Peanut Butter Dream Bars

Dive in to this peanut butter dream bars recipe. Layers of crushed peanut butter cookies, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and a creamy peanut butter layer. Top this dream bar recipe off with chocolate and peanut butter chips.

The ultimate summer approved no bake peanut butter dessert recipe. For any of you who love peanut butter, try our peanut butter lasagna or Nutter Butter’s cheesecake.

These chocolate peanut butter dream bars are great for potluck events, summer cookouts, birthday parties and more. The peanut butter lover recipe that is layers of delights.

These Dream Bars Are….

• Peanut Butter Cookie Crust
• Layers of Creamy Peanut Butter and Chocolate
• Silky Chocolate Pudding Mix
• Whipped Topping layer
• Rich Dessert
• Potluck or Summer Cookout Dessert
• No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert

Ingredients Needed

Here is all you need for the no bake peanut butter bars!

• Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
• Butter
• Cream Cheese
• Peanut Butter
• Powdered Sugar
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Cool Whip Topping
• Instant Chocolate Pudding
• Milk
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Milk Chocolate Chips

Tools Needed

Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer – Or you can use a wire whisk if you don’t have a hand-mixer or stand mixer.

Medium bowl and small microwavable bowl

8×8 Baking Dish

How to Make

Full steps on how to make this Peanut Butter Dream Bars. This is a visual walk through.

Step One: First, in a food processor you will add your peanut butter cookies. Pulse until it is fine crumbles, like sand.

Expert Tip: If you don’t have a food processor place cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pan or bottom of a cup.

Step Two: Next you will use a small microwaveable bowl and melted butter. Mix it with your crushed cookies.

Step Three: Next press the peanut butter crushed cookie base into an 8×8 square baking pan. Then press it down in bottom of pan. You want to make sure it is packed tightly.. Place in the freezer to set for 30 minutes.

Step Four: Then in a bowl you will add your cold milk and the Instant pudding and with a hand held mixer blend the pudding on medium speed, and then work your way up to medium-high speed. You want it to become thick and creamy. Refrigerate to set up.

Step Five: Next, in another mixing bowl add your cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whip it up until smooth and creamy.

Step Six: Fold in some of the whipped cream to the peanut butter mixture as directed. Don’t overmix the mixture once you add in the whipped topping to the peanut butter filling.

Step Seven: Remove crust from the freezer and add the fluffy layer of cream cheese into the pan. Spread it out evenly.

Step Eight: Next add the chocolate layer, spreading to make it smooth and even. Then top with the whipped topping. Sprinkle peanut butter chops and chocolate chips, and cookie crumbles on top of the whipped cream.

Step Nine: Finally, refrigerate the bars for two hours to set up. Then slice into the chocolate peanut butter layered bars.

Serve up this decadent dessert and watch your family, friends or loved ones go nuts for this no bake dessert. Make sure to cover with plastic wrap or a lid and keep your no bake dessert refrigerated.

Storing Leftovers

This nutter butter bars needs to be refrigerated as it will spoil if left at room temperature. Cover tightly or place a lid on the bars. Refrigerate for up to 4-5 days.

It is best to eat within the first two days as it has the best quality. It can begin to break down a bit as it sits in the fridge.

Variations To Recipe

• Swap out the peanut butter sandwich cookies with any peanut butter cookies. Nutter Butter Cookies are our favorites.
• Drizzle the top with peanut butter and chocolate, vs chocolate chips.
• If you want some crunch add a sprinkles of roasted peanuts over the cream cheese layer.
• Change up the crust to use Oreo cookies or even graham crackers in replace of peanut butter cookies.

Practical notes

What are peanut butter dream bars?

These are a layered chocolate and peanut butter no bake dessert. Crunchy cookie crust, then pudding, cream cheese, and whipped cream dessert. It is a chilled dessert.

Can we use a 9 x 9-inch pan instead of an 8 x 8?

You could use a 9×9 pan instead of an 8×8 pan but the layers will be a bit thinner. So just keep that in mind if you do choose to use a larger pan.

Does this chocolate peanut butter bars recipe double?

Double the recipe and reach for a 9×13 size pan if you would like to make extra. The recipe doubles well, and is great for serving a larger crowd.

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Ingredients

Makes 8 servings

• 1 16 ounces peanut butter sandwich cookies, crushed
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup peanut butter, creamy
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces whipped cream
• 1 box instant chocolate pudding, 3.9 ounces
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips

Equipment

• 1 8×8 Baking Dish
• 1 microwave safe bowl
• 1 mixing bowl

Method

1. Take around 20-25 peanut butter sandwich cookies and place in a food processor and pulse until it is a fine crumble, like sand. Or place cookies in a Ziploc bag and crush with back of a cup or rolling pin.
2. Melt the butter in the microwave, and then add the crushed cookies. Mix well with a spatula and press into an 8x8x prepared baking dish. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or set up.
3. Next, you will mix your Instant pudding with the 1 1/2 cups cold milk. Start on medium speed with a hand mixer and work up to medium high speed. You want it to thicken up a bit. Place in the fridge to set up as your crust is freezing.
4. Then in another medium size bowl add your softened cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar along with vanilla. Mix well until nice and creamy.
5. Fold in 1 cup of the Cool whip topping and mix to combine.
6. Remove the cookie crust from the freezer and spread the layer of peanut butter cream cheese layer. Use an offset spatula to spread the layer.
7. Next top with the chocolate pudding layer, and spread it into a smooth layer as well.
8. Top with whipped cream and top with the chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and if you have extra cookies add crumbles of cookies.
9. Refrigerate the peanut butter dream bars for 2 hours, to help them set up. Or freeze for 30 minutes.
10. Then slice and serve up the dream bars.

Kitchen notes

Cream Cheese –

Make sure to use softened cream cheese. If you forgot to set it out. Use a bowl of warm not hot water, and place the cream cheese in the foil packet for 5 minutes. Remove and check to see if softened enough. If not repeat the steps. Cookie Crust – we used Nutter Butter style cookies. If you don’t want a peanut butter crust you can swap with an Oreo cookie, graham crackers, etc. Refrigerate – Make sure to refrigerate your dream bars as they will spoil if left out on the counter.