Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars — Can’t decide if you want PB or chocolate? Make these easy no-bake fudge bars! Chocolate + PB is sooo irresistible!!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
I love a good two-for-one deal. Especially when that deal involves peanut butter and chocolate. Sometimes it’s impossible to pick which one I want, and with these no-bake fudge bars I don’t have to.
There’s a peanut butter and white chocolate base that’s soft yet dense, rich, and creamy. The top is a layer of chocolate peanut butter fudge, and there’s Rice Krispies added for crispy texture. Both layers actually have Krispies in them, but it’s more pronounced in the top layer.
The recipe for the chocolate layer I originally created to top some brownies that are in my first cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort. They’re perhaps my favorite brownies ever, tied with these.
Recently I was thumbing through my cookbook and remembered how much I loved the topping, and had to make it. But I didn’t want to turn on my oven and make brownies because we having a hot snap.
The beauty of these no-bake, one-bowl, gluten-free fudge bars is that they’re fast, easy, and people will go nuts over them. I mean, who can resist two thick layers of peanut butter and chocolate peanut butter fudge sandwiched together? I sure can’t.
They’re also a great make-ahead dessert. They’ll literally keep for weeks in your fridge or months in the freezer, which is both good and bad, knowing you’ve got chocolate peanut butter fudge waiting for you.
But I see it as good.
What’s in Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars?
This is a unique no-bake dessert in that it’s an easy fudge recipe without condensed milk. You’re welcome.
Here’s what you’ll need to make the no-bake peanut butter fudge base and the chocolate peanut butter fudge topping:
- White chocolate chips
- Creamy peanut butter
- Crispy rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Unsalted butter
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
Partially melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave, then add the peanut butter and return to the microwave. Stir until smooth and creamy, then add in the crispy rice cereal.
Turn the homemade peanut butter fudge into a foil-lined 8×8-inch dish. Freeze until firm.
Meanwhile, make the chocolate peanut butter fudge top layer. The process is the same, only this time you’re using semi-sweet chocolate chips and adding a little butter as well.
Gently smooth the chocolate peanut butter fudge layer over the firm PB fudge layer and freeze until set.
Can I Use Natural Peanut Butter?
No, you want to use Jif, Skippy, or a similar peanut butter brand because natural or homemade peanut butter could separate and may not set up well and/or the bars could turn very oily.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Very easily! You’d need to use a 9×13-inch baking dish if doubling the ingredients.
Tips for Making Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
Be very careful when microwave the white chocolate. It scorches easily and can seize up if you’re not careful. Stir the peanut butter into the white chocolate chips before melting the two together in the microwave. This will protect the white chocolate and hopefully prevent it from scorching.
If the no-bake peanut butter fudge base hasn’t firmed up when you’re ready to spread the chocolate layer on top, return the pan to the freezer for another 5 minutes. You need the base layer of fudge firm enough before you can spread the warm chocolate layer over it.
I store these bars in the fridge because they get a little too soft at room temp. Bars will keep airtight in the fridge for about 1 month and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Bars
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Base
- 2 cups white chocolate chips, one 10.5 to 11.5-ounce bag
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, not natural; use Jif, Skippy or similar
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal, use gluten-free crispy rice cereal to keep GF
Chocolate Fudge Top
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups crispy rice cereal
Instructions
Make the Peanut Butter Base:
- Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a medium, microwave-safe bowl add the white chocolate chips and heat for 1 minute on high power to soften.
- Remove bowl from microwave, add 1 cup peanut butter (use Jif, Skippy, or similar because natural or homemade peanut butter could separate and may not set up well and/or the bars could turn very oily), and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute or as necessary in your microwave; white chocolate scorches easily so keep a careful eye on it. Stir until mixture is smooth and combined.
- Add 1 cup crispy rice cereal and stir to combine.
- Turn mixture out in prepared pan in an even, flat layer, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Place pan in freezer to chill.
Make the Chocolate Fudge Top:
- In a medium, microwave-safe bowl (you can use the same one, just wipe out with a paper towel), add the semi-sweet chocolate chips and heat for 1 minute on high power to soften.
- Remove bowl from microwave, add 1 1/2 cups peanut butter, butter, and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute. Stir until mixture is smooth and combined.
- Add 1 1/2 cups crisp rice cereal, and stir to combine.
- Remove pan from freezer (make sure the first layer has set up somewhat before adding the chocolate, if not, return pan to freezer for 5 more minutes) and carefully turn chocolate mixture out into prepared pan in an even, flat layer, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Place pan in freezer to chill. Allow bars to chill for 60 to 90 minutes, or until set, before serving.
- If bars have gotten too firm to slice, let them sit at room temp for 10 minutes.
Notes
- I store these bars in the fridge because they get a little too soft at room temp. Bars will keep airtight in the fridge for about 1 month and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More No-Bake Desserts:
ALL OF MY NO-BAKE DESSERT RECIPES!
Holiday White Chocolate Fudge — This EASY foolproof white chocolate fudge recipe is perfect for Christmas and holiday parties!! A double dose of white chocolate with an Oreo Cookie crust for the WIN!!
Buckeye Fudge — If you need an easy, no-cook, no-mixer, no-fuss, foolproof fudge that’s ready in about an hour, this is your recipe.
The Easiest Foolproof Fudge Recipe — Look no further than this recipe for the EASIEST and most FOOLPROOF fudge that takes less than 3 minutes to make!! Customize it with your favorite add-ins like cranberries and walnuts!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls — EASY, NO-BAKE chocolate peanut butter balls that are a holiday favorite!! They have it all: Salty, sweet, crunchy, with chocolate and peanut butter!
Ritz Cookies (No-Bake Christmas Cookies)— If you need a ridiculously easy, no-bake dessert for a party, holiday cookie exchange, or just have a spur of the moment craving for chocolate and peanut butter, these Ritz cookies are perfect!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chex Mix Bars – SO EASY, NO-BAKE, and ready in FIVE minutes!! Chex cereal, pretzels, and M&Ms glued together with peanut butter and marshmallows!! An IRRESISTIBLE salty-sweet combination!!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Candy Bars— These peanut butter candy bars are no-bake, easy, loaded with bold peanut butter flavor, and plenty of chocolate. They’re super soft, very dense, and chewy!
Originally published on October 8, 2o14 and republished on June 11, 2020 with updated text.
Incredible! My two favourite things! These look truly wonderful!
Woah!!! I seriously want a stack of these awesome bars! Chocolate and peanut butter is always a good idea…and even better when it is no bake!!!
No-bake cereal bars….as a mom, I know you can totally appreciate the ease with this type of thing :)
The crispy rice bits?! They’re callin’ to me!!!
Two-in-one is the best kind of dessert. I love that these are no-bake. What is up with the heat?? It’s 90s here!!
I KNOW. So hot. It isn’t AS hot this week but seriously the past 3-4, every time I think okay, it’s 76F and what it should be, it’ll spike back up to the low 90s for a few days. And I’m at the coast! Can only imagine how bad it is inland!
And when I was making these, I was totally thinking of your Dessert Mashups :)
Your condo doesn’t have air?? Ohmygosh Averie — that must be miserable!! I mean, I know San Diego is supposed to be pretty mild most of the time, but my grandparents live down there and boy oh boy… It can get up there SO quickly. You must own a million fans! But if the product of a hot home is these two-for-one choc + PB fudge bars… I’d take a heat wave any day of the year. ;)
It’s a building from the 60s (so many of them here are!) and nothing was outfitted with central air back then and so even though the unit has been rehabbed recently, they never put in a/c! Don’t ask me why. I like hot, but the low 90s INSIDE is even a little hot for me :)
That’s awful!! That should’ve been the first thing on their list… Especially for a food blogger who needs to use the oven year-round! ;)
Peanut butter fudge is my favorite type of fudge. LOVE your twist on it, Averie!
these look ridiculously over the top in the best way! omg!
Looks perfect! I love adding rice crispies to desserts. This is right up my alley, with the chocolate, peanut butter, and it being no bake!
These really threw me a curve ball–I had decided to make the cake on p 70 (thanks-great suggestion) and the bread from your last post (same oven temp for both with close baking times)….and now I’m wavering again after seeing this post! I’d love to sink my teeth into one of these right now–I could use some PB and chocolate with a little crunch. These look so easy too–just a few ingredients and some chill time!
Well LMK what you did end up making! Sounds like you had it all figured out…almost :)
You really can’t go wrong with any and if you did make all 3, or 2 of the 3, no matter what combo you went with, it’s a very nice variety of different things, both in terms of flavors, textures, etc…and you’ve got everything from PB to pumpkin to cinnamon-sugar flavors all covered!
Those bars are looking amazing, yum!
Why did you say to turn on the oven? I don’t see where anything is baked. Also, butter is in the ingredients for the chocolate layer, but I don’t see where it’s used in the directions. Do you need butter?
I noticed the same thing . . . a bit confusing
yea, i’m confused by this too…can you clarify please avery?
I don’t know what the confusion is about. If it’s about the butter, please see step 7 in the directions. If the confusion is about the story I told, I used this topping on BAKED brownies I made for my first cookbook. However, rather than BAKING brownies in the heat, I made a no-bake base, and then used this no-bake topping so I didn’t have to turn on my oven in the heat.
You’re right about step 7 with the butter, Averie, but when I read step 1, it says to preheat oven to 350 degrees … I figured you were having the same kind of day I have had where you’re trying to accomplish too many things at once. :)
Got it, fixed. Thank you! Yes, most some days I get 250 emails++ per day from readers, 50% of whom have a baking question. Forgive the oversight!
OOhh I love that you added the rice krispies to provide that crunch instead of using nuts…I could eat these no matter what the weather…these are perfect for wrapping up and taking with you to a football game because they look pretty sturdy and seem like they would survive being “smuggled” in!!!
They are an EXCELLENT smuggle-able treat. They survived extremely well in my daughter’s lunchbox/backpack and you know how badly kids beat things up! They can make a fluffy muffin look like a pancake in no time :)
And yes, the crunch, the texture (sans nuts!)…oh so good! Loveddddd these!
These look like winners, it’s the little krispie bits that do it for me :)
Me too, Sue! That CRUNCH…oh it was sooo good! I don’t normally hoard my own treats but these, I clung onto :)
OMG! I just want to sink my teeth into these bars!! I love that they are no-bake yet so decadent! Now I just wish you lived closer! :)
Pinned of course!
Thanks for pinning and wish I did too! You have a bigger family than me and I’d LOVE to donate all this stuff to you :)
Chocolate and peanut butter BELONG together and these bars prove it! I can’t believe how hot it is even in San Diego! We’ve been DYING up here in Sacramento – freakin’ 97 degrees all week. Supposed to cool down on Friday but I’m not holding my breath… :) Pinned!
SAME! Every time I think it’s going to stay in the mid 70s, it spikes back up to the low 90s. And I’m at the coast! Inland has got to be brutal. And it’s been like this now for most of Sept and Oct. Such an unusually hot fall!
Thanks for pinning!
Gorgeous…! I can NEVER decide between peanut butter and chocolate! But they wouldn’t keep for weeks in my fridge, I’d eat the all waaay before that!