These no-bake peanut butter cup granola bars are the best homemade treat to make! You’ll find these bars are loaded with wholesome oats, creamy peanut butter, and a few other pantry staples- they taste just like a peanut butter cup candy!

close up of peanut butter cup granola bar on black wire rack

Swooning over these peanut butter cup granola bars because peanut butter is #bae for me! I mean, the actual tension between me and anything with peanut butter is real. Apologizing in advance- sip something for every time you see the words peanut butter, ha! Real talk, my most favorite desserts and smoothies all have something to do with it. It’s my fave among all of the “butters.”

These granola bars are actually a play off of my love for peanut butter cups and granola bars. Since I’m not a huge breakfast person, I love me some granola bars. Y’all, when I tell you that these bars are straight fire!!! I just love these peanut butter cup granola bars so much. No lies, they’re made almost weekly so that there’s a stash in the fridge for whenever I have a taste for ’em!

three peanut butter cup granola bars stacked on top of each other on black wire rack

Thanks, FoodSaver®, For Sponsoring This Post

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by FoodSaver® who I’m so excited to continue working with; all thoughts expressed here are my own. I’ve had so much fun being a brand ambassador for them and developing all kinds of good eats. Holla at these funfetti pudding cookies and these chicken gyros!

I’m using their Vacuum Zipper Bags– sold in quart and gallon sizes and used with the Handheld Vacuum Sealer. Each bag is constructed of durable, BPA-free, multi-layer plastic to help keep air out so foods stay fresher, longer. You can use FoodSaver® FreshSaver® zipper bags to store deli meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts and snacks (hello PB cup granola bars!), baked goods, and more. 

You can find FoodSaver® products available at FoodSaver.com, Walmart, Amazon, Kroger, Kohls.com, Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, Best Buy, Costco, and Meijer to name a few. My friends have given me a promo code: BUTTER25 for you to use at check out for 25% off any items until the end of the year!

peanut butter granola bars on black wire rack with food saver vacuum zipper bags on the side
peanut butter granola bars inside of food saver vacuum zipper bags with black wire rack on the side

Peanut Butter Cup Granola Bars 😍

These bars are *thee* tastiest snack to have on deck. If you love peanut butter and granola bars, you will go bananas for this recipe! What I love most is the flavors and texture going on- these granola bars are loaded with peanut butter flavor and packed with wholesome oats among other delicious ingredients.

What You’ll Need For These Granola Bars

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

  • old fashioned rolled oats: makes these bars so filling (gluten-free, if needed).
  • coconut flakes: this adds more bite/chew and helps to bind the bars together.
  • chopped peanuts: amps up the peanut-y flavor and gives a nice crunch.
  • creamy peanut butter: the main star >> I love using natural, creamy peanut butter but please feel free to use whatever you have.
  • honey: any kind of pure honey will do, see notes below on alternatives.
  • coconut oil: just a little in the peanut butter sauce and also for the melted chocolate drizzles, if desired.
  • unsulphured molasses: adds a nice robust flavor to the pb sauce, yum.
  • vanilla extract: nice additional flavoring agent.
  • kosher salt: just a pinch to add some balance and bring out the overall flavors.
  • melted chocolate + peanut butter: for drizzling, totally optional– more below on how to give your bars a lil extra aesthetic pizzazz.
peanut butter cup granola bars on black wire rack with small jars of chocolate and peanut butter

How To Make Peanut Butter Cup Granola Bars

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

These homemade granola bars are the easiest treats to make! ♡

  1. Mix the dry goods. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut flakes, and peanuts together.
  2. Make the peanut butter sauce. Bring together the peanut butter, honey, oil, molasses, vanilla, and salt. Stir and cook until warm.
  3. Combine the granola. Pour the peanut butter sauce into the bowl with dry goods and mix to combine.
  4. Add it into a pan. Press the granola mixture into the bottom of your pan.
  5. Top with peanut butter cups. Press them onto the top of the granola.
  6. Let the granola harden. Refrigerate or freeze the bars to set.
  7. Cut the granola. Slice the granola into 8 bars.
  8. Drizzle, baby! Dress up these peanut butter cup granola bars with a drizzle of melted chocolate and melted peanut butter, if desired.

Homemade Granola Bars, Why You’ll Love Them

⇢ NO WEIRD GOOP. A lot of store-bought granola bars have processed ingredients in them to preserve their shelf life. You can feel good knowing that these homemade bars have mostly simple and nourishing goods in them.

⇢ FUN TO MAKE! These peanut butter cup granola bars are such a fun treat to make with the whole family, especially the kiddos!

⇢ EASY TO ADAPT. The recipe as written is bomb already, however, you can customize this one to your liking/dietary preference if you want (more below!).

⇢ SCRUMPTIOUS X100! Whew, these bars are so damn good, friends. From this certified snack lover + peanut butter fiend and everyone that has tried them; these granola bars are insanely scrumptious, period. The end.

ingredients for peanut butter cup granola bars on beige surface
peanut butter sauce in small white saucepan
peanut butter sauce being poured into large bowl filled with oats
peanut butter granola pressed into small white baking dish

Fun For All, Customize These Granola Bars

  1. To make these bars vegan: replace the honey with maple syrup, molasses, or date syrup. 
  2. To make these bars nut-free: replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or cookie butter. And omit the peanuts and sub for sunflower seeds, crispy rice cereal, or crushed pretzels- and leave out the peanut butter cups.
  3. Mini peanut butter cups: I love using the teeny tiny, mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s. However, I also like the mini pb cups from Justin’s and Reese’s (unwrapped)- use whatever you like or leave them out.
  4. Garnishing the bars: Dressing up these bars is one of my fave parts. For the melted chocolate, you could use chocolate chips or an actual bar of chocolate. Just melt about 1 teaspoon of coconut oil with it in the microwave until completely melted. For the peanut butter, just melt it until it’s super drippy. Then drizzle on both using a spoon, delish.

Storing Your Granola Bars

Because these peanut butter cup granola bars are homemade and not processed, they are not shelf-stable. Thus, store your bars inside of an airtight container or Foodsaver® Vacuum Zipper Bags in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

peanut butter granola bars on black wire rack

Truly one of the greatest snacks you could make! I’m excited to hear what y’all think about them. If you love peanut butter/chocolate desserts, don’t miss these soft peanut butter cookies and this date night chocolate cake. ♥︎

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close up of peanut butter cup granola bar on black wire rack

Peanut Butter Cup Granola Bars

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  • Author: Quin Liburd
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 bars 1x
  • Category: Desserts & Sweets
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

These no-bake peanut butter cup granola bars are the best homemade treat to make! You’ll find these bars are loaded with wholesome oats, creamy peanut butter, and a few other pantry staples- they taste just like a peanut butter cup candy!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup pure honey
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup mini peanut butter cups

To garnish these bars- optional:

  • 3 tablespoons melted chocolate
  • 3 tablespoons melted natural, creamy peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper with a little over hang on the sides and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut flakes, and peanuts together- set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, molasses, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir together frequently and let the peanut butter mixture warm up nicely but not come to a boil, about 2-3 minutes. 
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour into the bowl with the oat mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir everything together until well combined. Then empty the granola mixture into the prepared pan, pressing the mixture firmly down into the pan (I like to use the bottom of a glass for this to make sure it’s tight).
  4. Allow the mixture to cool in the pan for a few minutes and then press the mini peanut butter cups into the top of the granola, all over.
  5. Cover the pan with foil/plastic wrap and transfer it into the freezer for the bars to harden for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours. When ready, remove the pan from the freezer /fridge and take the granola out by the parchment paper sides. Using a sharp knife, cut the granola into 8 bars.
  6. If garnishing: immediately drizzle some melted chocolate over the bars followed by melted peanut butter. Since the bars are cold, the chocolate/peanut butter drizzles should set very quickly. 
  7. Enjoy bars right away or store them inside of an airtight container, plastic bag, or foil in the refrigerator at all times. These bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

  1. Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
  2. Feel free to use gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats if you like.
  3. To make these bars vegan: replace the honey with maple syrup, molasses, or date syrup. 
  4. To make these bars nut-free: replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or cookie butter. And omit the peanuts and sub for sunflower seeds, rice crisp cereal, or crushed pretzels.
  5. Storing: Keep these bars stored in the refrigerator at all times for up to 1 week.

Keywords: peanut butter granola bars, peanut butter cup granola bars, no bake granola bars