Ooey gooey chocolate chip peanut butter bars…
The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
These chocolate chip peanut butter bars are one of the top most popular recipes on my blog – and for very good reason!
When you need a recipe that both meat eaters and vegans love, these bars are an absolute must-try, because they will never let you down.
Of every dessert I’ve ever made, these peanut butter bars are still one of my go-to recipes for parties, because they’re easy to transport, get rave reviews even from guests who aren’t into healthy eating, and you’re pretty much guaranteed no leftovers by the end of the night.
People go crazy for the soft, gooey, peanut buttery texture and melty chocolate in each delicious bite, and they taste like the lovechild of a chocolate chip cookie and a Reeses peanut butter cup!
*There’s now also a chocolate brownie version, so be sure to try the Brownie Batter Bars!
Above – watch the video of making the peanut butter bars!
The peanut butter bars can be:
Vegan
Keto
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Sugar Free
Egg Free
Grain Free
Soy Free
Paleo
And Oil Free
(For high-protein peanut butter bars, make these Protein Bars.)
Homemade Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
With chocolate and peanut butter, is it any surprise how good these are?
If Nestlé and Hersheys were to collaborate on a dessert, I’m pretty sure they’d come up with something along the lines of these gooeylicious chocolate chip peanut butter bars.
The recipe was originally adapted from my Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies, and I’ve changed it over the years to make it even better (which I didn’t think was possible, because the original was so good!).
Below is the newest version, which now includes a keto friendly option for those who need it. Everyone should be able to enjoy these crazy delicious peanut butter bars!
(Above, bringing the bars to a party earlier this year. They did not last long!)
If you want a bigger batch, try the popular Ryan Reynolds Blondie Bars.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup applesauce, or yogurt such as coconutmilk yogurt
- 1 cup peanut butter OR allergy-friendly alternative – nut-free recipe here
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp flour – you can use spelt, white, sorghum, oat, almond, even or buckwheat (50g)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar of choice or xylitol
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips, optional
- up to 2 tbsp milk of choice, only if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch pan, or line with parchment. Gently heat nut butter if not already stir-able, then stir in the applesauce and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, stir baking soda, salt, flour, sugar, and chocolate chips. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and keep stirring—it will seem very dry at first, so you’ll need to break up the nut butter and stop occasionally to scrape it off your spoon. If needed, slowly add up to 2 tbsp milk of choice as you stir. Don’t add more milk; it will eventually get gooey like cookie dough. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth down evenly. (I press a second sheet of parchment on top to smooth, then remove this sheet.) Press some chocolate chips into the top if desired. Bake 10 minutes. When you take the peanut butter bars out, the top will look set but they will still be very undercooked underneath. This is okay! Leave them to cool for at least 20 minutes, during which time they will firm up. (They also firm up even more overnight.)View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
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I made this as written, and it is AMAZING! Thank you, Katie, for yet another great recipe!
Thank you so much for making them 🙂
Yummy!
Considering there’s no egg, I may just stir these up, with chocolate chips, put it in a jar in the fridge, and eat it by the spoonful! ;D
could you replace some of the granulated sugar in this with mashed banana? I’m hoping to make these tonight but i’d love to somehow add some banana in it too! (cuz banana, nut butter and chocolate is a GREAT combo!) 🙂
Hi! Hopefully this is along the lines of what you’re looking for? https://lett-trim.today/banana-chocolate-chip-cookie-bars/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
These were really good. The only slight problem that I had was that these bars didn’t bake in 10 minutes. I had to bake them for about 25 minutes total because they were waaaaay underdone. But besides that, they were EXCELLENT!!!
Hi Katie, I loved this recipe, but since I’ve started reducing my sugar it’s become too sweet for me. But I LOVE pb & chocolate!
1) how might I go about reducing sugar? Is there anything else you’d suggest tweaking if you were going to reduce sugar?
2) If I wanted to substitute dates for sugar–what are some tips for that? I’ve successfully subbed pureed dates for honey in some of your bar recipes but haven’t tried replacing sugar with dates!
I’m sure I sound weird…but this has been helping me feel my best. It’s amazing how much reducing sugar & increasing fiber has changed my health!
can i use powdered PB instead?
Fantastic!
Great recipe and instructions and love the fact you also have a video for visual learners!
I made these and they really are wickedly wonderful! I’m hooked!
Excellent! I had to bake them about 25 minutes, but they were perfect. I love that there are no eggs- get tired of eggy keto stuff. I used half peanut, half almond butter, almond flour and Lilys chocolate chips
OMG! Katie! These are the most tasty things every!! Thank you! I am made these for halloween and i am also making
IT so good! The best day every! And I turn 13 in 5 days! TYSM KATIE!!!
LOVE YOUUUUUUU
-Liv12