Quick No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These quick no-bake peanut butter oatmeal bars are simple delicious breakfast or snack bars made without baking and with healthy whole ingredients.

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 as the day would get away from if I wasn’t careful. I found a variation of no bake granola bars in a magazine and began making up different batches of them for snacks with her.

What I found was, they were delicious and for the most part, there wasn’t a need to bake. It was a win-win. Another bonus was theres no heating up the house on a hot summer day with a recipe like this. Instead you can have the kids help mix these up and press the oat mixture into an even layer into a square pan to refrigerate for later. Easy enough.

You can even 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. 

A great thing about these bars is that since they are made with pretty basic ingredients you will find you can make them up pretty much anytime you like. Use this peanut butter oatmeal bar recipe as a base or enjoy the golden brown bars just as they are. 

No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars Are…

• Made with wholesome ingredients.
• A delicious treat for a sweet tooth or peanut butter lovers.
• Great as a breakfast bar on the go.
• A no-bake cross between oatmeal cookies and peanut butter bars.
• A good source of whole grain 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 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)

Directions

In a large stock pot 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
• Reeses pieces
• Shredded coconut
• Chopped pecans or almonds
• M&Ms (mini or regular plain)
• Raisins
• Chocolate drizzle
• Chia or flax seeds
• Sunflower seeds

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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