No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

This quick and easy no bake peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe needs only a handful of simple ingredients that you likely have in your pantry now. They are a family favorite post-dinner sweet treat that is vegan and gluten free.

Post originally published January 2019; updated April 2024.

These no bake chocolate peanut butter oat bars are my new favorite delicious treat! Peanut butter and chocolate is my all-time favorite flavor combination. Seriously, is there anything better? Luckily, if you’re a peanut butter lover like me there isn’t much stopping you from making these no-bake chocolate peanut butter oat bars right now.

All you need are a few simple pantry items like oats, creamy peanut butter, salt, and chocolate to make these at home ASAP! Another perk of this fun snack recipe is that it’s also diet-friendly since it is vegan and gluten-free. The hardest part is waiting for it to chill before cutting into squares.

Speaking of peanut butter and oats, you’ll also love my peanut butter banana oatmeal bars and my peanut butter cookie dough bites.

Ingredients for No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Bars

• Creamy Peanut Butter: there’s nothing better than the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. We use creamy, no-stir natural peanut butter for this one because it helps the chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars hold together better. You could also use homemade peanut butter or your favorite crunchy peanut butter.
• Maple Syrup: naturally sweetens the base of this no bake peanut butter bars recipe. Use a pure maple syrup for the best flavor. You can substitute with agave syrup if you like that better than maple. 
• Oats: we love incorporating rolled oats into desserts like these since it adds some fiber and chewy texture. We usually use old fashioned oats since that’s what we have on hand but you could use instant oats too. Make a gluten free version of this recipe by using gluten-free certified oats.
• Pumpkin Seeds: for a little bit of crunch, we usually add some pumpkin seeds to these bars but you can skip them if you’d like. You could also use extra chopped peanuts instead.
• Unsweetened Shredded Coconut: to add more chewiness to these no bake chocolate oat bars, we like to add a bit of shredded coconut but if you aren’t a fan of coconut, you can skip it. Make sure to use unsweetened coconut so that the bars aren’t overly sweet.
• Vegan Chocolate Chips: to make a simple chocolate layer on top of these bars, you’ll melt some vegan dark chocolate chips in the microwave. We really like the semisweet chocolate chips from Enjoy Life. You can also use 4 ounces of vegan dark chocolate instead of chocolate chips.
• Coconut Oil: helps the chocolate solidify on top of the bars.

Add-Ins and Substitutions

• Add-Ins: we like adding some pumpkin seeds and coconut to these vegan peanut butter oatmeal bars but you could also add dried fruit (raisins, dried cranberries, chopped dates), cacao nibs, chia seeds, hemp hearts, or ground flaxseed.
• Use a Different Nut Butter: you don’t have to use peanut butter for these – you can also use almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cashew butter.
• Top with White Chocolate: you don’t have to top these with semisweet or dark chocolate. You can also use vegan white chocolate on top of these delicious oatmeal bars!

How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Heat up the Peanut Butter & Maple Syrup: Add peanut butter and maple syrup to a small saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring continuously until well mixed. Remove from heat. (You can also do this step in the microwave- just heat for 30-90 seconds until the peanut butter is warmed and mixes easily with the maple syrup.)

Mix: Add the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, salt, and peanut butter mixture to a large mixing bowl. Stir well to combine.

Add to Pan & Chill: Line an 8″x8″ baking dish with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a glass to firmly press the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the refrigerator. 

Melt Chocolate & Chill Again: While bottom layer chills, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a small mixing bowl in the microwave.) Pour melted chocolate over bottom peanut butter layer. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and flaky sea salt. Chill for another 30 minutes in the refrigerator or until firm. Store these vegan peanut butter oatmeal bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Tips for making this recipe

• Line the Pan: Line an 8″x8″ square pan with parchment paper to make these no bake bars easy to remove from the pan.
• Press Bottom Layer Well: Make sure to really press the peanut butter layer well. I use the bottom of a glass to press the bottom layer into every corner of the pan. The better you press it all down, the better your peanut butter and chocolate oat bars will hold together when they are done.
• Stir Your Peanut Butter: If the oil in your peanut butter has separated, be sure to stir it well before making these no bake chocolate peanut bars.

Can I make these with a different nut butter?

Yes! If you can’t have peanut butter or don’t have any on hand, you can also make these chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars with almond butter, sunflower seed butter or cashew butter.

No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Created by: Deborah Murphy

Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 0 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

These yummy no-bake chocolate peanut butter oat bars are made with simple wholesome ingredients for the perfect healthy-dish snack or dessert. Vegan, Gluten-free

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Line an 8″x8″ baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

• Add peanut butter and maple syrup to a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously until well mixed. Remove from heat. 

• Mix together the oats, coconut, pumpkin seeds, salt, and peanut butter mixture in a mixing bowl. Pour mixture into parchment lined pan. Use the bottom of a glass to firmly press mixture into the bottom of the pan. Transfer to the refrigerator. 

• While bottom layer chills, melt chocolate and coconut oil in a small mixing bowl in the microwave .

• Pour melted chocolate over bottom peanut butter layer. Chill for another 30 minutes in the refrigerator or until firm. 

• Store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1/20th recipe | Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 7.5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.5g | Sodium: 158mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g

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