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My Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Are So Much Easier Than Cookies
I created these chocolate peanut butter bars as a simpler version of tagalongs, one of my older recipes that my husband kept requesting and now lives in the Wholesome Yum App. I loved making those, but it got tiring to dip the cookies individually. So, I turned them into a buttery crust in a square pan, and layered it with peanut butter and chocolate. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Shortbread, chocolate, and peanut butter – Is this combo not reason enough? If you like my almond cookies and peanut butter cups, you’ll love these chocolate peanut butter bars, too.
- Much easier than individual cookies – Every layer comes together in minutes, and I’ve tested the ratios so they slice cleanly without cracking or falling apart.
- Real, better-for-you ingredients – They’re gluten free and dairy free, with no refined sugar. These bars taste indulgent with a buttery crust, natural peanut butter, and chocolate, but the ingredient list is one I actually feel good about.
- Make them ahead – These peanut butter chocolate bars hold up beautifully, travel easily, and satisfy that chocolate craving effortlessly. Now I’m wishing I still had more in the fridge.
If you love chocolate and peanut butter, but want something easier than individual cookies, these chocolate peanut butter bars are perfect. Make them with me!
“These 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! If you haven’t made these, you shouldn’t waste another minute! Yes. They are THAT GOOD!!!”
-Dottie
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my peanut chocolate bars recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Shortbread Crust Layer:
- Wholesome Yum Blanched Almond Flour – It’s ground superfine, which makes a big difference in texture. I’ve tried so many brands and created this one because almost all of them are too coarse, making your baked goods grainy.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – My go-to sweetener for baking, because it locks in moisture. In these chocolate peanut butter bars, it makes the crust tender and lightly sweet (without any weird aftertaste!). You can also use plain allulose (the closest sub) or another granulated sweetener, but most alternatives will be more dry and you’ll need my sweetener conversion chart to get the right amount.
- Coconut Oil – Makes the crust come together. Unsalted butter works, too.
- Vanilla Extract – Optional, but I always add it for flavor.
Peanut Butter Layer:
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Powdered sweetener is key here for a smooth texture, but Powdered Besti in particular works better than others because it dissolves beautifully and keeps the texture creamy. Most alternatives, even powdered ones, tend to stay a little gritty. The only alternative I really recommend here is powdered allulose, but increase the amount to 1/2 cup. If you use something else, I can’t guarantee a good texture.
- Peanut Flour – Also called peanut butter powder, this adds a stronger peanut flavor without making the filling too oily. The one I use is unsweetened, but if yours has a little sugar added, you might want to reduce the amount of Besti.
- Peanut Butter – I use and highly recommend this unsweetened creamy peanut butter because it’s thick, not runny. I don’t recommend traditional natural peanut butter that’s very runny. If the one you use doesn’t have salt, add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
- Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Layer:
- Chocolate Chips – I use these sugar-free dark chocolate chips to keep these chocolate peanut butter bars sweet without refined sugar. Feel free to use your favorite kind, or you can even swap in milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, or white chocolate chips.
- Coconut Oil – Helps the chocolate layer set a little softer, so it doesn’t crack as much when you bite into the bars.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – For a little extra sweetness.
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How To Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Shortbread Crust Layer
- Mix the shortbread dough. Stir together the almond flour and Besti, then mix in the melted coconut oil and vanilla, until a crumbly dough forms.
- Press and bake. Firmly press the dough into a square pan (I use this size) lined with parchment paper. Bake until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set. Cool until the surface feels dry and sturdy.
Peanut Butter Layer
- Mix the peanut butter layer. Stir together the peanut flour and Powdered Besti. Mix in the peanut butter and vanilla, until thick and smooth. The mixture will be dense, so I find it helps to press repeatedly with my spatula.
- Dollop and spread. Drop spoonfuls of the peanut mixture over the cooled crust and press into an even layer, smoothing the top so it’s level and compact.
Chocolate Layer
- Melt the chocolate. Gently melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil, then whisk in a little Powdered Besti.
- Pour and spread. Pour the chocolate over the top of the peanut butter layer, and spread to the edges.
- Cool and slice. Let the chocolate peanut butter bars cool until the chocolate top is set. Lift them out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper, transfer to a cutting board, and slice. (You can also do this right in the pan, but I find a cutting board easier. I put them back in the pan in the picture below.)
My Recipe Tips
- Want to make it even easier? You can mix the crust and peanut layers in a food processor to bring each together faster. I’ve tried this, but usually do it by hand because it’s less cleanup.
- Press the layers firmly. Especially the crust. Pressing tightly helps the chocolate peanut butter bars slice cleanly and stay together.
- To make the peanut butter easier to spread, you can warm it slightly in the microwave. It can also help to spray your spatula with avocado oil. Thanks to Dottie for sharing this tip!
- For an even better chocolate texture, temper it before pouring. To do this, melt most of the chocolate and coconut oil but leave a little set aside. Then, stir in the remaining chocolate and let it melt from residual heat. You can read more about how and why this works in my chocolate covered strawberries post.
- Let the bars set at room temperature if you can. This gets you the best texture. The fridge works as a faster shortcut, but you might have condensation on the surface of the chocolate.
- For clean edges, slice straight down using a large chef’s knife. Avoid using a serrated knife or see-swing back and forth — both cause the bars to crumble.
- How to make a no-bake version: You can turn these into no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars in 2 ways. One is to simply press the crust without baking. I just use an extra tablespoon of coconut oil and press extra tightly. The second way is to skip the crust altogether, and add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of peanut flour to the peanut butter layer, so that it’s sturdy enough to act as a crust. Even then, the crustless version is best cold right out of the fridge to avoid a mess.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
By
My chocolate peanut butter bars have buttery almond crust, creamy peanut butter, and chocolate. An easy sweet treat with no added sugar!
Ingredients
[ See substitutions ]Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Shortbread Cookie Layer
Peanut Butter Layer
Chocolate Layer
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
Cookie Layer
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line a 9×9 in (23×23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, stir together the almond flour and Besti.
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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 Powdered Besti.
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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.)
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Spoon dollops 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 or oiled 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 melted.
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Whisk in the Powdered Besti.
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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. Cut straight down with a large chef's knife (don't saw back and forth).
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.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 bar, or 1/16 of entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best texture in each layer, slice cleanly, and even 2 ways to make a no-bake version.
- Storage & meal prep: Store the chocolate peanut butter bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or in the fridge for up to 2-3 weeks. They are perfect for meal prep because they store very well!
- Freeze: Keep the bars in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend slicing into individual portions before freezing, so you can grab one at a time without thawing the entire batch.
- Note on nutrition info: I used unsweetened peanut flour (peanut butter powder) and thick, creamy, lightly salted peanut butter for these bars. If your peanut flour contains added sugar, the numbers will be different.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
More Chocolate And Peanut Butter Recipes
If you love these chocolate peanut butter bars, try another one of my chocolate peanut butter recipes for your next healthy dessert:
54 Comments
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
1Hi Shannon, Great question! For best results, measure coconut oil when solid and then melt. Enjoy!
sgclifford00@gmail.com
1Thanks so much for your quick reply! 🙂
Lisa Hidalgo
0Can I use organic almond flour (not blanched) for this recipe?
Wholesome Yum M
1Hi 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.
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
1Hi 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.
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.
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?
Elena
1As soon as I spread the peanut butter mixture with an offset spatula, the bottom base fell apart.
Kim
1You might try adding an egg to the cookie part, I was having a crumbling problem and that took care of it
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1Hi 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.
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.