If you love easy no-bake treats packed with peanut butter and chocolate, these Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars are about to become your new obsession. Rich, chewy, satisfying, and ridiculously simple to make, they're the kind of dessert you'll keep tucked in your fridge for whenever a sweet craving hits.
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert / Snack
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 15 minutes prep + 1 hour chill time
- 🍴 Servings: 16 bars
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Rich, chocolatey, nutty, chewy, sweet, satisfying
- 🍚 Best Served With: Coffee, cold milk, hot chocolate, vanilla or peanut butter ice cream, fresh berries
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes
Summarize and Save This Content On
There's something magical about peanut butter, oats, and chocolate coming together in one ridiculously easy dessert. These oatmeal peanut butter bars taste like a cross between a homemade granola bar, a no-bake cookie, and a peanut butter cup, but somehow even better.
This peanut butter oatmeal bars were inspired by my peanut butter cookie bars on this site, and pairs well with this chocolate peanut butter poke cake.
Jump to:
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Recipe Essentials
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Variations
- How To Make Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Expert Tips
- Storage Directions
- Serving Suggestions
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Recipe FAQs
- More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick, easy, and no-bake: This simple dessert comes together with minimal prep and no oven, making it perfect for effortless sweet cravings like our chocolate peanut butter trifle.
- Classic flavor and satisfying texture: Peanut butter, chocolate, and chewy oats create an irresistible combination everyone loves.
- Budget-friendly and family-approved: Made with simple pantry staples, these bars are affordable, kid-friendly, and easy enough for little helpers to join in.
- Perfect for make-ahead snacking: Great as a dessert or afternoon snack, with endless mix-in options and easy fridge storage for grab-and-go treats.
Ingredients
One quick pantry raid and you're basically ready to make these no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars.
- Coconut oil: Helps bind the bars together while adding richness and smooth texture.
- Creamy peanut butter: The star ingredient that adds nutty flavor, richness, and structure.
- Cocoa powder: Brings deep chocolate flavor directly into the oat base.
- Maple syrup: Naturally sweetens the bars while helping everything stick together.
- Old fashioned oats: Provide chewy structure and hearty texture.
- Chocolate chips: Melt into the rich topping layer that takes these bars over the top.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Variations
- Swap Peanut Butter: Use crunchy peanut butter, creamy cashew butter or almond butter instead.
- Add Mix-Ins: Include ¼ cup chopped peanut butter cups, peanut butter chips, caramel chips, shredded coconut, chopped nuts, seeds and/or dried fruit like raisins or dried cranberries.
- Add Banana: Add ⅓ cup mashed banana, 2 tblsp coconut oil or butter and reduce maple syrup to 2 tblsp. We always add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ cup chopped walnuts too.
How To Make Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
These oatmeal peanut butter bars are an easy no-bake dessert that comes together in just a few simple steps and then the refrigerator does most of the hard work for you.
Step 1: Add Ingredients. Add coconut oil or butter, peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and oats to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Combine. Stir until ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step 3: Press and add chocolate topping. Spread the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish. Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave and then spread them over the top of your oatmeal bars. If you'd like you can top them with flakey sea salt.
Step 4: Chill, slice and serve. Refrigerate your bars for at least an hour before slicing and serving.
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Expert Tips
- Use old fashioned oats: Quick oats create a softer, less chewy texture.
- Line the pan with parchment: Makes removal much easier.
- Press firmly: Helps the bars hold together without becoming dense.
- Whisk cocoa thoroughly: Prevents dry chocolate pockets.
- Chill fully before cutting: Warm bars won't slice cleanly.
- Use a sharp knife: Cleaner bakery-style bars.
- Add sea salt: Balances sweetness beautifully.
If you love recipes like this peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip bars, you may also enjoy our chocolate chip pound cake with peanut butter frosting and peanut butter chocolate Rice Krispie balls.
Storage Directions
These chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars store beautifully in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container or in the baking dish covered with plastic wrap. Separate layers with parchment paper if stacking.
Freeze individually wrapped bars or layered with parchment in airtight freezer containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a quick grab-and-go treat.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with hot coffee or a glass of cold milk
- Serve with vanilla or peanut butter brownie ice cream
- Add to dessert spreads or dessert trays with mini peanut butter cheesecakes and a Reese's peanut butter pie
- Pack for road trips, lunchbox treats, after-school snacks, or quick desserts throughout the week
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Natural peanut butter works well, but make sure it's stirred thoroughly before measuring so the oils are evenly incorporated. If the peanut butter is too oily or separated, it can affect how well the bars set.
Yes, but the texture will change. Old fashioned oats create the hearty, chewy structure while quick oats absorb moisture faster and produce a softer, more compact bar.
This usually happens if the bars weren't pressed firmly enough into the pan, didn't chill long enough to set before slicing, or if ingredient measurements were off.
We prefer to use refined coconut oil, but either will work great. Refined coconut oil is going to put less coconut flavor into your bars.
More Chocolate Peanut Butter Recipes
Do you like recipes with both chocolate and peanut butter? Here some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup coconut oil or butter, room temperature
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter room temperature
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Combine the coconut oil, peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and oats in a large mixing bowl.
- Spread the mixture into an 8x8 inch baking dish.
- Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave, in 20 second intervals, stirring between each. Immediately spread over the top of your oatmeal bars using a spatula. If you'd like you can top them with a little flakey sea salt.
- Chill your bars in the fridge for at least an hour before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use old fashioned oats: Quick oats create a softer, less chewy texture.
- Line the pan with parchment: Makes removal much easier.
- Press firmly: Helps the bars hold together without becoming dense.
- Whisk cocoa thoroughly: Prevents dry chocolate pockets.
- Chill fully before cutting: Warm bars won't slice cleanly.
- Use a sharp knife: Cleaner bakery-style bars.
- Add sea salt: Balances sweetness beautifully.
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