Stack of homemade peanut butter chocolate cups filled with creamy caramel and oats on a rustic table.

Peanut Butter Meltaways (No-Bake Chocolate PB Candies)

by

Silky, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth perfection

If you love peanut butter cups, you’re going to fall in love with these Peanut Butter Meltaways! Rich, creamy, and perfectly balanced between chocolate and peanut butter, these no-bake candies are smooth as silk and literally melt in your mouth. Made with just a handful of pantry staples, they’re the easiest dessert to whip up for holidays, gifts, or midnight cravings. Best of all? No oven, no stress just melt, layer, and chill. These little squares of heaven look beautiful on cookie trays, make adorable edible gifts, and taste like your favorite candy bar got a homemade upgrade.

Time Breakdown

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Chill Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Servings: 24 squares

Ingredients List

Chocolate Layer:

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter (for smooth texture)

Peanut Butter Layer:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup peanut butter (creamy, not natural)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

✨ Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free:

  • Microwave-safe bowls or a small saucepan
  • Rubber spatula or spoon
  • 8×8-inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Measuring cups & spoons
  • Offset spatula (optional for smooth layers)

Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions

  1. 🍯 Line the pan: Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy lifting.
  2. 🍫 Make the chocolate layer: Melt chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon peanut butter together in the microwave (30-second intervals, stirring between) until smooth. Pour half into the pan and spread evenly. Chill 10 minutes to set slightly.
  3. 🥜 Make the peanut butter layer: In a saucepan, melt butter and peanut butter together until smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, then gradually whisk in powdered sugar until creamy and thick.
  4. 🍰 Layer it up: Spread peanut butter mixture evenly over the chocolate layer. Pour remaining melted chocolate on top and smooth with a spatula.
  5. ❄️ Chill: Refrigerate for 30–40 minutes, until firm.
  6. 🔪 Slice & serve: Lift out of the pan using parchment and cut into squares or bars.

✨ Pro Tip: For clean slices, warm your knife under hot water, wipe dry, and cut quickly.

Pro Tips

  • Peanut Butter Choice: Use creamy commercial PB (like Jif or Skippy) for perfect consistency natural peanut butters separate too easily.
  • Flavor Upgrade: Add a pinch of sea salt or drizzle white chocolate on top for contrast.
  • Gift Idea: Package in gold candy wrappers or mini boxes for holiday gifting!
  • Storage: Keep in fridge up to 2 weeks or freeze for 2 months they stay melt-in-your-mouth perfect.

Nutrition Table

Serving SizeCaloriesProteinCarbsFatFiberSugar
1 square1853g19g11g1g16g