Reese’s Peanut Butter No-Bake Bars
Yield: 20–24 bars
Prep time: 15–20 minutes
Chilling: 1–2 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Oven: No baking required
Full Ingredients
Peanut-butter base
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, melted
2 cups (about 200 g) finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 cups (about 240 g) powdered/confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (about 250 g) creamy peanut butter
Chocolate topping
1½ cups (about 255 g) milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter — optional, but makes the topping softer and easier to cut
Optional toppings
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Pinch of flaky sea salt
Mini chocolate chips
Reese’s Pieces or chopped peanut-butter cups
The basic five-ingredient formula is consistent with several versions of this classic no-bake bar; some recipes use 1½ cups of graham crumbs while others use 2 cups, so the 2-cup quantity shown in your image works well for a firmer, thicker base.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the pan
Line a 9 × 13-inch pan with parchment paper or foil.
Leave some paper hanging over two sides. This creates handles that make it much easier to lift the chilled bars out later.
For thicker bars, use an 8 × 8-inch or 9 × 9-inch pan instead.
2. Crush the graham crackers
Crush the graham crackers into very fine crumbs.
You can use:
Food processor — easiest
Blender
Rolling pin + zip-top bag
The crumbs should resemble coarse sand rather than large cookie pieces.
Tip: Fine crumbs make the bars hold together much better.
3. Combine the dry ingredients
Put the graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar into a large bowl.
Whisk thoroughly.
If your powdered sugar is lumpy, sift it first.
4. Melt the butter
Melt 1 cup of unsalted butter.
You can microwave it in 20–30 second intervals or melt it in a saucepan over low heat.
Allow it to cool for a few minutes. It should be melted but not extremely hot.
5. Add the peanut butter
Stir 1 cup creamy peanut butter into the melted butter.
Mix until completely smooth.
You should have a glossy, fluid peanut-butter mixture.
6. Make the peanut-butter base
Pour the butter/peanut-butter mixture into the graham-cracker and powdered-sugar mixture.
Stir thoroughly.
At first it may look crumbly, but keep mixing until everything is evenly moistened.
The finished mixture should resemble a thick, soft cookie dough.
7. Press into the pan
Transfer the mixture to your lined pan.
Use a spatula, the bottom of a measuring cup, or clean hands to press it down firmly.
Try to make the surface:
level
compact
evenly thick
Important: Don’t merely spread it loosely. Firm compression is what keeps the bars from falling apart.
8. Make the chocolate topping
Place:
1½ cups chocolate chips
2 tablespoons peanut butter
in a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave for about 20–30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval.
Continue until almost completely melted.
Stir vigorously until smooth.
Don’t overheat the chocolate; chocolate can become thick or seize if overheated.
A double boiler can also be used.
9. Add the chocolate
Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut-butter layer.
Spread it evenly with a spatula.
For the classic Reese’s-style appearance, leave the chocolate smooth.
For a decorative version, sprinkle chopped peanuts or a tiny amount of flaky salt over the top.
10. Chill
Refrigerate for approximately 1–2 hours, or until the chocolate and peanut-butter layer are firm.
Some similar recipes recommend chilling for about two hours for a clean set.
11. Cut the bars
Lift the entire slab out using the parchment-paper handles.
Place on a cutting board.
For clean cuts, use a sharp knife.
Best trick: Dip the knife in hot water, wipe it dry, then cut.
Repeat between cuts.
For classic small Reese’s-style squares, cut into 20–24 pieces.
For Bars Like the Picture
The pictured bars have a particularly thick, layered appearance.
For that style:
Use a 9 × 13-inch pan.
Make the graham crumbs very fine.
Press the base down firmly.
Use milk chocolate rather than very dark chocolate.
Add 2 tablespoons peanut butter to the chocolate so it stays softer.
Chill until firm but don’t freeze.
Cut with a warmed knife.
If you want the chocolate to look especially glossy, don’t refrigerate the chocolate layer immediately after pouring it on. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes first, then refrigerate.
Nut & Allergy Information
Contains:
Peanuts
Milk, if using regular milk chocolate chips
Wheat/gluten, if using conventional graham crackers
Soy, potentially, depending on the chocolate and graham-cracker brands
Important peanut allergy warning
This recipe is not peanut-free. Peanut butter is a primary ingredient.
Someone with a peanut allergy should not eat these bars unless the entire recipe has been specifically reformulated with safe substitutes and cross-contact has been addressed.
Tree nuts
The standard recipe does not require tree nuts such as:
almonds
walnuts
pecans
cashews
pistachios
hazelnuts
However, check the labels on your chocolate, graham crackers, and peanut butter for statements such as “may contain tree nuts.”
Peanut-free alternative
For a peanut-free version, you can substitute a suitable sunflower-seed butter or another allergy-appropriate seed butter, but the flavor will no longer be exactly like Reese’s.
Approximate Nutrition
Nutrition varies substantially with the brands used and the final number of pieces.
If cut into 24 bars, a rough estimate is:
Nutrient Approx. per bar
Calories 300–330
Carbohydrates 35–40 g
Fat 17–20 g
Saturated fat 7–9 g
Protein 5–6 g
Sugars 25–30 g
Sodium 120–180 mg
For comparison, a five-ingredient no-bake peanut-butter-bar recipe from The Kitchn lists about 300 calories, 19.1 g fat, 31.4 g carbohydrates, and 5 g protein per serving when divided into 16 servings.
Because this particular version uses 2 cups of graham crumbs and 2 cups of powdered sugar, the actual numbers can differ considerably.
Recipe Q&A
Can I use salted butter?
Yes. If using salted butter, you may want to omit any additional salt. Unsalted butter gives you better control over the flavor.
Can I use natural peanut butter?
Yes, but regular creamy, stabilized peanut butter is easier for this recipe.
Natural peanut butter can separate, making the mixture more oily or softer. Commercial creamy peanut butter generally gives a more consistent result.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
Yes. It works, but you’ll get peanut pieces throughout the base.
For the smooth texture shown in the picture, use creamy peanut butter.
Why are my bars falling apart?
Usually one of three things happened:
The graham crumbs weren’t fine enough.
The mixture wasn’t pressed firmly into the pan.
There wasn’t enough moisture/fat to bind the crumbs.
Press the mixture very firmly into the pan before adding the chocolate.
Why is my base too soft?
Chill it longer first.
If it is still very soft after several hours, your peanut butter may contain more oil than usual. You can mix in additional finely crushed graham crackers a little at a time next time.
Why is my chocolate topping cracking?
The chocolate may have become too hard while chilled.
Let the bars sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before cutting. Some recipes specifically recommend allowing chilled bars to warm slightly before slicing to prevent the chocolate from cracking.
Adding a little peanut butter to the melted chocolate also gives a softer topping.
Can I use dark chocolate?
Absolutely.
Milk chocolate: sweetest and closest to classic Reese’s flavor
Semi-sweet: less sweet and more chocolate-forward
Dark chocolate: richer and less sweet
Can I use white chocolate?
Yes, although it will taste quite different. White chocolate + peanut butter makes a very sweet topping.
Can I use chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips?
Yes. Chop the chocolate finely before melting.
Can I make these without a microwave?
Yes. Melt the chocolate and butter/peanut butter using a double boiler over gently simmering water.
Can I freeze them?
Yes. Wrap the bars tightly and freeze in an airtight container for about 2–3 months for best quality.
Thaw them in the refrigerator before serving.
How long do they keep?
In a tightly covered container:
Refrigerator: about 1 week
Freezer: about 2–3 months
Do they need to stay refrigerated?
For the best texture, yes. The butter and peanut butter make the bars softer at room temperature.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Yes. Use certified gluten-free graham crackers.
Don’t assume ordinary graham crackers are gluten-free.
Can I make them dairy-free?
Potentially. Use a dairy-free butter substitute and dairy-free chocolate chips, and verify all ingredient labels.
Can I make them less sweet?
Yes. Try:
dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate
slightly less powdered sugar
natural peanut butter
a sprinkle of flaky salt
However, powdered sugar isn’t only a sweetener—it also contributes to the structure of the peanut-butter layer, so reducing it substantially can make the bars softer.
Can I make smaller bars?
Definitely. These are very rich, so 24–36 small squares are often better for parties.
Can I add Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups?
Yes. Chop miniature peanut-butter cups and sprinkle them over the chocolate before it sets.
Can I add peanuts?
Yes. ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts gives the bars extra crunch.
Why are these called “Reese’s” bars?
They’re homemade bars designed to mimic the classic peanut-butter-and-chocolate combination associated with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. They’re not the same thing as an officially branded Reese’s product unless the specific recipe/product says so.
My Recommended Version
For the closest texture to the photo, I’d use:
Base
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups fine graham crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
Top
1½ cups milk chocolate chips
2 tbsp peanut butter
tiny pinch flaky sea salt
Pan: 9 × 13 inches
Chill: 1½–2 hours
Yield: 24 rich bars
This gives you the dense, creamy peanut-butter layer, firm graham-cracker structure, and soft chocolate top characteristic of this style of no-bake bar. Similar established recipes use the same basic technique of combining the crumb/sugar mixture with butter and peanut butter, pressing it into a pan, then topping it
