There are few combos that are forever instilled as classics in our minds. Think about them, you know what they are. Combos like peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, cookies and milk, and peanut and chocolate. There is something so soothing and satisfying about these food combos, as if they were simply created to be together. Which is probably why peanut butter and chocolate are one of my favorites and why these No Bake Peanut Butter Bars bring me happiness. There is so much of my childhood all wrapped up into one of these bars. 
I love a good dessert that asks for minimal ingredients (only 6, to count!), is incredibly quick to throw together (perfect for those last minute bake sales you totally forgot about), and packs a flavorful crunch with every bite. It’s like a peanut butter cup all grown up.
In need of a dessert that is quick to throw together and an instant crowd pleaser? These No Bake Peanut Butter Bars are just the recipe you need. Made without gluten, eggs, and dairy, they are an allergen-friendly treat.*
*Have someone with a peanut allergy? Try replacing the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter instead!
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No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
Description
This recipe is part of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies with Brooke of Crackers on the Couch, who shells out fabulous recipes for the holidays and I take out the gluten, eggs, and dairy. You can see her original post here.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
- 1/2 c. melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 2 c. gluten-free graham crackers, finely crushed
- 1 1/2 c. dairy free chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
- Mix everything except the melted chocolate together until completely smooth.
- Press pan and smooth over with the back of a spoon.
- Pour the melted chocolate over on the top until evenly distributed. Chill for 10 minutes or until the chocolate has just started to set. Create cut lines through the chocolate, as if you were cutting into square shapes (this also called “skoring”) to help easily guide you once the chocolate has completely set.
- Allow to chill for another 2+ hours, or until the bars have set.
If you are having difficulties finding a store-bought gluten free graham cracker that is free from the allergens you need, you can always make these awesomely homemade graham crackers.
This recipe is also featured in my cookbook, Decadent Gluten Free Vegan Baking:
And these bars are just that: DECADENT. There is nothing healthy about this dessert but every once and awhile you just gotta let loose, throw caution to the wind, and have a No Bake Peanut Butter Bar to make you feel young again. I knew you’d agree…
Hello! Do you measure the 2 cups of graham crackers and then crush them or do you crush them and then measure out 2 cups of crushed cracker?
Measure the 2 cups after you crush them up 🙂
Well, I can’t read all this without injecting my 2 cents’ worth. See a nutritionist for recommended calcium supplements. Many are worthless because they aren’t absorbed (calcium, not nutritionists!). In re-reading your last post, I see that you just said all this–sorry. Also vitamin K2, not the kind that coagulates the blood, but the kind that says menaquinone (sp?) on the bottle pulls calcium from the arteries and puts it in the bones. And you might consider foregoing the vegan lifestyle unless you have good reason to adhere to it, such as religioun or allergies. B12 can only be found in meat and it might be one of the many vitamins you are deficient in. I am not vegan and still benefit from sublingual B12 drops. BTW, I am nearly 60 and should be in the condition you are, but thankfully am not primarily because I have always taken lots of vitamins and herbs since my early 20’s.
This is GREAT advice, Beth! I cannot thank you enough. I am having troubles with my bones again and so this comes at the perfect time, despite the post being written a year ago. Thank you 🙂
Have you tried these w/agave or honey instead of sugar? Also, I’m currently out of coconutboil and wonder if earth balance would work?!
Hi Susie! I actually haven’t tried this recipe with agave or honey. Now you have my curiosity peaked to see what they would taste like and/or if they would stay stiff the way the powdered sugar makes them. Let me know if you decide to experiment. I wanna know if it works! 😉 xo, Cara
Hey,
For more unsolicited advice: have you been evaluated for a hereditary connective tissue disorder? (Marfans, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, etc?)
I was diagnosed with Ehlers Danlos this year (lots of people get diagnosed late in life) and came to learn that there was a reason I dislocate my kneecaps while just sitting in bed and so on. Early onset osteoporosis is sometimes a complication of the genetic connective tissue disorders.
(Also, you mentioned having long limbs and digits and being clumsy, which goes along with it.)
Obviously I’m not a doctor, but it’s something that is often missed, because it’s rather rare and and variable in its expression, so milder cases get overlooked.
Anyway, do with that information what you will.
I hope you start feeling better soon.
This is so helpful, Em! Thank you for telling me about this and I will definitely look into it. And ouch on the kneecaps!!! I hope you are feeling better–any treatment that goes with that?
Hey Cara,
My reply got long so I emailed it instead. 🙂
I should say too that the peanut butter bars look like awesome bribe food.
Oh my god, these are like vegan reese’s but times a million. I MUST make them! Really sorry to hear about your diagnosis but glad to see you’re taking it in stride. I have no words of wisdom to offer because I am completely ignorant when it comes to all things bone density but I imagine a daily dose of peanut butter and vegan chocolate can only help matters 🙂 Sending you good thoughts Cara. 🙂
*chuckling*
You know what? They really *are* the vegan version of a peanut butter cup… but better because the peanut butter is the main attraction more so than the chocolate. Thank you for the encouragement, Nada. I think your wisdom makes perfect sense to me 🙂
I love peanut butter and chocolate together wayy too much! Yum!
Ugh, you and me both! There are days where I think I *should* be tired of it but I never get there (kinda like I have to eat a waffle and peanut butter EVERY morning). I love pb way too much…
Aw poor little Cara, injured in the line of duty. I’m pretty sure though that PB and chocolate will actually cure anything. You know chocolate has all those minerals in it, right? Now as the the sexy brace – I think you should wrap it in battery powered mini Christmas lights so you can be festive as well as sexy. 🙂
Injured in the line of duty. haha. The war of turning of a light 🙂
I am loving all your ideas, Laurel! I so am going to buy a mini light set and decorate my brace now. That will without a doubt cheer me up!
Can I start calling you Mom???? 😉 Sorry about your wrist…duuuude!!!! Sending you invisible bananas, horse-sized pills and whatever that candy snack is that Mom eats!!!!! Love you, Sissy!!!!
You can start calling me mom’s favorite, sure! 🙂
I was just thinking about the peanut butter squares I used to eat in junior high and how I could remake them but a little healthier. Thanks for the recipe! This is a definite must try! I bet the pb bottom would make a great filling for pb cups, too!
I, too, rarely make dessert recipes twice unless they’re super amazing. There are just so many wonderful treats out there that I’ll never have time to try them all if I repeat. LOL
I’m loving the peanut butter cup idea, Veronica! I think that it would be perfect, really 🙂
Funny, you didn’t happen to mention this when we were on the phone a little while ago! Alas, osteoperosis seems to run in the family 🙁 Caitlin’s advice is spot on! And you can get a daily dose of calcium and vitamin D in a little tasty chewable candy-like snack every day – I just don’t know what it’s called – I take the huge horse-sized pills everyday. :-0 The banana is for the potasium to keep my legs from cramping (a little something I learned years ago from Diane Schmidt) 🙂 You may have to consider wrapping yourself in bubble wrap. Mommy’s sending you hugs and tickies. Love you!
Meh, you were excited about your present and to be honest, I had forgotten in that moment. Surprise! And thank you 🙂 hehehe
oh noo.. so sorry about your wrist and your diagnosis.. hope you find a great nutritionist and doc and kick some osteo ass!
i got very anemic when i was eating a ton of meat.. found out when i was on a trip back home some 7 yrs back.. mom rolled up her sleeves and fed me beets, spinach and dates smoothie everyday.. it tasted yuck.. but after 2 weeks, my count was already half way up.
Can we send your mom over to my house so she can make me one of her infamous smoothies? 🙂
P.S. I am loving the “kick some osteo ass” sentiment!!
If she doesn’t call it “my osteo” or say “I’m cold as a frog!” she’s got a long way to go to catch up with my Grandmother! Lol! 😀
None of the above apply so I guess they are not twins after all. Rats. I was banking on it, too 🙂
Oh Cara, sorry to hear about the pre-osteo diagnosis. My understanding is the same thing Caitlin said, that weight-bearing exercise is the best thing to slow/prevent osteoporosis. I guess when we use our muscles, they contract and tug on the bones they’re attached to. Then, when the bones feel that tugging, they strengthen themselves by building more bone mass. Apparently women in the 3rd world pretty much never get osteoporosis, and not because they’re eating calcium all the time, but because they are working so damn hard for their whole lives. I’m glad this time that you “only sprained” your arm though – not another break, thank goodness!!! Take care my friend!
The good news is that this spurs me to exercise more regularly and less fanatically, you know? I go in spurts where I am at the gym 5 days a week, lifting heavy weights to doing absolutely nothing. ha. Balance is good 🙂 So is hearing from you! Thanks for the advice, you all are so helpful to me! xo
Fortunately, bananas are vegan and gluten free. My Grandmother was always eating bananas for her “osteo.” On the other hand, (pun totally intended) These look great!! I’m sorry you’re wounded… =(
HA! My mom does the same thing! She has a banana every day 🙂
PS, I love that ingredients pic with the graham cracker and the peanuts. Nice shot! 🙂
*taking a bow* Thank you! I’m trying to branch out and expand on my skills 🙂
Oh Honey, it it makes you feel any better, I once severely scratched my cornea just by opening my eyes while I was asleep…….Oh yeah, I also once rolled over in my sleep and smacked my forehead into the wall causing a lump. I mean, really, how many people hurt themselves while sleeping?! Aside from falling out of bed, of course……… ;D
Seriously though, I do hope you heal quickly. Miss you!
This made me smile, Rita! hehe. A scratched cornea? Ouch! That must have hurt so badly. Thanks for that…I feel better already! 🙂
Very sorry to hear about being in the pre-stages of osteoporosis. The Glass Man – what a great way of putting this into words, Cara. Hopefully through diet – I would add pumpkin pie and whipping cream (high in a lot of vitamins and minerals, seriously!) – and exercise you can combat it.
*squirting a can of whip cream into my mouth* I hink hue are wight. It woo-king.
Oh man, I don’t like the osteoporosis diagnosis (I’m a poet and don’t know it) one bit. Now let’s turn this around. Affirm after me…I have strong healthy bones and heal amazingly quick. Write that out and post it on your mirrors.
Greens and tofu. Greens and tofu. Come win some Nasoya tofu on my blog. What a coincidence. Gentle hugs.
I love this! “I have strong bones and heal amazingly quick. Greens and tofu. Greens and tofu.” It’s all I am going to say for the rest of the day. That made me smile (well, you always do, but especially more so today!) xo
🙂 🙂
Oh man I so love chocolate and peanut butter together. Yum.
May your sprain heal quickly. Hang in there!
I don’t think there is anything that I love more than those 2 foods together. How is it possible to be *that* good, you know? Thank you for the well wishes, Deanna (currently spreading peanut butter and chocolate on my wrist).
These look sinful! Such a simple and delicious recipe 🙂
Oooooohhh, good word Chinmayie! Sinful indeed 🙂
Oh my goodness!!! I’m so sorry to hear about your wrist and your recent diagnosis – big hugs to you and lots of prayers coming your way!
On the positive side, at least you know what’s going on with yiur body (wow, this is turning out to be the year for that!) and you can be proactive from here on out — and of course, peanut butter and chocolate will definitely help, that combo is my absolute fav 🙂
These bars look incredible, I need to make some stat…maybe to cure my cold!!
Oh no, you have a cold??! Eek! This is not the right time for you. Yes, you must make these bars and immediately cure yourself of any virus. Now! xoxo
Owwww. Sorry to hear about the wrist! But it’s good that you know about your pre-osteoporosis now so you can take steps to reverse (slow?) it…
You should definitely make your brace out of pb & chocolate. Then it’s a brace and a snack!
You are absolutely right! I just need to stop moping around and start being positive. You are rubbing off on me already…
you poor thing! i want to give you a great big(but gentle) hug. i’ve heard that walking helps with bone density, as does lifting weights. as for exercises such as pilates or swimming, they aren’t “weight bearing” exercises, so they do nothing to strengthen bones. maybe if you made sure you ate dark green veggies every day and also took a calcium+vitamin d supplement(and did gentle weight bearing exercises), it will get better. sorry if i’m giving you unwarranted advise, i just want you to be as healthy as possible :/
these chocolate pb squares remind me of a snack we used to eat when i was in grade school(i feel like i always say that!). they look so good and it’s a simple enough recipe that i have no excuse to make them sometime very soon 😉
You can give me unwarranted advice any time, Caitlin! I appreciate it and know that it comes from a place of caring. So thank you 🙂 I am meeting with a nutritionist soon and I am sure she will tell me all that you just did but I will get my butt into gear! I was told by my doctor that my ligaments are weak and so pilates will help strengthen them, which will enable me to hopefully avoid these injuries in the future. Here’s to hoping it works! Thanks again for the love. You are awesome.
ooh, that makes sense about the pilates, then! i wonder what spurred this on? do you think it has to do with all of your allergies that you just recently found out about? i know when people with celiac don’t know about it and eat gluten anyway, they become malnourished bc the gluten gets in the way of absorpting the vitamins and minerals. do you think something similar happened with you?
am i asking too many questions? i’m sorry if i am..i tend to do that. i’m kind of obsessed with health and wellness sort of stuff..
Not at all! Ask away!
What spurred this on? Not sure. I have always been a weakling and could benefit from being active more. I’m rather clumsy and careless so I am constantly doing dumb things to hurt myself. I have strangely long arms and legs for my body so they are constantly hitting things 🙂 My wrist injury was from 3 years ago that I ended up not getting medical attention in the first place so it just never healed properly. Osteoporosis also runs in my family and I have the same bone structure as my mother so I had a feeling it was coming eventually. What is even crazier is that all of these injuries have been happening at the same time of the year for the last 3 semesters: The week before finals. So I’m curious if stress has something to do with it as well?
What bothers me the most is when I started to really take care of my body is when all these issues started to arise. What is *that* about?? I thought when you start to take care of yourself, you are supposed to get better…
i actually was reading an article recently that talked about stress hormone contributing to osteoporosis, so that makes sense about injuries happening at the same time.
i wonder how exactly bone structure comes into play with osteoporosis. i’ve always heard that small framed white women are #1 candidates for getting it :/
it’s awful that you are trying to be healthy and then you are hit with something like this. luckily, you have time to reverse it before getting old.
i hope you keep us(or me) updated with your health, doctors appointments, and what you are told to help solve this problem. <3<3 and i'm always here if you want to talk or vent or whatever 😉 for real <3
You are my little health guru, now 🙂 I love it! And send me that article about stress, if you still have it around. I would love to read it. xoxo
aww thank you <3 i'll look for the article!
Cara, You are in my thoughts, I have osteoporosis and I’m 31….
But I have found a strict peanut butter regimen to be extremely helpful 🙂
I love your blog- just found it recently- Thanks for making me smile every morning!!
A strict peanut butter regimen? Reid, you have my attention! Tell me more!! Does osteoporosis run in your family?
Thank you so much for stopping by every morning–man, that just makes my day to hear that it makes you smile. Thank YOU!
I try to eat it at least once a day! (Not sure whether it’s working yet…)
I think that the osteoporosis is from not eating well when I was young, I exercised like crazy and had trouble with anorexia off and on.
Somewhere I read that it may have been the dairy that was leaching it from the bones though along with the casein allergy! So much for drinking your milk eh?
Does it run in your family? I’m curious, have you started any medication for it?
That is very interesting to hear Reid! Seeing that I have a milk allergy, that would make sense. Yes, my mother has osteoporosis so it does run in the family. And no, I have yet to take meds for it since I don’t have it full-blown just yet. THe dr told me that I am on my way to getting it, however. What about you? Are you on meds currently? What is your diet like these days?
Actually, I haven’t started any medication yet either. I have it full blown in my back and starting in my hips. I went vegan and gluten free 2 years ago and been trying to eat as much calcium rich greens as I can.
The docs frown upon the vegan-ness and I get lectured about that and about not being on vitamins and calcium.
Do you take calcium?
You would think that they would be happy about the vegan-ness. Besides, from what I am hearing, it’s not about what you are eating but how your body is absorbing it. Have you heard that as well? Interesting point. I don’t take any calcium as of yet but I will be meeting a nutritionist soon and get a stern lecture, I’m sure, about getting my vitamins and minerals 🙂