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.
Kathy says
These are amazing! So creamy and delicious, so much better than any keto pb cup you could buy. Very quick and easy to make????
Jessica Grubb says
Have you ever tried adding collagen powder to these. I’m wondering what result you’d get. Just thinking of ways to increase the protein without sacrificing texture.
Carolyn says
You totally could, and then you can reduce the peanut flour a bit. Try taking away 1/3 cup of peanut flour and adding collagen until you get the right consistency…
Suz says
OMG!!! I made these PB & Dark Choc Bars and they are Amazing!!! I just recently started doing some keto recipes again, found yours & tried it. These bars were so good! I had my Hubby try one and he loved it. I am passing your recipe along to a male co-worker who is doing keto & struggling a bit with finding good keto snacks to keep himself satisfied. I had him try one of your bars and he asked for the recipe! My only Substitution, I made the bars with coconut oil (1/2 c for the PB filling and 1 Tbsp for the melting the choc.) because I didn’t have butter. You Hit this one “OUT OF THE PARK”! Following 🙂
Heather Shannon says
Since my husband had covid, there have been certain foods he just cannot stand the taste of, foods, he loved, like chips and most fried items and some baked goods. We think it has to do with the oils they are cooked in that makes them taste bad because with Keto foods, i only use butter, Olive Oil and avocado oil the most, but the the foods he loved were cooke din Canola and vegetable and few other oils. Peanut butter was one of the foods he dearly missed because of the the flavor. Well, I saw that this recipe only called for a small amount of Peanut butter and then used Peanut flour for the rest so I thought I would test my “it’s the oil they are using or cooking things in” theory out and guess what; this was a HOMERUN! Today he said “Thank you for bringing my peanut butter joy back to me”
Carolyn says
That’s so good to hear!!!
CeAntre' says
Can you add whey protein powder to these?
Carolyn says
You could… I am not sure you’d want to but please feel free to experiment.
Justine says
These are AMAZING!!!!
Doreen says
I love anything peanut butter, but get stomach issues with it. I found some powdered almond butter and this was the first recipe I tried with it. I toasted it and substituted it one for one for the peanut flour. They were very good! Next time I make them though, I’ll add a little more sweetener. Apparently almonds aren’t as sweet as peanuts. Next I want to try the peanut butter balls!
Katie says
Made these for the first time last night and they are DELICIOUS. I’ve already eaten 2 today. We live at about 6,500 feet above sea level and foods tend to need extra liquids so they don’t dry out or feel crumbly, so may tinker with recipe to make the peanut butter part a little creamier but even just as they are, these hit every yummy sensor for me. Thank you!!
Lori says
Yum! Easy, delicious! Thanks:)
Joyce says
Yep! These are delicious. Easy to make and they satisfy my candy cravings. What more can one ask for? Nothing! Thanks a bunch.
Tonia Schweers says
I made these and I have to say they are my favorite! Creamy and so yummy! Thank you for sharing
Sara says
These sound great but I can’t do any nuts. I use Wow butter instead of peanut butter but I’m wondering what flour you would reccomend that’s not a nut flour.
Carolyn says
I have NO idea what Wow butter is…
Sara says
It’s a peanut butter substitute made from soybeans. My hubby doesn’t like it but it’s pretty good when you can’t have any nuts at all.
Carolyn says
Sorry, I don’t eat any soy so I really can’t help much.
Sara says
I was just wondering if you had a recommendation for a non nut flour to use in this.
gjeanieg says
I know this is an old post, but many people use sunflower seed flour when they cannot have nuts.
Jean says
Can PBfit be used for peanut flour?
Carolyn says
Please read the How To section.
Frances Barton says
I love these bars and I love that you’ve added options on how to use almond flour. Thank you for doing the hard work for us.
Cheryl says
While these are Tops, I was wondering if you tried to make these with your graham cracker recipe? Since the original recipe is almost identical to yours except for peanut flour instead of graham cracker..do you think the recipe would work with your graham cracker?
Carolyn says
Sounds delicious! I say go for it!
Vanessa N says
I have made these peanut butter bars several times and absolutely love them! Perfect as written. This time I tried adding a dash of cinnamon and will bring to Christmas party tonight. Going to be a hit. ????
Carolyn says
Sounds wonderful!
Diane Levac says
These are one of my favourite bars to make. I always keep some in the freezer to put out when I have visitors. I like to give a low carb option.
Last time I went to visit sone one for supper I brought a small container along so that I would have a dessert option. I was quickly told that I would not be taking the rest home! They kept the balance of the container. Lol
Carolyn says
That’s delightful to hear!
MK says
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter? And I do have the sugar free Pb fit powder.
Carolyn says
Sure thing!
Kholood Ammari says
It’s fabulous, thanks so much
Louise says
Is peanut butter power the same as peanut butter flour!
Carolyn says
Yes.
Marla K says
Could this Be easier to make? I think not! I’m making these for the 2nd time. I loved them as written but the bf wants sweeter so I added another 1/2 cup more sweetener. He asked for it! Love this recipe. ❤️