These paleo peanut butter bars only use 5 ingredients, are no-bake, super easy to put together and are also vegan. The perfect paleo dessert!
Before you have any objections to these paleo peanut butter bars, I know full well that peanut butter isn’t paleo. These bars are actually made with sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter, but they taste really close! If you don’t believe me, check out the reviews on my paleo peanut butter cookies recipe, where I have done the same thing successfully.
Sunflower seed butter of course doesn’t taste exactly like peanut butter but after a few bites of these bars, I forgot that they weren’t made with peanut butter. It could just be that I haven’t had peanuts in so long but these bars 100% satisfied my peanut butter cravings!
I used homemade sunflower seed butter which is really pretty runny. If you use a different nut butter, you’ll likely need less coconut flour.
Especially if you use something particularly firm like cashew butter. At least my cashew butter is firm, not so easy to even spread and very far from pourable.
If you add too much coconut flour and the mixture is crumbly, then add vanilla or water, just a little at a time, until the mixture holds together better. The video shows you what consistency it should be.
These vegan peanut butter bars are nice and thick so the 8″x8″ pan will give you plenty to snack on. And they freeze great! If you’re worried about portion control, you can hide them deep down in the freezer, a method that I utilize quite often. ;)
When I was young, I often made peanut butter bars with melted chocolate mixed with a little butter on top. This topping is so much better! It uses chocolate + sunflower seed butter.
That change makes the topping softer and more fudgy. I thought about using my peanut butter chocolate fudge recipe (which can also be made with sunflower seed butter) but this way was much quicker, easier and I think just as tasty as a topping.
It’s been a few weeks since I last posted. In my vegan chocolate cake post, I talked about my lack of posting recently and said that things would change in February.
We were supposed to have some childcare starting in January that would give me some time to work, but that didn’t work out.
And the next two attempts didn’t work out, either. All for reasons out of our control. Like one person changing professions and one person wanting to return to her home country.
Tomorrow begins attempt #4 with a babysitter. Wish us luck. :D
And sorry to anyone who has commented lately or had a question that I took a long time to answer! I normally try to respond not that slowly but have been having issues with the comments.
Questions about these paleo peanut butter bars?
- Can you taste the coconut flour?
Nope!
- Can I use something other than sunflower seed butter?
Any nut butter should work. Check out the post above for more details. And here’s how to make homemade almond butter!
- Can I use nut / seed butter with added fat or sugar?
You could try if it’s really runny and pourable but the result will be sweeter. I don’t recommend the firm kind like Jif or Skippy although I guess it might work if you reduce the coconut sugar.
- What can I use instead of maple syrup?
It needs to be a liquid sweetener. I think using honey would make the bars taste more honeyish and less peanut buttery. I think you’d also need a little less honey or to add a little more vanilla or water.
Date paste might be yummy and I think would go well with the peanut butter flavor but I haven’t tried it.
You could also try a granulated sweetener but then you’d need to add some water or milk. I have no idea how much to recommend and I’m not sure if it’d come out well so I suggest sticking to a liquid sweetener.
As for liquid stevia or any other low-carb sweeteners, I have no idea! Sorry. - Can I use a different flour?
Unfortunately not. Coconut flour is way more absorbent than any other type of flour.
So you don’t need much to get the right texture. If you tried almond flour (or something else), you’d have to add way more and then the proportions of all the ingredients would be off and not taste right.
Oat flour might work but I haven’t tried it. - Can I reduce the sugar?
I used the least amount that I thought was enough. You could try reducing it by a little, but then add less coconut flour.
If you try these paleo peanut butter bars, I’d love to hear how they come out!
Paleo Peanut Butter Bars (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: Desserts
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (320 grams) natural sunflower seed butter (no added fat or sugar) or homemade peanut butter / store-bought natural peanut butter for non-paleo)
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (omit or adjust if using salted seed butter)
- 2/3 cup (84 grams) to 3/4 cup (96 grams) coconut flour
- 1 1/4 cups (213 grams) chopped semi-sweet chocolate, melted (make sure to use paleo / vegan chocolate)
- 7 1/2 tablespoons (120 grams) natural sunflower seed butter (no added fat or sugar)
For the base:
For the topping:
Directions
- Line an 8"x8" pan with a piece of parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the sunflower seed butter, maple syrup and vanilla until well combined. Add the salt and coconut flour (starting off with 2/3 cup) until well combined. Let sit for 10 minutes to let the coconut flour absorb the moisture. If it's not firm enough (see the video), add the remaining coconut flour. Pat onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Prepare the topping. Mix together the seed butter and melted chocolate and spread over the bottom layer. Chill for 2-3 hours or until firm enough to cut into bars.
- Keeps well at room temperature for a few days if it's not too warm. Otherwise, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for several months.
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58 comments on “Paleo Peanut Butter Bars (vegan)” — Add one!
OMG!!! This is what I’ve been looking for ….PB Bars!!!
Thanks for the healthified version.
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoyed them. :)
I’m a professional chef that teaches. At the end of the school year, our storeroom puts all the open items or items that won’t last the summer. All the work-study students and faculty get to pick through. Last year I ended up with about 4lbs of peanut butter, coconut flour, organic brown rice syrup, and a few other items. Found this recipe and made it using the brown rice syrup instead of maple syrup. Loved that! Less sweet for those of us that like that. I also added cinnamon and tried a batch with butterscotch chips. A real treat from my GF friends. I have even been asked to make a batch for our wellness fair. GREAT recipe. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m really glad you enjoyed them. And wow, that’s a lot of peanut butter! What a haul. :D It’s great to know that brown rice syrup works. Butterscotch chips sound amazing! I haven’t had those in so many years. Thanks a ton for your nice feedback!
I made these for a birthday party, and they were a huge hit. We are leaving on a trip, and I had a request to make this paleo friendly dessert again. This recipe comes together effortlessly. Well done, Erin!
Thank you very much! :) I’m really happy that you had a request to make them a second time. That’s always so nice to hear! Thanks for your feedback. :)
Those bar are a huge success here
Our family diete is really complicated with dairy,soy, sesam, nut and peanuts allergy
This receipe is one of the best we have tried so fare and we have been doing it a couple of time now.
I even have some different version.
Once I added drizzle melted chocolate on top for some crynchyness, i also tried with a drizzle of maple sirop on top since i used dark chocolate once, next time im trying the crunchy sunbutter for the base for a crunchy version
I’m just in love with this receipe
Thanks for sharing your variations! They all sound super yummy. :) I’m really glad that you’re in love with this recipe! I am, too, and was sad because it seemed like nobody else had made them. So thank you very much for your comment!
These look amazing! I made a crunchy version of these recently and was just thinking about messing around to make a creamy version :) So yum- pinning!
I’m interested in your crunchy version! How do you make those?
I made these the other day and they were so good. My son loved them. And I loved how simple they were to make for him. It was the perfect treat!
Aww, yay! I’m thrilled that your son enjoyed them! Thanks a ton for leaving some feedback. :)
Oh, wow! These look perfect and so delicious! Great idea to use sunflower butter! Yummy!
Thanks! :)
I’ve never seen these types of bars made with coconut flour instead of graham crackers – that’s genius!
Thanks so much! Not using the crackers makes a homemade version much easier. :)
These bars look crazy good!
Thanks! :)
Chocolate and peanut butter are the perfect combination! I can’t wait to try this healthier version.
I hope you’ll get to try them out! :)
I love these! Great dessert or snack option for my house!
I’m glad to hear that! :)
These look incredible! I can’t wait to make these!!
Thanks! Hope you’ll love them. :)
This is absolutely magnificent, scrumptious, delicious, super yummy chocolate peanut butter bars. I am obsessed with healthy desserts!
Thank you! Hope you’ll give them a try soon. :)
These peanut butter bars look so good! My perfect afternoon snack!
Thank you! :)
Love that these are paleo! They look amazing, can’t wait to make them!
I hope you’ll enjoy them!
OMG these look perfect! So yummy :) Def making these for a treat this week
I hope you loved them as much as we do!
These look fantastic, Erin! I’m always looking for peanut-free recipes for my kids, this one looks delicious :)
I hope you’ll get to try them out! :)
Raw coconut flour? Shouldn’t the base blood baked?
Nope. Lots of no-bake recipes use raw coconut flour.
These are on my must-make list!
I hope you’ll love them as much as we do!
Yum, I need these in my life ASAP! Always looking for new paleo treats!
I think you do, too! ;)
These are a must make dessert! The best flavor combination ever!!
I think so, too! :D
Chocolate and peanut butter go together perfectly! So delicious!
I totally agree!
Yes, yes, and YES!! These are my absolute favorite.
Thanks! :)
These look absolutely amazing ! I cannot wait to try them !
I hope you’ll love them!
You think I could use oat flour instead of coconut flour?
Please check out the subs section of the post. :)
They look very perfect and neat, yet chocolatey! Need to try this!
I hope you will! :)
Good Morning
Do post the nutritional content of your recipes? These look wonderful – doing WW right now – to calculate the point value.
Hi there! I don’t, sorry. I’m actually not supposed to legally. Sorry again!
These bars have my name written on them! Looks so delicious!
Thank you! :)
dairy and gluten free, I’m on the trail, thank you………..
You’re welcome! I’d love to hear how they come out for you. :)