Chocolate Peanut Oatmeal Bars take the classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter up a level in this no bake dessert recipe!
I love this recipe for curing my sweet tooth because is has just a few ingredients and is quick to make (although there is some chilling time included, so be prepared to wait a bit.) Also, it’s filled with chocolate. You can’t really go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.
However, if you’re trying to eat a little healthier, these Chewy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are probably more what you’re looking for. 🙂
You only need 6 ingredients for this no bake recipe, and you probably already have them in your pantry! Butter, brown sugar, vanilla (not pictured), quick oats, chocolate chips and peanut butter combine to make a little bit of magic in these bars.
Start by melting the butter, brown sugar and vanilla together in a saucepan. Then stir in the oats and cook them for just a few minutes, until well-blended. Press half of the mixture into a greased square pan.
The next step is to melt together the chocolate and peanut butter and then pour that over the bottom oatmeal layer. Top with the remaining oat mixture and then refrigerate to set.
Then comes the best part: slicing into bars and eating! You can get 16 regular sized bars from this recipe, or cut them a bit smaller for more servings. They are very rich, so you don’t need a huge piece to satisfy your chocolate cravings.
To get beautiful, clean edges on your Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars, you’ll need to use a pan with removable sides or a push-up bottom panel like this Fat Daddio’s Square Pan. Another option for easy slicing is to line the pan with parchment paper and overhand the sides for easy lifting.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Servings: 16
Calories: 271kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups quick oats
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Instructions
- Over medium heat, melt butter in a large saucepan. Mix in brown sugar and vanilla. Once combined, add the oats.
- Cook over low heat 2-3 minutes, until ingredients are well blended.
- In a 9×9 greased pan, press half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the pan and place the remaining half to the side.
- In a small saucepan melt chocolate chips and peanut butter, stirring until smooth.
- Pour mixture evenly over the oatmeal crust.
- Top chocolate with the remaining oatmeal mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours until the chocolate peanut butter mixture has set.
- Slice into squares and serve with a glass of cold milk!
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 272IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @simplenseasonal or tag #simplenseasonal!
Don’t forget to pin this no bake recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars!
Originally published September 2012; Updated April 2020
Hi, I'm Nicole!I love chocolate chip cookies, good grammar, and trying new things. Pinterest is my happy place. Come follow me down the rabbit hole!
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Marjie Briggs says
Awesomely yummy! Quick and easy to make with just a few ingredients. Great for when you’re stuck at home.
Marjie @ Home Again Jiggety-jig! says
Been meaning to thank you for this recipe. I’ve made these a bunch of times, and really enjoyed them. You might want to tag them as gluten free. There are so many people looking for GF recipes.
A couple of times I’ve just made the “filling” as a candy. It is yumm. When I make the crust, I’ve learned to cook the sugar mixture until it is good and bubbly, and to leave the oats in for a minute or two, otherwise it really crumbles.
Nicole Burkholder says
I’d forgotten all about these! I need to make them again so I can get a decent photo! Thanks for the tip about gluten free!
Marjie @ Home Again Jiggety-jig! says
Thought I’d mention that my research has shown that you must not buy quick oats, because most quick oats are cut with flour.
In order for them to be guaranteed gluten free, they must be at Old Fashioned oats or scotch oats or something else than quick oats, AND the package must say it one the outside.
Nicole Burkholder says
Thank you! I really don’t know much at all about the “rules” of gluten free eating, so that helps a lot!