Desserts

Serving

Desserts Kid-friendly

Hershey's Chewy Peanut Bars

Name: Hershey's Chewy Peanut Bars
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Desserts
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/3 cup light brown sugar; 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (softened); 2 eggs; 1 cup peanut butter chips; 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk; 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Rich, chewy chocolate bars layered with peanut butter chips, sweetened condensed milk, and toasted coconut.

50 minutes

Serves 24

Dessert

18 min prep

28 min cook

Contains common allergens

Egg Dairy Peanut Wheat

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Instructions

7 steps

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.
2
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
3
Add the softened butter and cut it in with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture is well blended and resembles coarse crumbs. Add the eggs and mix well.
4
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing firmly and evenly onto the bottom. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the base is set.
5
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the peanut butter chips over the top. Drizzle the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the chips, then scatter the coconut flakes on top.
6
Return to the oven and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top.
7
Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then cut into 24 bars.

Hershey's Chewy Peanut Bars — plated and served — Serving moment. How Hershey's Chewy Peanut Bars looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

73/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 60

Kid-friendly 85

Weeknight-easy 63

Budget-friendly 84

Great leftovers 93

Pantry-friendly 62

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

175

Calories

4 g

Protein

17 g

Carbs

11 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Chocolate-peanut bar cookies in the American tradition trace back to mid-20th-century home economics recipes promoted by chocolate and peanut butter manufacturers through recipe booklets distributed in grocery stores and printed on product packaging. Hershey's has published similar formulas since the 1930s as a way to drive cocoa powder sales. The combination of cocoa in the base with peanut butter chips and condensed milk as a topping produces a textural contrast between fudgy base and chewy topping that became a hallmark of the genre.

Listahan note

This version builds the chocolate base with cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate, producing a drier, more cake-like crumb that supports the dense sweetened-condensed-milk and coconut topping without becoming greasy.

Technique cues

Sweetened condensed milk poured over the base before the final bake sets into a chewy, fudge-like layer rather than a sauce. The key is pouring it evenly and letting it run into the edges of the pan; any dry patches will bake into tough spots.
Peanut butter chips do not melt into the batter the way chocolate chips do. They are fat-stable and hold their shape through baking, providing pockets of peanut flavor and a slightly waxy chew in the finished bar.
Underbaking by 2-3 minutes produces the chewy texture the name promises. The center should look barely set when the pan comes out; residual heat from the pan finishes the cook during the required resting time before cutting.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Preheat the oven and line the pan while creaming the butter and sugar. The base comes together in one bowl; no chilling is needed before pressing into the pan.
Make-ahead: The baked and cooled bars keep well at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 5 days. They can be baked a day ahead and are actually easier to cut cleanly after chilling overnight.
Leftover move: Crumble leftover bars over vanilla ice cream as a sundae topping, or layer with whipped cream in a glass for a quick trifle-style dessert.
Cleanup rhythm: Soak the baking pan in hot water immediately after removing bars; condensed milk caramelizes onto the pan and is much harder to remove once cold and dry.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

unsweetened cocoa powder

chocolate flavor and color in the base

Purpose: Cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate keeps the base crumbly-dry rather than fudgy, which supports the dense topping without making the bar greasy.

Handling: Sift with the flour and baking powder to prevent lumps; cocoa clumps when mixed with fat directly.

Adaptation: Dutch-process cocoa produces a darker, more mellow chocolate flavor and works equally well here.

sweetened condensed milk

chewy topping binder

Purpose: The combination of concentrated milk solids and sugar caramelizes during baking to create the signature chewy, slightly sticky top layer.

Handling: Pour directly from the can over the pressed base; no warming needed. Spread gently to the edges with a spatula.

Adaptation: Full-fat coconut condensed milk (canned, sweetened) works for a dairy-free version with a light coconut note.

peanut butter chips

flavor pockets in the topping

Purpose: Unlike chocolate chips, they resist melting and retain shape, adding peanut flavor and textural chewiness scattered throughout the topping layer.

Handling: Scatter over the base before pouring the condensed milk so they embed into the topping during baking.

Adaptation: Butterscotch chips or white chocolate chips can substitute for a different but equally rich flavor profile.

sweetened coconut flakes

textural and flavor accent

Purpose: Coconut toasts against the condensed milk during baking, adding chew, sweetness, and a faint tropical note that balances the chocolate base.

Handling: No preparation needed; scatter over the top of the condensed milk layer as the final step before baking.

Adaptation: Unsweetened shredded coconut reduces the overall sweetness slightly and toasts faster, so watch the edges.

butter

fat for the base dough

Purpose: Softened butter creamed with the sugars provides structure and tenderness to the chocolate base layer.

Handling: Soften at room temperature for 30-45 minutes; it should dent easily when pressed but not be shiny or greasy.

Adaptation: Vegan butter works as a 1:1 substitute for a dairy-free base; combine with coconut condensed milk for a fully dairy-free bar.

Technique notes

Line the pan with parchment with overhanging edges so you can lift the whole slab out cleanly before cutting. Cutting in the pan against the condensed milk layer drags and tears the topping.
Let bars cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate for 30 minutes before cutting. Cold condensed milk topping cuts without sticking to the knife; press the knife straight down rather than dragging it.
If the coconut is browning too fast before the center sets, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Ingredient swaps

Nut-free direction: Replace peanut butter chips with sunflower seed butter chips or plain nut-free chocolate chips, and verify the condensed milk brand is produced in a nut-free facility.
Dairy-free option: Use vegan butter for the base and a can of sweetened coconut condensed milk in place of dairy condensed milk.
Gluten-free direction: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour; the base holds together well because the condensed milk topping provides structural binding.

Serve alongside

a glass of cold whole milk
vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of chocolate sauce
fresh strawberries to cut the sweetness
cold brew coffee over ice
chocolate milk
hot coffee or espresso

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; the coconut topping softens slightly but remains chewy.
Refrigerate in a single layer or between sheets of parchment for up to 5 days; remove 15 minutes before serving for best texture.
Freeze fully cooled bars wrapped individually in plastic wrap and stored in a zip-lock bag for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.

Equipment

9x13-inch baking pan
parchment paper with overhanging edges for easy removal
stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming the base
offset spatula for spreading condensed milk evenly

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