Introduction
Peanut butter cocoa bars are what you make when you want a chocolatey treat without switching on the oven. Stir peanut butter, cocoa, maple syrup and oats together, press the mixture into a tin and let the fridge do the rest. The result is a chewy bar with plenty of peanut flavour and a properly chocolatey bite.
At LoveRaw®, we reckon the salty-sweet combination is hard to beat. It’s also easy to play with: add chopped chocolate for extra texture, roll the mixture into bite-sized balls or make a softer peanut butter cocoa fudge. First, grab a bowl and make some room in the fridge.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cocoa Bars
These bars have a chewy oat texture rather than a crisp biscuit base. They’re easy to slice into squares or longer bars, and you can add a little chocolate on top if you fancy an extra layer of choc.
Serves: 12 bars
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus at least 2 hours chilling
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 250g smooth peanut butter
- 120ml maple syrup
- 20g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 180g rolled oats
- A small pinch of salt, optional
- 50g dairy-free chocolate, chopped, optional
Method
- Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides so you can lift the bars out.
- Add the peanut butter and maple syrup to a saucepan. Warm gently over a low heat, stirring until easy to combine. You want the mixture warm, not boiling.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the cocoa powder and salt, if using, until smooth.
- Add the oats and mix until evenly coated. If the mixture is too stiff to stir or won’t hold together when pressed, add a little more peanut butter. If it’s very loose, stir in a little more oats.
- Transfer to the lined tin. Press firmly into an even layer, paying attention to the corners.
- If using the chopped chocolate, scatter it over the top and press it lightly into the mixture.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to slice. Lift out using the baking paper and cut into 12 bars.
Tip: Use the back of a spoon or a second piece of baking paper to press the mixture down firmly. A well-packed mixture is easier to slice.
What to expect from the texture
These aren’t baked biscuit bars. The oats give them a little chew, while the peanut butter helps everything hold together. They’ll be firmer straight from the fridge and softer after a little time at room temperature.
For a neater cut, use a sharp knife and wipe it between slices. If the bars start to break apart, put them back in the fridge before trying again. Smaller squares are easier to handle than long, thin pieces.
Choosing Your Ingredients
Peanut butter
Smooth peanut butter gives the most even texture. If yours has a layer of oil on top, stir it thoroughly before measuring so the peanut butter is consistent throughout the jar.
Crunchy peanut butter will give you little pieces of peanut in each bite. It may make the bars a little less uniform, so press the mixture into the tin firmly.
Peanut butters vary in thickness and saltiness. A thick one may need a little extra peanut butter to help the oats stick together. Taste the mixture before adding salt, especially if your peanut butter is already salted.
Cocoa powder and sweetness
Use unsweetened cocoa powder for the chocolate flavour. It’s more concentrated and less sweet than a drinking chocolate powder, which can contain other ingredients.
Sifting the cocoa helps avoid dry pockets in the mixture. Maple syrup adds sweetness and helps bind the bars, so reducing it will change the texture as well as the flavour.
Oats
Rolled oats give the bars their chewy bite. For a finer texture, briefly pulse them in a food processor before mixing. You’re aiming to break up some of the flakes, not turn the whole batch into flour.
If you prefer a more textured bar, leave the oats whole. Either way, make sure they’re coated in the peanut butter mixture before pressing them into the tin.
Make Peanut Butter Cocoa Balls
The same mixture makes lovely little cocoa peanut butter balls. They’re handy when you want individual bites without cutting a whole tin of bars.
Serves: 16 balls
Prep time: 10 minutes, once the bar mixture is made, plus 30 minutes chilling
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- One batch of the unchilled peanut butter cocoa bar mixture above
- A little extra cocoa powder, for dusting, optional
Method
- Make the bar mixture as directed, stopping before you press it into the tin. Let it cool until comfortable to handle.
- Divide the mixture into 16 portions. Squeeze each portion together, then roll it between your palms.
- If you like, dust the balls lightly with cocoa powder.
- Place on a baking-paper-lined plate or tray and chill for at least 30 minutes, until firmer.
If the mixture won’t hold together, work in a little more peanut butter. If it sticks to your hands, chill it briefly before rolling. For a smoother-looking finish, pulse the oats before making the mixture.
These balls will still have an oaty texture. For a softer, more fudge-like bite, try the chocolate version below.
Peanut Butter Cocoa Fudge
This no-bake fudge uses melted chocolate as well as cocoa powder. It’s different from the oat bars: there are no oats to chew, so you get a smoother, richer square.
Use a dairy-free chocolate you enjoy eating on its own. Its sweetness will come through in the finished fudge, while the cocoa adds a deeper chocolate flavour.
Serves: 16 small squares
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus at least 2 hours chilling
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 200g dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
- 200g smooth peanut butter, well stirred
- 10g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- A small pinch of salt, optional
Method
- Line a small loaf tin, approximately 20cm by 10cm, with baking paper.
- Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Keep the bottom of the bowl above the water and stir until the chocolate has melted.
- Remove the bowl from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter, followed by the sifted cocoa and salt, if using.
- Spread the mixture into the lined tin and smooth the top.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until firm. Lift out of the tin and cut into 16 small squares.
Keep the heat gentle when melting the chocolate. If the peanut butter is very thick, give the mixture a little extra stirring to bring it together before transferring it to the tin.
The fudge will be firmer when cold and softer as it warms. For a neat finish, cut it while chilled, then leave a square out briefly before eating if you prefer a softer bite.
Ways to Add More Crunch and Chocolate
The cocoa bars are good as they are, but the peanut butter base is an easy place to add your favourite textures.
Add a chocolate topping
Instead of pressing chopped chocolate into the bars, melt it gently and spread a thin layer over the packed mixture before chilling. Let the topping set before slicing.
A thin layer gives you a little chocolate snap without making the bars difficult to cut. Use a sharp knife and slice slowly once the topping has set.
Make them extra peanutty
Chop some M:lk® Choc Peanut Butter Cups and press the pieces onto the bars before chilling. You’ll get chocolate and peanut butter in the topping as well as the base.
A few chopped roasted peanuts work too. Keep the pieces small enough to press into the mixture, so they don’t tumble off when you slice it.
Bring on the wafer crunch
For a crisp finish, scatter pieces of M:lk Choc Cre&m® Wafer Bar over the bars just before serving. Adding the wafer at the end helps keep its crunch.
The wafer contains wheat, so check the packaging when you’re choosing toppings for someone with an allergy or intolerance. Check every other ingredient label too, including any chocolate or nut butter you use.
Try a different nut butter
Smooth almond butter can stand in for peanut butter if you’d rather have an almond flavour. Stir it well before measuring and expect to adjust the mixture if its consistency is different.
For an easy finishing touch, add a small spoonful of Hazelnut Cacao Spread "Choco Love" when serving. It makes a soft topping, so add it after slicing rather than expecting it to set like chocolate.
Troubleshooting Your Bars and Fudge
Why are my bars crumbly?
The mixture may need more binding, or it may not have been pressed firmly enough. Peanut butter varies from jar to jar, so use the texture of the mixture as your check: it should hold together when squeezed.
Before chilling, work in a little more peanut butter if needed. Once it’s in the tin, press it firmly into the corners as well as the middle.
If you’ve already chilled the bars and they’re still crumbly, cut them into smaller squares. You can also serve the pieces in a bowl with a spoonful of plant-based ice cream.
Why are my bars too soft?
They may need more time in the fridge, especially if the peanut butter was very runny. Chill until the mixture feels firm before lifting it from the tin.
If the mixture is still in the bowl and seems too loose to press, stir in a little more oats. Add them gradually so the bars don’t become dry.
Why is the cocoa in little lumps?
Cocoa can clump when it meets a thick mixture. Sift it before adding it, then stir it into the warm peanut butter and maple syrup before the oats go in.
For the fudge, sift the cocoa into the melted chocolate and peanut butter mixture. Stir until you can’t see any dry powder before pouring it into the tin.
Why is my fudge difficult to slice?
Cold chocolate can be firm. Let the fudge sit at room temperature briefly, then use a sharp knife and make steady cuts. If it becomes too soft, return it to the fridge.
A loaf tin gives you relatively thick squares. If you use a wider tin, the fudge will be thinner, so check it sooner as it chills.
Serving and Storing Your Treats
For a snack straight from the fridge, cut the bars into small squares and stack them on a plate. For dessert, serve a bar with plant-based ice cream and a little extra peanut butter drizzled over the top.
Keep the bars, balls and fudge in separate airtight containers in the fridge. Baking paper between layers helps stop pieces sticking together. The oat bars can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for longer storage.
If you’re freezing the bars, separate portions with baking paper so you can take out what you want. Let them soften a little before eating if they’re too firm straight from the freezer.
Adding wafer pieces? Keep those for serving rather than storing them on top. That way, you get the contrast between the chewy bar and crisp wafer.
Conclusion
Peanut butter and cocoa make a cracking combination, whether you want a chewy oat bar, a small rolled bite or a smooth square of fudge.
- Press the oat mixture firmly for easier slicing.
- Chill the fudge until it’s set before cutting.
- Add wafer pieces just before serving for crunch.
Tip: Cut a batch into smaller pieces if you want a little chocolatey bite rather than a full bar.
For another salty-sweet treat, explore the LoveRaw Butter Cups range.
FAQ
Can I make peanut butter cocoa bars without baking?
Yes. The recipe above uses peanut butter and maple syrup to bind the cocoa and oats, then chills the mixture until it’s firm enough to slice. You only need to warm the peanut butter mixture gently, not bake the bars.
Can I make the bars and fudge vegan?
Yes. Use maple syrup in the bars and choose dairy-free chocolate for the optional topping and the fudge. Check the labels on any toppings or additions to make sure they suit the people you’re serving.
Can I use crunchy peanut butter?
You can use crunchy peanut butter in the oat bars or balls for extra peanut pieces. Smooth peanut butter gives the fudge a more even texture, so choose that if you want a smoother square.
What’s the difference between cocoa peanut butter balls and fudge?
The balls in this recipe use the same oat mixture as the bars, so they’re chewy and textured. The fudge combines melted chocolate, peanut butter and cocoa for a smoother bite without oats.
