These No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are decadent, slightly fudgy, and are wonderful healthy snack made with just 8 natural ingredients! No oven is required, just one bowl and under 10 minutes prep.
We also love these chocolate rice krispie treats!
Table of Contents
I’ve already shared a no bake peanut butter pie and peanut butter protein balls recipe. Now it’s the turn of these no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars.
Unlike many no bake peanut butter bars recipes, this version has absolutely no powdered sugar, crushed cookies, or butter.
I’ve also added tested recipe with dark chocolate chips in the bars or thick ganache topping. I’ve included both options for the chocolate lovers out there. The results are a healthy snack reminiscent of Reese’s peanut butter cups that is delicious!
Ingredients for No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
These no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe require just 8 ingredients most of which are pantry staples.
- Peanut Butter: Avoid peanut butter with tons of added sugars and additives in general. Instead, choose an all-natural peanut butter with a runny consistency, if possible. If it’s thick, then you can heat it up first.
- Almonds: The almonds will be processed into almond flour, so feel free to use about 1 1/4 cups store-bought almond flour if you have it. For substitutions, check the FAQs.
- Oats: Use rolled oats or quick oats, using certified gluten-free if needed. You could also use store-bought oat flour.
- Sweetener: Honey, brown rice syrup, or date syrup will work best. You can also use maple syrup, though as it’s not quite as sticky, the peanut butter oatmeal bars may be slightly more fragile.
- Chocolate Chips: I like to use either semi-sweet, dark, or even sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Shredded coconut: I use unsweetened shredded coconut. You could lightly toast the coconut flakes in a pan until golden brown for extra flavor and crunch.
- Flavorings: I used a combination of cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, and salt to flavor these no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars.
Recipe Variations
- Seeds: Feel free to add some ground flaxseed or chia seeds to boost the protein content further and add additional healthy fats and vitamins/minerals. I recommend adding 2-3 tablespoons and potentially removing a tablespoon or so of the oat flour to make up for them.
- Dried fruit: Instead of, or alongside, the chocolate chips, you could add some finely chopped dried fruit to the no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars. I suggest raisins, craisins, or blueberries as my top picks.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin spice, vanilla, ginger, etc.
- Chocolate chips instead of ganache topping: You can also add 3/4 of chocolate chips to a dough and pulse a few times in a food processor. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top and flatten more with spatula or using your hands, pressing chips into dough.
How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Here is a quick overview how to make no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars. They can be prepped in around 10 minutes.
Process the almonds: Add the almonds to your food processor and process into a coarse flour (meal) texture. Then add the oats and process more until both ingredients are floury in texture.
Add the dry ingredients: Add the coconut flakes, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Process for a further 30 seconds.
Add the wet ingredients: Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, water and process until well combined into a dough.
You may need to pause your machine a few times to wipe down the sides of the jug to make sure everything is well combined.
Don’t pulse too much as it will break down the chips and possibly even cause them to melt from the machine’s heat.
Recipe Tip
If the batter seems a little too crumbly, you can add a little extra peanut butter depending on which type you use. Sometimes it doesn’t work as well to bind all the ingredients with the initial amount. Add 1 tablespoon to begin with and try again.
Shape the no bake peanut butter bars: First, prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Ensure the paper overlaps the dish’s edges, so it’ll be easy to lift out of the container later.
Then transfer the peanut butter dough to the dish and spread/flatten it well with hands and then spatula. Make sure to press on it so no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars stick!
Decorate and chill: In a small saucepan, add chocolate chips and coconut oil; melt over low heat, whisking constantly. Pour over dough all around and tilt pan to help melted chocolate coat bars evenly.
Then refrigerate the peanut butter oatmeal bars for at least 2 hours or freeze for around 30 minutes.
Cut the no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars: Pull the parchment paper flaps to pull the bars out of the tray and cut into 16 slices. Enjoy the chocolate peanut butter squares immediately, with a sprinkle of sea salt, and/or store for later!
More Tips for Best Results
- To easily slice the bars: Dip your knife in hot water for 10-15 seconds before cutting the bars.
- Feel free to use a 9 x 9 inch pan: The bars will be slightly thinner.
How to Make Ahead, Store and Freeze
Make ahead: As these no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars require several hours of chilling, you can prepare them the night before to chill in the refrigerator overnight before slicing.
Storing: Store bars in a glass container in the refrigerator for between 7-10 days. You can use parchment paper in-between layers of the bars if needed.
Can I freeze the bars? These no bake peanut butter bars are super freezer friendly. Lay the bars in a single layer on a tray until frozen and then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. You can optionally individually wrap them to freeze too.
Remove the peanut butter oatmeal bars from the freezer as needed and allow them to thaw at room temperature for 20-25 minutes before enjoying.
FAQs
Yes, if you’re not a massive fan of coconut, you can omit it and simply add a little more oat flour.
Yes, you could replace the almonds with something similar like walnuts, hazelnuts, or sunflower seeds.
Just note that the flavor, nutritional values, and particularly the amount of protein will change based on which you use. Or use approximately 1 1/4 cups almond flour instead.
While these no bake peanut butter bars may not be a low calorie snack, they’re full of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Just one bar contains 7g protein!
As long as you enjoy these in moderation, then it will be more than enough to keep you going for a healthy breakfast between meals or helping to attack those sugar cravings.
More Peanut Butter Recipes to Try
More Bars Recipes to Try
- Homemade protein bars
- Healthy banana oatmeal bars
- Healthy apple oatmeal bars
- Blueberry oatmeal crumble bars
- Quinoa granola bars
- Healthy pecan pie bars
No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 1/2 cups rolled or quick oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup smooth natural or organic peanut butter unsalted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or raw honey
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips I used Enjoy Life
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, add almonds and process on High until finely ground. Add oats and process more until finely ground. Add coconut flakes, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract; process for 30 seconds.
- Add peanut butter, maple syrup and water; process until combined. You might have to stop a few times and scrape down the walls.
- Line 8" x 8" square baking dish with parchment paper and transfer dough into it. Flatten using your fingers pressing onto dough well so bars don't crumble. Then level with spatula and hands.
- In a small saucepan, add chocolate chips and coconut oil; melt over low heat, whisking constantly. Pour over dough all around and tilt pan to help melted chocolate coat bars evenly.
- Refrigerate for a few hours of freeze for 30 minutes. Cut into 16 squares and enjoy chilled.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate in a glass airtight container for up to 7 – 10 days.
- Freeze: Up to 3 months.
- Peanut Butter: Avoid peanut butter with tons of added sugars and additives in general. Instead, choose an all-natural peanut butter with a runny consistency, if possible. If it’s thick, then you can heat it up first.
- Almonds: The almonds will be processed into flour, so feel free to use approximately 1 1/4 cups store-bought almond flour if you have it.
- Oats: Use rolled oats or quick oats, using certified gluten-free if needed. You could also use store-bought oat flour.
- Sweetener: Honey (non-vegan), brown rice syrup (decreased GI), or date syrup will work best. You can also use maple syrup, though as it’s not quite as ‘sticky,’ the peanut butter oat bars may be slightly more fragile.
- Chocolate Chips: I like to use either semi-sweet, dark, or even sugar-free chocolate chips.
- Chocolate chips instead of ganache topping – older recipe without melting chocolate: You can also add 3/4 of chocolate chips to a dough and pulse a few times in a food processor. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top and flatten more with spatula or using your hands, pressing chips into dough.
These are great. Thank you.
Hi Julia! Glad you tried again and they worked out for you 🙂
Hi Olena, I made these bars today to take away on long haul flight to India from UK, I have just tasted the first bar and I absolutely love it, it’s not only delicious but also very filling. I am taking half batch with me and giving half to my sister. I am sure she will love it too.
Hi Ayesha. Wow, you are ahead of me. Bars are very filling, half a batch will last you to India and back haha. I will make these with almond butter for my flight back from Mexico, great idea!!!!!!! Have a safe flight!!!
We make these weekly. We store them individually wrapped in the freezer and toss them in lunch boxes and road trips coolers all the time. My kids love making them. simple, easy, super clean and way yummy. Thanks Olena.
I made these and they’re delicious!
Could I skip the coconut?
Yes. Add a bit more oats.
Thanks for the lovely recipe. I’m going to try it this weekend and I’m sure my friends and I are going to enjoy it very much.
I just have a question, I’m not crazy about coconut flakes can I add more almonds and oats instead ?
Thank you very much for your answer.
Yes, you can do that. You won’t need much extra oats and PB since coconut flakes are very light and kind of “dissolve” in batter. However, you won’t taste them as much as PB flavour is strong.
I know I will love this and that’s why I’m giving it a 5 sight unseen!
• 1 cup almonds (will 1C of almond flour suffice?)
• 1 1/2 cups rolled or quick oats (1.5C of oat flour?)
Olena, you buy oat flour rather than whiz the oats in the food processor?
That said, I have a recipe that calls for garbanzo flour and I will buy it because it seems crazy to make flour from dry chickpeas, that it’s a lot of wear & tear on both my blender and food processor. Different story with oats.
Not a fan of coconut, so best to sub the 1/2C of coconut flakes with 1/2C oat flour, almond flour, a combo of both?
That should work. The texture might be different than mine, but the taste should be the same. Your call on the coconut substitution!
I have a slight allergy to almonds do u think this could be made with out almonds
You could use sunflower seeds, walnuts or hazelnuts instead. You need a substitute to make up in volume otherwise bars will be too runny.
I love that you include the nutritional info because I have to count carbs to know how much medication to take and seeing the rest is handy so I know if I need to make any adjustments. It’s so nice to have a break from calculating it myself.
Olena, These sound so yummy! My favorite things in life are dark chocolate and peanut butter. i absolutely loved your post and totally agree with everything you said! I eat very healthy and exercise 2 hours a day because it makes me feel good but never feel like I am on a diet. I just enjoy eating healthy clean foods and not processed. Thanks !
Agree! I have a recipe just for you coming next week.:)
I love how easy this is to make! PB is my favorite, but I buy the plastic bottle kind, still sleeping well, maybe I’ll start looking for a glass bottle after I run out in my pantry 😉
Check out a few stores. I found a brand that isn’t expensive. I try to buy all fats in glass jars. However, coconut oil and dairy products are a problem. I do as much as I can.