Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
Here’s a healthy and delicious recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars. You only need a handful of ingredients for this snack which also makes a great dessert. This recipe can be made gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian.
Peanut butter, bananas, oats, and chocolate – these are all favorite ingredients on their own, but have you ever combined them? These make some very sweet treats that can be served as a healthy dessert or even as a quick breakfast.
Why You Need This Recipe
- The familiar flavors will be a hit with kids of all ages. With healthy ingredients, you can feel good about serving them to people of all ages. These Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars are a healthy snack low in added sugar.
- Make these ahead and freeze the pre-cut bars for easy snacks and breakfast.
- Overripe bananas are naturally sweet so only a touch of maple syrup is necessary.
Key Ingredients
- Bananas bring potassium and other nutrients to the table. When ripe, they are also quite sweet so that you don’t need to add a lot of extra sugar to these healthy oatmeal bars.
- Maple syrup adds a bit more sweetness and the perfect flavor.
- Rolled oats are full of fiber and give just the right texture to these bars. Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats.
- Peanut butter is a classic flavor, especially paired with banana and chocolate. This also adds some healthy fats to the granola bars. You can use creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter.
- Dark chocolate chips add just enough extra sweetness to make these peanut butter oatmeal bars a real treat.
- Vanilla extract adds depth of flavor.
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Steps
Step One
Preheat the oven and line a baking dish with parchment paper. Mash the banana well with a fork in a large bowl. Some chunks are fine!
Please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the exact ingredients and measurements.
Step Two
Add the remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips) and stir well to combine. Spread in prepared baking dish.
Step Three
Spread out the batter, then top with chocolate chips. Bake, cool, and serve!
Serve warm or at room temperature. You won’t believe that you can make such an easy snack with simple ingredients.
Make a double batch and freeze any leftovers.
Recipe Tips
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- These bars can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost before serving.
- You can make this recipe vegan by swapping out the egg with an egg replacer.
- Add a scoop of your favorite unsweetened protein powder to transform these bars into a protein-fueled treat.
Recipe FAQs
As written, this is dairy-free and gluten-free. Just make sure you are using ingredients that fit your diet, such as certified gluten-free oats and dairy-free chocolate chips. Peanut allergy? Try almond butter or cashew butter or even sunflower seed butter. Egg allergy? I haven’t tested it, but a flax egg should work nicely.
Try using nuts for part of the chocolate chips. Mix different varieties of chocolate, such as white and dark. Try dried fruit as well! You can also use applesauce in place of the mashed bananas.
More Healthy Snacks You Might Like
- Keto Trail Mix
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins with Chocolate Chips
- Cherry Popsicles with Coconut Milk
- Homemade Healthy Orange Jello
- Air Fryer Granola
- Egg-Free Oatmeal Cookies
Don’t Miss These Recipes Using Bananas
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
Here’s a healthy and delicious recipe for Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars. You only need a handful of ingredients for this snack which also makes a great dessert. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 bars 1x
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats for gluten-free diets)
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, at room temperature
- 1 egg, lightly beaten (see notes for a vegan option)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips (use dairy-free chocolate chips for dairy-free diets)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Place the peeled bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Use the back of a fork to mash them well.
- Add the oats, peanut butter, egg, maple syrup, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir together.
- Transfer the mixture into the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Top with the chocolate chips.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the bars have started to turn a golden brown.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- These bars can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost before serving.
- You can make this recipe vegan by swapping out the egg with an egg replacer.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/10 of recipe)
- Calories: 197
- Sugar: 10.5 g
- Sodium: 125.8 mg
- Fat: 9.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.3 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 18.6 mg
Don’t forget to join my newsletter list to get exclusive clean eating recipes and tips. The newsletter is 100% free with no spam; unsubscribe anytime.
About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.
These are delicious! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
These were a huge hit in my house!!!