This no-bake dessert recipe for Homemade Kit Kat Bars is a family favorite! Layers of crackers, graham crackers, chocolate and peanut butter.
AN EASY LAYERED NO-BAKE DESSERT!
These types of bars were so popular at get-togethers when I was younger. Now, I will go on record to say these are not an exact replica of Kit Kat Bars but the concept is the same. You've got crunchy layers with a chocolate coating. That is really the similarity. This recipe for Homemade Kit Kat Bars uses crackers instead of a thin wafer and it's got peanut butter instead of just all chocolate. But y'all get what I'm saying with this. We love these little bars and one pan will feed a crowd. They are a little crunchy, a little chocolate & peanut butter-y and all good!
TIPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE KIT KAT BARS:
- You can use regular saltine crackers for this recipe but I think the club crackers hold up a little better.
- Dark, milk or even white chocolate can be used instead of the semi-sweet chocolate.
- Give these plenty of time to cool before slicing or they won't slice up well for you. I sliced them up pretty large for these photos but you really can slice them much smaller since they are a little rich.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- club crackers
- salted butter
- light brown sugar
- sugar
- milk
- graham cracker crumbs
- creamy peanut butter
- semi-sweet chocolate chips
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE KIT KAT BARS:
Line an un-greased 9x13-inch baking dish with a layer of club crackers.
In a large saucepan, over low to medium heat, melt butter and both sugars. Then add graham cracker crumbs and milk. Allow mixture to all gently melt and stir constantly until it is all combined well.
Remove from heat and spread half the butter mixture evenly over crackers.
Do your best to spread it out evenly. Top with another layer of crackers. Then spread the other half of the butter mixture on top. Then a final layer of crackers on top of that.
In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter and chocolate chips. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted and blended.
Spread evenly over top layer of crackers.
Cover with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for an hour or two. You want that top chocolate layer to really cool down and firm up.
Once it is completely cooled, slice into small squares. You should be able to get about 2 ½ dozen from this pan.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES? GIVE THESE A TRY!
Homemade Kit Kat Bars (+Video)
Ingredients
- 72 club crackers
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup milk
- ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish with layer of club crackers
- In a large saucepan, over low to medium heat, melt butter and both sugars gently - while stirring.
- Stir in graham cracker crumbs and milk. Stir well until all is melted and combined (do not allow mixture to boil.)
- Remove from heat and carefully spread half the butter mixture evenly over crackers. Spread it out as evenly as possible.
- Layer with another layer of crackers.
- Then spread the other half of the butter mixture on top.
- Then a final layer of crackers on top of that.
- In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter and chocolate chips. Melt over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until completely melted and blended.
- Spread evenly over top layer of crackers.
- Cover with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for an hour or two. You want that top chocolate layer to really cool down and firm up.
- Once it is completely cooled, slice into small squares.
Video
Notes
- Crunchy peanut butter can be used.
- These bars are pretty rich so I would suggest cutting them up into smaller squares (about 24).
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: September 2012
Updated & republished: May 2020
RB
Always a top desert at all my get togethers.
Recommend you add 1 cup of butterscotch chips to melt along with the peanut butter and semi sweet chocolate chips.this makes the taste extra yummy
Susan
These were fantastic!!! Even better a day or two later!! My kids thought they should be named Homemade Twix bars!! I will make again in a heart beat... Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
Pamela Shank
What an awesome looking dessert. Over the years I have had recipes with variations of this but never this one. Like so many of your recipes, I added it to my list to make. My husband loves your Copycat Shoneys Strawberry Pie and I have made it the past 3 Saturdays. Getting made again tomorrow too! Thanks
Beverly
My husband just tried them and I quote "Ohmmmm! MMMMMMM!!!" (and a thumb's up while he was saying this). I think it translates to "Oh my God, these are awesome!" He said they tasted "legit". The only thing I would change is the pan I used. I had the glass 9 x 13 like you used in the demo so used it but my pan sides are not straight up and down but "sloped". Therefore, with each layer, there is more space btwn the crackers and the edge of the pan. I think next time I will use one of my metal 9x13 pans lined with non-stick foil; it has straighter sides and (fingers crossed) I can lift it out, peel down the foil and cut. These cut like a dream, by the way. I left mine out of the fridge for about 10 minutes so that the chocolate layer was easier to get the knife through without cracking.
To the fellow Canucks out there who commented on the lack of Club crackers in Canada (say that 3 times fast!), you can get them but they are not that readily available. I used Toppables instead - they are a carbon copy of the Club.
Thanks Brandie - what a great recipes. I see myself making this again for a church bake sale....if that ever happens again. This COVID thing sucks hard, man.
Shell
Delicious, but didn’t get the KitKat flavor. Tasted very much like a Girl Scout Tagalong.
Jennifer
Do these freeze okay?
Teresa Thomas
Can you use anything else besides the peanut butter? I am allergic to peanuts.
Hailey
Made two batches of these and they turned out super yummy! For one batch I followed the exact recipe, but for the second, I mixed some of the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and some butter before mixing everything else together and it ended up getting super carmelized, so I would reccomend doing that if you're looking for a little something extra! Also added some vanilla and hazelnut extract to the caramel.
Debbie
Thank you for the recipe! I love them and keep them in the freezer so I dont eat them all at once. I was alitlle confused by your nutrition information. Is 276 calories for one? Thank you for letting me know
Angela M, from NE Ohio
My son and I made this tonight. And despite us forgetting to put milk in with the butter and sugars, still turned out delicious. Thinking perhaps bottom would have covered if would have used the milk.?.
Everyone loved them....but I would change the name to "Homemade Nutty Butty Bars". My (& my family's) opinion anyway.
Anyway, keep your recipes coming...you make me look awesome at dinnertime.
Joan S
My family loves peanut butter so we make the center layer out of peanut butter and club cracker "sandwiches"