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The No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars All My Friends Beg Me to Make (They Taste Just Like a Reese’s Cup!)

Lauren Miyashiro
Lauren MiyashiroExecutive Editor at The Kitchn
My career would be very different had I not grown up watching Iron Chef Japan and The Barefoot Contessa with my dad. As a college student in New York City, I jumped at the opportunity to intern at Food Network, where I ended up returning shortly after graduation. I later went to culinary school, then moved onto Delish, where I did a little bit of everything when it comes to recipes — assign, develop, test, edit, and style. In 2021, I moved across the country and started at The Kitchn. I began by working to expand our library of classic recipes before managing the food team. Over the last year, we’ve done a ton of behind-the-scenes work to evolve our recipes. They’re not only ridiculously delicious — they’re also smart, fun, gorgeous, and as helpful as possible. I couldn’t be more proud. Now, I help oversee the content across the whole site. I’m just as committed to helping you figure out what to cook for dinner on a night when you just can’t as I am to finding the best store-bought salad dressing or the cleaning hack that makes things 100x easier.
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published Aug 15, 2024
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stack of peanut butter bars
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Credit: Photo: Lucy Schaeffer; Food Styling: Nicole Rufus

Close friends know that I am a big-time chocolate-lover. If there’s no chocolate in the dessert you’re offering me, chances are high that I’ll politely decline. Even bigger than my enthusiasm for chocolate though, is my love for the specific combination of chocolate and peanut butter. This duo makes me weak in the knees and it truly came as a shock to me when I realized not everyone cares for it. 

I love the combo so much, that when the craving strikes, I’ll sometimes eat a spoonful of peanut butter with some chocolate chips sprinkled on top. When I’m not so lazy, there are plenty of chocolate and peanut butter recipes to choose. Copycat Costco Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars! Reese’s. Stuffed. Rice Krispies. My go-to is the simplest: Patty Catalano’s No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars. You only need five ingredients and 15 minutes to make them. 

Get the recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

What Makes These No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars So Good

First things first: They taste just like a Reese’s cup, maybe even better. Combining smooth peanut butter (I’m a big-time Skippy fan and our gigantic peanut butter taste test confirmed it’s the best no-stir option!) with powdered sugar, butter, and crushed graham crackers perfectly mimics the beloved PB cup filling. In these bars however, it’s a thicker layer, which I feel most Reese’s fans would rejoice over. 

Then there’s the chocolate layer. To help it solidify, Patty ever-so-smartly calls for mixing in just a bit more peanut butter into the melted chocolate chips. The logic is similar to a magic shell topping, but there’s no cracking involved. Plus, it infuses an extra little nuttiness throughout. It’s cliche to say nowadays when you’re talking about recipes, but the toughest part is really waiting for them to firm up in the fridge. I promise you anyone can pull them off. 

Get the recipe: No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: The No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars All My Friends Beg Me to Make (They Taste Just Like a Reese’s Cup!)