Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars have layers of buttery cake mix and a coconut chocolate creamy filling.
Peanut Butter, chocolate, cake mix…how could this not be heaven. I have been making these for a couple years ever since I had them at my friend’s chocolate party. This are very, very rich. For me to say that is saying a lot. They are perfect for a PMS moment. Not that I have had any of those for 5 months. They are probably 10,845 Weight Watcher points! Decadent.
Enjoy!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars have layers of buttery cake mix and a coconut chocolate creamy filling.
Ingredients
- 1 18.25 package plain yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 eggs
- 1 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup coconut optional...my sister did not like the texture of it in there
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
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Combine cake mix, melted butter, peanut butter, and eggs in a large bowl using a mixer or spoon. Press the cake mixture into a 9X13 pan reserving 1 1/2 cup of the mixture to crumble on top.
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In a small pot, melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and coconut.
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Spread chocolate mixture over the mixture pressed in the pan and then crumble the 1 1/2 cups of reserved cake mixture on top evenly.
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Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Recipe Notes
Source: my friend Greta White
Instead of coconut I mixed in mini marshmallows. You are correct that these are very rich! Quick, easy and great for a sweet craving!
Marshmallows would make them even richer.
I used to make these as a little girl with my mom at Christmas time and anyone that ate them went on and on about how delicious they were! This was more than 30 years ago and the recipe used boxed coconut pecan frosting. When they discontinued boxed frostings I stopped making them and have missed them so much. These are identical!!! Thank you so much! The only thing I changed was the crust/ topping. It was too wet to crumble on top. I added about 1/4 c. flour to your recipe and it was perfect!! I actually don’t remember there being any eggs in the original recipe. Only cake mix, butter and peanut butter… but that was a long time ago, lol
It’s an oldie for sure!
I made these once and it was a huge hit. However, the batter was to wet to crumble. I more or less jus5 dropped spoonfuls . What went wrong?
Spoonfuls are fine. It should be wet but not liquid.
I made these a few weeks ago and noticed that cake mixes are no longer 18.25 oz. They all seem to be 15.25 oz now. If I took out 1 1/2 cups of the peanut butter mixture for the top, I didn’t have quite enough to make the bottom layer. I skimped on the top instead and it was obvious when they came out of the oven. I made them again today and used one whole cake mix and then weighed out an extra 3 oz from a second box of the same brand. (It measured almost 3/4 cup.) They were perfect this time. Just a little tip for anyone who didn’t get the result they were expecting if they used a 15.25 oz mix. A great, easy recipe that people swoon over at parties!
Thank you for your tips.
I LOVE these!!
I have been making them for years, at least since 2011. Not real sure when I first found this post but I so glad that I did.
I made them for a picnic again today, cut them into 36 pieces, because they are SO rich and was shocked that there was still one left when I was ready to leave the party. They are always a hit not matter where I take them. Of course that last one didn’t last more than an hour after getting home. 🙂
YEs they are definitely rich!
I made this tonight. It’s very rich but we really liked it.
Yes, very rich but good.
Does anyone know if I should use salted or unsalted butter for the best taste?
Probably unsalted since peanut butter is pretty salty.
I used salted and it tasted too salty. They must have meant unsalted.
We used salted and I didn’t notice. Then again, I only took a spoonful because I was so full from dinner.
These sound delicious! I wonder how they would come out if you used 1/2 butter and 1/2 coconut oil, to get the coconut taste but not the texture some may not like.
I just might have to try it 🙂
Wow looks delicious thx for sharing!! I have a question about the recipe…It says reserve some mixture to crumble on top…so as it is raw batter, do you mean pour the raw batter onto the top? Can you pls clarify thank you so much! Not sure how you crumble the batter?
You do put the reserved raw batter on top of the chocolate before you bake it.
I added melted butter to cake mix. Somebody help what do i do now
Keep going. Add the peanut butter and eggs like in the instructions and press into a 9×13 baking dish.
So we r making this reciepe andy daughter put the melted butter in the cake mix no what to do??? Please help
So we r making this reciepe andy daughter put the melted butter in the cake mix no what to do??? Please help
Amazing! I even forgot to add the vanilla, still amazing. These will definitely be added to my easy, need something quick list!
This is my husband’s new favorite dessert! I just make it again last night for his birthday.
Made, I just made it again. Where’s that second cup of coffee?!
Glad you liked them!
Delicious and easy! I used fat free sweetened condensed milk and no coconut. I used creamy peanut butter but I think I’ll use chunky next time.
I made these twice in one week, and interestingly came out pretty different — both delicious but different textures.
Both times I used FF sweetened condensed milk. I forget if the butter was salted or not.
The first time I used Pillsbury yellow cake mix, and regular creamy peanut butter.
The second time I used Duncan Hines golden butter cake mix, and reduced fat creamy peanut butter.
I think the texture was better the second time, so I’ll make a mental note to use Duncan Hines again.
What happens if you forget vanilla in the chocolate. Made these at 5 this morning….guess I wasn’t quite awake!!
No biggie. It just adds a little flavor.
I busted this out last night for a work potluck we are having. Super easy to follow along! I was surprised they were not sweeter.. or my taste buds are just weird to start 🙂
Wait….chocolate party???!!! Why have I never heard of such a thing?? Trying these for a party tomorrow. I love your blog!! It is my GO TO for recipes of every kind. Thanks for doing what you do!! 🙂
Andrea,
Thanks so much!
The recipe sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to make it tonight. The comment of the person that had the layer fall to the bottom; well there may be a difference in the consistency of the peanut butter . Let me know your thoughts as I made two different items for the holidays and I had jiff peanut butter and both recipes flopped. But I re made these with either Reece’s or Peter Pan peanut butter an had complete success. ( my jiff may have been old . ) anyway I’m using Peter Pan today. Thanks love your web page.
Thanks Laurel for the input!
I just made a pan and added a few chopped pecans instead of coconut… Hope they turn out good!
So annoyed that I forgot to stir in the vanilla. They are in the oven now so crossing my fingers! Think I will be ok?
I don’t think it’s a big deal at all.
HOLY CRAP this are AMAZING!!!! Made these the other night for a MaryKay party and AHHH LOVE!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_QDLiMXeAY&feature=youtu.be
I did this recipe for my mom’s 43rd birthday. However instead of vanilla cake, I used chocolate devils food cake. It turned out GREAT! Thanks for the idea! Please keep them coming! It was AMAZING!
I’ve been making these bars for over thirty years, but the original recipe called for a box of coconut pecan frosting mix added to the chocolate mixture, which they don’t make any more, so it is interesting to see the adaptation of adding coconut. I have just been making it w/o the box of frosting and left it like that. It turns out fine. I do use milk chocolate rather than semi-sweet chips though. I tried it with semi-sweet and we like the milk chocolate much better.
I made these for our neighborhood potluck. Huge hit! I loved how soft they were.Thanks for the recipe!!