No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars

 

These no-bake peanut butter cup bars are not unlike my marzipan buckeye bars, but that’s a good thing! It’s a simple dessert, not too sweet, that everyone in my house seems to like.

Note that I used “regular” peanut butter that wasn’t the natural, drippy kind, and I liked the consistency of the bars; had I used the natural kind, I think I would have had to increase the almond flour a bit.

For the peanut butter base
¾ cup creamy salted peanut butter
½ cup almond flour
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
¼ tsp. sea salt

For the chocolate topping
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
2 Tbsp. creamy salted peanut butter
½ tsp. coconut oil
flaky sea salt, like Maldon (optional)

Line a standard-size loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a double boiler, put the peanut butter, almond flour, maple syrup, and optional sea salt. (In my case, I did this over heat, as my peanut butter needed a bit of coaxing to melt enough to be mixed properly.) Use a spatula or spoon to stir until well combined. Scrape all of the peanut butter mixture out of the bowl and into the loaf pan. Set aside.

Place the chocolate chips into the (now empty) double-boiler until smooth and melted. Add the 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and coconut oil. Stir until a smooth mixture is achieved. Pour the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter base and top with optional flaky sea salt. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes until the chocolate is set.

Remove from the pan by lifting the sides of the parchment paper and slice into bars (I recommend about 14 bars as the recipe is written — they're rich!). Enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.