Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Posted Dec 19, 2020, Updated Mar 16, 2024
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In this chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe, a thick layer of chocolate and peanut butter is nestled between two layers of no-bake oatmeal cookie crust. They’re easy to make in 10 minutes with 5 ingredients!
These No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are an easy and delicious treat made with 5 ingredients in 10 minutes (just like these Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars or these chocolate peanut butter balls)!
This peanut butter chocolate oat bars recipe is my go-to treat when I’m short on time but need to make a dessert to bring to a holiday party, BBQ, potluck, etc. They’re also the perfect addition to your holiday cookie trays, along with all of our Christmas Cookie Recipes.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions
As always, I recommend making this no bake chocolate oat bars recipe exactly as written, however here are a few possible substitutions.
- Salted Butter. unsalted butter, earth’s balance vegan butter, and ghee all are good substitutes.
- Light Brown Sugar. dark brown sugar and coconut sugar are good substitutions.
- Peanut Butter. Any nut or seed butter works well in this recipe – almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.
- Semi-sweet chocolate. Use chocolate chips, bars, or discs. The form doesn’t matter beacuse it is melted. Choose your favorite variety from milk to dark.
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Like I’ve said, these no bake chocolate oat bars are so easy to make. We’ll walk through the process together step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Something to note is that this recipe moves quickly. Lay out the ingredients, line the baking dish, grease a spatula, etc. before you begin.
Melt Chocolate and Peanut Butter
Begin this peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe by making the peanut butter and chocolate layer first. That way it has a little time to cool before the assembly phase.
Make the Oatmeal Layers
Next, make the oatmeal layers. This process goes quickly! Begin by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
Then stir in brown sugar and sea salt until the sugar is dissolved. Once it’s dissolved, turn the heat to low and add the vanilla and oats.
Cook the oatmeal mixture on low for about 2 minutes, or until the ingredients are combined.
Next, press about half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a greased spatula. (Reserve the other half to sprinkle on top).
Then, pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture gently and slowly over the bottom layer. Reserving about 2-3 tablespoons to drizzle on top.
Very gently crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate peanut butter layer & press it into place. Drizzle the top with the remaining chocolate/peanut butter mixture.
Chill & Cut
Refrigerate the chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars for at least 2 hours, or until the chocolate is set.
Once the chocolate is set, remove the peanut butter chocolate oat bars from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before cutting. This ensures straight lines and easy cutting. Cutting cold, hard chocolate is never easy.
Store/Freeze
Store the peanut butter chocolate oat bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for 2 months.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars FAQS
Yes! Double the ingredients and make it in a 9×13″ pan.
Yes. Chill the bars, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw slowly at room temperature – do not microwave.
If your bars are crumbly, you may have over-cooked the butter mixture or added too many oats. Either decrease the intensity of heat next time or decrease the cooking time (or both).
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
Oat Layer:
- 1 cup salted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick cooking oats
Chocolate Peanut Butter Layer:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Line an 8×8" square baking dish with parchment paper, set aside.
Make the Chocolate Layer
- Melt the chocolate and peanut butter together – either in a microwave safe dish or on the stovetop over low heat.
Make the Oatmeal Layer
- Melt butter in a 5 quart saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir in the brown sugar and sea salt until dissolved.
- Add vanilla and stir until combined.
- Turn heat to low and add oats. Cook on low for about 2 minutes, or until ingredients are well combined.
Assemble
- Press about half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish with a greased spatula. (Reserve the other half to sprinkle on top).
- Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture gently and slowly over the bottom layer. Reserving about 2-3 Tablespoons to drizzle on top.
- Very gently crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate peanut butter layer & press it into place, making sure the entire top is covered.
- Drizzle the top with the remaining chocolate/peanut butter mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight (until chocolate is set).
- Let the bars come to room temperature again before cutting into squares.
Video
Notes
- Salted Butter. unsalted butter, earth’s balance vegan butter, and ghee all are good substitutes.
- Light Brown Sugar. dark brown sugar and coconut sugar are good substitutions.
- Peanut Butter. Any nut or seed butter works well in this recipe – almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.
- Semi-sweet chocolate. Since the chocolate is being melted, you can use chips, bars or discs. Choose your favorite variety from milk to dark.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love that these are no bake! I’m always down for a 10 minute treat— especially when it involves peanut butter. Have the most wonderful Christmas with your family Laura!!
These bars have so much going for them! Love that they’re no bake and so easy to make! Chocolate and peanut butter are a winning combination too!
Can’t go wrong with good old chocolate and PB!
Fudge oat bars are my favorites right now! I made a bunch and put them in the freezer, but they’re all gone now. Will have to make your version next!
LOL! The freezer doesn’t ever deter me from eating sweets either! 😉
Do you think it would be possible to add a little ground flax seed and brewers yeast?? Making lactation treats for a friend.
These look so perfectly peanut buttery! No judgment at all on eating most of them yourself – I’d want to do the same thing 😉
LOL my kids actually said to me today (as I was eating one after lunch because I made *another* batch)….”mom, you never share your cookies with us.” C’mon, last night I offered and they chose to eat marshmallows instead!! LOL!
These could be my new favorite! I know a few people that will go crazy over them!
They are SO SO good Meg!
My husband is leaning over my shoulder and asking when I can make these 🙂 so thanks for that! ha, these looks so amazing, my only issue would be not eating them all at once!
LOL Amanda!! I actually LOVE it when my husband has requests for food! He usually has zero opinion {but is always grateful no matter what I make} and sometimes I have no brain power to think of what to cook or bake! So yay for your hubby’s food choices! 😉
These look absolutely amazing!!! I HAVE to make these. The pb/chocolate combo wins me over every time.
It’s the BEST combo ever!
You had me at peanut butter! These look amazing and have so many of my favorites and look so easy. My girls would be all over these too!
I just made another batch yesterday (a half batch just for yours truly lol)! Can’t get enough!
These look and sound amazing! I love that they are layered as well. Peanut butter, chocolate and oats are pretty much one of my favorite combos of all time.
These look SOOOO good! Perfect for the holiday season and beyond! YUM!!