Bring on the snacks! We love having some easy snacks on hand during the week and with you guys loving my oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, I figured let’s do a fun spin on them. Enter healthy oatmeal chocolate chip bars.
Chances are you probably have everything you need to make them at home already. Made from things like bananas, oats, peanut butter, and chocolate chips, and lightly sweetened with just a tablespoon of maple syrup. No flour or refined sugar is needed!
They make an easy throw-together snack or dessert when you are craving something sweet, but still want to keep it healthy. The macronutrient ratio is excellent and they have a good balance of carbs, healthy fats, and fiber, and each one has 7 grams of protein!
I’ve been loving them as a snack or dessert. Enjoy them warm or cold. Once cooled, they get a little firmer and take on a dense and chewy texture and it tastes like a big fat oatmeal cookie. If you really want to do it up, warm one up and top it with some ice cream! Michael did it the other night and the combo is epic!
Why we love these oatmeal chocolate chip bars
- absolutely delicious – especially out of the oven when they are a little bit warm
- made in one bowl
- simple whole food ingredients – and I’m guessing you probably already have most of the ingredients at home.
- lightly sweetened – we are using just a tablespoon of maple syrup + brown bananas.
- super customizable – you can easily adjust this recipe to what you have on hand and change up the flavors each week.
Ingredients
- spotted or brown bananas – the browner, the sweeter the recipe will be!
- peanut butter – look for a drippy and all-natural variety
- milk – any kind will work!
- maple syrup – just a touch a little added sweetness
- pure vanilla extract
- rolled oats
- ground cinnamon
- baking powder
- salt
- chocolate chips
How to make peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8×8 square baking pan.
- Mix together wet ingredients. Add bananas to a large bowl and mash with a fork until no lumps remain. Next, add in peanut butter, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Stir in dry ingredients. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and stir until incorporated. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. The batter should be somewhat wet (see photos above).
- Bake. Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, spreading out evenly. If desired, sprinkle with a few more chocolate chips. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on the top and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Enjoy! Let cool and enjoy!
Storage
- fridge – first, let the bars cool completely. Add to a sealable airtight container or cover your baking dish with saran wrap. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week. You can also leave them on the counter at room temperature, but only if your house is not too hot. I would only do this for 1-2 days.
- to freeze – let cool completely and place individual bars on a large plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place in the freezer and let freeze for 2 hours or until hardened. This will help ensure they freeze individually and won’t stick together. Transfer to a large bag (we love reusable silicone ones) and freeze for up to 3 months. You can defrost them by placing them in the refrigerator and then warming up the microwave if desired.
- reheat – these can be eaten hot or cold! To warm up, pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until warm.
Substitutions and additions
These peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip bars are great as is, but you can definitely change it up to keep it interesting. Here are a few suggestions:
- spotted or brown bananas – if you don’t have enough bananas, you can use some applesauce or pumpkin puree to make up the difference. This will change the flavor some.
- peanut butter – any kind of nut butter will work. Try tahini or sunflower seed butter to keep them nut free.
- milk – any kind of milk will work (almond milk, oat milk, or dairy milk).
- maple syrup – any kind of liquid sweetener will work (honey, agave…). You can also leave it out if you don’t want any sweetener.
- rolled oats – quick oats will work instead of rolled oats. Steel-cut oats will not work as the texture is different. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- baking powder – baking soda will work instead.
- chocolate chips – milk, semi-sweet, dark chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, or white chocolate chips will work. Use dairy-free if needed.
And here are a few additions you can add to spice them up:
- more peanut butter – these have a slight peanut butter flavor, but if you love it, feel free to add more.
- chopped nuts – walnuts, peanuts, or pecans would be great.
- fresh or dried fruit – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or cranberries would all be great – kind of like a PB&J!
- shredded coconut – chocolate and coconut are always a good idea.
- protein powder – for a little extra protein boost, you can add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder. I would suggest adding a little more milk to ensure they aren’t too dry.
- cacao powder – to make them extra chocolatey, stir some cacao powder to the batter.
More healthy oatmeal recipes
- oatmeal chocolate chip muffins
- chocolate peanut butter overnight oats
- pumpkin baked oatmeal
- apple cinnamon protein cookies
- peanut butter & jelly stuffed oatmeal cups
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Easy healthy oatmeal chocolate chip bars! Made in one bowl with rolled oats, bananas, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. They make the perfect healthy snack or dessert. Gluten-free and easily made vegan and dairy-free.
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ingredients
- 2 medium spotted or brown bananas, mashed (200 grams/about 3/4-1 cup)
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (128 grams)
- 1/2 cup milk (any kind will work)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats (200 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- oil, for greasing (I used a little coconut oil)
instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8×8 square baking dish.
- Mix together wet ingredients. Add bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until no lumps remain. Add peanut butter, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Stir in dry ingredients. Add oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and stir until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips. The batter should be somewhat wet (see photos above).
- Bake. Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, spreading out evenly. If desired, sprinkle with a few more chocolate chips. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown on the top and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Enjoy! Let cool and enjoy!
notes
these have a slight peanut butter flavor, but if you love peanut butter, I would suggest adding more.
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 246
Calories from Fat 106
% Daily Value*
Fat 11.8g18%
Saturated Fat 3.2g20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 5.3g
Sodium 177mg8%
Potassium 303mg9%
Carbohydrates 31.7g11%
Fiber 4.9g20%
Sugar 10.6g12%
Protein 7.1g14%
Vitamin A 9IU0%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 86mg9%
Iron 1.7mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!
Amanda O'Neill says
These are fantastic, I make them every week for our household. I tell everyone about these bars!
Kelly says
That makes me so happy to hear! Glad they are so well-loved – thanks, Amanda!
Alex G says
can you add eggs to the recipe? If so, how would it change the texture?
Kelly says
I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure, but I think it would work fine. You might have to cook them a little longer and they will be a little more gooey in the middle (yum!). Or you could add a touch more rolled oats to help balance out the liquid. Hope that helps!
Maz says
Just made these bars and they are fab, not sure where to store them though. Fridge or air tight tin
Kelly says
I suggest the fridge in an airtight container for the best results. Glad you enjoyed them Maz!
Heather says
I am going to try this but I am going to use milk instead of almond milk to bump up the protein.
Kelly says
Love that! I have used whole milk before and it works the same. Hope you enjoy them!
Karlly says
very easy and delicious!
Kelly says
Glad you enjoyed and thanks for trying them!
Katelyn says
So easy and delicious to make! I used almond butter and they turned out great. These were the perfect morning fuel and also would be a great dessert 🙂
Kelly says
Love to hear it, Katelyn! Thanks for trying them!
Ann says
Can these be made ahead of time and frozen? Any problems with defrosting?
Kelly says
Hey Ann! Yes, you can make them and freeze them. Let them cool completely and then either freeze them whole or you can slice them individually and freeze them. They can freeze for up to 3 months and then just let them defrost in the fridge. I hope that helps!
Daniela says
Perfect texture, just enough sweetness, real ingredients, absolutely delicious! Thank you!
Kelly says
So glad you enjoyed them, Daniela!