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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowIf you’re a fan of the chocolate and peanut butter combo, these low carb keto chocolate peanut butter bars are for you! They are made up of 3 delicious layers: shortbread (based on my popular keto shortbread cookies), peanut butter, and chocolate. It’s sweet, crunchy, chocolatey, and SO good!
But don’t let the multiple layers intimidate you. They are all incredibly easy to make! You need just a few ingredients and several minutes for each one. These keto peanut butter chocolate bars will be ready to eat in just 30 minutes and you’ll be SO happy.
I actually created this recipe because I wanted to simplify my low carb tagalong cookies, because prior to these bars, that’s what my husband kept asking for. It got tiring to dip the cookies individually so often. The cookies may look more impressive, but when you want convenience, these keto peanut butter chocolate bars are the way to go.
I’m sharing my favorite keto peanut butter and chocolate recipes below, but if you love bars (they are a big thing here in Minnesota!), try out my low carb lemon bars, keto pumpkin bars, or keto pecan pie bars, too. And if you just crave peanut butter, make this easy keto peanut butter fudge!
This keto peanut butter bars recipe was originally published on October 4, 2017, and the post was republished in November 2020 to add updated pictures, useful tips, and some recipe improvements. I originally called them healthy peanut butter chocolate bars or gluten-free peanut butter bars – which they still are!
The latest version uses my favorite monk fruit sweetener and powdered monk fruit:
How To Make Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
These low carb peanut butter bars come together with 3 simple layers:
Shortbread Cookie Layer:
- Mix dry ingredients. Stir together Wholesome Yum Almond Flour and Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together melted coconut oil and vanilla.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix together, until a crumbly dough forms.
- Add dough to pan. Press dough into the prepared pan – this is the perfect size.
- Bake. It’s done when the edges are golden.
Peanut Butter Layer:
- Mix dry ingredients. Stir together peanut flour and Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend.
- Add wet ingredients. Add peanut butter and vanilla into the bowl, and mix well.
TIP: Want less work? Use a food processor. It’s a bit more effort to do by hand, but that works, too.
- Add peanut butter layer to cookie layer. Dollop spoonfuls of the peanut butter layer over the cookie layer and spread it evenly.
Chocolate Layer:
- Melt chocolate. Mix sugar-free chocolate and coconut oil in a medium bowl. Heat in the microwave or over a double boiler until melted.
- Mix in sweetener. Whisk in Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend and let it dissolve.
- Top the bars. Drizzle chocolate over the peanut butter layer and smooth over the top evenly.
- Set. Cool completely, until the chocolate is solid. Then, carefully lift the parchment, transfer to a cutting board, and use a large chef’s knife to slice using a straight down motion.
TIP: Do not see-saw while slicing, or the bars will crumble.
Keto Peanut Butter Bars FAQs
Are peanut butter bars keto?
Regular peanut butter bars would not be keto, as they always have sugar added.
But these bars are keto friendly! Each serving has 3.7 grams net carbs.
Can you use a different sweetener?
Yes, you can. I prefer Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend in baked goods, as I think it provides the best flavor and texture, but you can use any granulated sweetener like allulose or erythritol in the cookie layer and any powdered sweetener like Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend, powdered allulose or powdered erythritol in the peanut butter and chocolate layers.
If you have different sweeteners that you want to use, refer to my keto sweetener guide for more information on which sweeteners will work.
Can you make these no bake?
Yes, you can skip the cookie layer and you won’t need to bake these at all!
If you want no bake keto peanut butter bars without the shortbread layer, you’ll want to add a couple extra tablespoons of peanut flour to the peanut butter layer. That way, the bars will be more sturdy.
Find more keto no bake recipes here.
Storage Instructions
Can you make them ahead?
Yes, you can make these bars ahead. Because they need time to chill and solidify anyway, it’s a great make-ahead dessert or treat.
How to store keto peanut butter squares:
Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to a week… if they last that long! 🙂
Can you freeze keto peanut butter chocolate bars?
Yes, you can freeze the bars for 2-3 months. I recommend cutting them into individual servings before freezing, otherwise you’ll need to let the whole pan thaw a bit before you can cut into them.
More Keto Peanut Butter Chocolate Recipes
If you like this keto chocolate peanut butter bars recipe, you are sure to enjoy some of my other keto chocolate and peanut butter recipes, I love this combo!
- Keto Frozen Peanut Butter Pie – With a chocolate crust, and a frozen peanut butter filling, this dessert is rich and decadent, but sugar-free!
- Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Protein Cookies – Just 6 ingredients to make these delicious cookies that are healthy enough for breakfast or a filling snack.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie – Ready in 5 minutes and using just 5 ingredients, this filling smoothie will keep you full until lunch.
- No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies – These low carb cookies don’t even need to bake and are made with just 5 simple ingredients.
- Keto Peanut Butter Cups – Yes, you can even make your own peanut butter cups! And it’s easier than you think. Just 5 ingredients!
Tools To Make Keto Peanut Butter Bars
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Square Pan – This is the size you need for peanut butter chocolate keto bars. Plus, these pans have a lid, so they’re convenient for leftovers.
- Chef’s Knife – It’s important to cut these keto peanut butter chocolate squares straight down with a chef’s knife and not to saw with a serrated knife, or it will make a mess of the chocolate layer.
Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
The best keto peanut butter bars recipe - only 3.7g net carbs! These keto chocolate peanut butter bars feature layers of shortbread, peanut butter, and of course, chocolate.
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Shortbread Cookie Layer
Peanut Butter Layer
Chocolate Layer
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Cookie Layer
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 9x9 in (23x23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour and sweetener.
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In a small bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil and vanilla. Mix into the almond flour mixture, pressing with the back of a spoon or spatula, until a crumbly dough forms.
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Press the cookie dough into the lined pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the edges are golden. Cool for a few minutes, until the top is firm and the pan is cool enough to handle. (Meanwhile, make the peanut butter layer.)
Peanut Butter Layer
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In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut flour and sweetener.
- Add the peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well, pressing with the back of a spoon or spatula, until fully incorporated. (The mixture will be dense and can take some effort to incorporate. If you have a powerful blender or food processor, you can mix in there, scraping down the sides occasionally.)
- Spoon pieces of the peanut butter dough on top of the cookie layer in the pan, then spread and press evenly. If it's sticky, working with wet hands can help (but not too wet to avoid adding water to the peanut butter mixture).
Chocolate Layer
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Combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium bowl. Heat in the microwave (or on the stove in a double broiler), stirring every 20 seconds, until completely melted.
- Whisk in the sweetener.
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Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer and spread evenly. Cool completely, until the chocolate is solid, before cutting into bars. (You can also refrigerate to speed the cooling process, but then you'll want to let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before cutting, to avoid having the chocolate crack.) Cut straight down with a large chef's knife (don't saw back and forth). Once cut, refrigerate to store.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 bar, or 1/16 of entire recipe
*Peanut flour and peanut butter powder are the same. Most grocery stores carry peanut butter powder with a small amount of sugar - this is okay to use if you're fine with that, but you'll probably need to reduce the sweetener a little. You can buy peanut flour without any sugar added here.
**It's your choice if you want to use salted or unsalted peanut butter, depending on if you want your bars to be a little salty or not. I liked them with lightly salted peanut butter.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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49 Comments
Linda
1This one is a winner!
After reading comments I made a couple of changes. I turned out so well I wanted to share.
I doubled the recipe. Added one egg, 1/2 tsp cream of tarter and 1/4 tsp baking soda to the cookie layer. Before spreading the peanut layer, I warmed it up a little in the microwave.
Dottie Bacon
0These bars are so easy to put together, and look impressive when sliced! Delicious is an understatement. The three layers give you the perfect trifecta of textures. Using the Besti sugars takes these to the next level, and they DO NOT taste sugar free! To make the peanut butter easier to spread, I warmed it slightly using the microwave, and I sprayed the silicone spatula with avocado oil. Oh my GOSH! If you haven’t made these, you shouldn’t waste another minute! Yes. They are THAT GOOD!!!
Elisa Castagna
0Not sure what I did wrong?? The shortcake layer did not cover the bottom of my 9 by 9 pan. It covered about half but was kinda of odd shaped. The peanut butter layer was fine. The chocolate layer was really runny. Worried about how they would cut. After refrigerating, they did cut nice and I was able to cut about 16 pieces. They were not very thick but we all enjoyed them!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Elisa, The shortbread layer will start out crumbly so you will have to pat it down until flat and covers the bottom.
Elle
0The coconut oil was a bit overwhelming. Next time I might try ghee or butter.
Mary
0This is the BEST good for you sweet treat I’ve ever made! Can’t get enough of it. Easy to make, DELICIOUS to eat! Yum!!
Brighton
0I followed the recipe exactly, and they turned out perfectly! Super super delish! Just as a warning: the full cooling takes a lllloooonnnnggg time if you do it on the countertop. You’ll want to cut into them to taste, but don’t! Once they’re fully cooled (a few hours at least), they’ll cut beautifully and taste incredible!
Deanna Dodds
0I tapped on 5 ingredient sugar-free NUTELLA bars, and got this instead!! No Nutella even MENTIONED in the recipe. where’s the recipe for the Nutella bars??
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Deanna, Sorry about that! I have a recipe for Nutella Truffles here. Enjoy!
Michelle
0The peanut butter layer and cookie layer did not stick together. When I cut it the shortbread fell off In crumbles??????? Help
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Michelle, Try using a little less peanut flour next time. Cut back the peanut flour to a scant (less than) 1/3 cup measurement. This should give you a stickier peanut butter layer to work with. As for the crust. If you are storing your bars in the fridge, I would remove and let them come to room temperature before slicing. This will help to prevent crumbling.
Elizabeth
0I noticed different responses to the peanut flour substitute, 1 Tbsp coconut flour, almond flour etc so I am confused. I am excited to try this recipe. Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Elizabeth, This recipe is forgiving. You have options to use almond or coconut flour if you don’t have access to peanut flour. The best option (for both flavor and texture) is to use peanut flour. If peanut flour is not an option, then I would use almond flour as it will give you the most similar consistency. I hope this helps!
Elizabeth
0Thank you!
Sara
0Hello,
what can I use instead of peanut flour?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Sara, You can use almond flour if you don’t have the peanut butter powder. The texture will be different, but the recipe will work fine.
Liz
0I really don’t like coconut. Can I use butter instead and would it be equal parts?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Liz, Yes, that will work just fine. Enjoy!
Shannon Randall
0This recipe is delicious. I did bake the cookie a little longer than 10 minutes. I just started dabbling in the Keto diet and this recipe will help me curb my sweet tooth cravings. Cannot wait to try more of your recipes! Yum!!
Sandra Shaffer
0Love all these delicious layers. I cut these in bite size pieces so they’ll last a little longer – haha! They’re so good, and although I’m the only one following a keto lifestyle, my family dug into these and love them too.
wilhelmina
0These bars are so dang delicious! I love still being able to make my family treats while we are on our keto journey. I love how easy they are to put together and we enjoy them so much!
Shannon
0Should the coconut oil be measured in tablespoons while solid? Or melt it and then measure out 3 tablespoons? I am always confused about this when it’s called for in recipes!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Shannon, Great question! For best results, measure coconut oil when solid and then melt. Enjoy!
sgclifford00@gmail.com
0Thanks so much for your quick reply! 🙂
Lisa Hidalgo
0Can I use organic almond flour (not blanched) for this recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lisa, I do not recommend using regular almond flour (not blanched). The skins provide a bitterness and grittier texture that doesn’t react well with sweeter recipes.
Haley
0These turned out AMAZING! I’m not keto, but I am on a low-sugar diet, and I’ve been loving all your recipes. I could eat these all day!! My family loves them too. I used butter instead of coconut oil, and added an egg to the shortbread layer after reading some comments about it crumbling(it didn’t affect the taste at all). They are sooo good and filling. This recipe is super yummy and easy to follow! Thank you for it!
Jackie Ellefson
0Made this fabulous recipe twice now – I also had the peanut butter not “stick” to the biscuit layer. I cut a couple rows right from the fridge; some stuck and some separated; I left the rest of the batch on the counter for 20 min. and still have some separate. Any suggestions to help this issue. I want to make for Spring baking.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jackie, If you had issues with the peanut butter layer not sticking, I suggest you use a little less peanut flour. Cut back the peanut flour to a scant (less than) 1/3 cup measurement. This should give you a stickier peanut butter layer to work with. The amount can vary a bit depending on how thick your peanut butter is to begin with.
Julie
0Made these today. My son (who is a type 2 diabetic) and I both love them (I’m low carb). Everything turned out great! PB filling wasn’t sticky at all…more like a dough…so it was like working with a pizza dough to press it to the sides of the pan. Do these freeze well? I’m going to try it. My nephew is Type 1 diabetic and he has been loving all of the treats I’ve been making on this website!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Julie, Yes, you can freeze these bars with no issue!
Samantha Long
0Made these and they taste great… But the peanut butter layer was as thick as play dough so when I was putting it on the crust, the crust just turned to crumbly sand. I removed the peanut filling and baked the crust longer. It firmed it up enough to add the peanut butter layer. I worked it in my hands until soft enough to speed little bits at a time. Next problem can when I cut the bars. The peanut butter/chocolate layers are not attached to the crust at all. It’s just like a homemade peanut butter cube sitting on top of a shortbread cookie. Kind of disappointed but I will try to make again some day. Maybe I’ll do crust, a small layer of chocolate, then peanut butter, and then the rest of the chocolate.
Bernadette
0What is peanut flour. I live in Spain. What can I use please.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Bernadette, Peanut flour (or peanut powder) is finely ground and defatted peanuts. If it is not available in your area, you can use 1 Tbs of coconut flour. It will give a slightly coconut taste, but will still be delicious.
Jolene Mullins
0Like recipes!
Anita
0These were amazing! So easy to make, and delicious. No way anyone would know these are low carb if you dont tell them.
Lynne
0The cookie falls apart it does not hold together at all. Do you think more oil or butter will help hold the mixture together better?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lynne, That’s odd, this shouldn’t happen. Did you use all the same ingredients? Was your almond flour blanched and finely ground? It’s hard to say what went wrong without knowing more details.
Jules Shepard
0These looks so so good! Anything chocolate and peanut butter is worth a try for me :o) Pinning for later!
Norma Mattingly
0The taste is great but the bars do not hold together. The bottom crust crumbles and the layers fall apart. How can I improve them?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Norma, I’m glad you like the taste. I haven’t experienced them falling apart. Is that by chance happening after refrigerating? If so, it might help to let them sit at room temperature to warm up a bit before cutting.
Kim
0You might try adding an egg to the cookie part, I was having a crumbling problem and that took care of it
Elena
0As soon as I spread the peanut butter mixture with an offset spatula, the bottom base fell apart.
Dan
0Made these the other day but with caramel filling instead and they are very nice, would it be possible to use butter instead of coconut oil in the base cookie layer?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0That sounds delicious, Dan! Yes, you can use butter instead of coconut oil.
Rosemary
0What could I use instead of peanut flour please?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Rosemary, You could probably make something similar to peanut flour by grinding peanuts in a food processor or high-power blender. I haven’t tested with a different flour, but with anything else the amount would be different.
Sheila
0My husband is a diabetic. Needs low carbs but also sugar free.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sheila, all of my recipes are low carb and I only use natural sugar-free sweeteners!