Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars (Printable)

Chewy bars with peanut butter, ripe banana, oats, and cinnamon. Perfect for quick, no-bake energy boost.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
03 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
06 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
07 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
08 - 1/4 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

# How to Make It:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth.
03 - Add peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir until fully combined.
04 - Add oats, salt, cinnamon, and optional nuts or chocolate chips. Mix until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
05 - Place the mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the mixture is set and firm enough to cut.
07 - Lift the set mixture out using the parchment paper overhang and slice into 12 bars. Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No oven, no mess, no excuses—they're ready to eat in under an hour, including chill time.
  • The texture is exactly that sweet spot between chewy and substantial, like eating a refined energy bar but made by your own hands.
  • They taste like a treat but feel like a choice you're making for yourself, packed with real ingredients and no guilt.
02 -
  • Overripe bananas are your friend here—the softer and more yellow-brown they are, the easier they mash and the sweeter the bars become.
  • If your mixture seems too wet after mixing, it's usually because your oats are old and haven't absorbed moisture yet; give it a few minutes to settle before deciding to add more oats.
  • Press them really firmly into the pan—I learned this the hard way when my first batch fell apart mid-slice, but now I know that pressure is what holds them together.
03 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper overhang—it's the difference between bars and crumbles, and it takes two seconds to set up.
  • Keep your knife warm and dry between cuts; a damp cloth and a quick wipe makes slicing cleanly so much easier.
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