These bars might be your new favorite snack.
Peanut butter snack bars!
Salty and sweet, these no-bake bars taste even better than peanut butter pretzel Luna Bars. But they confuse me: How can a recipe with absolutely no chocolate taste so good?
It just doesn’t make sense.
You know what else confuses me?
Moles. And protons and neutrons and electrons. But mostly, moles. I sat through an entire year of AP Chemistry and still don’t understand moles. Not in the slightest.
Until I learned to cook, I thought I disliked science. Only recently did I realize the reason for my animosity towards the subject: I just couldn’t figure out how our school science experiments applied to real life. (Even the more exciting experiments, such as growing plants in 7-up or red food dye… how on earth was I ever going to use the information gleaned from that study?)
But it turns out I do like some branches of natural science, such as the science of nutrition, and the science of cooking. (Edible experiments are the best!) My advice to science teachers: Ditch the moles.
Focus on pretzels and peanut butter!
Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
(No-bake!)
Category: Healthy Peanut Butter Recipes.
- 1 cup rice crispies (30g) (either brown or white)
- packed 1/2 cup oat flour (70g) (see instructions for substitution)
- 1/4 tsp salt (my pb also has salt)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons agave (Pure maple syrup will probably work)
- 3 tablespoons pb (or other nut butter) (Or you can switch the proportions of peanut butter to agave.)
- optional: handful of broken-up pretzels (I didn’t measure)
- optional: double batch PB Magic Shell
Combine all dry ingredients. In a separate (large) bowl, combine wet and stir to form a thin paste. (If you store your pb in the fridge, you should warm it a little for easier mixing.) Pour dry into wet (not the other way around), and stir until evenly coated. Line a baking dish or tupperware container with a large piece of wax paper and pour the mixture into the dish. Fold the extra paper over the mixture and squish down as hard as you possibly can! Use a heavy object to really press it down. (The mixture will fill a 7×5, or about 2/3 an 8×8.) Stick the mixture in the fridge or freezer to harden before cutting into bars. Makes 6 bars. (If you can’t find oat flour, you can make your own by blending oats in the food processor. Just be sure to measure after blending.)
For authentic Luna Bars, top with: Peanut Butter Magic Shell.
As stated earlier, you should make a double batch to coat the bars. Spread it on evenly. When the bars cool in the fridge/freezer, the tops will magically harden.
Question of the Day:
Did you have a least favorite subject in school?
Growing up, I dreaded science class, whether it was chemistry or biology or physics. People always told me how lucky I was to get good grades on Spanish and English tests without studying… Little did they know I once studied for an AP Chem test and still got a 25 (my worst-ever test grade). But you know what? I’m more proud of the C I earned in Chem than the As in subjects that came more easily. I worked hard for that C; it could have so easily been an F! Link of the Day:
absolutely amazing recipe!! One I had to make immediately and boy am I glad I did! In fact, I made one batch, test-tasted it and had to make a 2nd while the ingredients were still out. I used maple syrup and Erewhol chocolate rice krispies. Left out the pretzels so it will be gluten free for my nephew. Thank you!!
I love your idea to use chocolate crispies!
Hi CCK!! Do you ever re-vamp (or at least sample) your peanut butter recipes with anything other than peanut butter (ie, almond butter, sunflower butter, etc)? We don’t have peanut butter in our house because my son is allergic to peanuts. And I am curious if your peanut butter recipes taste as good with another type of nut butter? Or which nut butter tastes closest to peanut butter? We love almond butter but the taste is very different from peanut butter. Thanks 🙂
I have tried this one with roasted cashew butter, which is awesome! It’s good with homemade nutella as well :).
I guess it depends on the recipe as to which one I’d suggest as the best sub.
This looks incredible! Question… What are the substitutions for oat flour? I didn’t see them in the instructions. Thanks!! I can’t wait to give this recipe a try 🙂
I didn’t see the substitutions either I would assume (from the oatmeal raisin breakfast cookies) that you could make it using old fashioned oats in a food processor (which is what I did for the cookies).
Sorry! I fixed it!
Thanks for letting me know it was missing :).
Thanks Ellen, you were right!
np! I usually blend the entire container and then put the flour back in so I don’t have to go and blend each time I make something that requires oat flour 🙂
Oh, chemistry, it IS so confusing! I have to take organic chemistry next year… which unfortunately not about the benefits of organic produce. Boo. Anyway, these bars look incredible! 😀
Peanut butter & pretzels are such a good combo! My least favorite subject was definitely history…so boring for me! But now I wish I paid attention more because now I am realizing in my adult years history IS important to know…but I don’t know if I could go back to study it without falling asleep 😉
I am actually a Chemistry major, currently taking a break from studying for my Inorganic exam, so this post made me laugh. I have to agree, Chemistry is one CONFUSING subject!
Maybe making these peanut butter pretzel bars is a better, less stressful idea. 😛
Forgive me if this has been asked, but could I use honey instead of agave? Agave is just something I don’t use, but I always have honey around the kitchen.
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try these!!
Yes, I’m sure you can :).
The Khan Academy is AWESOME for just about anything but especially hard to grasp chemistry concepts! I highly recommend it…and it’s FREE! http://www.khanacademy.org/#chemistry
On a lighter note–these bars look amazing and I can’t wait to try them!
These look awesome! I love the Luna peanut honey pretzel bars.
Once you get into upper level sciences, it’s haaaard. I’m working my butt off in Advanced Bio, and I’m still only getting an A minus! And the kicker is I really enjoy the class. Oh well!
I have no clue what a mole is though…
omg. I saw the first picture and seriously started to salivate. I have all the ingredients!! (minus the pretzels.) I’m totally making these 😀