No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)

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These vegan chocolate peanut butter bars remind me of peanut butter cups, with crunchy bites of chocolate chips! Uses simple and easy ingredients and comes together quickly.

No bake chocolate peanut butter bars stacked on top of each other

Chocolate and peanut butter are a match made in heaven. I love fruity desserts, but if I see this combo of flavors, I immediately grab it over any other options. When my husband tasted these chocolate peanut butter bars for the first time, he said “Oh dang, these are even better than peanut butter cups!” Which is basically the best compliment ever and I have to agree with him. They are honesty great for any time of the year, but I love them in the summer when it’s too hot to turn on the oven because they are no-bake.

Gluten Free & Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe

These chocolate chip peanut butter bars couldn’t be easier to make. With just 6 simple ingredients (not counting salt), I didn’t even have to make an extra trip to the grocery store, because I already had everything I needed in the pantry. You basically mix the peanut butter bar layer, press into a pan, then freeze. Then you make the chocolate layer and pour it over the peanut butter layer. Freeze again, then cut into squares. That’s it – smooth, velvety, crunchy, and chocolatey dessert in no time.

Ingredients for These No-Bake Bars

Ingredients for chocolate peanut butter bars in bowls

peanut butter: I recommend smooth creamy peanut butter, but you may use the crunchy kind if you don’t mind the texture. If you are grain free and/or paleo, you can always almond butter instead.
maple syrup
coconut oil: If you aren’t vegan, I love using ghee or butter instead for that extra buttery flavor.
vanilla extract
sea salt
almond flour
semi-sweet chocolate chips: For vegan chocolate chips, I love this brand.

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Mixing dry ingredients in a large bowl — **Step 1**: Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, stir together peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and sea salt until smooth.

Stirring in almond flour — **Step 2**: Stir in almond flour until a thick mixture is formed.

Folding in chocolate chips to the batter — **Step 3**: Fold in chocolate chips.

Spreading peanut butter bar batter into a parchment lined square pan — **Step 4**: Press into the prepared baking pan in an even layer, and freeze while you prepare the chocolate layer.

Melting chocolate in a bowl — **Step 5**: In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and peanut butter. Microwave in 30-second increments until melted and smooth when stirred. You can also use a double boiler.

Pouring melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer — **Step 6**: Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer and spread evenly. Freeze for 1 hour.

Slicing no bake chocolate peanut butter bars into squares — **Step 7**: Remove from the freezer, then slice into 16 squares. You can run the knife under hot water before slicing for a cleaner cut. Store in the fridge or freezer.

Lifting a chocolate peanut butter bar from a stack

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make the chocolate peanut butter bars paleo?

Yes! Just use peanut butter instead of almond butter. They make not taste like peanut butter cups, but they’ll still be delicious!

Can I add peanuts to make the bars extra crunchy?

If you want extra crunchy bars, use crunchy peanut butter or add some peanuts into the peanut butter mixture when adding the chocolate chips.

How long can I store these?

Stored in an airtight container, these will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.

Close up view of a chocolate peanut butter bar that's been bit into.

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5 from 12 votes

Servings: bars