Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars have layers of buttery cake mix and a chocolate creamy filling. This dessert is rich and decadent!
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PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE BARS
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.
HOW TO MAKE THEM
Make the dough which starts with a cake mix. Pour your sweetened condensed milk and chocolate mixture on top.
Spread the chocolate in an even layer.
Crumble the remaining dough on top.
CAKE MIX SIZES
Cake mix sizes have reduced in size over the years so I have adapted this recipe to reflect that.
OTHER CAKE MIX RECIPES:
- Banana Upside Down Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Bars
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cinnamon Rolls
- Homemade Oreos
- The Best Chocolate Cake
- Strawberry Shortcake with Almond Glaze
- Cake Batter Muddy Buddies
- Pineapple Upside Down Cakes
Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars have layers of buttery cake mix and a coconut chocolate creamy filling.
Ingredients
- 1 (15.25 package) plain yellow cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 (12 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 (14 ounce can) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
- Combine cake mix, melted butter, peanut butter, and egg in a large bowl using a mixer or spoon. Press the cake mixture into prepared baking dish reserving 1 1/4 cup of the mixture to crumble on top.
- In a small pot, melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Spread chocolate mixture over the mixture pressed in the pan and then crumble the 1 1/4 cups of reserved cake mixture on top evenly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Notes
Source: my friend Greta White
I have this in the oven right now. It was super easy to make! I can’t wait to sample a smidge before I send it to work with my husband for a potluck!
After reading many reviews, I added a 1/4 cup of extra flour to the cake mix so I would have enough cake mix topping for the top. I used chunky peanut butter with great success. I also made my own sweetened condensed milk, which is so tasty and very easy. (just Google it!) it’s very cold here in Wisconsin so I put them outside to cool. It only took about an hour to set up. They are so delicious!
My husband loves them, and ate 4! The bars are the perfect texture w/a delicious creamy chocolate center. I cut them up into small two bite portions – I have over 50 bars, which is perfect for cookie trays to hand out to friends and families along with the other cookies and candy that I make every Christmas.
Thank you! – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thank you Noreen!
I’ve made this many times because it is so amazing but had always thought it was a little oily and had been reducing the butter to counteract that until I read some of the comments below and slapped my head. I completely forgot that box cake mixes had reduced in size. I found a size upper that suggested 11 tablespoons of flour and 1/2 tsp of baking powder. This was absolutely perfect! I didn’t feel short on topping or base and the texture was just right.
These are AMAZING! I just made them for Christmas and packaged them for friends, everyone LOVED them! My fave recipe for sure ❤️
Thank you!
This is such a yummy treat! I make them to share at work and they are always a hit. They are rich so you can cut them on the smaller side.
yes definitely rich!
Hi my name is kari lynn claussen and love you to send me this receipt as soon possible thanks love kari lynn clsyssen
If, I don’t have choc chips, can I use the choc morsels?
Yes of course!
This recipe says the bars have a coconut chocolate creamy filling, but I don’t see coconut listed in the ingredients – can you clear this up for us please? Thanks!
Sorry I just recently remade them and they used to have coconut but don’t now. You can add 1 cup of coconut to the chocolate filling if you want.
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 made these with Jif. They turned out, except at 325 for 20 minutes they weren’t close to being done. I then turned it up to 350 and ended baking it for 12 more minutes.
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!!
Made these today and they are to die for! They taste like peanut butter cookies with melted chocolate in the middle. Everyone loved them!
Can you substitute a different nut butter? My son is allergic to peanuts and is not big on Nutella. I was thinking of using Sunflower seed butter? Can’t wait to make them. I will let you know how they turn out.
I’m not sure. Let me know how it turns out.
Can I use semi-sweet choc bark instead of chips? Would I use the same 12 oz?
I think as long as you use the same ounces it shouldn’t matter.
I made these today for my neighborhood picnic. Everyone RAVED about how great these were. 4 request for the recipe. Thanks for sharing and I think I’m on the hook for making these for future gatherings.
I’m thinking about swapping out the chocolate chips for nutella. what do you think?
Thanks again for this recipe…
I don’t think you can go wrong with Nutella.
Found these on Pinterest and made them tonight. So completely delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Made these today and they were super yummy! Tastes like chocolate chip cookie cake! I didn’t have sweetened condensed milk – I only had evaporated milk, but I googled how to convert that and it worked well enough. My husband ate a lot of it 🙂 Thanks!
I really really want to try these but I don’t like Coconut at all!!
Do I have to use them and if I do is the coconut flavor strong?
The coconut flavor is not strong but you can definitely leave out the coconut and they will still be good!
I wanna make these for a big anniversary party for my Mom and Dad… but I am wondering if they freeze well? Do you know!!!
They would definitely freeze well!
What if my cake mix is only 15.25 oz? Can I add more flour or do I not add anything extra?
Lola,
A 15.25 ounce box won’t make a difference. Just make it as normal.
I too found this on Pinterest and am thrilled with the results! I put a twist on the recipe by using a banana cake mix so mine is peanut butter chocolate banana bars. I was going to take them to work tomorrow but my husband has threatened me if I even think about taking more than one – for my lunch – out the door! I need to get one more good picture of a cut piece, probably tomorrow morning and then I will make a post so I will link back to you as the originator, you will probably see a ping back tomorrow evening! I thank you and my husband thanks you too – oh yes, and Greta!
I love this recipe! I have made them several times and they are always a huge hit 🙂 They are also really easy to make. Thanks for posting such a great dessert!
You’re welcome!