I was super excited to see all the reels circulating on Instagram with the infamous “lunch lady peanut butter bars.” They are “no-bake” which is a bonus. I wish I could take the credit, but the recipe I’m sharing is by @could.matter who has over 29K followers. I like her energy and I think you’ll be impressed with her other “nostalgic” recipes too. Make sure to take a look at her page and give her a follow.
These peanut butter bars were a big hit with my boys, and I really liked them too. It’s been many years since I’ve eaten these, so it was hard for me to compare them to my elementary school cafeteria favorite. I feel like they’re really close, but either way, they’re a great recipe.
Of course I used gluten-free graham cracker crumbs, so my consistency was a little different. I am also giving examples of toppings you can consider before placing them in the refrigerator. Make sure to read all the way to the bottom.
Base Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Kirkland natural)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used gluten-free by Schar)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
Topping:
8 oz chocolate chips
3 Tbs creamy peanut butter
Instructions:
*Line a 9×13 pan with parchment
*Melt butter and pour into large bowl
*Add remaining ingredients and mix well
*Spread into the pan and place in refrigerator 30-60 minutes
*Use a double boiler to melt chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons of peanut butter
*Stir well and pour over the peanut butter base and spread evenly
*Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour before cutting and serving
*Enjoy!
You can also add flaky sea salt, chopped peanuts, coconut flakes, or crushed pretzels on top of the chocolate before refrigerating. I love how this recipe maximizes pantry staples and common, on-hand ingredients. Let me know how your bars turn out. I hope they bring back sweet memories!
Sign up for my free monthly newsletter at the bottom of my blog or reach out to Kim anytime at nourishandflex@gmail.com