No-Bake Peanut Butter and Chocolate Bars

These no-bake peanut butter and chocolate bars were absolutely delicious. The Little Prince had asked me for a homemade peanut butter snack, so I decided to try these, and they are his new favorite thing ever. I can’t say that I blame him – they are fantastic! Honestly, they are so sweet that they are actually a much better dessert than snack, and a little goes a long way. I believe that the powdered sugar is necessary for the consistency of the bars, but I wonder whether I could omit the brown sugar – I might try that next time.

For the bars

6 Tbsp. lactose-free butter or margarine, softened

6 firmly packed tablespoons brown sugar (see note)

1 ⅓ cups creamy peanut butter

½ cup graham cracker crumbs (from 1 sleeve of 9 crackers)

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. salt (I used Maldon sea salt flakes and highly recommend it!)

2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

For the chocolate glaze

8 oz. semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

5 Tbsp. coconut milk

½ tsp. vanilla extract

Lightly grease an 8” square pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Set aside.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat to combine, then add the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, vanilla, and salt, and beat until combined and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and mix until just combined.

Put the peanut butter mixture into the lined pan, and gently press it down into the pan, covering the whole surface. Use your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to even out the top. Set aside while making the glaze.

To make the glaze, combine the chocolate and coconut milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, and heat over medium heat (I did this in a double boiler). Stir frequently, until the chocolate mixture is combined and completely smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Gently pour over the peanut butter bars and use a knife or offset spatula to smooth the glaze evenly.

Put the peanut butter bars in the freezer for one hour. After the bars have chilled, remove them from the freezer and lift the bars from the pan, using the parchment overhang to help you. Place on a cutting board and slice them into small squares. Keep refrigerated and serve cool.