Chocolate-Glazed Crispy Peanut Butter Pudding Bars

These Chocolate-Glazed Crispy Peanut Butter Pudding Bars are a delightful no-bake dessert. The smooth layers of vanilla pudding combined with crunchy peanut butter will bring back your childhood memories. And the chocolate ganache layer puts these over the top!

Why You’ll 🫶🏻 these Bars

These bar cookies stand out with their unique texture, featuring three layers and four delightful flavors. That’s what makes them truly special and a real treat! Each triangle of this indulgent bar cookie boasts a deliciously flavored crust crafted from peanut butter, rice cereal, and cornflakes. The middle layer is a sweet, creamy vanilla custard, while the top is adorned with a ganache-like chocolate that sets after the bars are sliced. With no baking needed, they’re a sweet choice for any day of the week! Enjoy! ~Nicole

Key Ingredients for Chocolate-Glazed Crispy Peanut Butter Pudding Bars

Chocolate Chips influence the overall sweetness. Semi-sweet chips provide a balanced, slightly bitter flavor, whereas milk chocolate is creamier and sweeter. Both options are delightful—it all comes down to your personal preference.

Rice Cereal and Cornflakes create the foundation in the bottom layer. The rice cereal contributes a delicate, airy, and crispy texture to the bars, while the cornflakes provide the satisfying crunch.

Peanut Butter introduces a rich, nutty taste that enhances the sweetness of the chocolate layer and the crispiness of the cereal. This results in a wonderfully chewy texture, making the treats even more enjoyable and flavorful.

Granulated Sugar and Light Corn Syrup create a sweet, thick syrup that keeps the mixture soft and chewy.Avoid boiling the mixture, as this could make the bars hard.

Confectioners’ Sugar (powdered sugar) adds sweetness and a creamy texture to the pudding layer. It aids in achieving a silky mouthfeel and can elevate the dessert’s overall flavor.

Instant Vanilla Pudding (a never-before-seen ingredient on yarod.com 😉)is a convenient powdered dessert mix that effortlessly turns into a creamy, delightful treat—no cooking needed. Simply add milk, whisk it together, and let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens into a luscious pudding layer. Thanks to a blend of starches and stabilizers, it firms up without any heat. That’s the magic ingredient—well, powder—behind the ‘instant’ in its name.

Equipment Needed

• Saucepan set
• 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan

Tips for Making Chocolate-Glazed Crispy Peanut Butter Pudding Bars

Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking or jelly-roll pan with non-stick aluminum foil. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until bubbles appear around the edges. DO NOT let the mixture boil. That would result in a hard layer.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter until it melts.
3. Add the cereals to the peanut butter mixture, and stir until evenly coated.
4. Press the cereal mixture into the prepared pan.
5. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted. Remove from the heat and add the confectioners’ sugar, pudding mixes, and milk, stirring until combined.
6. Spread the pudding mixture over the cereal mixture.
7. In a small saucepan, over low heat, add the butter and chocolate. Stir until completely melted, about 3-5 minutes. Pour and spread the chocolate mixture over the pudding layer.

Other tips…

• Use creamy peanut butter, not all-natural.
• When measuring peanut butter and corn syrup, spray the inside of the measuring cups with non-stick cooking spray to make them easy to remove.

• Make sure you sift the powdered sugar before measuring to remove any lumps. Measuring by scale is preferable. However, if using a measuring cup, do not pack the sugar. That would turn the pudding layer into a thick, pasty layer.
• Press the cereal mixture firmly into the prepared pan. You might think to yourself that there is no way all three layers are going to fit into the pan, but trust me, they will.

Serving Suggestions

A tall glass of milk or water is all you need to savor these delightful layers. These bars make a fantastic addition to any big gathering or celebration, perfect for both kids and adults!

Can you freeze these bars?

Yes. Individually wrapped bars can be placed in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

Other no-bake bars you may enjoy…

Chocolate-Glazed Crispy Peanut Butter Pudding Bars

By Nicole Prep: 15 minsCook: 10 minsRefrigeration Time: 1 hrTotal: 1 hr 25 mins Servings: 48 bars These Chocolate-Glazed Crispy Peanut Butter Pudding Bars are a delightful no-bake dessert that kids and adults will love!

Equipment

• Saucepan set
• 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan

Ingredients 

For the Bottom Layer

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups (about 258 grams) creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups (about 90 grams) crisp rice cereal
• 3 cups (about 90 grams) cornflakes

For the Pudding Layer

• ¾ cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter
• 4 cups (about 480 grams) sifted confectioners' sugar
• 2 (3.4 ounce or 96 grams) packages vanilla instant pudding
• ¼ cup milk, 2 % or whole

For the Chocolate Layer

• 2 cups (12 ounces) milk or semisweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter

Instructions 

1. Line a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pan with non-stick foil. Lightly spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

For the Bottom Layer

1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat and stir occasionally until the mixture starts to buuble around the edges. Do not le the mixture come to a boil. Remove from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter until it melts. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the rice cereal and cornflakes until coated. Firmly press the mixture into the prepared pan.

For the Pudding Layer

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over low heat until melted; remove from the heat. Gently stir in the confectioners' sugar, pudding mixes, and milk. (The mixture will be thick.) Using an offset spatula, spread the pudding mixture over the cereal mixture.

For the Chocolate Layer

1. In a small saucepan over low heat, add the butter and chocolate chips. Stir until the mixture is melted and completely smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Spread the chocolate over the pudding layer. (The layers will be flush with the top of the baking pan.) Refrigerate until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour.
2. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut bars out of the pan and palce on a cutting board. Cut into 64 triangles or squares. Enjoy!

Notes

Refrigerate leftover bars by layering them between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Individually wrapped bars can be placed in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying!

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 75mg, Potassium: 112mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 24g, Vitamin A: 301IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 14mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Source: Adapted from Brownie and Bars, Better Homes and Gardens