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Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

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Chocolate coated peanut butter & pretzel bars cut on a piece of baking paper

These no-bake peanut butter & pretzel bars are exactly the fix you need when it’s SUMMER and too hot to turn the oven on. They come together really quickly and are quite rich so will last you a while as they’re essentially a peanut butter cup in bar form, with pretzels thrown in.

Chocolate peanut butter & pretzel bars stacked in a tower with jars of peanut butter, pretzels and milk behind

These are actually even easier to make than peanut butter cups because there’s none of that annoying chocolate coating of multiple paper liners going on; you just put it all into the pan and BAM! Crunchy, salty-sweet candy bars.

The base is a delicious combo of crushed pretzels (for crunchy saltiness), creamy peanut butter and some icing sugar to sweeten it up. You can swap the powdered sugar for runny honey or agave syrup if you like but you’ll have to store the bars in the fridge as they’ll be more gooey (so need to stay cold in order to be hold-able).

A nice layer of chocolate is spread on top – I like dark chocolate here as it cuts the sweetness of the peanut mixture. However, for more of a candy-bar experience, go for milk chocolate and you won’t be disappointed.

Squares of chocolate, peanut butter & pretzel bars decorated with mini pretzels

You can add a layer of pretzels on top which makes these little squares look extra pretty but, if you don’t really care about that you can just leave them off.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

A peanut butter cup in bar form, with pretzels thrown in for crunch! The base is a mixture of creamy peanut butter and crunchy, crushed pretzels topped with a layer of chocolate and pretzels to decorate. These vegan treats are moreish and rich!
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Course: Bars and Brownies
Cuisine: American
Keywords: chocolate, dairy free, egg free, no-bake, peanut butter, pretzels, vegan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 25 bars

Ingredients

  • 75 g (2 cups) salted mini pretzels plus 25 more pretzels for decoration
  • 270 g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter (I like Whole Earth brand)
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter or vegan butter softened
  • 50 g (1/4 cup packed) light brown sugar
  • 75 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • 250 g (1 1/2 cups) milk chocolate or dark chocolate chopped

Instructions

  • Line an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking tin with baking paper.
  • Roughly crush 75g (2 cups) of the mini pretzels, either by pulsing in a food processor, or by putting them into a sandwich bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
    75 g (2 cups) salted mini pretzels
  • Combine the peanut butter, butter and sugars in a bowl until smooth, then stir in the crushed pretzels. Press this mixture evenly into the lined pan, and chill for 20 minutes.
    270 g (1 cup) creamy peanut butter, 2 tbsp unsalted butter or vegan butter, 50 g (1/4 cup packed) light brown sugar, 75 g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
  • Meanwhile, melt the chocolate (see notes) and pour over the chilled peanut butter mixture, using a rubber spatula to spread it evenly and smooth it out. Tap the pan against a hard surface to even out the chocolate a bit more.
    250 g (1 1/2 cups) milk chocolate or dark chocolate
  • Place 25 mini pretzels evenly in a grid pattern on top of the chocolate (they'll be your guide for cutting the bars). Leave at room temperature until the chocolate has set. If you're pressed for time, pop the tin into the freezer for 10-15 minutes so the chocolate can set quicker.
    75 g (2 cups) salted mini pretzels
  • Run a hot butter knife around the inside edge of the pan to release the bars. Use the baking paper to lift the bars out of the tin. Use a hot, sharp knife, to cut into 25 squares.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. You can keep them at room temp if your home is cool or in the fridge if they're getting a bit melty.

Notes

Vegan (/ dairy-free) option: use vegan butter and dark chocolate. Ensure the pretzels you’re using are vegan.
Melting chocolate: either melt the chocolate in a bain marie (a small, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water) or in the microwave (in a small, microwavable bowl in 10 second bursts, stirring between bursts until fully melted).
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it went! Mention @izyhossack or tag #topwithcinnamon!

239 thoughts on “Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars”

  1. Peanut butter and chocolate is BY FAR one of my favorite flavor combinations! The sweet and salty is just undeniably tasty. And, seriously, Breaking Bad is AMAZING. One of those series you just can’t stop watching.

  2. These LOOK amazing. I was actually just gathering the ingredients for something similar that should be on my blog SOON! However… no bake is winning my heart.

    🙂

  3. I would like to say that peanut butter and chocolate isn’t my favorite, but it is. I’ll add that butterscotch and peanut butter is awesome, as is peanut butter and…wait for it…pretzel. Haha.

  5. peanut butter and strawberry preserves! ultimate combo. But I don’t say no to peanut butter anything, basically. These look delicious!

  7. Peanut butter and chocolate hands down.. peanut butter and apples.. peanut butter and graham crackers. I love me some peanut butter. Gorgeous photos, as per usual. Breaking Bad is probably one of the only hit TV shows that I’ve never been able to get into.. probably the follow-the-rules pharmacist within me prevents that, haha. 😉

  8. Oh peanut butter… I love it in everything , but with some chocolate, and maybe in ice cream , now we’re talking !

  10. Omg!!! These look so goooooood!!!!! 🙂 I wish I could just pick one right from these photographs and start munching away! 🙂 😀

  12. Peanut butter and chocolate is obviously the number one flavor combo (duh!) but I’m also pretty partial to peanut butter and banana pairings

  14. I am able to resist chocolate; but once pretzels get involved, I can’t resist. I am gonna hafta make these.

  17. I love peanut butter and chocolate, of course. But pb + banana, pb + strawberry jam, pb + chai spices..I could go on and on. I clearly like pb! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!

  20. Oh geez! I just love peanut butter. Scooping it out of the jar with pretzels, with chocolate, eating it with Nutella, putting it on a banana… I could go on and on!

  22. Ermagaaad these are amazing! I love your styles photos its like my very own subscription to a glossy good magazine without the price tag!!

    Gorgeous.

    Katie <3

  23. I might not be biggest peanut butter and chocolate fan but I am excited about the pretzel and chocolate combo! I swear you have no reason to be negative, you produce such stunning work every time you post.

  24. DELICIOUS!! I’m loving that your styled photos are back, such a great source of inspiration and you have a talent of making them look realistic (is that possible?)
    These would go down a treat in my house as all my fan are total PB addicts!!
    Thanks
    x x x

    http://lalangostaymi.blogspot.com

  25. WOW! I love it! I’m totally carzy about peanut butter so it’s my paradise! And this cookbook looks so lovely, I’d like to try all of the recipes 🙂 <3

  27. I eat peanut butter and granny smith apples. And peanut butter on rice cakes or any sort of cracker. And on chocolate digestives. My favourite though is an English muffin with crunchy peanut butter on one side and really runny raspberry jam on the other. When they sandwich together some crazy melty magic happens! What I am really trying to say is I LOVE PEANUT BUTTER!

  30. These are so cute. I love the uniformity of one pretzel per square and your photos are ahhhhhhhmazing!

  31. these are so adorable! i would try to put some nutella in there, too. nutella + peanut butter. is a win. every single time.

  34. These look delicious! I love everything about them. You cannot go wrong with any of these flavors!

  36. Peanut butter and oreos are my favorite peanut butter flavor combo (soooo good but you wouldn’t expect it!)

    btw these photos are beautiful and I am going to make these the minute I am done with classes.

  37. ahw I wish I could use any peanut butter before my daddy eats it all 🙁
    btw Izy I wrote you a message on facebook, I wonder have you got it or not 🙂

  40. These look freaking amazing! My fav PB combo is PB+Chocolate too! Yum!

  41. Are you kidding? Peanut butter goes with everything! I love it with chocolate, honey, marshmallow fluff, and on all sorts of fruits and veggies (especially apples!).

  42. PB, Chocolate, Pretzels, and vanilla malt ice cream.

    /Why yes, I am a Chubby Hubby. Why do you ask?

  45. This book and these pretzel noms look AMAZING…omg
    and you’re right about the oven in the summer…we are not besties in the heat, the oven and I

  47. oops. i just saw there was a question to leave a comment… i love peanut butter with chocolate. or bananas!

  54. Peanut butter and chocolate is definitely my number one combo, but I am very partial to peanut butter and bananas, esp in banana cream pie.

  58. Hey, whaddaya mean US residents only???

    “Made with lovin’, not the oven” totally cracked me up and I thought woah I NEED this book.

    And now I find – living in Germany – that I can’t.

    Oh bugger.

    Anyways, love your recipe and the new old photostyle.

  59. I’m a combo lover: chocolate + peanut butter; banana + honey; cinnamon + chili; and then chocolate + anything.
    I love these bars and I love no bake treats. Thank you, more please.

  61. Peanut Butter and a dark salted caramel chocolate are great. Could add banana or any fruit to go with it.
    Yummy. Thanks

  62. Any combo of peanut butter and chocolate is fantastic! I love the salty sweet combo….. for better or worse!

  64. i love peanut butter & pretzels, and can’t get enough of peanut butter chocolate combos

  65. I always love your posts, but this one hits a very special place. Peanut butter and chocolate are great and all, but OH MY GOD PRETZELS TOO? Genius! Love it!

  66. Ive been having whole wheat toast with natural pb & wondering why I dont have it more often 🙂 I also have banana & pb ice cream quite often!! I pretty much love pb!

  71. That’s so funny. I was just looking around the house for a no bake recipe for something sweet. This’ll be perfect. (The ovens are not allowed to go on; 90 degree heat, it’s HOT)

  72. Oh yes, with hot Texas summer approaching, a book like this is exactly what I need to survive! “Oven” becomes a four letter word (which, yes, I know, it is anyway) in our household once the temperatures sore.

  74. My favorite flavors with peanut butter is to get a big ol’ spoon of PB and dip it in a bag of white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips! Maybe more than one time!

  75. I love peanut butter and banana! In smoothies or ice cream or just a big spoonful of PB with my banana. Thanks for the giveaway 🙂

  77. YUM – we are having nice warm temps here and I hated having to turn on my oven, these look so absolutely delicious. Peanut Butter and Chocolate are some of my favorite combinations – throw in those pretzels and we are in heaven!

  79. My favorite peanut butter combo would have to be peanut butter and bananas. That combo just can never get better, especially on some white bread and then warmed.

  80. well I really love jelly with peanut butter, sandwiches, cookies, cupcakes yep I like it almost as much as chocolate with peanut butter

  83. Let’s see…pb & chocolate, pb & apples, pb & bacon! Ooh, pb rice krispy treats, another no-bake sweet 🙂

  84. Not sure that I could pick just one favorite for pairing with my peanut butter, but I’ll go with strawberry jelly. I also LOVE PB cookies and how well it works for Thai-inspired dishes!

  85. Um, chocolate is the best match for peanut butter, obviously! Always and forever. When I was little I loved peanut butter and honey sandwiches, though. Also peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.

  86. peanutbutter and chocolate and peanutbutter and honey and the old favorite peanutbutter and jelly. hmm. or peanutbutter right out of the jar.

  87. Peanut butter and chocolate is one of those unbeatable flavour combinations. Lately, I have been making treats with peanut butter and chocolate-hazelnut. Yum!

  88. Oh my god, these bars are SO deliciously cute. And no-bake anything — yes please, right now. We went from super cold and rainy to 90 GD degrees yesterday, and soooo humid. Give me a break!

    Also, bouncing back to the last post, someone actually left me a comment on Wednesday that said “I’d like to see the recipe first and your comments afterward!”…..WHAT. It’s a plague sweeping the world! I still haven’t approved it because I’m trying to figure out how to respond to it. 😛

    And cornflake fudge pie……………..OMFG.

    • A propos to what? Who puts their recipes first anyway? Seriously.

      Anyway, Izy, about your last post, take it as a compliment! The bigger you get, the harder it is to please everyone. Also, haters gonna hate. Also, you should just do what makes you happy. Okay, enough wisdom from me today. I need to start collecting no-bake desserts like this one. I’m sold on anything that’s like a peanut butter cup!!! And like Carey mentioned, we got hit with some summer weather yesterday and it was gross, smelly, and sticky. Not fun.

  91. It’s so weird, I feel like it was yesterday I was complaining about turning on the oven and all you Northern Hemisphere types were cooking soups and pies and hot chocolate! It’s basically my life’s goal to move hemisphere and be seasonally in-sync with the blogging world haha 😛

    For me, Peanut butter and honey on mountain bread is like the best thing. Ever. Though I made some pretty awesome choc-chip peanut butter cookies the other day, and PB on a banana is like my breakfast default, Peanut Butter and Honey ALWAYS wins!

  95. My fave is chocolate and peanut butter with banana. Sometimes I make frozen banana bites: you chop up bananas, drench them in chocolate and peanut butter, and freeze ’em!

  97. Chocolate and peanut butter is hands down the best combo (seriously, what doesn’t taste better with chocolate?) But in a close second is peanut butter and raspberry! I love adding a bunch of fresh raspberries and a spoonful of PB to my oatmeal in the morning.

  99. Just looked at the picture before reading the blog and said to myself, “peanut butter, chocolate and pretzels! amazing mix!”
    So yes, peanut butter and chocolte (I like dark) is my choice.

  101. I am making these currently and am having trouble fitting 20 pretzels into an 8″ x 8″ pan. Also, having the rows 4 pretzels by 5 pretzels would make the bars rectangular when you cut them (yours look square) Are you sure the pan size is correct? ( I definitely have mini pretzels). Thanks!

    • I trimmed them into squares for the photos so they’d look better. I definitely was able to fit all the pretzels in, but it would probably vary depending on the size of them. In the UK food tends to be smaller than in the US in general, so I’m guessing that mini pretzels here are probably smaller than there. Just fit as many as you can in and cut them up, it doesn’t really affect the bars 🙂

  103. Peanut Butter is pretty much good with anything and everything, but a favorite combination is definitely peanut butter & chocolate or peanut butter & fluff! Yum!

  106. my favorite treat is to spread peanut butter & nutella on a graham cracker. oh man…i have no self control! 😉

  114. Peanut btter and chocolate is the best! the only thing that could make these better is some caramel.

  124. OMG! I think I love anything with Peanut Butter. Can’t go wrong with PB + Chocolate. I also love PB + Apple.

  127. My ultimate peanut butter combo is chocolate and peanut butter. I mean come on!!! 🙂 My runner ups are peanut butter and banana and peanut butter with apple and cinnamon. Delish!!

  129. I absolutely adore anything with peanut butter or chocolate, especially peanut butter AND chocolate! Chocolate cake with peanut butter icing? MMMMMMMM

  130. Dude, just started watching breaking bad last night – SO good. I got through 4 episodes, and I’m thinking season 1 is going to be dominated today. If only I had some of these pb pretzel bars to nibble during the show, I’d be in heaven!

  132. Ooooo – always peanut butter and chocolate. But peanut butter and honey is a really close 2nd. Also, given that it’s 88 degrees today, I NEEDED a no bake recipe! Thank you!

  133. The classic peanut butter and chocolate is my favorite!! Although peanut butter and banana is a close second 🙂

  134. Peanut butter and chocolate is a given! But I’d love to try peanut butter and marshmallow fluff that everyone talks about 🙂

  139. Oh MY!! I’m definitely going to be buying pretzels on my next grocery store trip. The bars look delicious and are totally adorable as well. I think there’s just nothing better than peanut butter , dark chocolate and bananas together, it’s seriously one of the best flavor combinations.

  141. They look absolutely cute as heck! Loving the pretzel heart kiss on each one. My fella would devour the entire stack of these, I’m sure! He’s a PB fiend 🙂

  146. These bars look delish! And since it hit 90 here at my home in the mountains of NE PA, I’m all for no-bake!
    Susan

  153. Peanut Butter and banana with maybe a little bacon for that sweet and salty and decadent taste.

  156. I love chocolate and peanut butter, but I also love peanut butter and pretzels, so these are pretty much perfect.

  158. I LOVE anything with “peanut butter and jelly” flavors, even more than PB&J sandwiches!

  159. Lately for breakfast I’ve loved wheat toast, peanut butter, and bananas! Delicious and high in protein!

  160. By far my favorite is peanut butter, pancakes, a sunny side egg, and sausage or bacon sandwich smothered in warm maple syrup. But a close second is peanut butter and banana on a rice cake.

  164. What an awesome combo! I also love peanut butter with bananas. I’ll often intentionally give myself too much peanut butter for the banana so that I have an excuse to eat the rest with pretzels! =P

  166. I absolutely love these photos. The textures are amazing (and I’m sure they’re fantastic to eat as well!). Such a great combo, too. And the idea of a no-bake cookbook is excellent!

  169. I love peanut butter with banana….chocolate….apples…oatmeal….yogurt……I just love peanut butter 🙂

  171. Those look so decadent. I love peanut butter with chocolate, but honey is probably even dearer to my palate.

  174. Clearly pb & chocolate is the bomb. It’s 90+ degrees today in Massachusetts, so this no bake recipe book sounds amazing!

  175. Peanut butter, chocolate and pretzels are the jackpot of my favorite combo! If I don’t win a copy of the book, I have clipped it to purchase! I know exactly what you mean about not turning on the oven.

  178. I am in the PB and chocolate camp although a good PB and honey or jam sandwich is always appreciated.

  180. PB and anything. chocolate is yummy. granola is great. my fav snack is apple slices smothered in peanut butter.

  181. Peanut butter is literally my favorite food. My most recent discovery is the joy of peanut butter and dolce de leche- you wouldn’t think to combine the two, but they are outrageous together!

  182. I’m a fan of anything with chocolate and peanut butter. But I have become quite addicted to PB and pretzels. Also kitchen sink/cowboy cookies are a delight because it mixes PB and oatmeal and chocolate chips into a deliciously flavor-packed cookie!

  186. There are flavors you can put with peanut butter other than just chocolate? Who knew? Just kidding. I love to dip apples in peanut butter, but my favorite PB combo flavor is simply chocolate.

  188. As if peanut butter cups aren’t addictive enough on their own, you have to go and throw delicious, salty, crunchy pretzels into the mix. Now I’m really in trouble. I’ll have to hide them from myself! P.s., I’m loving the return of the styled photos. They’re so beautiful!

  189. And she’s baaaaack! Tell me about it–NO ovens, please. It’s a good 90 degrees F here nowadays, but it’ll be epic chill time with PB&P. 🙂

  190. I love peanut butter and chocolate! Throw some fudge in there and some chocolate chunks and it is a winner!

  193. Yum!!! Peanut butter, pretzels, and chocolate are 3 of my favorite things… I’m constantly bookmarking recipes that have those ingredients in the title!

  196. what DOESN’T peanut butter go with? peanut butter and strawberry preserves might be the classic winning combo for me, though. smooth and mellow peanut butter with bright and sweet strawberries? nothing quite like it.

    love the blog! your photos are bomb!

  198. Peanut butter, chocolate, and pretzels?!?! My faves right there!!!! …of course Nutella thrown into the mix would be DE-lish!!

  204. Peanut butter and chocolate (of course), and peanut butter with salted caramel. Cheers for American excess! Yum.

  211. I made these today and followed your recipe EXACTLY. The problem that I had is that the pb layer did not harden like you show in your pictures. It stayed quite soft. The flavors were great though. Did you crush two cups of pretzels (as your recipe says) or did you use 2 cups of crushed pretzels?

  212. I’m sorry to report that I made these a few days ago and while the flavor was good, mine also did not harden very well at all. I had to put them in the fridge to make them not somewhat melty and soft from the peanut butter. Once they were in the fridge I tried taking them back out but once they were at room temperature they became soft again so this was not a good treat for transporting. But they look pretty!

  213. Hey Izy, I made these as well. While the flavor was good, the bottom never hardened, even after freezing it. And then, since they were frozen, the chocolate on top was way too hard and I had to bite them with my back teeth– not very enjoyable! But keep on keepin’ on, I love your blog/ your instagram page/ etc. You are great at what you do!

  214. Has anyone tried making these yet? I did today and only used a about 1/4 cup powedered sugar since I thought they would be sweet enough and didn’t need much more. Turned out delicious, however as soon as they hit room temp the bottoms are completely soft. Do not keep shape and really messy. Does the powdered sugar really make that difference or is something else going wrong?

    • Think about it kind of like frosting – if you added half the amount of powdered sugar than usual the frosting would be mainly butter and so would be softer. Add more powdered sugar and the frosting gets firmer and thicker! If you keep them in the fridge they should be absolutely fine with the 1/4 cup of sugar 🙂

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