Peanut butter lovers, these Healthy Peanut Butter Bars were made for you! I make a batch almost every week because they come together with just FOUR ingredients, zero oven time, and taste dangerously close to a Reese’s cup (except you actually feel good about eating them)!
A Quick Look: No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- ✅ Recipe Name: Healthy No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- 🕒 Ready In: 10 minutes prep + 1 hour freeze
- 👪 Serves: 12 bars
- 🍽 Calories: 316 per bar
- 📋 Protein: 8g per bar
- 🥬 Main Ingredients: Peanut butter, oat flour, maple syrup, chocolate chips
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free
- 🥣 Best For: Dessert, snacks, meal prep, lunchboxes
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Four ingredients, no baking, and they taste like a homemade Reese’s!
Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
If you know me, you know I will always say yes to peanut butter and chocolate. It’s one of my favorite combinations, and these no bake bars keep it simple!
The base is made with peanut butter, oat flour, and maple syrup, so it comes together quickly and firms up nicely once chilled. Then you add a smooth chocolate layer on top, which gives each bite that sweet-salty balance that makes these so good.
I also love that these no bake peanut butter chocolate bars are easy to keep in the fridge or freezer. They’re great for meal prep, easy to portion out, and nice to have on hand when you want a homemade treat that is ready to go!
If you love easy no-bake treats like these, you’ll also want to try my Peanut Butter Energy Bars and No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies for more of that PB-chocolate goodness!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love These Healthy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Just four ingredients. Peanut butter, oat flour, maple syrup, and chocolate chips, that’s genuinely all you need! It doesn’t get much better than that.
- No oven required. These are fully no bake, which means you can make them any time of year without heating up your kitchen.
- They taste like a Reese’s cup. That salty peanut butter base + chocolate topping combo is absolutely unreal.
- Perfect for meal prep. Make a batch on Sunday and snack on them all week straight from the fridge or freezer.
- Easy to customize. Add flaky sea salt on top, swap in almond butter, or drizzle with white chocolate, these bars are a total blank canvas!
Ingredients Needed
Making a batch of these no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars are simple and requires only four ingredients.
- Peanut butter: You’ll need creamy peanut butter for the base and more for the topping if you’re mixing it with the melted chocolate. I like salted peanut butter for the sweet-salty flavor, but creamy unsalted works too!
- Oat flour: Oat flour gives the bars structure and a soft, sturdy texture. Store-bought is usually a little finer, but homemade works too if you blend rolled oats until very smooth. Using oat flour make these peanut butter bars completely gluten-free!
- Maple syrup: This sweetens the bars and help bring the base together. Honey or agave can work too.
- Chocolate chips: For the topping! Mini chocolate chips melt easily, but regular chocolate chips work just as well! You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips.
Tip: For a yummy twist, you can add 1/2 cup of shredded coconut or chopped nuts as a topping. It can add an additional crunch and texture.
How to Make Easy Healthy Peanut Butter Bars
Step 1: Make the peanut butter base. In a medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, maple syrup, and oat flour until a thick dough forms. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into a parchment-lined 8×8 baking dish.
Step 2: Make the chocolate topping. Add chocolate chips and peanut butter to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each, until completely smooth.
Step 3: Assemble and freeze. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the peanut butter base and spread evenly. Transfer to the freezer for 1 hour, or until fully set and firm enough to slice cleanly.
Step 4: Slice and serve. Lift the bars out using the parchment paper, cut into 12 bars, and enjoy! Store in the fridge or freezer
Erin’s Expert Recipe Tips
- Use salted peanut butter. It’s the secret to that addictive sweet & salty balance. If you only have unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the base.
- Line your dish with parchment paper. It makes cleanup easy and helps you pull out perfectly clean bars for slicing!
- Don’t rush the freeze. A full hour in the freezer is key so the chocolate sets properly and the bars hold their shape when sliced.
- Use a warm knife for cleaner slices. Run your knife under hot water, dry it, and then slice. The chocolate won’t crack or shatter.
- Storing: Keep bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. To freeze without sticking, lay bars in a single layer first, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some common no bake peanut butter bar recipe questions. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Usually, that means the mixture is a little too dry, or the peanut butter was too thick. Make sure everything is fully mixed, and the base is soft enough to press firmly into the pan. Using a creamier peanut butter helps a lot.
For these no-bake peanut butter bars, I recommend using a creamy, salted peanut butter. It can be natural, but it might make the base mixture more dry. If you find the base mixture is too dry, you’ll want to add just a dash of water to make it smoother.
Yes. Double the ingredients and use a 9×13 pan if you want a bigger batch for sharing or meal prep.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
Here are some of my favorite peanut butter recipes you should make next. Enjoy!
- Chocolate Baked Oats With Peanut Butter
- Salted Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookie Cups
- Flourless Peanut Butter Blondies
- Peanut Butter Cornflake Bars
Video Tutorial
If you tried this recipe or any other recipes on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Follow @erinliveswhole on Instagram and tag me in any of the recipes you make so I can repost them!
Healthy Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, maple syrup, and oat flour until well combined.
- Press mixture into an 8×8 dish.
- Pour chocolate chips and remaining peanut butter into a microwave safe dish and microwave on 30 second increments until chips are melted.
- Pour melted chocolate peanut butter mixture over peanut butter base.
- Place in freezer for one hour, then cut and serve.
- Store in fridge or freezer!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Use salted peanut butter for the best flavor. The sweet-salty balance is what makes these bars so good! If you only have unsalted, just add a pinch of salt to the base mixture.
- Line your dish with parchment paper. It makes cleanup a breeze AND helps you get cleaner slices later. Totally worth the extra 30 seconds!
- Don’t skip the freezer step. The bars need to go in the freezer for a full hour before slicing. This ensures the chocolate layer sets properly so everything cuts cleanly and holds together.
Ruth says
Can you use natural peanut butter that the only ingredients is peanuts?
Erin says
Hi Ruth, yep! That should be fine. Let me know how yours come out!
Erin N says
Beyond easy to make and absolutely delicious! 🙂
Erin says
Hi Erin, so glad you enjoyed them!!
Tanya says
I want to make these. Was wondering if you know if you can add protein powder and if so would you add more maple syrup or oil to add more moisture? Thank you 😊
Erin says
Hi Tanya, yes, that should be fine on both. I haven’t added it before, so let me know how yours comes out!!
Meredith says
Another delicious recipe! My family and I are huge peanut butter and chocolate lovers. The taste was a cross between a peanut butter cup and peanut butter fudge with chocolate on top. I was impressed!
Erin says
Hi Meredith, so happy your family liked them so much! 🙂
Anon says
I made these and they’re excellent. Is the butter base meant to be squidgy/moist (like mine turned out) or more dry like a biscuit base.
Erin says
Hi, so happy you like them and yes, they should be moist! 🙂
Barbara W M says
Love the bars! Have you ever frozen some for later?
Erin says
Hi Barbara, so happy you loved them!! Yes, you can freeze them and thaw when ready to eat! 🙂
Kristen says
Amazing! Loved these
Erin says
Hi Kristen, so happy you enjoyed them!!
Claudette Blais says
Isn’t there a way to make these bars with a chocolate coating that us nade with cacao, maple syrup and coconut oil? I thought I saw this somewhere. Now I cant find it.
Jackie says
Used a honey peanut butter and it’s so good. Super easy to make. Solid 5 stars!
Erin says
Hi Jackie, so happy you loved them!! 🙂
Kelly says
O.M.G. Better the second day! I used almond flour and doubled the maple syrup, added 2tsp vanilla extract. Tossed semi sweet Cho chips on top it looked nice and added crunch. 10/10 thank you Erin!!!!
Erin says
Hi Kelly, so happy you loved them and made them your own! 🙂
Sherry Gustafson says
I used sugar free peanut butter maple syrup and chocolate chips to make it healthier for diabetics. Delish !!!
Erin says
Hi Sherry, so happy you liked them and made them your own! 🙂
Debby Kervin says
Just made these baked the crust for 15 minutes and used oatmeal. They are awesome. Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Debby, so happy you loved them so much! 🙂
N says
Perfect for those period cravings, and I have all the ingredients on deck. Thank you.
Erin says
Hi, so glad you loved them! 🙂
Hema says
Hi! Can I substitute honey for the maple syrup?
Erin says
Hi Hema, yes, should be fine. Let me know how yours comes out! 🙂
Alyssa says
These are ridiculously good!!! I added some chia seeds to the chocolate part for a little crunch. This is the first recipe of yours that I have stumbled across and I’m excited to see what other treats of yours I can whip up! Thank you for an easy, healthy and absolutely delicious recipe!
Erin says
Hi Alyssa, so happy you loved them! 🙂
Jamie says
Yum! Love chocolate and pb
Erin says
Hi Jamie, so glad you loved them!
Jen says
These were delicious! Anything no- bake is my fav and my Reese’s-obsessed brother-in-law agreed these are better than the real thing!
Erin says
Hi Jen, so happy they were a hit!! 🙂
Ladria says
So the oat flour bag says right on it not to be eaten raw. Thoughts?
Erin says
Hi Ladria, it is safe to eat raw, but if you want to be extra safe, you can bare it at 250 for 10mins, but you don’t have to.
karen cornetz says
Do you bake just the crust first ,let it cool- then add chocolate topping?
Erin says
Hi Karen, it is a no bake recipe. Just follow the steps and mix together peanut butter, maple syrup, and oat flour then press mixture into an 8×8 dish. Then microwave the chocolate chips and remaining peanut butter then pour melted chocolate peanut butter mixture over peanut butter base and freeze! Let me know how yours comes out!
Maryann says
I’m excited to try this recipe.
My question is do I use reg peanut butter that you use for sandwiches?
Erin says
Hi Maryann, so happy you loved them and yes, just regular peanut butter!
Ked says
Delicious! Any tips on how to make cutting easier after taking out of freezer? Thanks! : )
Erin says
Hi Ked, you can wet the knife first like you do wit ice cream sometimes or sharpen the knife before cutting! 🙂