Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert Bars Recipe

Hey there!  Are you craving a chocolate peanut butter dessert that is also easy to make?

Great, you’re in the right place!

These chocolate peanut butter oat bars have a rich chocolate ganache filling, salty natural peanut butter swirl and crunchy roasted peanut topping.

This is nestled on a buttery oat crust that bakes up to perfection in a matter of minutes.

I also love that these chocolate peanut butter bars aren’t overly sweet.

They have the perfect blend of rich chocolate, and natural peanut butter without being too much.

Enough chit chat, I’ll hit you with the printable recipe directly below.

But as always, to make sure yours turn out to perfection take a peek at the recipe run down just below it.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Bars Recipe Card

Print

Ingredients

• 1 C Rolled Oats
• 1/2 C (1 Stick) Butter
• 1 C Flour
• 3/4 C Brown Sugar
• Dash Salt
• 1 14 oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1 Cup + 3 Tbs Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Natural Peanut Butter, Well Stirred
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Peanuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease 9x13" baking dish.

2. Mix oats, softened butter, flour, brown sugar and dash of salt together by pressing butter into dry ingredients with a fork until well combined and crumbly mixture is formed.

3. Spread oat crumble into baking dish, and press firmly until mixture evenly coats the bottom of the pan.

4. In a medium sauce pan, whisk condensed milk, chocolate chips, vanilla extract and sugar over medium heat until melted and smooth.

5. Pour chocolate mixture over prepared oat crust and spread to form an even layer.

6. Add natural peanut butter in large dollops on top of the chocolate ganache layer. Use a knife to gently swirl the peanut butter into the chocolate layer, being careful not too press to firmly and disturb the oat crust.

7. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and additional chocolate chips. Bake in preheated oven on center rack for 20 minutes.

8. Allow a minimum of 10 minutes to cool, slice and serve.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Bars Recipe Run Down

This recipe for chocolate peanut butter dessert bars is so quick and easy!

You will love the flavor and texture, and they are sure to satisfy any chocolate peanut butter cravings.

This recipe begins by assembling the oat crumble crust.

This buttery brown sugar base helps hold the chocolate and peanut butter ganache that comes later.

Make sure your butter is room temperature, and begin to mash it into other dry ingredients with the back of a fork.

When the oat mixture is crumbly and well incorporated, firmly press it into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

You may have to work it around some with your fingers, but there is just enough crumble to cover the bottom of the dish.

In a medium sauce pan, gently melt chocolate chips and vanilla extract into sweetened condensed milk.

Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

If you are using semi-sweet chocolate chips, add the additional granulated sugar as well.

If you are using sweet chocolate, it would be fine to skip the sugar.

Pour the warm chocolate ganache over the prepared oat crust and spread until smooth.

Be sure to push the chocolate layer all the way to the edges of the dish, ensuring an even layer. 

Next you’ll add large dollops of natural peanut butter on top of the chocolate.

If you’ve never used natural peanut butter before, know the solids and oil can separate in the jar and requires quite a bit of mixing!

It’s worth the effort though.

Natural peanut butter has amazing texture and flavor and is the perfect combo in these peanut butter chocolate desert bars.

Gently swirl with a butter knife or small kitchen spatula until you reached the desired effect.

Be careful not to press too firmly and disturb the oat crust underneath.

Are these pretty at this stage or what?  

It takes quite a bit of self control not to take a heaping spoon full at this point!

Before you pop these bars into the oven I like to top them with chopped peanuts and chocolate chips.

This is completely optional, but adds great texture and crunch.

The peanuts will toast up in the oven and get really fragrant.

Be sure not to place them on the top shelf, as they have potential to burn.

After these chocolate peanut butter dessert bars have baked and cooled for a little while, they are ready to slice and serve.

You can store left overs in the fridge for up to a week!

(If they last that long.) 😉

Happy Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert Bar Baking!

I hope you enjoy these chocolate peanut butter bars as much as we do!

For even more dessert and recipe inspiration, check out the links below:

• Peanut Butter M&M Cheerio Bars
• Soft & Chewy Easy Peanut Butter Cookies
• Grandma Peggy’s Blondie Brownie Recipe
• Best Chubby Hubby Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
• ALL UNLIKELY HOSTESS RECIPES & ROUND UPS HERE!

Cheers for now!

<3 Ang