Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars (No-Bake!)

These Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars are the ultimate salty-sweet treat, packing a punch with creamy peanut butter, crunchy pretzels, and velvety smooth chocolate. Add a sprinkle of coarsely chopped peanut butter cups and miniature chocolate chips on top, and you have a dessert that’s not only bursting with flavor, but also an exciting variety of textures.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars

Prepare to be wowed by these incredibly rich and delicious Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars! They strike a perfect balance of sweet and salty, combining the classic duo of peanut butter and chocolate in an irresistible way. And the best part? They’re super easy to whip up with no baking required! These bars are guaranteed crowd-pleasers! 

Thanks to their richness (enhanced even more if you opt for milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate), we recommend slicing them into small squares, similar to fudge, for bite-sized enjoyment.

Pretzel Peanut Butter Bar Ingredients

• Crushed pretzels: These give the bars a salty crunch that contrasts nicely with the sweet elements. Use any type of pretzels you prefer – sticks, twists, or traditional knots. Just ensure you’ve crushed them pretty finely before measuring. 
• Unsalted butter: Butter helps to bind the pretzel crust and adds a rich flavor. Use unsalted butter to control the salt content in your bars (especially since pretzels are pretty salty).
• Powdered sugar: This type of sugar is best for creating a smooth texture in the peanut butter layer. It dissolves easily and adds sweetness without the grittiness of granulated sugar.
• Creamy peanut butter: I recommend using a brand of peanut butter that you love — if you like a spoonful of the peanut butter plain, you’ll love it in these bars. We love and highly recommend Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter (not sponsored). We don’t recommend natural peanut butter that needs stirring, since they tend to be oilier and may result in a less firm set.
• Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips: Your choice depends on how sweet you want your bars. Semi-sweet chips will offer a balanced sweetness that won’t overpower the peanut butter, while milk chocolate chips will make the bars sweeter and almost fudge-like.

Optional Toppings

Mini peanut butter cups and mini chocolate chips: These bring an added layer of flavor and texture to the Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars.

Helpful Tips:

• Be sure to coarsely chop the mini peanut butter cups so they’re evenly distributed across the bars. Reese’s® Minis are a great choice–they don’t come individually wrapped, which saves you some prep time.
• Don’t hesitate to get creative with your toppings. Try crushed peanuts or additional pretzels for an extra crunch, or a dash of sea salt for a slight twist.

How To Make Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars (Tips)

1. Crush pretzels: To achieve a consistent texture in the pretzel crust, ensure your pretzels are evenly crushed. Using a food processor can make this step easier and quicker. Otherwise, a bag and meat mallet or rolling pin will do the trick!
2. Mix the base layer: When combining the crushed pretzels, melted butter, powdered sugar, and peanut butter, make sure to mix these ingredients thoroughly. This will help the base layer to hold together better when cut.
3. Melt the chocolate: Be careful not to overheat the chocolate when melting it with the peanut butter. Overheating can cause the chocolate to seize and become grainy. Use short intervals in the microwave, stirring thoroughly in between each burst.
4. Chill: Don’t skip or rush the chilling step! It is essential to allow the bars to set properly, so they hold their shape when cut.
5. Serve: These Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars can be quite rich, so consider cutting them into smaller squares for serving.

Recipe Tools

For this no-bake Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars recipe, you’ll need a few basic kitchen tools:

• 9×9-inch baking pan (or a 9×13-inch pan for thinner bars): Here is our absolute favorite 9×9-inch pan.
• Parchment paper: This is used to line the baking pan and makes removing the bars and cleaning up afterward easier. We love using these sheets of parchment paper and these binder clips to hold the parchment in place.
• Spatula or wooden spoon: These will be useful for both mixing ingredients and spreading the mixtures into the baking pan.
• Rolling pin or meat mallet: These can be used to crush the pretzels to the desired consistency.
• Sharp chef’s knife: You’ll need this for cutting the bars once they’ve set. For cleaner cuts, heat the knife by dipping it in hot water and drying it off before each cut. A chef’s knife is larger than a paring knife, and will give you better leverage when cutting.

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More Chocolate and Peanut Butter Treats:

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with an Oreo cookie crust
• Peanut Butter Puppy Chow with chocolate-peanut butter cups
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins made without flour
• Soft and chewy Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars with a chocolate frosting

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

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5 from 2 votes

Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars

By Chelsea Lords

Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars are the ultimate salty-sweet treat, combining creamy peanut butter, crunchy pretzels, and smooth chocolate. Topped with chopped peanut butter cups and mini chocolate chips, they’re a flavor-packed, texture-loaded dessert!

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Chilling Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 bars

Equipment

• Baking pan 9 x 9-inch or 9 x 13-inch, see note 1
• Parchment paper

Ingredients 

USMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups crushed pretzels measured after crushing
• ▢ 12 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, but not hot
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1-1/4 cups creamy peanut butter divided, see note 2
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups chocolate chips semi-sweet or milk, see note 3
• ▢ Toppings as desired see note 4

Instructions 

• Prepare a 9x9-inch baking pan by lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
• Crush the pretzels by placing them in a large plastic bag and using a rolling pin or meat mallet until they’re mostly crumbs, with some small pretzel pieces remaining.
• In a large bowl, combine the crushed pretzels, melted butter, powdered sugar, and 1 cup of the peanut butter. Stir until well combined. Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press it into an even layer.
• Add the chocolate chips and the remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter into a microwave-safe, medium bowl. Melt in the microwave, using 30-second bursts until mostly melted. Stir the mixture until it’s fully melted and smooth.
• Pour the chocolate and peanut butter topping over the pretzel layer, spreading it into an even layer.
• If desired, coarsely chop some mini peanut butter cups and gently press them into the chocolate layer. You can also sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top for additional texture and flavor. Refrigerate the dessert for at least 1 hour to allow the bars to set.
• Use the overhang to pull the bars from the pan and place on a cutting board. Before cutting, run a very sharp knife under hot water, dry it off, then make decisive cuts to form the bars. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: My preference is for thicker bars, so I suggest using a 9x9-inch pan. If you’re a fan of thinner bars, use a 9x13-inch pan. I love this parchment paper and these binder clips to hold the parchment in place.

Note 2: I love and highly recommend Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter (not sponsored). I don’t recommend natural peanut butter that needs stirring since it tends to be oilier and may result in a less firm set.

Note 3: Your choice of chocolate chips depends on how sweet you want your bars. Semi-sweet chips offers a balanced sweetness that won’t overpower the peanut butter, while milk chocolate chips makes the bars sweeter and almost fudge-like.

Note 4: Optional toppings: Reese’s minis (coarsely chopped) and 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips.

Storage: Keep Pretzel Peanut Butter Bars in an airtight container in the fridge for about 1 week, but they are best enjoyed within the first few days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 271IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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