Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (with Pretzels)
Plant Based Recipes
November 15, 2016 | Kathryn Kellogg
Last Updated on June 19, 2024
Chocolate peanut butter bars have layers of honey, peanut butter, and chocolate. Sweet and chewy, these easy to make bars also have a touch of crunchiness from the pretzels.
These chocolate peanut butter bars with pretzels are a satisfying snack or dessert — and are much healthier than many other homemade peanut butter and chocolate bars! My chocolate peanut butter squares only use 5 ingredients (6 if you add the pretzels), with none of the added filler or junk from box recipes. Save this chocolate peanut butter squares recipe for your next potluck to make a sweet and savory dessert everyone will want seconds of.
Table of Contents
no bake chocolate peanut butter bars
Ever crave something sweet but don’t feel like putting in a ton of effort? Yeah…I get that way too!
That is where my incredible chocolate peanut butter pretzel bars were born. And everyone who tries them tells me they are DELICIOUS!
With just a handful of ingredients, you can make a batch of these easy dessert bars to enjoy as an after-dinner treat or a quick pick-me-up in the afternoon.
Chocolate peanut butter squares also make a great gift from the kitchen for holidays, teachers, neighbors, or friends!
why you’ll love peanut butter and chocolate bars
- Rich chocolate flavor
- Creamy peanut butter
- Easy recipe
- Makes a great gift
chocolate peanut butter squares ingredients
4 servings; 1.5 hours
- 1/2 Cup of Cocoa Butter
- 1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil
- 1/2 Cup of Organic Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 of Honey
- 1/4 Cup of Melted Peanut Butter
*Optional: 10-12 Chopped Pretzels
how to make easy chocolate peanut butter bars
step 1: create chocolate
Grate 1/2 cup of cocoa butter and place it in a double boiler with the coconut oil.
Stir until melted. Turn the heat off and stir in the cocoa powder and honey. Stir until glossy.
step 2: mold and freeze cocoa
Pour 2-3 tablespoons into the bottom of a silicone mold, just until the bottom is covered. This made 4 of the squares in my mold.
Place the chocolate in the freezer for 30 minutes until firm.
step 3: layer chocolate peanut butter pretzel bars
Remove the chocolate from the freezer and place a tablespoon of peanut butter on each square.
Spread it out in a thin layer, leaving a small border around the edges. Pour the remaining chocolate over the top of the chocolate peanut bars. It should just cover it.
Place chopped pretzels on top if desired.
step 4: freeze formed bars
Place the chocolate peanut butter pretzel bars back in the freezer for another hour or until frozen solid. Pop out of the mold and serve cold.
Enjoy!
notes about this chocolate peanut butter squares recipe
While this dessert is SUPER easy to make, I have put together some of my favorite tips to make sure they turn out great every time:
- Make sure the honey is thoroughly mixed. It will tend to sink toward the bottom.
- You can also replace the honey with maple syrup to make these peanut butter and chocolate bars vegan.
- Work quickly, since the chocolate layers will start to harden as they cool.
faqs
how do you store these bars?
No bake chocolate peanut butter squares will last in the fridge for a week. Be sure to keep them airtight.
You can store them at room temperature, but they tend to soften a fair amount, so I prefer to keep them chilled.
do you have to use a mold when making these dessert bars?
Nope! You can absolutely layer your peanut butter and chocolate bars in a small baking dish, following the same instructions. Just be sure to slice them up before storing.
can you freeze chocolate peanut butter squares to enjoy later?
Yes! As mentioned before, it’s best to slice no bake chocolate peanut butter bars before you freeze them. Keep airtight, and they will last up to 2 months in the freezer.
are these easy bars vegan?
No, due to the honey, this chocolate peanut butter squares recipe is not vegan. However, it’s easy enough to swap the honey for maple syrup to make them fit into a vegan lifestyle!
can you serve these no bake bars at room temperature?
I’ve never tried it, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The cocoa butter/coconut oil mixture has a tendency to liquify at room temperature or warmer, so you’ll run the risk of a melty, chocolatey mess if you don’t serve these chocolate peanut butter bars chilled.
What helps you when you’re stressed? Leave some ideas for me to try in the comment section this week!
Sending so much love to everyone this week.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (with Pretzels)
Chocolate peanut butter bars have layers of honey, peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate. Sweet and chewy, easy bars have a touch of crunchiness from the pretzels.
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup of Cocoa Butter
- 1/2 Cup of Coconut Oil
- 1/2 Cup of Organic Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 of Honey
- 1/4 Cup of Melted Peanut Butter
- *Optional: 10-12 Chopped Pretzels
Notes
- Grate 1/2 cup of cocoa butter.
- Place it in a double boiler with the coconut oil.
- Stir until melted.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the cocoa powder and honey.
- Stir until glossy.
- Pour 2-3 tablespoons into the bottom of a silicone mold; just until the bottom is covered. (this made 4 of the squares in my mold).
- Place the chocolate in the freezer for 30 minutes until frozen.
- Remove from the freezer and place a tablespoon of peanut butter on each square.
- Spread it out in a thin layer, leaving a small border around the edges.
- Pour the remaining chocolate over the top of the peanut butter. It should just cover it.
- Place chopped pretzels on top if desired.
- Place the bars back in the freezer for another hour or until frozen solid.
- Enjoy!
Take long walks in beautiful scenery: woods, sea, lake, a flower show, whatever you like. I usually go alone to think through stuff. Sometimes I find myself entangled in my thoughts and need company to get outside again. Depening on where you are right now – I recommend long walks without any fitness or other side thoughts.
Meet friends for dinner: make it, buy it, go out, it doesn’t matter. Friends are friends because they help and they make you feel good about yourself. Same goes for family, if that relationship is a good one. Visit, take some time out and away. Get the love you deserve. Take the dog 😉
I hate to see you sad or stressed out. I am looking forward to every single post you write. It’s exactly because you are so positive and fun to read, not just because of the message itself. I am sure that takes energy but be assured: your readers get this energy and profit from it. I have been wondering, though, how you manage a full day time job, a household, relationship, the dog, writing, cooking, etc. I couldn’t do this the way you do. If it is too much, you may want to cut back a little on one or two things, e.g. writing or, which is what I would do, cleaning 😉
What I am trying to say: I think you are wonderful and what you do is wonderful. Now do it just to please yourself, not any of us 🙂
Love from across the ocean.
This comment really made my day. Thank you! 🙂
I am with you. This is the first time I’ve commented on your blog, but I wanted to send you some love. I love your recipes, and bought your cookbook, and have been going through it one recipe at a time. It’s the only cookbook I’ve ever had where I want to make every recipe in it. So, that’s my task this year, seasonally of course. I love your masala chickpea curry and sweet potato sage raviolis.
The only silver lining I see right now is that people are becoming clear that we all need to be more active on environmental (and other) issues. I have been zero waste (as close of course as I can be with my family) for a year now, and LOVE the secondary benefits it has given me. Perhaps we need a zero waste get-together of like minds to help all of our spirits? This spring in New York? (I’m in Colorado)
Thank you for all you do! You are making a difference. Deb
Sorry, Lauren! Confused you in my last comment with the Minimalist Baker! I love both of your blogs and other than the cookbook, and the recipes I mentioned, my comment is still good! You are a positive influence in my life. Thank you!
Thanks for you sweet comment. You may have me confused again, but that cook book sounds really amazing! I definitely want to check it out. 😉
I do a little exercise when I feel restless and stressed that helps alot and is also a form of mindfullness since you need to have total focus on your body.
Start by "tighten" your toes and feet, hold for 10-15 seconds. Relax for 20-30 seconds. Then tighten the toes, feet and calves, relax. Then toes, feet, calves and thighs and so on until you reach all the way up to your neck. Make sure that you really relax between the parts where you tighten your muscles. Notice how your body feels and try to focus on your breathing.
(I hope this makes sense, I´m Swedish;)).
Yes! I am very familiar with this exercise. We’d do it to cool down after dance. Thank you for reminding me.