No-Bake Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are a gluten-free dessert recipe that tastes like a crispy chocolate peanut butter cup!
When I was growing up, my Dad came home from work each Friday with a treat for my brother’s and me. “Friday treat” was something we looked forward to all week long.
Well, my Friday treat to you today is No-Bake Crispy Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars!
Chocolate Buckeyes meet Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, meet Rice Krispie Treats in this decadent, 5-ingredient dessert recipe that’s gooey yet crispy, perfectly peanut buttery, and has just the right amount of chocolate.
I don’t know about you, but I like the ratio of my chocolate peanut butter cups to be 2:1, peanut butter to chocolate, and these bars definitely reflect it!
The recipe couldn’t be simpler – whip together peanut butter and softened butter (or vegan butter) with powdered sugar and gluten-free crispy rice cereal, then press into bars and top with melted chocolate spiked with peanut butter. OH. YEAH.
I may have gotten my love of salads from my Mama, but Dad taught me that the best way to end the week is with a sweet and delicious treat!
How to Make this Recipe
Start by mixing smooth peanut butter and softened butter or vegan butter in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar then mix to combine.
Next add luten-free crispy rice cereal then mix until just combined.
Lightly spray an 8×8″ baking dish with nonstick spray then press the crispy peanut butter mixture into the bottom with a spatula.
In a microwave-safe bowl combine chocolate chips (I love Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels which are GF and DF) and peanut butter then microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between increments, until the mixture is smooth. Pour onto the peanut butter bars then smooth with a spatula.
Refrigerate the bars until the chocolate has set, 20-25 minutes, then score the chocolate with a sharp knife. If you wait to slice the bars until they’re completely set, the chocolate could crack when sliced. No biggie in the taste-department, the slices just won’t look quite as sharp!
Place the bars back into the refrigerator until totally set, preferably overnight. Again, you can make these bars several days ahead of time.
Once the chocolate has completely set — slice, and devour!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups + 2 Tablespoons peanut butter, divided
- 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups gluten free crispy rice cereal, Erewhon recommended
- 1 cup gluten free dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, Enjoy Life recommended
Directions
- Add butter or vegan butter and 1-1/4 cups peanut butter to the bowl of an electric mixer or large mixing bowl. Mix with the stand mixer or hand mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar then mix until combined. Add crispy rice cereal then mix until just combined. Spray an 8x8 baking dish (can be slightly larger too - whatever you've got on hand) with nonstick spray then scoop crispy peanut butter mixture into the dish and spread into an even layer with a spatula.
- Combine chocolate chips and remaining 2 Tablespoons peanut butter in a microwave safe dish then microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between increments, until smooth (should take about 1-1/2 minutes total.) Pour on top of peanut butter bars then smooth with a spatula. Refrigerate until chocolate has barely set, 25 minutes or so, then score chocolate with a sharp knife. Refrigerate until bars are set, preferably overnight, then slice and serve.
Notes
- These bars will soften if left sitting out so they are best kept in the fridge until serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Favorite healthy topping: banana peppers. Favorite unhealthy: sausage or pepperoni!
Mushrooms, peppers and onions. And maybe add some (crumbled) sausage. I’m glad I read today’s blog post – I’m always looking for GF pizza options for my husband!
Mushrooms and black olives!
I’d say my favorite would be a tossup between pineapple/jalapeño (sweet & spicy!) or all the veggies.
PS
As someone who got into blogs when they first became popular and have witnessed the gradual transition to blogging as a profession with the preponderance of sponsored posts, etc. I have to say that you are one of the few bloggers that I feel like it’s doing it right. When you do sponsored post they seem very authentic, like it something that you actually use regularly and enjoy. Plus, the content is exactly like your normal post, just happens to include a sponsor within it. Thanks for doing such a beautiful job. I rarely comment, but congratulations on the new baby boy too! I have a little four-month-old boy at home right now and boys are the best! <3
I agree with Jen! Many sponsored posts feel very fake but yours feels authentic. I love all your recipes too.
Thank you so much, Sara, that is so nice to hear. I only work with brands/products we actually use and enjoy, so I’m glad that comes through!
Thank you so much, Jen!! I am very picky about sponsored content and only work with brands/products we actually use and enjoy, so I’m glad you feel that! Thanks for the nice note. :)
I like black olives and mushrooms.
Lots of veggies!
I usually get sausage peppers and onions!
Mushrooms for the win!
These look lovely! My favorite pizza topping is a tie between mushroom and meatball..yum :) Love your website!
All the veggies!
My word these look good! So much peanut butter! I’m with you on that ratio, there should always be more peanut butter than chocolate. We get chocolate flavoured crispy rice cereal here in the UK, I’d love to make these using that to ramp up the chocolate flavour!
I thought the UK didn’t have peanut butter. I’m a mushroom pizza man myself. And those pizza shirts are pretty dang nifty.
Ooooo – like Cocoa Krispies?? That would be awesome!!
Ooh, so we could use coco pops? Great idea! I feel like we don’t have as much variety in food choices here in UK as you do over in the states. Another reason to jump ship! Keep up the amazing work! You help so much!
If craving pizza & crispy, chocolate peanut butter bars at 4:49am is wrong, I don’t want to be right. This all looks sooo good! And I love the pizza shirts!
I love pizza with pineapple!