Last updated on
Peanut Butter Dream Bars
Peanut Butter Dream Bars are a divine dessert that is simple to make with creamy peanut butter, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and a cookie crumb crust.
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
A rich combination of peanut butter, chocolate, and a cookie crumb crust. Peanut Butter Dream Bars are a divine dessert that is simple to make.
MORE RECIPES: Chocolate Peanut Butter Lasagna | Old Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge | Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cookies
Peanut Butter Dream Bars
Peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven. Peanut butter dream bars are a rich dessert made with layers of creamy peanut butter, blissful chocolate pudding, and fluffy whipped cream, on top of a peanut butter cookie crumb crust.
Easy and almost no-bake, these decadent bars will disappear in no time when you serve them at a holiday party or a potluck. Bar desserts are not only simple to make, but they are easy to transport and to cut and serve.
If you’re making dessert for a crowd, nothing is easier than whipping up a few great dessert bar recipes, from lemon brownies to chocolate chip cheesecake bars, and now these peanut butter dream bars. Serve your dream bars with a scoop of ice cream on the side or a drizzle of caramel sauce on top to make them even more sublime.
Peanut Butter Dream Bars Ingredients
- Peanut butter sandwich cookies - crushed, reserve 8-9 cookies to crush for topping
- Butter - unsalted butter melted
- Milk
- Chocolate pudding - instant chocolate pudding
- Cream cheese - softened
- Sugar - powdered sugar
- Peanut butter - creamy peanut butter
- Cool Whip
- Chocolate chips - milk chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
Crushed peanut butter sandwich cookies form the crust for this nearly no-bake dessert, and are the only part of the recipe that goes into the oven. Sandwich cookies can be crushed either using a food processor or a rolling pin and Ziploc bag.
Make sure you don’t get any lumps in your creamy peanut butter layer by making sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before beginning. If you are in a hurry, removing the cream cheese from its packaging and cutting it into smaller cubes will help it come to room temperature more quickly.
If you’re expecting a large party, you can easily double the ingredients and assemble the dessert in a 9x13-inch baking dish. You could also make this peanut butter dessert ahead of time and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to Make Peanut Butter Dream Bars
FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
SECOND STEP: Using a small mixing bowl, combine the crushed cookies and the melted butter. Stir cookie base ingredients to completely coat all the crumbs.
THIRD STEP: Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the baked crust to cool completely.
FOURTH STEP: Using a small bowl and a handheld electric mixer on medium speed or a wire whisk, beat together the chocolate pudding mix and the cold milk. Continue mixing until the pudding is thickened.
FIFTH STEP: Use either a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, evenly spread the chocolate layer over the cooled crust. Set it in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter layer.
SIXTH STEP: Using a medium bowl and a hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese for about 1 minute until smooth.
SEVENTH STEP: Add the creamy peanut butter and continue mixing on medium-high for an additional 30 seconds - 1 minute, until smooth.
EIGHTH STEP: Reduce the mixer speed to low, slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and continue to mix until completely incorporated.
NINTH STEP: Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and evenly spread the peanut butter mixture over the top of the chocolate pudding layer.
TENTH STEP: Top the peanut butter layer with the 8-ounce tub of whipped topping.
ELEVENTH STEP: Evenly sprinkle peanut butter and milk chocolate chips over the whipped topping.
TWELFTH STEP: Evenly sprinkle the crushed sandwich cookies over the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
THIRTEENTH STEP: Return the baking dish to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
FOURTEENTH STEP: Cut the dessert into 2-inch x 2-inch squares.
Do I have to bake this dessert recipe?
Peanut butter dream bars are almost a no-bake recipe. You only have to bake the crust and allow it to cool, before adding the other others.
Can I freeze peanut butter dream bars?
Covered in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, you can freeze peanut butter dream dessert bars for up to 3 months.
Can this recipe be doubled?
Yes, to double this dessert recipe simply double the ingredients and then assemble them in a 9×13-inch pan.
How to Store Peanut Butter Dream Bars
IN THE FRIDGE: Cover leftover peanut butter dream bars and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Dream bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Cover with plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and place in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator before cutting and serving.
Peanut Butter Dream Bars
Peanut Butter Dream Bars are a divine dessert that is simple to make with creamy peanut butter, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and a cookie crumb crust.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 16 ounce package of peanut butter sandwich cookies crushed, reserve 8-9 cookies to crush for toppping
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (½ cup)
For the Chocolate Layer:
- 1½ cups milk
- 3.9 ounce box instant chocolate pudding
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Layer
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
For the Whipped Topping Layer
- 8 ounce tub cool whip
- ½ cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
- reserved peanut butter sandwich cookies crushed
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an 8x8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Using a small mixing bowl, combine the crushed cookies and the melted butter. Stir cookie base ingredients to completely coat all the crumbs.
- Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the baked crust to cool completely.
For the Chocolate Pudding Layer
- Using a small bowl and a handheld electric mixer on medium speed or a wire whisk, beat together the chocolate pudding mix and the cold milk. Continue mixing until the pudding is thickened.
- Use either a silicone spatula or an offset spatula, evenly spread the chocolate layer over the cooled crust. Set it in the refrigerator while you make the peanut butter layer.
For the Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Layer
- Using a medium bowl and a hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese for about 1 minute until smooth.
- Add the creamy peanut butter and continue mixing on medium-high for an additional 30 seconds - 1 minute, until smooth.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, slowly add in the confectioners' sugar and continue to mix until completely incorporated.
- Remove the baking dish from the refrigerator and evenly spread the peanut butter mixture over the top of the chocolate pudding layer.
- Top the peanut butter layer with the 8-ounce tub of whipped topping.
- Evenly sprinkle peanut butter and milk chocolate chips over the whipped topping
- Evenly sprinkle the crushed sandwich cookies over the peanut butter and chocolate chips.
- Return the baking dish to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours
- Cut the dessert into 2-inch x 2-inch squares.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 501kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 390mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 443IU | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg
Have You Tried This Recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @bestblogrecipes
Leave a Comment