Quick No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These quick no-bake peanut butter oatmeal bars are made with simple ingredients and are an easy healthy snack you can make your own. 

For some reason cooking from scratch and coming up with meals can be second nature. But coming up with quick on the go snacks is somehow tricky.  Maybe its the endless aisles of grocery store snacks  that make us think we need a ton of options. For years I have tried my best to veer away from prepackaged foods and when it comes to snacks I have had to be creative. I remember when my daughter was much younger we would be at home on an average day and she would want to bake something with me. 

At the time, the mess was usually the worry and honestly in those days, I felt pressed for time. The day would get away from me if I wasn’t careful. I found a great recipe of no bake granola bars in a magazine and began making up different batches of them for snacks with her. The original recipe called for brown sugar and pure maple syrup, both of which I swapped out for raw honey. 

What I found was a variation of no bake healthy granola bars that I could take on the go that didn’t have the added sugar other bars require. It was a win-win. With just a few minutes of prep time I could mix these up and press the oat mixture into an even layer into a square pan to refrigerate for later.

My favorite part is you can make them your own by incorporating additions like melted chocolate to drizzle over, dark chocolate chips or chopped almonds for crunch. The peanut butter flavor in these oat bars pairs nicely with a multitude of additions to be enjoyed as a healthy treat or even a part of a healthy breakfast on the go. 

This No Bake Oatmeal Bars Recipe Is…

• Made with wholesome ingredients and no added sugar.
• A healthy snack, and a sweet treat for a peanut butter lover.
• One of the easiest recipes on this site with a chewy texture and great taste.
• A no-bake cross between oatmeal cookies and peanut butter bars.
• A great recipe and source of whole grains and healthy fats.

Ingredients

Honey- I like to use raw unfiltered honey for the added health benefits but you can use standard honey if you like.

Oats- For best results use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant oats or quick cooking oats as the old-fashioned oats stand up better to these bars and give the texture needed for them to be cut into bars without crumbling.

Peanut Butter- I like to use creamy peanut butter but you can substitute it out for crunchy peanut butter if you prefer it. It will give a slightly different texture with a little more crunch. If using natural peanut butter, make sure to stir the oil in to the butter before adding it to the pot. 

Sea salt- For just a dash of flavor, adding a sprinkling of chunky sea salt adds a wonderful sweet and salty component to these bars that work perfectly with the sweetness of the honey and peanut butter. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Tools

10×10 Baking Dish (square pan)

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Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the honey, oats, and peanut butter. Mix them through until the ingredients are completely blended. Remove from the heat.

Place the mixture into a greased or parchment paper-lined 10 x10 baking dish.

Smash it down until it’s even. Sprinkle the top with a few dashes of chunky sea salt.

Place the baking dish into the fridge for 3 hours to set. When ready, remove from the baking dish and cut into squares.

Assembly Notes

• This recipe fits perfectly into a 10×10 baking dish. You can use a half-sheet baking sheet and it will fill it up about 3/4ths of the way. Use the back of a big kitchen spoon or the back of a knife to make the edge even on the outside so that they are evenly shaped when cut.
• Place a piece of parchment paper down into the dish for easy removal and clean-up.
• Don’t over heat the ingredients, simply warm them enough to incorporate the honey and peanut into the oats.

How To Make These Bars Your Own

You can add just about anything you love to these bars. Here are some things I like to add when I want to dress them up just a little. Add one or several and create a variation suited to your families taste.

• Mini chocolate chips
• Reese’s pieces
• Shredded coconut
• Chopped pecans or almonds
• M&Ms (mini or regular plain)
• Raisins
• Chocolate drizzle
• Chia seeds
• Flax seed
• Sunflower seeds

Love peanut butter? Check out these 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies.

How To Store

To store the bars, place them in an airtight container or a large plastic bag with a zip top closure. You can also keep them in the square baking dish and cover it with plastic wrap. I store the bars at room temperature and find they last up to a week in doing so. You can also store them in the fridge if you prefer. 

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10×10 Baking Pan

Unbleached Parchment Paper

Chunky Sea Salt

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Other Recipes You May Like…

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies (without butter)

Oatmeal Peach Muffins

Easiest Overnight Oats

If you try this recipe and love it, I would appreciate you coming back to give it 5 stars!