These Oreo Peanut Butter Bars feature a luscious chocolate cookie crust topped with a generous layer of creamy peanut butter goodness, all crowned with a decadent ganache topping — they’re the ultimate drool-worthy treat! Insanely delicious and ridiculously easy to make, they’re one recipe everyone is guaranteed to love.
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Why You’ll Love These Oreo Peanut Butter Bars
Oreos and peanut butter are two of our favorite foods in the entire world. So, we’ll take any excuse to combine them into one treat, and this peanut butter bars recipe does not disappoint! Here are just a few reasons why we love it so much:
- It’s made with 8 ingredients.
- The bars are quick and easy to whip up with minimal baking.
- You can prepare it ahead of time for special occasions.
- They’re indulgent and irresistible!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Part no-bake recipe, part cheesecake, fully delicious, the ingredients needed for this peanut butter bars recipe are super simple!
- Oreos – We use regular chocolate Oreos to form the crust and sprinkle broken cookies into the bars for added flavor and crunch.
- Butter – This combines with the Oreo crumbs to create a smooth, rich crust.
- Cream Cheese – Full-fat cream cheese helps add structure to the peanut butter filling, making it extra creamy.
- Peanut Butter – We recommend using creamy peanut butter for easy mixing!
- Powdered Sugar – Used to sweeten the filling.
- Vanilla – Helps enhance the flavor of the rest of the ingredients.
- Frozen Whipped Topping – This helps add volume to the filling, making it extra sweet and fluffy!
- Chocolate Chips – We prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but dark chocolate would taste great, too.
- Heavy Cream – Used to form the base of the ganache.
Variations
This peanut butter bar recipe is super rich and tasty on its own. However, feel free to make swaps, additions, or substitutes to make it your own!
Swap Out the Crust. Feel free to experiment with different Oreo flavors or items like Nutter Butters or graham crackers to form the base of the peanut butter bars.
Use a Different Nut Butter. If you can’t eat peanuts, feel free to use any other nut or seed butter like almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter instead.
Add Extra Mix-Ins and Toppings. Take your peanut butter bars recipe up a notch by replacing or adding to the Oreo pieces with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, M&M’s, and more!
How to Make The Best Oreo Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
With just 10 minutes of baking time required, these peanut butter bars are nearly a no-bake recipe! Here’s how they come together.
- Create the Crust. Add the Oreos and butter into the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until fine crumbs are formed. Press the mixture into the bottom of an aluminum foil-lined baking dish, and bake until the mixture has set.
- Create the Peanut Butter Filling. In a stand mixer or large bowl, cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and peanut butter together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. Add the vanilla and whipped topping, and beat again. Gently fold ½ of the Oreo pieces into the mix, and spoon it evenly over the prepared crust.
- Make the Ganache Topping. Warm the heavy cream in the microwave until it begins to simmer. Add the chocolate chips. Once melted, use a whisk to stir until the ingredients are well combined. Pour the mixture over the peanut butter layer of the bars. Sprinkle more Oreos on top.
- Freeze. Place the peanut butter bars in the freezer for up to 1 hour or in the fridge for 2-3 hours to set. Slice the dessert into bars, and enjoy!
Pro-Tips
This recipe is pretty failproof. However, there are a few crucial tips that will ensure they turn out well every time you make them!
Use the Right Size Baking Dish. You’ll want to make sure you’re using a 9×9” baking dish for super thick bars.
Don’t Forget the Foil or
Avoid Oily Peanut Butter. You’ll want a classic smooth, creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. All natural varieties that are super oily will not combine well and could cause your bars to separate.
Use a Sharp Knife. Make sure to use an extra sharp or serrated knife to cut your bars smoothly, running it under water and wiping it clean after each slice.
Common Questions about Peanut Butter Bars
Peanut butter bars are a fantastic snack to help fill you up with healthy fats and protein. Plus, they’re easy to take on the go!
At its most basic, peanut butter is made of ground peanuts and oil. However, you may find additional ingredients like sugar and preservatives in some brands.
Peanut butter has a long shelf life, but it will eventually go bad. Keep it in your cabinet for up to 3 months once you’ve opened it or in the fridge for up to 9 months. If you’re using natural peanut butter, keep in mind that it only lasts about 6 months in the fridge.
Peanut butter does not typically cause spikes in blood sugar making it a great addition to your diet if you’re watching blood sugar levels.
Even More Peanut Butter Recipes
On the lookout for more luscious peanut buttery goodness? Check out some of our other top peanut butter-based treats!
- No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Blondies
- Peanut Butter Lovers’ S’mores Dip
Oreo Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 25 Oreo cookies crushed
- 5 Tablespoons butter melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces frozen whipped topping thawed
- 2 cups broken Oreo pieces approx 20 cookies, divided
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×9 baking dish with foil. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the crushed Oreos and butter. Pulse until fine crumbs are formed.25 Oreo cookies, 5 Tablespoons butter
- Add the mixture to the baking dish, pressing down evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until the ingredients are well combined and fluffy. Add the vanilla and whipped topping, and cream again until just combined. Fold in half of the Oreo pieces.8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 8 ounces frozen whipped topping, 2 cups broken Oreo pieces
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the Oreo crust.
- Create the ganache by heating the heavy cream in the microwave for 1 minute or just until it begins to simmer. Add the chocolate chips, and let the mixture stand for 1 minute. Whisk until the ingredients are combined and a chocolate sauce is formed.1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the mixture over the cream cheese filling.
- Sprinkle the remaining Oreo pieces on top.
- Freeze for 1 hour, or refrigerate for 2-3 hours to set the peanut butter bars.
- Slice and serve.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
