Healthy Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars
Posted Mar 10, 2019, Updated May 12, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
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.
Love, love, love this recipe!! I can understand why you look forward to one each morning. Thank you so much for sharing this genius breakfast goodie!
I’m so glad you share my love for these Zoe! <3
I am trying to keep a lower fat diet. Since there’s already peanut butter in the bar, I don’t want the top layer. Do I bake just for 20 minutes or the whole 30 minutes if I don’t follow the last step of layering?
I found this recipe almost a year ago and have been making these amazing bars weekly ever since! I add about 1/4 cup of dark chocolate chips because who doesn’t love chocolate with their peanut butter?! I love how filling they are, sometimes I eat then for breakfast, sometimes I cut them into smaller bars and have them as a snack. I have shared them with friends, family and co-workers, and everyone loves them. Thank you for sharing your favorite treat!
Thank you SO much Ivy! It’s so fun to know that someone else is eating the same breakfast as me every day! And adding chocolate chips is a great idea!
Have you ever just mixed the pb into the bar before baking? I don’t want to spread it on top. Just wondering how it may have worked for you. I will try.
Hey Dawn! There is peanut butter in the bar and on top! Personally, the peanut butter layer on top is my favorite part of the bar! But if you wanted to omit it you could!
I just came across this recipe last night, so exited to make them! Quick question – instead of Quick Oats, can I make them with Steel Cut Oats? I just got back from the store where I bought all of the other ingredients, but of course forgot to pick up the Quick Oats. If I cook the Steel Cut per directions first, then add them in, do you think it would work? Or maybe I should add them raw? Would love your advice before I make them. Thanks so much!
Hey! I have never used steel cut oats so I can’t recommend that substitution I’m so sorry! I h
Age use old-fashioned, rolled and quick-cooking with great results!
This is great. I’ve made this recipe several times already. Such a great snack and a quick morning bite. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Hi Laura,
I recently came across your blog as I have gotten more into cooking. As a peanut butter lover myself, these are great!! We will see what the hubby thinks when he gets home but I am already looking forward to my breakfast tomorrow! Also I love your blog – your family updates are so sweet & make it feel like we are friends 🙂 I wish you all the best & look forward to testing out many more recipes!
I just made these using more oats in place of flaxseed meal and almond flour instead of meal. They are very good and I will definitely make them again. Very easy too.
Have you ever tried these with a chocolate protein powder? That’s all I have, but I wasn’t sure if it would taste funny. Thanks! I can’t wait to try these!
Hey Molly! It would make them taste like chocolate! You could omit the protein powder if that’s not the taste you’re going for!
Just made these bars for my nephews. They were a HIT!!!! Their response was: these are really good even though they are not sweet like a cookie! 😀 My husband also loved them. So I’d officially call them a success! Thanks!
I love that comment Yolanda! From the mouths of babes right?! I’m so glad you enjoy these, I’m eating one right now as I type this reply! 😉