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Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. Doughy, soft, and fluffy peanut butter base, layered with sweet, fudgy chocolate. All made with simple ingredients: almond flour, maple syrup, peanut butter, eggs, and rich dark chocolate. These bars are sweet, salty, made with just the right amount of peanut butter, extra chocolatey, gluten-free, and butter-free. Every last bite is truly delicious, they really are quite magical!
There’s nothing my family loves more than chocolate and peanut butter paired together. It has always been the family “vice”. Universally, it’s a flavor we all love and could easily enjoy weekly – and sometimes we do!
With the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day both on the horizon, I have two focuses for the month when it comes to desserts…recipes for a crowd, and all things chocolate.
If they happen to be easy, and even somewhat wholesome, that’s just an added bonus!
Excitedly, these peanut bars, have all of the above. They’ll feed a crowd, chocolate is involved, and they don’t require a lot of effort. They’re low in sugar and even gluten-free!
So you see, these really are kind of like a magic chocolate peanut butter bar. I’ve made probably six batches in the last few weeks and we haven’t tired of the recipe yet. I’m even looking forward to sharing these on Super Bowl Sunday, they’re the perfect game-day dessert.
The peanut butter bar details
Nothing fancy here, just mix the wet ingredients with the dry and simply bake the bars in a baking dish. One bowl – nothing complicated. As mentioned, I used almond flour for these bars, so they’re naturally gluten-free.
And then, I used maple syrup as the sweetener, which I really love. Sweet dessert bars are, of course, delicious, but I hate the “sugar” headache you can get when they’re overly sweet. Don’t worry though, these peanutty bars are still plenty sweet!
The glazes
The glaze, or glazes, I should say, make these bars, and both are so simple. Just chocolate chips and either oil or milk.
Using milk gives us a really creamy, dark, and rich glaze that stays softer on the bars. It’s delicious and will leave you with chocolatey fingers.
Using oil gives us a more stiff glaze that really sets up and hardens after some rest time.
Both are equally delicious, it’s more of a texture thing. The chocolate + milk glaze is creamy and fudgy. While the chocolate + oil glaze is more firm, like milk chocolate. Using both gives you the best of both, so you don’t have to pick one.
And we love that! Each bite is filled with sweet, fluffy, almost cake-like peanut bars and extra fudgy chocolate glaze. Yummmy!
Looking for easy old-school-style desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies
Giant Salted Espresso Hot Fudge Cookies
Lunchroom Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Lastly, if you make these Fudgy 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!
Fudgy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 261 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate Glaze
- 2 cups mini chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1/3 cup whole milk
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.2. In a bowl, stir together the coconut oil and peanut butter, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Add the almond flour, baking powder, and salt.3. Spread the dough out into the prepared dish. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-22 minutes, until just set in the center. Let cool completely.4. Meanwhile, make the glaze.Glaze 1: Microwave 1 cup chocolate chips and oil on 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.Glaze 2: Microwave 1 cup chocolate chips and milk on 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.5. Spread glaze 2 over the cooled bars, let sit 15-20 minutes, then drizzle over glaze 1, using a butter knife to swirl the 2 glazes together (note the order you add the glazes does not matter). Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour until set. Slice into bars and enjoy! Keep stored in a cold place or in the fridge.
I just made these. Super quick and delicious. Love the low sugar and no gluten recipe. Yum!! I did use a low sugar syrup to make them even less carb than they already were. Came out great
Hey Monica,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:)
I made this recipe using the 1 1/4c all-purpose flour substitution suggested by the author in the comments. The glaze is good, I love chocolate so it’s hard to go wrong, but the peanut butter base has the taste and texture of stale white bread. Zero peanut butter flavor, no sweetness, no saltiness, nothing but a faint hint of coconut. Using almond flour may have lead to a better texture, it’s hard to say, but the flavor is just not there.
Hi Mike,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear the all purpose flour didn’t work for you, like I noted several times, I haven’t tested that so I don’t know the results. I do think almond flour is best to use:) xx
Mine didn’t come out as pretty as yours BUT So. Freaking. Good. I used regular sized chocolate chips but otherwise followed the recipe. My boyfriend who’s a big candy bar guy said they’re delicious. I’ll definitely be making these again!
Hey Marissa,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you:)
Loved the texture of these bars, but for me the coconut oil was overpowering and could taste it more than the PB. Is there a more neutral oil that could be used but still maintain texture?
Hey Cait,
Awesome!!🌼 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! Sure, any other neutral oil that you enjoy will work here! xT
These were such a disappointment. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 flour, and by the 2nd cup the batter was so thick I had to stop adding it. I literally had to press the blob down into the pan with my fingers and try to smooth away my fingerprints. Baking it didn’t help–there is nothing cakey or fudgey about the bars.
The chocolate glazes make no sense. The consistencies are exactly the same, and they did not swirl at all.
I have a very hard time believing that what is pictured is the same recipe.
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Unfortunately, I only tested this recipe with almond flour, so that was the first issue here. I can promise you I tested this recipe several times before posting and all of the ingredients are the same as what I used;) Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
I used 1 1/4 cup of all purpose flour but also added about 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt to prevent dryness and it came out great!
Hey there,
Happy Monday!! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad it turned out well for you:)
I’ve made so many of your recipes and they are always fantastic. I made these and am so confused. They taste like lemon? I followed the recipe exactly and we get no peanut butter, only citrus. I’m so confused. 😂
Hey Erica,
Hmmm that is so strange! Sorry, not really sure what to say here, no idea what would have caused that!! xx
Hi!
Would oat flour work in place of almond? Or is AP flour a better sub? Not sure which is better and what the measurements would be.
Thanks! Can’t wait to make!
Hey there,
So sorry, I’ve not tested this recipe with oat flour. I would stick with the almond flour if you can, if not try using 1 1/4 cups of all purpose flour. I hope you love this recipe! xT
These bars are soooo easy to make !!!
They aren’t super sweet which I love. It let’s the pb flavor shine. I also love the texture of them. I’ve never used almond flour before. I was pleasantly surprised lol
Hey there,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you making it:) xT
Hi!
I’m making this for a work event – is using almond flour, coconut oil, and avocado oil in place of the “typical” ingredients supposed to just be a healthier substitute? Or is this considered to be GF or another dietary way to make it? Just want to make sure I write it down if it’s GF or specific diet friendly 🙂
Love your recipes!
Hi Nicole,
So, I’m not exactly sure I understand what you are asking, but yes those ingredients are “better for you option” but also make these gluten free:) I hope this helps! xT
Looks delish but I’m allergic to peanut butter. Could you sub cashew butter?
Hey Becky,
Totally, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Thanks for the recipe. I would love to n know if anyone has tried this with 1 1/4 cups regular floor and if it worked well. Almond flour was so expensive at my store! Thank you!
Why did you delete allllllll the messages where people were saying there’s always problems with your recipes? I’ve had the same issues when asking you questions. You’re supposed to be helping and not confusing people. You need to be more thorough and diligent when creating and writing recipes.
Hi Tina,
No messages were deleted here. Please let me know how I can help and what your question is:) xx
Hey Michelle,
Thanks for trying this recipe! Let me know if you give it a try with all purpose flour! xx
I tried them with the 1 1/4 cup of AP flour. Taste wise, they seemed pretty bland and a little dry. They weren’t bad with the chocolate though. I may try them again once I have almond flour so I can make it as written.
Hi! I don’t have avocado oil. Is there another oil I could sub to get the desired texture?
P.S. the lunch room pb bars are a favorite of mine!
Hey Emily,
Sure, coconut oil or another neutral oil will work for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hi, thanks so much for this! Would the glaze work with almond or coconut milk? Asking because I’d like to make them for my lactose free husband!
Hey Dini,
Totally, either of those would work well for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s delish! xx
Can you use regular chocolate chips? If so how much?
Thanks!
Hi Trina,
Sure, I would use 3/4 cup of each. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Love your desserts!
The insta video shows one egg, but the recipe lists two. Please confirm.
Thanks!
Hi Sera,
Please follow this recipe as written and use 2 eggs. Let me know if I can help in any other way! xx