Remember those classic no bake chocolate peanut butter bars with Reese’s peanut butter cup vibes? Recreate them with this easy, 10-minute prep, homemade gluten-free peanut butter bars recipe. They are made without graham cracker crumbs, using nutty almond flour to build out a smooth, creamy peanut butter base and a thick layer of chocolate smoothed on top.

Gluten Free Peanut Butter Bars cut and stacked on a cutting board.

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No Bake Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Bars with Almond Flour

It’s always a glorious moment when you realize a vintage old school treat is naturally gluten-free. Just like mom’s famous flourless monster cookies or these ultra gooey browned butter gluten-free rice krispies, you’re winning when you can easily enjoy a gluten-free dessert option without a lot of adjustments.

For this version of gluten-free peanut butter bars I decided to tweak the ingredients a tad because, well, I’m now a grown up, and the traditional combo of powdered sugar, butter, and peanut butter seemed a little over-the-top. I also wanted to avoid using pricey or hard to get ingredients, so making them without crushed graham crackers was important.

To build out the nutty base I went with one of my favorite grain-free ingredients – blanched almond flour. Making no bake almond flour peanut butter bars means they are gluten free, grain free, and use unrefined sugar, honey, instead of gobs of powdered sugar. They still have classic Reese’s peanut butter cup vibes, but in a sliceable no bake bar.

While they use only five simple ingredients, it’s an easy dessert recipe to play around with. They are make-ahead and freezer-friendly, to enjoy whenever you want a weeknight sweet fix, or decadent enough to put on holiday treat trays, along with ultra creamy gluten-free fudge.

Ingredient Tid Bits

  • Almond flour – Since I wanted to make these without graham crackers, I needed something gluten-free to fill out the base. Almond flour has a great taste to go along with peanut butter, but an equal amount of oat flour may be used too.
  • Peanut butter – The type of nut butter used really affects how well the bars hold together, so I recommend using a traditional thick and creamy peanut butter, but you have other options. Check out the nut butter section below for the deets.
  • Honey – The amount is really up to you. If you are looking for something a little less sweet, reduce the amount. You can also use pure maple syrup or agave. Just note, these don’t have quite the sweetness of honey, though.
  • Toppings – After the melted chocolate is spread on, you can leave it as is, or sprinkle on a little flaky sea salt, chopped peanuts, or Reese Pieces!

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Let’s Make This Together!

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

Mix up the peanut butter base

In a large bowl first stir together the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Then add in the almond flour until you have a really thick mixture.

Peanut butter mixture.

Scoop and pat.

I like a thicker peanut butter layer, so I used a 9X5-inch loaf pan, but if you’d like thinner bars, use a 8X8-inch square pan. Either one you choose, line it with greased parchment paper so you can lift the bars out easily to serve.

Just scoop the peanut butter mixture in and spread evenly on the bottom. Pop it into the fridge for a few minutes while you make the chocolate topping.

Bar mixture placed in loaf pan with a spatula.

Melty chocolate topping and chill

In a microwave-safe bowl add the chocolate chips and a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. This adds a little softness to the chocolate so it doesn’t crack apart when slicing. Spread it on the peanut butter, sprinkle on any optional toppings, and then chill the bars for a couple hours until the chocolate is solid.

Bar mixture being topped by melted dark chocolate.
Bars with peanut butter insides and chocolate topping.

Let’s Talk Nut Butters

If you want your bars to hold together better, use a thicker classic no-stir peanut butter, like Skippy or Jif. I’ve made them with a natural, organic peanut butter, but this had a thinner consistency, so the bars didn’t keep their shape as well.

You can use other nut butters, like almond butter or cashew butter, but the same will apply – the thinner the butter, the looser the bottom layer will be. You could add additional almond flour, keep them stored in the fridge or freezer, or add in oat flour, which would still keep these peanut butter bars gluten-free.

Close up side view of a peanut butter bar.

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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Bars cut and stacked on a cutting board.
4.80 stars (5 ratings)

Easy Old School Peanut Butter Bars (Gluten Free)

Melissa Erdelac of MamaGourmand headshot in patterned dress.Melissa Erdelac
Yield: 18
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Remember those classic no bake chocolate peanut butter bars with Reese's peanut butter cup vibes? Recreate them with this easy, 10-minute prep, homemade gluten-free peanut butter bars recipe. They are made without graham cracker crumbs, using nutty, almond flour to build out a smooth, creamy peanut butter base and a thick layer of chocolate smoothed on top.
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Ingredients
 

Topping

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper so it overhangs on the longer sides. Grease the paper with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl stir together peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Then stir in the almond flour until no flour pockets remain and thick dough forms. Press evenly into the prepared pan and place in fridge while the chocolate topping is prepared.
    1½ cups creamy peanut butter, ⅓ cup honey, 1½ cups blanched almond flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • In a microwave-safe bowl melt together the chocolate chips with peanut butter 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until smooth and melted.
    1 cup dark or semi sweet chocolate chips, 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • Spread on the bars and then refrigerate for 2 hours, or until chocolate is firm. Let it sit at room temp for 15 minutes before cutting into rows to make 18 bars (3 rows by 6 rows). See recipe notes for cutting tips. Store in the fridge, freezer, or at room temperature in an airtight container.

Notes

Peanut Butter
I’ve made the recipe with different types of nut butters, and if the nut butter is natural, or has a runnier consistency, the bars will not hold their shape as well. So, any butter will work, but for a sliceable peanut butter bar that holds together, I recommend classic creamy peanut butter, like Jif or Skippy.
Cutting Tips
For the bars to hold shape while cutting, keep them in the pan. Use a sharp knife and score the rows with the knife tip a few times through the chocolate before cutting all the way down. This helps prevent the chocolate from cracking. Once the rows are cut through fully, lift the bars out of the pan by the paper to serve.
Calories: 269kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 101mg, Potassium: 192mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 0.03mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg
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