No bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars are sweet, salty, and satisfyingly crunchy. Each square is loaded with a layer of peanut butter mixed with crushed pretzels, covered with melted chocolate, and topped with peanuts and mini pretzels. A delicious snack with dessert status!
No Bake Peanut Butter Bars With Pretzels
Our easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars recipe will become your new favorite treat! It takes the classic peanut butter and chocolate pairing and makes it even better by adding an extra crunchy component—a delicious duo dessert turned trio!
This no-bake peanut butter chocolate pretzel treat is by far my favorite trifecta—it’s sweet, savory, and crunchy all at once. But what’s even better is that it’s no-bake, so it comes together quickly whenever the craving hits.
Whether you’re looking for a snack to satisfy your sweet tooth or a crowd-pleaser for your next potluck, these chocolate peanut butter bars deliver all the delicious taste you love in my peanut butter pretzel magic bars, but without the coconut chew or sticky texture.
Ingredients Notes
- Unsalted butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter in my bars to control the saltiness since the pretzels and peanuts already add enough salt.
- Pretzels: I used mini pretzel twists, but feel free to use whatever type of pretzel you prefer. Thin pretzel sticks or “snaps” pretzels are other options. Make sure to finely crush most of the pretzels for a better mixture, but keep some intact for the topping.
- Brown sugar: I like to use brown sugar instead of powdered sugar in my chocolate pretzel peanut butter squares because it adds a deeper, more complex flavor and a slight chewiness to the peanut butter layer. Brown sugar contains molasses, bringing a rich, caramel-like undertone that beautifully complements the peanut butter and chocolate.
- Creamy peanut butter: Creamy processed peanut butter works best in this recipe to create a smooth texture. You can use natural peanut butter, but it may result in a slightly different texture since natural peanut butter is usually less creamy and more oily. Be sure to stir it well before using it.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips balance the sweetness of the peanut butter chocolate pretzel bars. Depending on your preference, you can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate.
- Peanuts: Adding salted or plain crushed peanuts gives a layer of texture and flavor to these peanut butter chocolate pretzel bars.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
- Make The Peanut Butter Mixture: Melt the peanut butter, butter, and brown sugar until smooth and pourable. Mix in the crushed pretzels. Spread the peanut butter mixture evenly into the bottom of a parchment paper lined baking dish.
- Cover With Chocolate: In the same saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and spread a layer over the pretzel peanut butter base.
- Create More Crunch: Sprinkle crushed peanuts and place whole pretzels on top of the chocolate layer.
- Chill: Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Slice And Serve: Cut into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these no-bake peanut butter pretzel bars straight from the fridge for a refreshing, firm bite with a satisfying snap. For a softer, slightly melty treat, microwave your bar for a few seconds and break it into a bowl of caramel pretzel ice cream!
Looking for more peanut butter pretzel chocolate recipes? My peanut butter pretzel bites and peanut butter pretzel magic bars are fun twists on the same sweet and salty combination.
Tips & Variations
- Create More Crunch: To add extra crunch, toast the crushed peanuts before adding them to the top of your bars.
- Prepare The Pretzels: To crush the pretzels, place them in a sealed plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can pulse them in a food processor for a more uniform consistency.
- Prepare Without Pretzels: If you don’t have pretzels, you can use graham crackers or digestive biscuits for a different flavor and texture. However, you will lose the salty crunch that pretzels provide.
- Make it Marbled: Mix melted chocolate into the peanut butter base for a marbled effect.
- No Nut Option: For a nut-free, allergy-friendly alternative, replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter, soy nut butter, or even pumpkin seed butter, and omit the crushed peanuts from the top of your treats.
- Make More: You can easily double this recipe to feed a larger crowd. Simply use a larger baking dish, such as a 9×13 inch pan, and evenly spread each layer for consistency.
Proper Storage
- To Store: These pretzel chocolate peanut butter bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- To Freeze: Place the bars in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes
- Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Cups
- Strawberry Peanut Butter Bark
- No Bake Peanut Butter Balls Recipe
If you tried this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!!!
Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1½ cups pretzels finely crushed (keep some intact for the top)
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup crushed peanuts salted or plain
Instructions
- In a saucepan over low heat, melt the peanut butter, butter and brown sugar until it’s smooth and pourable.1 ½ cups creamy peanut butter, ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar
- Mix in the crushed pretzels.1½ cups pretzels
- Spread the mixture evenly into the bottom of a parchment-lined baking dish.
- Clean the saucepan and use it to melt the chocolate chips, stirring until fully melted.2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer, spreading it evenly.
- Sprinkle the crushed peanut and add the intact pretzels peanuts over the chocolate layer for added crunch and visual appeal.½ cup crushed peanuts
- Place the baking dish in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until the bars are fully set.
- Once set, cut into squares and serve.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store these pretzel chocolate peanut butter bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- To Freeze: To freeze, place the bars in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
- For an extra crunch, you can toast the crushed peanuts before adding them to the top of your bars.
- To crush the pretzels, place them in a sealed plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can pulse them in a food processor for a more uniform consistency.
- If you don’t have pretzels, you can use graham crackers or digestive biscuits for a different flavor and texture. However, you will lose the salty crunch that pretzels provide.
- Feel free to mix melted chocolate into the peanut butter base for a marbled effect.
- or a nut-free, allergy-friendly alternative, replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter, soy nut butter, or even pumpkin seed butter, and omit the crushed peanuts from the top of your treats.
- You can easily double this recipe to feed a larger crowd. Simply use a larger baking dish, such as a 9×13 inch pan, and evenly spread each layer for consistency.
Thank you for this post. I am a week away from a trip with my family and I always love to surprise them with something totally over the top that is simple and fun.