
And then you’re done. And trust me, you might want to double the batch because these disappear fast. Everyone from my dad to Asher, to random friends who stopped in have devoured these. They really are a favorite.
It’s the chewy, salty, sweet, chocolate, peanut butter combination – it’s magic!
Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies
Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake
Lastly, if you make these Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 259 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Chewy Peanut Krispies
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (just peanuts and salt)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 6 cups brown rice krispies
Creamy Peanutty/Caramel Goodness
- 1 1/4 cups creamy peanut butter (just peanuts and salt)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- sea salt
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 2. To make the chewy layer. Add the brown rice krispies to a large bowl.3. In a medium pot, combine the honey, maple syrup, peanut butter, and coconut oil. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and pour the mix over the brown rice krispies. Stir well to combine. Spread the mix out onto the prepared pan, packing it in tightly. Place in the freezer. 4. To make the peanut layer. In a medium pot, mix the peanut butter, maple syrup, and 1/4 cup coconut oil. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and salt. Pour over the krispies layer. Freeze 30 minutes, until firm.5. Melt together the chocolate and 1 tablespoon coconut oil in the microwave. Let cool 5 minutes and then spread the chocolate over the peanut butter mix layer. Return to the fridge to set, about 10 minutes, then slice. The chocolate will not be totally set, but slicing is easier this way. Keep in the fridge.
Notes
If Strictly Vegan: use additional maple syrup in place of the honey.
Tip: Try to use a natural peanut butter with just peanuts and salt. Don’t use a no-stir peanut butter that contains oils and/or sugar.
Are these Freezable?
Hey Janice,
Yes, you could freeze these! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT
So easy to make and so good! Will need to add flakey salt on top next time!
Hi Kelly,
Fantastic!! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad to hear it was delish! xT
I’ve made these several times now and they’re a hit! I love how elegant the swirls and chunks of salt make them look:) we’ve also tried them with white chocolate, delish!
Hey Danielle,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xx
Do you have to use coconut oil? Does it help solidify the krispies? Or just a vegan thing?
I don’t have coconut oil and i’d prefer not having to buy an extra thing if some vegetable oil will do. Thanks and can’t wait to make this!
Hi Michelle,
Any other neutral oil will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hi Tieghan,
I’ve made this recipe before and it is delicious, but I have a hard time with the Rice Krispies staying together and firm. Is there a secret?
Thanks,
Karen
Hey Karen,
Thanks so much for making this recipe! I would try adding more honey or maple syrup to help them stick! xT
Hi Tieghan,
I’m going to make these for valentine’s Day tomorrow (they sound amazing), but could you please let me know how you got those gorgeous swirls in the chocolate? 🙂
Thanks,
Christine
Hey Christine,
I just used a toothpick to swirl the chocolate:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this recipe turns out well for you! xx
Deeeeelish! I used regular rice krispies and it was fine. I did have a hard time getting my peanut butter layer to boil, but Smucker’s natural PB (which is partially what I used) is a little thicker than some, so that might have been the issue. I just added some honey to the mix and did my best to boil it, but it turned out fine! I also forgot the vanilla. Lol.
To anyone who has had trouble getting the rice krispie layer to stick together, I cut a piece of parchment and laid it over the krispie layer and pushed it down as hard as I could! I didn’t have any issues with them falling apart. 🙂
Used semisweet choc chips because it’s what I had! 10/10 will make again. Thanks Tieghan!!
Hey Emma,
Happy Sunday!!🏈 I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your review, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Made them today — really good!
Hey Valerie,
Wonderful!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
Calling all chocolate and peanut butter fans – this is dessert is for you. Super easy to make and delicious! I cut the recipe in half and it worked for me. I only wish I had flaky sea salt to top it off. Thanks HBH for a great recipe!
Hey Amy,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! Have a great Thursday:)
This is an excellent recipe – so tasty. I have to admit that I didn’t have any krispy rice cereal so I replaced the 6 cups of Krispy rice with 4 cups of quick oats and it worked! Probably a bit more chewy than the Krispy rice would be, but still fantastic. I bake and cook all the time and this is the first time I have felt a need to leave a review. Thanks so much.
Hey Madhuri,
Happy Wednesday!!❄️ Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was a hit! xx
So delicious! A keeper!
Hey Deb,
Happy Sunday! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was delish! xx
What kind of dark chocolate do you use?
Hey Lisa,
I like to use Chocolove bars:) I hope this recipe turns out well for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I’ve made them before (last year🤪) and they were a hit! Making them again right now for a holiday boutique tonight! I’ll send a picture when they’re done!
Hey Lisa,
Happy Friday! ☃️ So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! xT
I haven’t cooked or baked with coconut oil. What kind of coconut oil do you recommend?
Hey Jean,
I like Whole Foods brand, unrefined, coconut oil. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xT
Do these freeze well?
Hey Alina,
Yes, these would work well for you to freeze! I hope you love the recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xx
Can I use normal syrup instead of Maple? Or it’s not the same?
Thank you!
Hi Jaya,
I would suggest using maple syrup:) I hope you love this recipe! xx