Peanut Butter Oat Bars
No-bake bars of oats, peanut butter and honey pressed into a tin and chilled until firm. Makes 12 in 15 minutes plus chilling.
Photograph credit: Peanut butter chocolate chip oat bars by @joefoodie · CC BY 2.0 · Flickr
Make Ahead and Storage
Keep in the fridge in an airtight tin for up to 1 week. Freezes for up to 2 months.
Peanut Butter Oat Bars: The Method
Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.
-
Line a 20 cm square tin with greaseproof paper.
-
Warm the peanut butter, honey, vanilla and salt in a pan over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until runny.
-
Stir in the oats and raisins until evenly coated. Press very firmly into the tin.
-
Chill for at least 2 hours until firm and cut into 12 bars.
Worth Knowing
- Press the mixture down very firmly.
- Use rolled oats, not instant.
- Check for peanut allergies before sharing.
Why the Method Is What It Is
Honey and peanut butter are the glue. Warmed together for a minute, they loosen and coat the oats evenly, then set firm as they cool. There is nothing else holding these together, so the ratio matters.
The oats should be rolled oats, not instant: they keep some chew, where instant ones turn to paste. Toast them lightly in a dry pan for 3 minutes if you want a deeper flavour, though it is optional.
Press the mixture into the tin as hard as you can. The back of a spoon works, but a flat-bottomed glass is better. Loose bars fall to bits when cut.
Chill for at least 2 hours until firm. Cut with a sharp knife into 12. Wrap individually for lunchboxes. The bars are chewy rather than crisp, and make a filling snack. Pack them individually in paper for lunch boxes, and keep them cool in warm weather, because the honey and peanut butter soften easily.
Serving Ideas
Glass of milk · Fresh fruit · Cup of tea
Questions About Peanut Butter Oat Bars
How long does Peanut Butter Oat Bars take to make?
About 10 minutes of hands-on work — 10 minutes of preparation and of cooking — plus 2 hours of chilling, so allow 2 hours 10 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 12.
What are the key tips for making Peanut Butter Oat Bars?
Press the mixture down very firmly. Use rolled oats, not instant. Check for peanut allergies before sharing.
What should I serve with Peanut Butter Oat Bars?
Glass of milk; Fresh fruit; Cup of tea.
Can Peanut Butter Oat Bars be made ahead or frozen?
Keep in the fridge in an airtight tin for up to 1 week. Freezes for up to 2 months.
Is Peanut Butter Oat Bars suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
How many calories are in Peanut Butter Oat Bars?
About 200 kcal per serving, with 6 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate and 8 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
Cooked this? Leave a review
Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
Related Recipes
More American cooking and desserts ideas from Weekly Delight.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Brown butter, a 24-hour rest and two sizes of chocolate produce cookies with crisp edges, a chewy middle and pools…
Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes
Tall, tender pancakes with a tangy edge and a golden, even surface. The lumps in the batter are not a mistake — they…
Classic Smash Cheeseburger
A smash burger with lace-edged, deeply browned patties, American cheese melted to the edges and a soft toasted bun…
Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
Cocoa-based brownies with a paper-thin crackly top and a dense, fudgy middle. No chocolate to melt, no mixer needed…