Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
My goal with this recipe was to come up with very easy but very decadent no-bake bars. Desserts like these can get very complicated very quickly (especially when you’re going for vegan and gf), and I was really craving simplicity. Of course, these are 3 layer bars, which by definition is not very simple, but I’m still so happy with the result. The combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and ‘shortbread’ is so undeniably delicious. I tried to keep the ingredients in each layer to a minimum, and the whole process is pretty straightforward. The hardest part is waiting for the bars to set!
Upon sampling one of these bars, my husband said that they taste exactly like something his aunt used to make back when he was little, which is a win in my book. One of my favorite parts of cooking is evoking fond memories, along with creating new ones :)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
makes 16 square bars
for the ‘shortbread’
10 Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in hot water for 10-15 minutes
3/4 cup rolled oats (gf if needed)
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
sea salt
for the peanut butter layer
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
sea salt
for the chocolate layer
3/4 cup dark, dairy-free chocolate chips
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon coconut oil
sea salt
to make the shortbread
Line a rimmed 8" x 8" dish (or a dish of a similar size) with parchment paper, extending the edges up the sides for easier removal later. Drain the dates and add them to a food processor, along with the oats, coconut flour, coconut oil, and a pinch of salt. Process until you have a sticky mixture that comes together when pressed between your fingers. Transfer the mixture to the lined dish. Press into an even layer, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup and/or your fingers.
to make the peanut butter layer
In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter and coconut oil. Melt over low heat, stirring, until the peanut butter is smooth, with no lumps. Take the saucepan off the heat, add the maple syrup and a generous pinch of salt. Evenly spread the mixture over the shortbread layer. Put the dish in the freezer and let set for about 40 minutes, until the peanut butter layer feels somewhat solidified.
to make the chocolate layer and finish preparing the bars
Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil on a double boiler. Add a pinch of salt and mix it in. Pour the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter layer, spreading it out evenly with a spoon. Put the dish in the freezer and let the chocolate layer set for another 15-20 minutes.
Once set, lift the bar out of the baking dish onto a cutting board, using the extended edges of the parchment paper. Cut it in half lengthwise and widthwise, then in half again, until you end up with 16 square bars. Keep the bars frozen or refrigerated in an airtight container (they will melt at room temperature).
Intuitive Cooking Takeaways
If you’re indifferent to peanut butter, it can easily be replaced with cashew, almond, or even sunflower butter here. I think that tahini would work as well, it might just need a little extra maple syrup, to taste, to counterbalance its bitterness.