Peanut Butter Bars
With a baked base, a rich and sweet, peanut butter filling and a dark chocolate topping, these peanut butter bars are absolutely delicious. Perfect for afternoon tea or a sneaky snack. If you have a sweet tooth and like peanut butter then you will love this recipe.
Why you will love this recipe
This feels like a muesli bar and a decadent chocolate bar at the same time. No need to choose between the two. This peanut butter bars recipe is like getting the best of both worlds.
Peanut butter bars are really easy to make. While the multiple layers can seem a little bit intimidating, the steps are very simple and low fuss.
If you love peanut butter than this is the recipe for you. With peanut chunks in the base and a smooth, sweet peanut butter filling. The peanut butter flavor really shines in this recipe. Like my peanut butter pie and peanut butter cookies, this recipe shows off just how versatile this ingredient can be.
Guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. These bars are quite sweet but they are oh so delicious. Cut your pieces smaller if you need to or go all out and enjoy this indulgent sweet treat.
The three layers that make up these peanut butter bars
The base – A muesli bar style base that has both diced peanuts and peanut butter.
Filling – A fudgy, smooth, peanut butter filling. Peanut butter, butter, white chocolate and a little bit of icing sugar are melted together and combined. This is then spread over the cooked base and set.
Chocolate top – Dark chocolate is melted with a little bit of coconut oil to create a smooth and rich chocolate topping.
Tips and tricks
Make sure that your filling layer is cold when you add the chocolate topping. If it is not then the chocolate may melt the filling a little and they will blend or smear together.
This peanut butter filling can be used in other ways too. Spread it on top of a cake or layer it between cookies. Turn it into chocolate dipped truffles, ripple it into ice cream or just spoon it from the bowl.
To cut these into bars I find that it is best to start by cutting off the 2 short edges first. This eliminates any corner pieces and makes it easier to cut. Next make one long cut down the center lengthwise. Now you can cut evenly into 12 bars. Or to cut smaller pieces like I have. To do this cut the two lengths in half again and then cut each of those pieces into quarters. This will give you 16 even pieces. Clean your knife off between each slice with a warm, damp cloth to keep your slices clean.
Here are some other bars and slices that you might like to try:
Apricot and Orange Muesli Bars
Soft Baked Blueberry Muesli Bars
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 160 degrees, fan bake. Line a baking dish (around 20 x 30 cm) with baking paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine the oats, nuts, coconut, flour, baking powder and salt
- Place the remaining ingredients into a small saucepan heat on medium temperature, stirring regularly until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Once melted, pour the butter mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold the ingredients together until everything is well combined. It should resemble a thick dough.
- Spread the base evenly into the prepared baking trays and place the tray into your preheated oven.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes our until it is golden and baked through.
- Allow the slice to cool for about 30 minutes before preparing your filling.
- Place all of the filling ingredients into the saucepan that you melted the butter in earlier
- Heat on low, stirring regularly, until everything has melted down and you have a smooth spreadable mixture.
- Spread the filling over your cooled base.
- Place your tray in the fridge to set for at least 30 minutes. The filling should be solid but will still indent when pressed.
- In the microwave melt the chocolate buttons with the coconut oil. Heat in 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Spread the icing evenly over the set filling layer.
- Let the chocolate set fully and then cut evenly into 12-16 bars.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through my peanut butter bars recipe. I hope you enjoy trying this out for yourself. Please feel free to add any questions or comments below. I am happy to help out wherever possible and I would love to hear how this recipe worked out for you.
