American
Chocolate-Topped Peanut Butter Graham Bars
A dense no-bake peanut butter and graham-crumb base supports a thin bittersweet chocolate cap, yielding clean, salty-sweet bars with a tender candy-like bite.
20 servings · 20 minutes prep · 5 minutes cook
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Base
- 2 cups fine graham cracker crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 10 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1 cup conventional smooth peanut butter (no-stir style)
Chocolate Cap
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons conventional smooth peanut butter (no-stir style)
Directions
Compact the Peanut Layer
- Line an 8-inch square baking dish with a parchment sling, leaving overhang on two opposite sides. Whisk the graham crumbs, powdered sugar, and salt until uniform.
- Stir the melted butter and peanut butter together, add to the crumbs, and fold until no dry pockets remain. Press firmly and evenly into the pan, especially at the corners.
Melt and Spread the Chocolate
- Melt the chocolate gently over very low heat, stirring constantly; remove when a few small pieces remain and let residual heat finish them. Stir in the peanut butter until glossy.
- Spread over the base in a thin even layer. Chill for 20 minutes, until the chocolate is matte but not fully hard, then score five rows by four rows without cutting through the base.
Set and Portion Cleanly
- Chill for at least 2 hours until the base is firm. Lift the slab out and let stand 10 minutes.
- Cut along the score lines with a knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between strokes. If the chocolate begins to smear, chill the slab for 10 minutes before continuing. Store the cut bars airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days for best quality; let them stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
