Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oat Bars
These chocolate chip peanut butter oat bars are a delicious treat that are a perfect way to get your chocolate and peanut butter fix without going over board on sugar.
Perfect for an after school snack or dessert, these bars are not only tasty but also easy to make.
What you’ll love about these peanut butter bars with chocolate chips
Chocolate and peanut butter, what’s not to love? Here are 4 compelling reasons why you’ll love this recipe:
Bold peanut butter flavor: With a whole cup of peanut butter in the batter, these peanut butter oat bars boast bold peanut butter flavor.
Not too sweet: You don’t need to worry about going into a sugar coma with this recipe. These bars are sweet but not too sweet, making them a great lower sugar treat or snack.
Short ingredients list: Calling for only 7 ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen right now, you’ll be able to easily whip these up anytime.
Easy to make: All you need is a bowl or two and you’re all set to make these simple bars.
Ingredients
You probably already have all these ingredients in your kitchen right now. What are you waiting for? Go make these peanut butter oat bars right now. You can thank me later.
- Peanut butter – Use a natural peanut butter for this recipe. A natural peanut butter is one where the only ingredients are peanuts and salt.
- Oats – To make these both delicious and full of good for you fiber, be sure to use old fashioned rolled oats as opposed to more processed quick or minute oats.
- Brown sugar – This recipe only calls for a mere 1/4 cup of brown sugar. It’s just enough to provide sweetness and amp up the flavor without making these verge on being overly sweet.
- Milk – I use almond milk, but you can use whatever milk you have or prefer. Just make sure it’s at room temp before mixing it in with the peanut butter.
- Baking powder – Helps leaven the bars.
- Salt – Even though there’s salt in the peanut butter, a little bit more is needed to help with the flavors.
- Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet, bittersweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips are all welcome varieties.
How to make chocolate chip peanut butter oat bars
What makes these bars so peanut buttery is the amount of peanut butter in them — an entire cup!
It provides moisture, texture, and flavor that you’re going to love.
And the best part is that they come together quickly and easily. Just follow the steps below:
- Prep pan and oven. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 pan and lay a parchment sling across it. Place an oven rack in the center position and heat your oven to 350°F.
- Blend up some fresh oat flour. Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blend until no large pieces of oats remain. Pulse in the baking powder and salt.
- Mix together wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, mix the peanut butter, sugar, and milk together until well combined.
- Stir in dry ingredients. Pour the oat flour mixture in with the wet ingredients. Stir until everything is hydrated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Bake. Press the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top. Bake for 16 – 18 minutes.
- Cool, cut, and enjoy! Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then lift out and let cool completely on a cooling rack. Once completely cooled, cut into 9 squares and enjoy!
Tips
These bars are great for so many occasions, be it an after school snack, pot luck, family dessert, or just a little something when you want a sweet treat.
Everyone will love them, especially if you follow these helpful tips:
- Make a parchment sling. Having parchment paper overhang on either side of the pan will make getting the bars out of the pan to cut so much easier.
- Blend oats finely. Be sure to blend up the oats into a fine flour. This helps the bars have the perfect chewy texture.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Don’t pour all the chocolate chips into the batter, reserve a tablespoon to sprinkle on top. It not only looks extra good that way, but they taste extra great too!
- Do not over bake. You want these bars to be nice and moist, so be sure not to over bake them.
- Slice when completely cooled. Allow the peanut butter oat bars to cool completely before you cut into them. They cut so much better that way.
Storing and making ahead
These bars are peanut buttery and delicious, it’s doubtful that you’ll have much in terms of leftovers.
But if you’re lucky enough to have some for later, here’s what to do:
Store the bars in an air tight container on the kitchen counter for up to 3 days.
Chocolate chip peanut butter oat bars
To wrap this all up, I’m gonna jut say again that these peanut butter oat bars are a delicious and healthy snack that anyone can enjoy.
They are easy to make, packed with peanut butter flavor, and aren’t too sugary.
Whether you need a quick after school snack or a post-workout treat, these bars are perfect.
Try making a batch today and discover how tasty and satisfying they can be.
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oat Bars
August 26, 2024Equipment
- Medium Bowl
- 8 x 8 pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup oats (140 g)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup peanut butter (260 g)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (65 g)
- ½ cup almond milk (115 g)
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat an oven to 350℉. Prepare an 8 x 8 pan by lightly greasing it and making a parchment sling.
- Put the oats into a blender and blend for about 1 minute or until they are powdery and no large pieces of oats remain. Pulse in the baking powder and salt. Set aside.1 ½ cup oats, 1 ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt
- In a medium bowl add in the peanut butter, brown sugar, and almond milk. Stir until well combined.1 cup peanut butter, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup almond milk
- Add the blended up oats, baking powder, and salt into the bowl with the peanut butter mixture. Mix everything together until no dry flour remains.
- Reserve a tablespoon of chocolate chips then fold in the rest of the chips into the batter.½ cup chocolate chips
- Put the batter into the prepared 8 x 8 pan, using your knuckles to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle and press the reserved tablespoon of chocolate chips evenly across the top of the bars.
- Bake the bars for 16 – 18 minutes.
- Let bars cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then lift out using the parchment sling. Let cool completely on a cooling rack. Once cooled completely, slice into 9 even squares.
