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Plate of peanut butter nanaimo bars with a glass of milk
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Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars

A twist on classic, Canadian Nanaimo bars - these peanut butter Nanaimo bars are perfect for anyone who loves peanut butter or finds the traditional version a little too sweet. I love to make these over the holidays, but they're delicious any time of year.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars
Prep Time 30 minutes
Chilling 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 12 large bars
Calories 518kcal

Equipment

  • 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) pan

Ingredients

Base Layer

  • 1 ¾ cups graham crumbs or digestive biscuits
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or finely chopped peanuts
  • ½ cup finely shredded coconut sweetened or unsweeted
  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg*

Peanut Butter Middle

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
  • ½ cup smooth peanut butter * do not use natural or homemade
  • 1 ½ - 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Chocolate Topping

  • 4 ounces milk chocolate*
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate*
  • ½ teaspoon vegetable oil canola works too

Instructions

  • Line an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang around the sides.

Base Layer

  • Add the graham crumbs, chopped nuts and coconut to a large bowl and gently stir together.
  • Add about ½ - 1 inch (1-2 cm) of water to a medium saucepan and place a large glass bowl over top (or add ½-1 inch water to a double boiler). The bowl should sit in the saucepan, but the bottom shouldn't touch the water. Turn the burner to low-medium heat, bringing the water to a gentle boil.
  • Add the butter, cocoa and sugar to the glass bowl and melt everything together until smooth and the sugar is no longer grainy.
  • While whisking constantly, add the egg to the chocolate mixture (keeping the glass bowl over the saucepan). Whisk the mixture constantly for about 5 minutes until it turns thick and glossy.
  • Pour the chocolate over the bowl of graham crumbs, chopped nuts and coconut and stir.
  • Press the mixture into the bottom of the lined pan, and place in the fridge as you make the peanut butter layer.

Peanut Butter Layer

  • In a medium bowl, beat the butter until smooth and no lumps remain. Beat in the peanut butter until smooth.
  • Mix in 1 ½ cups powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. The mixture will be very thick.
  • Beat in the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, adding in a little extra powdered sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
  • Spoon the peanut butter mixture over the base layer and spread/press it down over the base. If you find that it's sticking to your fingers, using a piece of wax paper between your fingers and the peanut butter layer can help.
  • Place the pan back in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up.

Chocolate Topping

  • Chop the chocolate into very small pieces and place in a heat proof bowl.
  • Microwave on medium power for 45-second intervals, stirring between each interval until smooth. Do not microwave on high power (which is standard on many microwaves) - high power can burn or bake the chocolate, and make it become grainy in texture.
  • Whisk in the oil.
  • Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer and spread smooth. Place the pan in the fridge for the chocolate to set.

Slicing and Serving

  • When the chocolate is about 80% hardened, gently score the chocolate layer where you plan to slice the bars using a thin, sharp knife. Return to the fridge for the chocolate to fully set.
  • Once set, remove the pan from the fridge. Lift the bars out of the pan using the overhang of the parchment paper and place on a cutting board.
  • Cut the bars using a large, sharp knife, going through where you scored the chocolate layer. For clean cuts, wipe off the knife after each slice.

Notes

  1. When you whisk the egg into the chocolate mixture over the simmering water, it will temper - and therefore you are not eating raw egg. If you are concerned about the egg - feel free to bake the base layer for 12 minutes in the oven at 350F degrees. Make sure to cool the base layer fully before adding the peanut butter layer on top.
  2. The oil can separate out of natural and homemade peanut butters, which is why I do not recommend using them in this recipe.
  3. Feel free to use 6 ounces of your favorite chocolate for the topping. I sometimes use just milk chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate instead of the combination of milk and dark. 6 ounces is approximately 1 cup of chocolate chips. I do recommend using baking chocolate however because it melts better.
  4. Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. 
  5. Nutrition information is an estimate only and based on 1 bar, assuming the pan is sliced into 12 large, equal-sized pieces. I often cut the bars much smaller, if I'm making a tray of treats for the holidays. 
  6. This recipe can be doubled and made in a 9x13 inch pan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 377IU | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg