Reese Cookies

Reese cookies (usually called Reese bars or peanut butter bars) are the original no-bake approximation of a chocolate peanut butter cup. A pressed base of peanut butter, melted butter, powdered sugar, and crushed graham crackers gets topped with a thick layer of melted chocolate, chilled, then cut into squares. The result tastes uncannily like a flattened peanut butter cup, just with more chew from the graham crumbs.

The proportions matter here. Equal parts peanut butter and butter keep the base fudgy without turning oily, while the crushed grahams and powdered sugar give it bite and structure. Press it firmly into the jelly roll pan so the bars cut cleanly instead of crumbling.

The chocolate layer needs to set completely before cutting. Thirty minutes in the fridge is the minimum; an hour is better. Pulling the bars out while the chocolate is still soft leads to sheared, smeared tops that look messy on the plate.

Kitchen Tips

• Use creamy peanut butter, not natural-style. Natural separates and makes the base oily; stabilized creamy PB holds its shape.
• Score the chocolate layer lightly before it fully sets to mark cut lines. Fully hardened chocolate can shatter when you cut through it.
• Warm a sharp knife under hot water (dry it first) for cleaner cuts through the chilled chocolate top.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Variations

• Add a layer of melted white or milk chocolate drizzle over the dark chocolate top for a marbled finish.
• Swap graham crackers for crushed Oreo cookies for a chocolate-on-chocolate version.
• Stir chopped roasted peanuts into the base for crunch and a nuttier texture.