These easy keto peanut butter bars are the ultimate low carb treat! They are completely sugar free and grain free, and my kids swear they taste like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Trigger warning! If peanut butter is your kryptonite, you may just want to look away for a while. Because these keto peanut butter bars are bound to make you weak in the knees. They are no bake bars, and so easy to make, even your kids could do it on their own.
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that peanut butter is my jam. I have so many delicious keto peanut butter recipes, and about a zillion ideas in my brain for more. I’m never ever going to stop making delicious sugar free treats with peanut butter. Never ever. Don’t even TRY to convince me otherwise.
Some of my most popular keto peanut butter desserts include: Keto Peanut Butter Brownies, Keto Peanut Butter Dirt Cake, and the brand new but insanely popular Keto Peanut Butter Pie.
My recipe for these no bake peanut butter bars has been around forever, almost from the moment I started blogging. It used to be part of a very old collaborative low carb cookbook, but I decided to share it on the blog back in January of 2016. And today, I decided to update it with a new new video.
So now I can show you just how insanely easy these are to make.
Is peanut butter keto?
This is a question I get from readers frequently. And it stems from a misunderstanding about what the keto diet really is.
The most basic definition is as follows: a keto diet is any diet that keeps you in ketosis. The food itself is not “keto” because anything in tiny quantities will not kick most people out of ketosis. This means that even a small bite of banana or potato could be part of a keto diet, if you really wanted to work it into your macros.
This is not something I really recommend, since tiny amounts of old high carb favorites are not very satisfying. They may also trigger cravings and you could easily find yourself overeating.
So why do some people say peanut butter is not keto? Because there are many specific keto “programs” and keto “coaches” that have approved and not approved food lists. And because peanuts are technically legumes similar to beans, some programs have put them on the naughty list.
There is nothing about the lowly peanut that makes it keto or not keto. It’s actually quite a low carb food choice. So if you are like me, and simply do keto your own way (which is whatever way that keeps you in ketosis), then peanuts and peanut butter can be part of your healthy diet.
I don’t recommend eating it by the spoonful or even eating it every day. But the occasional keto peanut butter treat is usually not a problem for most keto dieters.
How to make easy keto peanut butter bars
Did I mention how easy these no bake bars are to make? Yes? Well let me say it again: they are ridiculously easy. They take only 6 basic ingredients, and come to together in about 15 minutes.
My recipe for keto peanut butter bars takes peanut flour, and I get a number of questions about what that is and whether you can use other keto flours instead. Here’s what I can tell you:
- Peanut flour is a good choice for a number of reasons. Peanut flour is basically peanuts that have been roasted and ground to a fine powder, so it helps intensify the peanut butter flavor of the bars.
- The powdery consistency is what gives these bars their unique texture. The dough becomes like cookie dough and is soft enough to be pressed into a pan but firm enough that the bars are solid at room temperature.
- Peanut butter powder and PBFit are essentially the same thing and work just as well. Just make sure that whatever you choose, it does not contain any added sugars. The original PBFit has sugar, but there is also a sugar-free version made with monk fruit. This will make your bars sweeter so you may want to cut back on the powdered sweetener.
- You can use almond flour but it has a higher fat content than peanut flour, so you will need more of it to achieve the same dough-like texture. I actually recommend a combination of almond and coconut flour to get the right consistency: about 2 cups almond flour and ¼ cup coconut flour.
- You will know you have the right consistency, no matter what flour you use, when the dough holds together and really feels like cookie dough. Actually, the consistency is more like play dough. A big edible ball of low carb play dough!
How to store Keto Peanut Butter Bars
The great news is that because these bars have nothing in them that spoils easily, they can be made well in advance.
I recommend storing them in the fridge in a covered container, so that they don’t get overly soft. They do stay firm at room temperature for a few hours, if you don’t live in a hot climate. The chocolate topping could get mighty soft and melty in the summer!
They can last up to 3 weeks, if properly stored and refrigerated. To freeze, I would wrap up the bars tightly in plastic wrap, to avoid freezer burn. They can be frozen for several months.
Ready to make these delicious and easy No Bake Peanut Butter Bars?
More keto recipes that use peanut flour
- Keto Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Keto Peanut Butter Cookies for Two
- Keto Peanut Butter Eggs
- Peanut Flour Cake
- Keto Peanut Butter Scones
Keto Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
Peanut Butter Bars:
- ¾ cup butter melted
- ¾ cup peanut butter melted
- ½ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener (more if you like it sweeter)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups peanut flour the roasted, defatted variety
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Glaze:
- 3 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate chopped
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Peanut Butter Bars:
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with wax paper or parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine melted butter, melted peanut butter, sweetener, vanilla, and salt. Stir in peanut flour until dough comes together (it will be like a dough, not like a batter).
- Press dough firmly and evenly into prepared baking pan. To really get it even, cover it with more wax paper or parchment paper and use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to press).
Chocolate Glaze:
- Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and add the chopped chocolate and butter. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Pour over bars and use a knife or offset spatula to spread to the edges. Refrigerate 1 hour until set.
Leslie says
Help! I made these last month and the whole family loved them! I made them yesterday, but could not remember if I had used peanut flour or THM baking blend the first time, so I used half of each. The batch did not turn out well. They were very dry and crumbly and the taste was kind of off. Any guess what could have gone wrong? I would be happy to try them a third time but I am hesitant to waste so many ingredients again.
Carolyn says
Unless something was off with your peanut flour, I am not sure! I have used both and find the Baking Blend version to be drier but still quite good. But the taste and texture is best with straight peanut flour.
Astrid says
Wow! These taste as good or better than Reese’s! They’re dangerously delicious. I cut mine into smaller squares, so I could have “more” pieces! I can see this will be a recipe I make again and again. Thank you!
EmmyLou Wassink says
Could I use one cup peanut flour and one cup of THM baking blend?
Carolyn says
Yup! I’ve made this with baking blend before…
Joanne Johnson says
Thanks for the recipe! What is the reason for using stevia extract along with the other sweetener? I don’t have any, and wondering if I can substitute more sweet blend?
Carolyn says
Just to make them sweeter without changing the consistency. Swerve is powdery and can thicken up the dough a little too much. But if you are using sweet blend, you use less anyway since it is sweeter.
Emma says
Can I use powder stevia in place of liquid? If so, how much?
Carolyn says
You probably only need about 1/8 tsp.
Noline says
I was also wondering about the different sweeteners. Thanks for the clarification.
I will have to make a really small batch of these, they look way too yummy to resist.
Carolyn says
If you want to do a half batch, use a loaf pan (9×5). That works well.
Noline says
Thank you Carolyn, I will definitely do that.
Shannel says
These are delicious! I used a version of PB2 (powdered peanut butter) and it worked out great! Even my non-low carb friends LOVE them!
Alesha says
Did you use PB2 instead of the peanut flour or for the peanut butter?? Did you make into pb or just use the powder??
Melanie Mattox says
YUM ! Bet this would go really good with a glass of red wine 🙂
Doris says
Coukd one use unsweetened baking chocolate instead of something labeled sugar free? If so,anything else needed to modify?
Carolyn says
No, it would be terribly bitter. You’d have to try to sweeten it yourself and it would probably end up very gritty.
Meli says
Hi! I used 99% lindt chocolate (it still has 8g net carbs), and it wasn’t that bitter. This is my first keto dessert in 3 months that tastes like a non-keto dessert 🙂 Thanks for this amazing recipe! If it weren’t going to melt I would definitely take it on my next holiday!
Carolyn says
So glad they worked out!
kelly says
Used 1.5 cups peanut flour and 1/2 cup ground flax for slight nutty texture and flavor. Worked out great!
Carolyn says
Great!
Claire says
Amazing. Taste like a Reese’s, I would not modify a think. They were the perfect sweetness and I love the subtle crunch of the Swerve.
Chrissy says
I meant flour. I need to be asleep. Good night.
Chrissy says
I just made these with quest peanut butter protein powder instead of the flower and they are delicious!! Mouth feel and taste just like a Reeses. I used 90% dark chocolate Lindt and added a bit of liquid stevia. I have a silicone mold like peanut butter cups. This is the best peanut butter chocolate combo I’ve had the pleasure of making while low carb and a great fat bomb option. Thanks!! ?
Carolyn says
Wonderful to hear!
Pam Vienneau says
These are the BEST! Won’t miss peanut butter cups anymore!
Carolyn says
Aren’t they delicious???
Pam Vienneau says
Almost too good! I gave a few to my friend who just started eating LCHF but put the rest in my freezer so I’d have to wait to thaw one out before eating, otherwise I may not have any control 🙂
Carolyn says
Yup, I know what you mean. I only make them when I have a bunch of people to share them with…
Pam Vienneau says
I’ve made these 3 times already! So good!
Amanda says
Just made these–SO DELICIOUS! After they set for the hour, should they stay refrigerated?
Carolyn says
For the most part, yes, keep them in the fridge. They are okay out for an hour or two, though.
Kitty Larsen says
Can I make my own flour from roasted and pulverized peanuts?
Carolyn says
The peanut flour I use here is “defatted”, meaning some of the fat is removed, so I think you won’t be able to get yours as powdery or as fine as you need.
Winnie says
What could you use in place of the liquid stevia extract? I don’t have this…thoughts? Where did you buy it and what do you use it for? (other than these amazing bars?)
Carolyn says
I always have liquid stevia on hand. I usually buy this one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019LTH3U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0019LTH3U&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=J3JKN2HBIZTRXHPM
Marsha says
Carolyn, please let us know if you set something up for Protein Plus peanut flour in your “Recommended” products. I would certainly like to purchase it via your website. I’m already on my 4th 1lb bag with no end in sight! Being diabetic your recipes help make eating fun again…Thanks!
Carolyn says
Hi Marsha, the link in the recipe is already clickable and takes you right to it. I really appreciate your support. But here’s the link to it on Amazon (I am an affiliate). http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0052OOYOW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0052OOYOW&linkCode=as2&tag=aldaidrabfo05-20&linkId=DRUSKMGQHBJWZRUP
My suggestion is to buy the two pound bag I just linked to. It’s cheaper that way, as it’s only 11 dollars and the 1 lb is 8 dollars.
Marsha says
I totally missed that link! I will definitely order the 2lb bags from now on. Thanks!
Carolyn says
Smart….because this recipe is almost a weekly thing in our house!
Belenda says
these are SOOOOO Good!!! Thank goodness I had the peanut flour in my freezer and I have a box of Lily’s stevia sweetened chocolate – so, I was so ready to make these. I only cut them in about 1″ squares because they are so dense with the peanut flour. Definitely hit the spot. I L.O.V.E. these! Thank goodness you have a sweet tooth!!!
Carrie says
I want you to know that I am seriously addicted to these. As in, I have made them no less than FOUR times in the last TWO weeks and am already contemplating batch number five! You might be considered an “enabler”. ;0)
Carolyn says
OoopS! 🙂
Jackie says
The video was really fun to watch ..gave me incentive to make them. They were very good BUT now they’re all gone! So I’m going to make again and wondered..unsalted or salted butter? I use unsalted and wondered if they should have a smidge of salt?
Sarah Hallford says
Made these and subbed in pb2 powder for the peanut flour. They came out perfectly. Great recipe!