Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Bars are an easy no bake treat that taste just like a Reese's! Peanut butter cookie dough topped with peanut butter milk chocolate ganache. They taste exactly like a Reese's thanks to a surprise ingredient.
REESE'S PIECES PEANUT BUTTER BARS
Don't you just love all things Reese's? If you are a fan of chocolate + peanut butter then you must try these ridiculously delicious Reese's Pieces peanut butter bars! They taste exactly like a homemade Reese's made right in your own kitchen.
The "surprise ingredient" is graham cracker crumbs. Sounds odd seeing as how the Reese's you buy in the store don't include graham cracker crumbs but trust me when I say that it is what makes these taste like homemade Reese's.
A no bake treat that is simple to make. The hardest part is letting them refrigerate for a few hours before eating.
If you love all things Reese's like my family be sure and try my chocolate Reese's cookies, my Reese's stuffed monster cookies, or one of my top recipes these Reese's peanut butter cookie cups.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE REESE'S AT HOME
- Melted Butter
- Graham Cracker Crumbs
- Powdered Sugar
- Peanut Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Reese's Pieces and/or Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Milk Chocolate Chips
TIPS & HELPFUL HINTS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Should I use salted butter or unsalted butter?
- You can use either one you want to or whatever you have.
- I will say that I much prefer salted butter especially when baking. It has way more flavor and adds a nice salt flavor to the otherwise sweet deserts.
- If you choose to use unsalted butter then you may want to add a little salt in with the peanut butter mixture. Probably only about ¼ teaspoon is all you will need.
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What if I cannot find mini Reese's Pieces?
- These can actually be hard to find. They used to sell them by the chocolate chips but not anymore! I can usually find them by the ice cream toppings. You know in the frozen ice cream aisle they usually have a place for syrups and toppings? Well, I always find mini Reese's Pieces there.
- If you can't find the minis then go ahead and use regular Reese's Pieces. Either use them whole or I like to chop them up into smaller pieces.
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Do I have to let them refrigerate?
- Yes I do recommend following the directions and letting them refrigerate.
- The milk chocolate topping will be soft when you first pour it. If you try to cut the bars they will be way to soft and not cut easily.
- Once you refrigerate for at least 3 hours the bars will cut much nicer.
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How do I store Reese's Pieces peanut butter bars?
- Leftovers need to be stored in the fridge. As these bars sit out at room temperature they will soften up and the chocolate topping will begin to get really soft and melt onto your hands.
- I don't love these straight from the fridge. What I like to do is set one out for just a few minutes at room temperature and then eat it.
TRY THESE OTHER CHOCOLATE & PEANUT BUTTER RECIPES
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bar Bites - No bake treat recipe that only needs 5 ingredients. Perfect after school snacks.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie - No bake pie recipe with a peanut butter cheesecake layer and a chocolate cheesecake layer.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread - Banana bread with chocolate chips and peanut butter. The best combo ever!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars - One of my most popular recipes! Soft-baked bars loaded with oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips.
No Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies - Cookies with no flour and they only need 4 ingredients.
Reese's Pieces Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Bars
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter melted
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter not all-natural
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup mini Reese's Pieces
Ganache
- 1½ cups milk chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup mini Reese's Pieces
Instructions
- Prepare a 9x13 baking dish by lining with parchment paper or tin foil. This makes the bars much easier to lift out so you can cut them.
- In a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer, add the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Blend together until it's combined well.
- Stir in the mini Reese's Pieces candy.
- Press the dough into the prepared pan. It helps if you drop spoonfuls of dough all over the pan, instead of just one big pile in the middle, and then spread it out. * I like to use the back of a silverware spoon to help spread. If it's getting too sticky lightly spray your fingers or the back of a spoon with cooking spray.
- Add the milk chocolate chips and peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook for 1 minute and stir. Cook for another 1 minute. Stir again.
- Pour the peanut butter chocolate over the bars and spread out evenly. Sprinkle more mini Reese's Pieces over top and gently press them into the chocolate.
- Cover the pan with tin foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving and cutting.
- Leftovers need to be stored in the fridge. As these bars sit at room temperature they will soften up and the chocolate topping will begin to soften and melt slightly.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe has been updated with better pictures and more helpful text in April 2021. Recipe is the same.
Hi there! Do u think these would still b yummy if I only use natural, nothing added, peanut butter? Not the Kraft or Skippy kind? Appreciate your input. Thanks !
I strongly advise against using natural peanut butter in any baked goods. It's much drier and thicker than normal peanut butter so the baked good turns out thick and dry. But, these bars are no bake so maybe it would work just fine. I've never tried it myself so I can't say for sure.
Thanks for a no bake recipe! This looks so heavenly I can’t wait to try these bars. ?
Am I the only one who can’t find the Reese’s pieces mini baking chips? I went to Ralph’s, Albertsons, Stater Brothers, and Target. Nothing. Maybe they’re a regional thing. I live in the LA area. I’m going to use regular size Reese’s Pieces. Hope it comes out ok.
They seem to be hit or miss in most stores. You can use regular sized Reese's Pieces, that would work fine. I usually stock up when I see them in a store cause they don't always have them all the time.
is it okay to use vegetable oil instead of butter?
No, that will not work. It needs butter 🙂
I can't find them on the baking isle anymore, but you can find them with the ice cream toppings at Walmart. They taste the same and look prettier than the regular size ones.
Thank you for that tip. I have also had a hard time finding them recently which makes me sad! I have begun to use the regular sized Reese's Pieces and just crushed them up before adding them in. That seems to work too.
chicken broth or vegetable broth would work too!