Out of all the recipes published on my website, I make these peanut butter banana chocolate chip oatmeal bars most often. A one-bowl recipe, these healthy snack bars are naturally gluten free, adaptable to many different ingredients, soft-baked, incredibly flavorful, and very easy to make. When packed with chocolate chips, you can count them among your favorite gluten-free dessert recipes, too!
I originally published this recipe in 2012 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more options for ingredient substitutions.
Truly one of my favorite homemade snacks, these peanut butter banana oatmeal bars have made their rounds in my kitchen for more than 10 years. Sometimes I change the recipe based on the ingredients I have and they still manage to turn out wonderfully! Satisfying your sweet tooth and unbelievably easy to make, these healthy oatmeal bars should definitely be on your to-bake list. I can’t get enough.
These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars Are:
- Super easy and quick (a great one-bowl recipe to make before school starts!)
- Mega flavorful and wholesome, just like peanut butter banana muffins
- Gluten free
- Vegan if using dairy-free chocolate
- Filled with healthful ingredients*
- Soft-baked and moist
- Adaptable to what you have on hand
- Freezer-friendly
*Ok ok I know chocolate chips aren’t necessarily healthy but they’re good for the soul! And, of course, they’re totally optional, so feel free to leave them out. Either way, these are a prime choice if you’re on the lookout for healthier dessert recipe ideas.
One reader, Leighann, commented: “This recipe is SO good! So easy to make, delicious, and healthy! Definitely will be making again! ★★★★★“
One reader, Laken, commented: “I adore this recipe. I make them a few times a month. My family loves to gobble them up for breakfast or snacks. Thank you so much for sharing it. ★★★★★“
One reader, Veronica, commented: “I made these oatmeal bars with almond butter and they are absolutely divine! They came together so easily and exceeded my expectations in terms of taste and texture. They are incredibly addicting and will absolutely be a repeat bake in our house. We love that the ingredients are wholesome yet so satisfying and provide the perfect amount of sweetness. Thank you, Sally! ★★★★★“
Ingredients in Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars
Over the years I’ve tested a lot of ingredient substitutions for these oatmeal bars. Read about the ingredients and any substitutions below:
- Bananas: You need about 3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas for 1 cup (230g) of mashed bananas. Want to turn these into pumpkin peanut butter bars? Swap canned pumpkin puree for the mashed banana. If you’re not a fan of banana, my recipe for peanut butter oatmeal bars is very similar but without banana in the ingredient list.
- Peanut Butter: I used to make these peanut butter oatmeal bars with 1/3 cup of peanut butter, but recently switched it to 1/2 cup for more flavor. You can use any nut butter you want, natural, homemade, or processed. Same options go for these flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies, too.
- Coconut Sugar or Brown Sugar: I love making these with unrefined coconut sugar. You can use brown sugar instead, but I don’t recommend liquid sweetener.
- Applesauce: I used to make these with an egg, but found that unsweetened applesauce works like a charm instead of the egg. You can, of course, use an egg or even a “flax egg” substitute. See my recipe notes below.
- Almond Milk or Regular Milk: I usually make these with unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but any milk works.
- Vanilla Extract & Cinnamon: Both add flavor.
- Oats: Whole oats or quick oats work here. I recommend whole oats for a little more texture. Use certified gluten free oats if necessary.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder adds lift.
- Salt: Salt balances the other flavors.
- Chocolate Chips: If you want to make these bars vegan, you can skip the chocolate or use dairy-free chocolate chips instead. You can also skip the chocolate chips or replace with peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, or raisins.
Easy Way to Mash Bananas
This trick for mashing bananas is a total game changer whenever I make banana muffins, breakfast cookies, and banana bread. Just use your mixer! Peel and break your spotty bananas into chunks, place in your mixer, and beat until mashed. Beat the rest of the wet ingredients right into this bowl. So easy.
Mixing Bowl to Oven in 10 Minutes
After you mash the bananas, beat in the rest of the ingredients. This is a 1 bowl recipe! If you don’t have a mixer, you can mash the bananas with a fork, then just stir in the rest of the ingredients. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then spread the batter into the lined pan. Give it a taste—the batter itself is SO DARN GOOD.
The bars take about 25–30 minutes to bake. Remove them from the oven, then let them cool completely. I usually cool them on the counter for 30 minutes, then place the whole pan in the refrigerator for 1–2 hours. Without refrigeration, the bars don’t cut as neatly.
What’s the Texture Like?
So what’s the texture of these peanut butter banana oatmeal bars like? Following the recipe, bake time, and cooling instructions below, the bars are somewhere between baked oatmeal and a soft granola bar. They’re very moist, but maintain their bar shape when you’re holding/biting into one. I recommend storing them in the refrigerator.
See more of my egg-free baking recipes and gluten-free recipes. If you sweet tooth is calling, here are 20+ healthy dessert recipes and 40+ gluten-free dessert recipes, too.
More Healthy Favorites
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Cookies
- Greek Yogurt Zucchini Bread
- Vanilla Almond Granola
- No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Oat Bars
Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 16 bars
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These quick and easy peanut butter banana oatmeal bars are adaptable in many different ways. See my blog post above and recipe notes below. They’re a more solid form of my delicious baked oatmeal.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230g) mashed bananas (about 3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas)
- 1/2 cup (125g) creamy or crunchy peanut butter*
- 1/4 cup (50g) coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60g) unsweetened applesauce*
- 1/2 cup (120ml) almond milk (or any nondairy milk)
- 2 and 1/2 cups (213g) old-fashioned whole oats or quick oats (not instant)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (use dairy free for vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, mash the bananas. On medium speed, beat or whisk in the remaining ingredients in the order listed. Batter will be a little thick, but still pourable.
- Pour/spoon the mixture evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the center is set (it will still look relatively soft!).
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. After that, place the pan in the refrigerator for 1 hour until chilled. The bars are difficult to cut if they haven’t been chilled.
- Remove bars from the pan using the overhang on the sides then cut into bars. Sometimes I drizzle melted peanut butter over each, but that’s optional. (Note: the parchment paper is always a little moist from soaking up some moisture from the bars.)
- Cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze squares in single layers between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | 9-inch Square Baking Pan
- Peanut Butter: You can use any nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew) you want—natural, homemade, or processed.
- Applesauce: I used to make these bars with 1 egg instead of the applesauce, but love their flavor with applesauce a bit better. You can, of course, use an egg instead or even use a flax egg substitute. Flax egg = mix 1 Tbsp ground flax with 3 Tbsp warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes while it “gels” up. Use the “flax gel” as a replacement for the applesauce/egg.
- Oats: Use certified gluten free oats to ensure the bars are gluten free.
- Chocolate Chips: You can skip the chocolate chips or replace with peanut butter chips, chopped nuts, or raisins. Or use a combination of any of those add-ins.
- Vegan: Use dairy-free chocolate chips and nondairy milk to ensure the bars are vegan.
- Gluten Free: Make sure your oats are certified gluten free to ensure these bars are gluten free.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi – I would to have a list of the nutrients contained – PER BATCH I MAKE/PRODUCED – TOTAL calories, protein, fiber, fat, sugars, carbohydrates, cholesterol, etc., – then WITH that total contained per batch I could divide by the amount of bars I cut, or amount of cupcakes made to get the “per serving” data for myself….is that possible??
Hi Paul! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
I just tried this recipe and OMG it is soo good!!!! I added a tablespoon of cacao powder just to make it a bit more chocolately and I’m obsessed. I’ll be making these again for sure and can’t wait to try it with pumpkin instead of peanut butter in the fall 🙂
How long can I leave them in the fridge for? In a container
You can cover leftover bars tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
This recipe is SO good! So easy to make, delicious and healthy!! Definitely will be making again!
Easy, peasy, and so good!! Thank you
Hi Sally!
If I wanted to add fresh fruit to this (such as cherries, strawberries, etc) what adjustments could I make? I’m thinking increasing the oats and making sure to pat down the cut fruit (and not adding too much). I know your notes recommend dried fruit, but I have some cherries to use up and was thinking of trying these bars with almond butter for something different.
Hi Lydia! You can definitely try some chopped fruits as the add-in(s). We would stick with fresh instead of frozen. Because of the fruit addition, we would extend the bake time by a few minutes to ensure the bars set up properly.
I have a lot of food sensitivities and GI issues, but getting a healthy meal is important. I made these with egg and sugar free/dairy free chocolate chips. This is the breakfast (and anytime snack) that I’ve been searching for! Thank you so much for the recipe. My GI system is so happy to have the extra oatmeal and banana too .
Other recipes from this site we have really liked, but not this one , sorry to say. All 3 of us said….okay, but won’t make it again. But everyone has different taste as some obviously loved it.
These turned out great! I used an egg since I didn’t have applesauce, and added some flax and chia seeds as well. I love how quick and easy they were to make, and they are such a great alternative to the usual banana bread/muffins I always make with overly ripe bananas! I did find them a tad bit too sweet, so next time I think I will reduce the amount of sugar. Thank you for another wonderful recipe, Sally!
I use the Splenda brown sugar blend for these muffins, works perfect. The only change I made was I cut back to 1/2 c, found them a little sweet with the 2/3 c. Thank you for sharing this recipe, my husband loves them.
Yum! These are great! Super easy with just one bowl (I like to use a food scale when I can to use even fewer dishes) and I’m looking forward to having one with my cup of coffee tomorrow! I used an egg instead of applesauce and oat milk was my non-dairy milk of choice today.
These are super yummy! And so quick and easy, too. Thx for sharing.
These have become a problem, I am addicted!! I added flax and chia and can’t get enough of them!!! YUM!!!
The drizzle on top isn’t listed in the recipe. Is it just heated peanut butter?
Hi Linda, yes, it is simply melted peanut butter and is optional. Delicious with or without!
Why the non dairy milk? Does that matter?
Hi Amy, you can use any kind of milk here, dairy or non-dairy.
Love all of your recipes! A lot of them call for bananas. My daughter is highly allergic to bananas. Is there something else or another fruit I can substitute?
Hi Patricia, you can use 1 cup of pumpkin puree in place of the banana. You could also try sweetened or unsweetened applesauce instead of the mashed banana. The bars may not be as solid, so you may want to bake a few extra minutes. Enjoy!
Boy Sally, I have to tell you I have tryed enough of your recipes and I’ve got to say every one of them has been so delicious that I tell everyone body I cross paths with about your site. I see some of them again in the store and they say too that your recipes are the best they have found as well. My favorite is chocolate muffins and the peanut butter cookies, oh and the Blueberry Muffins too. Gosh there are so many I like, we’ll I haven’t found one I don’t like. Thank you so very much for sharing with us. May God bless you and yours and do have a pleasant day, sincerely, Rhonda
Thank you so much for this sweet note, Rhonda! We’re so thrilled you’re enjoying those recipes – happy baking!
I feel the same way! I’m amazed by all the recipes I’ve tried from this site that I love. And they always turn out well. Many thanks to Sally and the team!
Thank you so very much Rhonda and Michelle! I do have a wonderfully talented and supportive team, and we love testing new recipes and revisiting old favorites to improve them. It’s so rewarding seeing so many bakers around the world trying these recipes. THANK YOU!
These are so wet and mushy. And the flavor is just not that good. Will not make again.
Delicious! Lovely banana flavour, and not too sweet!
I used 60g of raisins (pre-soaked) and 120g chopped walnuts instead of the chocolate chips. I also sprinkled some chunky sea-salt on top of the peanut butter drizzle after they were done chilling.
Delicious, I substituted an egg for the applesauce, used crunchy peanut butter and put it half dark chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Held together well, even when slicing without refrigerating it first.
Do you have any nutritional info on these bars? I just made them and we are on a weight loss plan so calories and sugar grams would be helpful. Thanks.
Hi Susan! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Peanut butter is not permitted in school due to allergies. Is there a substitution for peanut
butter?
If another nut butter is OK, almond butter would be fine or you can try a seed butter like sunflower seed butter.
This will be a new go to for get togethers, especially when accommodating vegan and gf family!
I adore this recipe. I make them a few times a month. My family loves to gobble them up for breakfast or snacks. Thank you so much for sharing it.
I made two batches! Super yummy & easy!
I put them in the fridge for a bit, so they would firm up a little! SO good!!!
I’m considering making these for church this weekend, but can I just use regular milk? Do they have to be vegan?
Hi Courtney, Any milk will work in these bars. Enjoy!
Awesome dessert. Great texture and flavor. Easy to make doesn’t hurt either.
Loving the sound of these biut not a great fan of banana. What could I substitute the banana with?
Hi Cassje, you can use 1 cup of pumpkin puree in place of the banana. Enjoy!
I made this recipe earlier today and as you say, it was very easy requiring just one bowl to mix up everything. I followed the directions exactly and weighed each of my ingredients and chilled them before serving. Texturally they are very pleasant, but my one complaint is that the cinnamon was overpowering. I was really looking forward to the combination flavors of banana and peanut butter, but I couldn’t taste either of them. I tasted the cinnamon and the chocolate chips. So thinking for the next batch to just leave out the cinnamon all together. Any other suggestions?
Hi Jay, Thank you for trying this recipe. You can certainly use less cinnamon depending on your preference, or completely leave it out if you wish, without making any other changes.
These were delicious! I will try again using raisins or maybe dried cranberries!
Sorry I forgot to add the stars in my comment
This recipe is so yummy!! I used raisins instead of chocolate for a slightly healthier option. I also made a short video on YouTube showing me making this recipe @dianaivy9735