Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Published Nov 17, 2023•Updated Oct 15, 2024
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No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are simple enough for kids to help make them. With a layer of sweet and salty peanut butter and some optional nutritions mix-ins, these are nutritious enough to serve for a snack but sweet enough for a dessert. You only need four ingredients to make these now.
This is a recipe that has lived on the pages of this website since 2017 when my then-three-year-old twins helped me make them. And they remain one of our favorite, incredibly easy snacks. I’ve updated the recipe to add a few of my favorite healthy additions and top them with a layer of chocolate and a few mini M&Ms. Those M&Ms are completely optional, but they make these so much fun!
Just like No-Bake Granola Bars and Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie Bars, these are easily adaptable to use your favorite additions. And as they have always been, these are an incredibly easy snack that even young kids can help to make.
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Pin It NowIngredients for Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Creamy Peanut Butter – I like to use conventional peanut butter like JIF which will hold its shape and has additional sweet and salty flavor that goes well in the bars.
- Honey – For sweetness and to help the bars hold their shape. Use maple syrup or another sweetener if you’d like.
- Chia Seeds and Ground Flax Seeds – These are just for some added nutrition and nice texture too. Feel free to skip them or add in other nutritious ingredients to give these bars a boost.
- Chocolate Chips – I love dark chocolate chips for these, but regular semi-sweet work just fine.
- Coconut Oil – This is totally optional but it helps to firm up the chocolate topping when it’s cold so you get a bit more snap when you bite into the bars.
- Mini M&Ms – Just for fun! See below for other ideas.
How to Make Healthy No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
1. Mix together the base. Melt the peanut butter and honey until smooth. Stir in the oats, chia seeds, and flax seeds until even.
2. Press the base into a muffin pan. A silicone muffin pan works well and you can just pop the bars out when they’re done. If using a hard-sided classic muffin pan, put paper liners in the muffin pan to prevent sticking and make the bars easier to remove.
3. Make topping. Melt together chocolate chips and peanut butter. Add in some coconut oil which will help these to hold their shape when cold. Pour the topping over the bars.
4. Add mini M&Ms on top. Or add anything you’d like!
Variations
- Add different mix-ins – The topping of these bars is a great place to mix things up. Chopped crushed pretzels, chopped peanuts, peanut butter chips, or crushed Heath bars are a few things that would be great on top.
- Make them vegan – Just use maple syrup in place of the honey.
FAQs
Yes! Just use maple syrup instead of honey.
Yes – just make sure to use gluten-free oats.
They can be made in an 8×8 pan as written. Just slice the bars after they’ve set. Store them in the refrigerator.
More No-Bake Recipes
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Equipment
- Muffin Tin
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
For the base:
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use conventional peanut butter like JIF)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups quick-cook oats (see note)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (optional)
For topping:
- 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional, but will help the topping to be more firm and crisp)
- 1/3 cup mini M&Ms (optional)
Instructions
- Line a muffin pan with paper liners or use a silicone muffin pan.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 cup creamy peanut butter and the honey until smooth and shiny. Heat the mixture in 20 second intervals, stirring after each. It should take about 40 seconds.
- Stir in the oats, chia seeds, and flax seeds until even. Divide the mixture between the spaces in the muffin cups, pressing down very firmly to compress.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, ⅓ cup peanut butter, and coconut oil (if using). Heat in 20 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Pour the chocolate over the bars. Sprinkle M&Ms over top.
- Refrigerate the bars until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Keep the bars in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
these are all great tips! I wanted to thank you for your time for this wonderful read!!
My stomach is weak when it comes to this sweet bars. lol
These granola bars look amazing. And your girls are too cute! I can tell they loved helping you make them. I’d love to make these with Alastair’s help, but with sunbutter instead due to his allergies. Thanks for the recipe! I was wondering where you got your pan from? I love it. Also, did you buy or make your learning towers?