30 No-Bake Dessert Bars for When You Need Treats Fast
Updated: Jan. 31, 2022No oven? No problem. Try our no-bake bar recipes.
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Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars
My secret to these rich no-bake bites? Pretzels in the crust. They add a salty crunch to the classic peanut butter and chocolate pairing. —Jennifer Beckman, Falls Church, Virginia
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Fried Ice Cream Dessert Bars
Fried ice cream is such a delicious treat, but it can be a hassle to make individual servings. This recipe gives you the same fabulous flavor in an easy and convenient bar form. —Andrea Price, Grafton, Wisconsin
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Chocolaty Nanaimo Bars
If a pastry could be a friend, the Nanaimo bar would be my BFF. This version won Cookie of the Fair at the 2006 Iowa State Fair. —Kelly McCulley, Des Moines, Iowa
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No-Bake Cereal Cookie Bars
We pull out all the goodies for these chewy bars, like raisins and coconut. For more color, sprinkle on the M&M's once the bars are in the pan. Then press them in. —Connie Craig, Lakewood, Washington
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
These chewy peanut butter chocolate bars are the perfect no-fuss contribution to a potluck or bake sale. I've discovered the trick is to get them into the refrigerator to set up before they disappear! —Lorri Speer, Centralia, Washington
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Peanut Butter Cereal Treats
Kids will love these colorful, crunchy bars. They’re a fun twist on the traditional marshmallow crispy treats…and because they’re so easy, older kids could whip up a batch on their own! —Christie Porter, Shipshewana, Indiana
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Chocolate-Coconut Layer Bars
I’m a huge fan of Nanaimo bars, the no-bake layered dessert named for the city in British Columbia. For fun, I reinvented this treat with coconut lovers in mind. —Shannon Dobos, Calgary, Alberta
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Peanut Butter Popcorn Bars
If you're looking for a fun snack for kids, try this chewy peanut butter popcorn recipe that have a mild peanut butter taste. They're easy to mix and can be pressed into a pan to form bars, or shaped into balls. —Kathy Oswald, Wauzeka, Wisconsin
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S'mores Crispy Bars
My aunt always brought s’mores-style bars to our family's summer cottage. Plain or frosted, they’re perfect for eating on the run. —Betsy King, Duluth, Minnesota
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South Dakota Frito Treats
Yep, they’re made with corn chips, but don’t let that fool you. These salty sweets were a staple after meetings at the quilt guild I once belonged to. —Carol Tramp, Wynot, Nebraska
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Cherry-Coconut Slices
My mother got this recipe from a woman named Emmie Oddie, a well-known home economist in Canada who had a column in a farming newspaper. Oddie would test reader recipes in her own kitchen and write about it. These tasty sweets are so rich that you need only a small piece. —Judy Olson, Whitecourt, Alberta
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Chocolaty S'mores Bars
One night my husband had some friends over to play poker and he requested these s'mores bars. They polished off the pan and asked for more! I shared the recipe, and now their families make them, too. —Rebecca Shipp, Beebe, Arkansas
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Browned Butter Cereal Bars
Crispy rice treats were one of the first recipes I ever made as a kid. For this version, I wanted to make something similar but more special. Friends and family think using Cap'n Crunch and browned butter is genius, but I just call them delicious.—Kelly Krauss, Lebanon, New Jersey
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Kahlua Dream Bars
I always double this recipe so everyone gets a piece. For a glaze with deeper flavor, use 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate and 2 ounces semisweet.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
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Calgary Nanaimo Bars
This version of Nanaimo bars may claim roots in Alberta, but the original was said to be dreamed up in a British Columbia kitchen. They're three delicious layers of Canadian goodness. —Carol Hillier, Calgary, Alberta
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Snack Mix Squares
A fun snack mix pressed into chewy bars, this treat is popular with kids of all ages. Someone is always asking me for this quick and easy recipe. —Lisa Byler, Millersburg, Indiana
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Napoleon Cremes
For the annual Christmas open house we host, I set out a buffet with lots of food and candies like these lovely layered treats. They're so creamy, and with a green pistachio layer of pudding peeking out, they're very merry. —Gloria Jesswein, Niles, Michigan
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Cinnamon-Cranberry Oat Bars
I'm a swim coach for kids, and I started making these bars for them as a snack. I wanted something that was easy to eat but would also give them energy. The kids loved them from the very first time I brought them. Now I bring them to every team event. —Sarah Riviere, Prescott, Arizona
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White Chocolate Cereal Bars
A friend shared with me this fresh take on traditional crispy treats. My husband loves them, and I feel so efficient with their quick prep time. —Anne Powers, Munford, Alabama
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Chocolate Peanut Treats
When I was in high school, I took these sweet and crunchy squares to bake sales— and they were the first to sell out. I still make them for family and friends who love the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter. —Christy Asher, Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Granola Cereal Bars
These sweet peanut butter bars are perfect for breakfast, dessert or anytime as a quick snack. You can add raisins instead of chocolate chips if you prefer. —Helen Velichko, Kansas City, Missouri
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Peanut Butter Popcorn Bars
If you're looking for a fun snack for kids, try this chewy peanut butter popcorn recipe that have a mild peanut butter taste. They're easy to mix and can be pressed into a pan to form bars, or shaped into balls. —Kathy Oswald, Wauzeka, Wisconsin
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Fruity Cereal Bars
With dried apples and cranberries, these crispy cereal bars are perfect for snacks or brown-bag lunches. —Giovanna Kranenberg, Cambridge, Minnesota
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
My twist on rice crispy bars includes crunchy crushed pretzels. Then I top them with a creamy peanut butter coating and rich chocolate topping. Garnished with peanuts and even more pretzels, I don’t think I'd ever go back to plain old bars again. —Sherri Melotik, Oak Creek, Wisconsin
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No-Bake Cereal Bars
With two kinds of cereal and peanut butter, these bars taste almost like candy. —Pauline Christiansen, Columbus, Kansas
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Crispy Chocolate Squares
Folks will think you slaved away on these fast and fudgy treats. People often request the recipe and are surprised to find out how easy they are to make. Even kids can make 'em! —Karen Speidel, Wheeling, Illinois
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Neapolitan Crispy Bars
Talk about a conversation piece! These fun, yummy bars will get people talking. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
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Chocolate Chip Bars
People are always surprised when I tell them these chocolate chip bars come from the microwave. Chockfull of chocolate chips, the bars are especially good served with a big glass of cold milk. —Shirley A. Glaab, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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Crispy Pretzel Bars
I often make a big batch of these peanut butter-flavored cereal bars on days that I don't want to heat up the kitchen. Kids especially love them, so they're great for picnics, potlucks and school bake sales. —Jane Thompson, Eureka, Illinois
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No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
I have to be super careful when cooking for my daughter because of food sensitivities, so I make these no-bake peanut butter oatmeal bars with certified gluten-free oats. Everyone loves these bars when we go to picnics or potlucks, and I know there will be a dessert for my daughter! —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
Originally Published: July 01, 2020
