No Bake Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

No Bake Oatmeal Bars are made with good-for-you ingredients: oats, flaxseeds, chia, coconut, peanut butter, and banana. It's one of the easiest recipes for a quick and healthy breakfast, snack, or dessert. This sweet treat couldn't be easier to make, and I love that they are no bake, so it's easy for the kids to join in.

Last week was crazier than normal for us, and I couldn't have been happier that we had these no-bake peanut butter oatmeal bars in the fridge. Having them at arm's length prevented more than one meltdown and kept everyone fueled and full.

When it comes to these bars, I love the combination of creamy peanut butter, banana, and chocolate. As a kid, I loved eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches, and I still make peanut butter banana toast pretty regularly as an adult. The only difference is that now I usually add a healthy dose of flaxseeds and chia seeds to make things a little healthier.

Everything starts with a delicious combination of mashed bananas, peanut butter, maple syrup (the real kind!), and cinnamon. Then, rolled oats, flaxseed meal, shredded coconut, and chia seeds are added, creating a healthy snack packed with fiber, protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Since chocolate makes everything taste better, I also added some of that. Finally, everything goes to the fridge, where the bars firm up and all the flavors combine.

If you're a huge snacker like us, add these Healthy No Bake Oatmeal Cookies, No Bake Date Brownie Bites, and No Bake Granola Bars to your stash for the perfect dessert!

Why You’ll Love These No Bake Banana Oat Bars

Here are some reasons these no bake peanut butter oat bars are the perfect snack:

• Quick and easy prep: The hardest part of making these no bake banana oat bars is waiting for them to set.
• Naturally sweet: No need for brown sugar in this no bake recipe. The bananas and maple syrup make these bars satisfyingly sweet.
• Healthy for you: These bars use simple ingredients and superfoods like flaxseeds and chia seeds that are packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals!

Speaking of chia seeds, you can use it in so many desserts. Try my Yogurt Chia Seed Pudding, Low Carb Lemon Chia Seed Muffins, and Low Carb Yogurt Parfait with Strawberries next time!

Ingredients and Easy Swaps

Here's everything you need to make these no bake peanut butter bars:

• Bananas: The browner, the sweeter! Mashed bananas also make the bars nice and soft.
• Peanut butter: Peanut butter lover or not, PB makes our bars deliciously nutty with a creamy mouthfeel. Use natural peanut butter, either chunky, sugar-free, reduced fat, and even other types of nut butter like almond and cashew butter.
• Maple syrup: Aside from being sweet, real and pure maple syrup also adds notes of vanilla, caramel, and toffee to these banana oat bars. I usually buy mine at Costco but this is a great option as well. You can also use agave syrup or honey.
• Cinnamon: This warm spice is so good on desserts. A dash of nutmeg or pumpkin spice is delicious, too!
• Rolled oats: These give the bars their shape and nice chewy texture. Use rolled, old-fashioned oats, since instant or quick oats can make the bars crumbly. Swap with gluten-free oats if needed.
• Flaxseed meal: These add a fun crunch, extra nutrients, and fiber. I like using golden flaxseed meal because it's sweeter and nuttier, but the darker flaxseed meal is good too.
• Chia seeds: Feel free to include other seeds like sunflower and hemp seeds. I usually find the best deals on chia seeds in the bulk bins at the grocery store or online. If you can find them for less than $5/pound, it's a pretty good deal. Plus, they last forever.
• Mix-ins: Unsweetened shredded coconut and dark chocolate chips or chunks are totally optional. But they just taste so much better with them, especially dark chocolate with the sweetness of banana! You can even mix/swap with white chocolate, caramel chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit.

How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These bars take around 3-4 hours to set, making them perfect for making ahead. Prep them before you go out in the morning, or let them chill overnight. Here's how to make this easy peanut butter oatmeal bars recipe at home:

1. Combine wet ingredients: Mix the mashed bananas, peanut butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon until well combined. For easier mixing, ensure the ingredients, especially the peanut butter, are at room temperature.
2. Mix in dry ingredients: Add the oats, flaxseed meal, coconut, and chia seeds to the wet mixture. Stir until evenly combined, then gently fold the chocolate chips. Mix some dried fruit, nuts, or other seeds for extra nutrition and flavor.
3. Set in the fridge: Press into an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper. Use the back of a measuring cup to press evenly. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm.
4. Serve: Once set, cut the mixture into squares. Wrap individual squares in plastic wrap for convenient grab-and-go snacks. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

These no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars are "so easy a kid could do it" simple. But here are a few tips to make absolutely sure yours turn out perfect:

• Line your pan: These bars are sticky. A sheet of foil, parchment, or plastic wrap makes them easy to lift from your baking dish.
• Use really ripe bananas: They're sweeter and easier to mash. The best bananas for baking are soft with brown spots. If yours are still too firm, try these tips to ripen them fast.
• Press firmly: Really press the chocolate peanut butter mixture into your pan so the bars hold their shape. Otherwise, they might crumble when you try to cut them! A flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup works great for this.
• Chill, not freeze: A slow chill lets the oats absorb moisture from the wet ingredients so you end up with soft, firm, but still chewy bars. Freezing won't make them set faster. It'll just give you a rock-hard block that'll fall apart once they thaw.
• Get creative: Try swirling in some jam or fruit preserves before chilling. Mix in crushed graham crackers, oreos, fruit slices, nuts, pretzels, and other stuff you enjoy. A drizzle of melted chocolate on top of the bars also makes them look so fancy.
• Increase protein: Add some protein powder if you want to up the protein content of these no bake bars. Use casein or brown rice protein powder for the best results.

How to Store Oatmeal Bars

If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, here's how to store these no bake chocolate oat bars:

• To store: Cut the bars into individual servings and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
• To freeze: These bars can also be frozen after setting and kept in the fridge for up to 2 months. Freeze in individual portions and wrap in parchment paper to keep them from sticking.