Healthy Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars
Posted Mar 10, 2019, Updated May 12, 2024
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This easy peanut butter breakfast bars recipe is made in one bowl in 30 minutes, and is loaded with fiber, protein & omega-3s to keep you full all morning long!
When I decided to start this website in 2016, I knew right away that this would be my very first post. These Healthy Breakfast Bars have been my constant companion for the last 15 years are are, hands down, my favorite recipe of all time.
These breakfast bars gave me energy through my career as a high school chemistry teacher. They helped me grow all the necessary parts of our very first tiny little human, and the second, and the third, and the fourth, and the fifth, and the sixth.
These healthy oatmeal breakfast bars sustained me as we moved across the country away form all our friends and family. Every night when my head hits the pillow and I close my eyes, I know one of these beauties will be waiting for me when I wake up. I love them. Truly I do.
I mean, what’s not to love? These breakfast bars are full of fiber, protein, potassium, omega-3s, and are SO delicious. They are gluten, dairy and refined sugar free, but they are hearty enough to keep you full for hours. And they’re easy to make! To me, they are perfect.
Healthy Breakfast Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions
I get a lot of questions about possible substitutions for this breakfast bar recipe, so let’s chat about them now! A great thing about this recipe is that it’s fairly customizable.
- Quick Cooking Oats. Old fashioned oats work well, using them will result in a chewier texture.
- Almond flour/meal: If you’d prefer to not use almond meal, omit it and increase the amount of oatmeal by ½ cup.
- Ground Flaxseed: You may substitute ½ cup of almond meal or extra oats in place of the ground flaxseed.
- Protein Powder: This is an optional ingredient. I love using Vanilla Protein Powder for a little flavor and protein boost, but you can omit it entirely if you don’t keep this ingredient on hand!
- Honey: maple syrup is a good substitute. Or, add an extra banana or an extra ¼ cup applesauce instead if you’d prefer a less-sweet, sugar free option.
- Peanut Butter: I use creamy or crunchy and choose your favorite variety.
How to Make Breakfast Bars
Since I have made this breakfast bar recipe every week for 15 years now, I’m pretty sure I could make them in my sleep! However, in order to be helpful I want to walk through all the steps in this recipe for you.
Combine Wet Ingredients
To make these breakfast bars in one bowl, start by mashing the banana. I use a potato masher, but a fork would work as well.
Then add the rest of the ingredients and stir until the mixture is uniform throughout!
Add Dry Ingredients
Next, add all the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir to combine.
As you can see, the final mixture should not be runny. It should be moist but not at all liquidy.
Bake for 20 Minutes
This healthy breakfast bars recipe requires two sessions of baking. First, bake the breakfast bars naked (without any peanut butter on top) for 20 minutes.
The top should be slightly firm when the breakfast bars are removed from the oven. Since all ovens are different your baking time may vary slightly. However, it is important that the top isn’t mushy and that you can spread peanut butter around on it without it becoming a mess!
Top With Peanut Butter
After 20 minutes of baking, remove the oatmeal breakfast bars from the oven and spread a layer of peanut butter on top. The amount you use will depend on your taste.
I enjoy a super thick layer of peanut butter, so I use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. Use as much or as little as you’d like!
Bake for 10 Additional Minutes
Return the breakfast bars topped with peanut butter to the oven for 10 more minutes. This step sets the peanut butter and finishes baking the bars.
As you can see, the final product will have nice little sinkholes of peanut butter on top! YUM!
Chill Overnight
These breakfast bars are best served cold. I always make them the day before I want to eat them and let them cool in the refrigerator overnight.
I have eaten them warm when I didn’t have my act together and they’re still good, but not as good if catch my drift!
Cut & Enjoy
Finally, once the breakfast bars have cooled in the pan overnight, cut them into squares and enjoy! Or you can cut them and save them for later! I always cut them into 9 breakfast bars, because it’s the perfect size breakfast for me to enjoy with a green smoothie.
Store/Freeze
I make a large batch of these (sometimes a double batch) to eat all week long. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator (do not microwave).
Breakfast Bars Recipe FAQs
To store these breakfast bars, simply cut them and put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you think it will be over a week before you finish them all, I recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and then putting them in an airtight container.
If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator these breakfast bars will last for up to one week!
Yes, double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13″ pan. You may need to bake them 5 minutes longer.
If you make something from JoyFoodSunshine I would love to see your creations. Follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube. Tag me in your photos #joyfoodsunshine @joyfoodsunshine Don’t forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below.
Healthy Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup quick cooking oats
- ½ cup almond meal
- ½ cup flaxseed meal
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla protein powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 overripe bananas (mashed)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
Topping
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 square baking dish
- In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients (oats, almond meal, flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and protein powder if using), set aside. (alternately add the dry ingredients after mixing the wet ingredients).
- In a large bowl mash the banana. Add applesauce, honey, 1/4 cup peanut butter and vanilla. Mix well.
- Stir dry ingredients into wet until combined. Spread mixture into the pan (should be moist but not soupy).
- Bake 20 minutes (should be slightly brown around the edges and top should be set), remove from oven and spread peanut butter over the top of the bars (I like a really thick layer of peanut butter but it’s to your own preference)
- Continue baking for 10 minutes more or until firm and lightly browned around the edges. At this point the peanut butter layer will have tiny little bubbles in it.
- Cool completely in the refrigerator and cut into 6 or 9 bars. Wrap each with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the fridge for a quick grab and go breakfast!
Video
Notes
- Quick Cooking Oats. Old fashioned oats work well, using them will result in a chewier texture.
- Almond flour/meal: If you’d prefer to not use almond meal, omit it and increase the amount of oatmeal by ½ cup.
- Ground Flaxseed: You may substitute ½ cup of almond meal or extra oats in place of the ground flaxseed.
- Protein Powder: This is an optional ingredient. I love using Vanilla Protein Powder for a little flavor and protein boost, but you can omit it entirely if you don’t keep this ingredient on hand!
- Honey: maple syrup is a good substitute. Or, add an extra banana or an extra ¼ cup applesauce instead if you’d prefer a less-sweet, sugar free option.
- Peanut Butter: I use creamy or crunchy and choose your favorite variety.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These are really good, Laura! They really do keep you full – I am always starving in the morning! I would love your green smoothie recipe that you pair it with. Give us all your skinny mom secrets! ???? I love your blog!
Thanks so much Amy!!! I’m so so glad you like them! I’m not joking when I say I eat one every morning (eating one right now)! 😉 Nursing makes me crazy hungry…especially in the mornings! Your body needs good fuel to take care of your sweet baby boy! I LOVE smoothies. I used to have a hard time getting all the protein I need because I don’t love meat, but smoothies changed that for me! I will definitely be posting that recipe very soon! 🙂
These look so delicious! my little monsters favourite food is peanut butter so these would be a great alternative to boring PB toast for breakfast! thanks so much for linking up to #YumTum this week!
Peanut Butter IS the best! 😉
Congrats on your blog, Laura. These breakfast bars looks chewy and gooey. Thanks so much for sharing.
#YumTum.
Thanks so much Joy! 🙂 <3
Everyone….these bars are amazing!! I finally have energy that lasts me past 9am (when I used to be ready for second breakfast, pre-bar life). I sometimes substitute steel cut oats for the quick oats, maple syrup for the honey, or coconut oil for the applesauce, just depending on what I have in the house. It is super difficult to mess these bars up. I make a double batch every two weeks. my husband and I love them! Thank you Laura!
These look awesome! I can’ t wait to try them 🙂
Thank you Michelle!! Let me know if you do! 🙂 <3
I know my kids and husband would go crazy for these beauties! Definitely giving them a try this week!
Thanks so much Susie! Let me know how they turn out!
Congrats on your blog! 🙂 Your breakfast bars look yummy, and I hear you on wanting the same thing over and over…my daughter has for years taken the same salad for lunch (with a variation here and there) and she also has a kale salad that she asks for constantly that I make most weeks (and then she takes both salads with her to school). LOL I bet my kids (and I) would love these too…maybe we will start a new breakfast tradition here! Glad you stopped by #FoodieFriDIY and I’m sending some foodie love your way!
Thank you so much for your comment and for providing a way for people (like me) to connect! 🙂 Your family is beautiful! Maybe one day my 5-year-old daughter will request kale salads instead of pizza and cake! 😉 I’d LOVE your salad recipes if they’re on your blog pretty please post them here! 🙂
mmm these look so yummy! I LOVE breakfast bars, the prefect grab n’ go breakfast!
Hey Rachel! Thank you so much for the sweet comment! I love your blog and have pinned quite a few of your recipes to try! <3
These sound delicious! I’ve been looking for more breakfast options that are grab and go since we started “clean eating” and these look great. What kind of peanut butter do you use? Natural? I’m definitely trying these this coming week.
Hey Megan! I LOVE the Trader Joe’s salted creamy PB with the orange label. I also really like either of the Kirkland brand natural peanut butters (they make an organic one and just a natural one)! I usually choose peanut butters that have only two ingredients…peanuts and salt! 🙂
Are you on pinterest? I have a ton of recipes on my breakfast board that I’ve tried that you should check out! I have a few I’m going to post soon but I got a lot of them from other bloggers and the recipes are on there! 🙂 I’m all about quick breakfasts!!
do you happen to know the nutritional info? such as protein, calories, carbs?
Hey Melissa! I do not calculate the nutritional information on my recipes! But there are many websites where you can enter in the ingredient list of any recipe and they will calculate for you! I usually cut these into 9 bars, so a serving size of 9! 🙂
Laur! First of all congrats on the blog! Your post is witty and so so cute! I’m going to make these asap because they sound like the perfect on the go food that I’m looking for these mornings! Also, what is your fav kind(s) of peanut butter you use for these?
Xxo!
Hey Case!! Thank you! 🙂 My favorite peanut butter in the world is the Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted PB with the orange label….but I usually use that just for eating not for baking because it’s so good by itself! 😉 For these I usually use the Kirkland brand natural peanut butter from Costco. On top I like to mix a natural one (like kirkland or TJs) with a more stable one like Jiff…but I’ve made them with only one kind and they’re great either way. It’ really up to you if you want a sweeter taste go with one like Jiff, if you’d prefer less sweet I’d choose one where only ingredients are peanuts and salt (like Kirkland or TJs).
Any subs for the bananas? Could i use sweet potato or pumpkin?
Hey Leslee! You absolutely could use either of those ingredients! It will {obviously} change the taste but I think pumpkin would be especially delicious!
Hey laura, if subbing more applesauce or canned pumpkin for the 2 mashed bananas, how much would you use? 1/4 cup? 1/2 cup?
Hey Jessica! I’d go with 1/2 to 1 cup! If it looks too wet you can always add a touch more oats! But the two mashed bananas probably measure around 3/4 cup depending on their size!
Hi there,
Have made these twice now and everyone (except my 13 year old who doesn’t like peanut butter) loves them. Wondering if you’ve ever added chocolate chips?