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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A great treat and so easy to make! I love this recipe. I used regular flour, regular sugar and used the two tbl of milk. I also let it bake for 12′ not 10′. It’s so delish and chewy.
Thank you for this recipe!
Ohhh how I missed you! I think I started following you when just you me and a dozen others were vegan and basically “ONE OF THOOOOSSSEE PEOPLE” I SAVED your recipes to DESKTOP L. THAT LONG AGO!! BEEN looking for these baes!bags!! SOO EXCITED!! I AM MWALKING TO KITCHEB NIW!! Thanks Kate!! 😊
Katie, What kind of peanut butter do you use? Do you use natural peanut butter or regular peanut butter? Would you share the brand please? Thx,
Sherry
I never leave reviews but this was by far the best dessert recipe I’ve ever tried. Super easy and quick to make. I used almond flour, monkfruit baking sugar, and swerve dairy free sugar free semi-sweet chocolate chips to make it sugar free and gluten free. My god I am in HEAVEN. The texture is fantastic and just the right amount of sweetness. Going to make these weekly for a healthy dessert option.
Thank you so incredibly much!
(Katie)
these are amazing my family loves them, and so do I, they are so good and super easy to make, if I could eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner I totally would
these are amazing my family loves them, and so do I, they are so good and super easy to make, if I could eat these for breakfast, lunch and dinner I totally would. thank you Chocolate Covered Katie
These look amazing and the kids have no school tomorrow…..so we need to bake! Can we sub coconut sugar or syrup/honey for the white sugar? Thanks!
Sure 🙂
These were easy to make and very tasty. I used homemade applesauce and it worked fine. They are very soft and need to be refrigerated in order not to get too soft to serve.
I have a question about the xylitol, I have been reading that this causes stomach issues so I do try to stay away from it, as I have tried it in the past with stomach issues. Can I substitute it with honey as a natural sweetener?
Thank you, Nicole
I’m just discovering your recipe in 2024. It’s amazing…I made it with the all purpose flour and Greek yogurt option. I have to slap my hand to keep from eating them all by myself…