Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars
I made these bars in 3 minutes flat. They are going to become a new staple. Fast, easy, simple, portable, and kid-approved. And mommy-approved. And they contain chocolate and peanut butter. I mean, what’s not to love?
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Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars
2 Tbsp Chocolate Chips
2 to 3 Tbsp Peanut Butter (or other nut butter)
2 Tbsp Milk (or nut milk) (I used vanilla coffee creamer!)
1/2 C Oats
Optional:
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Sweetener (Brown/White Sugar, Agave, Maple Syrup or Stevia to Taste)
1 Tbsp Other Dry Ingredients (coconut flakes, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, more chocolate chips, raisins, scoop of protein powder, etc.)
Directions:
Melt the first three ingredients together in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring and checking
Then add the Oats and any optional ingredients, stir to combine. (You want this mixture to be fairly dry. If it’s not dry enough, add more oats one tablespoon at a time)
Press mixture into bars or balls. Using a piece of plastic wrap on the inside of a square plastic container will save on dishes and cleanup.
Put in refrigerator or freezer for 10 minutes, or until bars have set up. Slice or break apart.
Yields 3 Larabar-sized bars that are also vegan and gluten-free.
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Did you notice that snazzy Print This widget feature? Thanks Christine for the tip off on that one.
Here’s how things went down. Visually speaking.
Add the Chips + PB + Milk and then Nuke
Then add the Oats and other Optionals
Press it into a plastic container or bowl, then freeze or refrigerate til set up. Using plastic wrap saves on mess because you can just lift the whole thing out. Messy cook anyone?
Yields 3 Bars. I don’t always need a dozen, or more, bars. Sometimes just a few is all I want or need.
The inside is perfectly chocolately and peanut buttery. The peanut butter and oats keep them chewy, and the chocolate keeps them…Mmmm!
Definitely Kiddie Approved.
Wrap any extras in plastic and take for an on-the-go snack. That is, if you have any ‘leftovers’ from the yield of 3 bars.
Related Foods/Snacks that are No-Bake/Micro/Freezer type recipes:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars (Vegan, GF, No-Bake)
Biggie Microwave Banana Oat Cakes
Microwave Blueberry Banana Oat Cakes

I also have an Oats Recipes Post that highlights many of my oat-containing recipes.
From my last post about the Challenge: In 10 Years, it was amazing reading where you all think you’re going to be in 10 years! Wow. Thank you for gracing me with your stories, dreams, goals, aspirations, and honesty. I really loved reading those comments and I’m glad you enjoyed my thoughts about where I’ll be in 10 years and what I’ll be doing.
And yes, it’s so hard to predict life and the changes, twists and turns it will take. Most of you told me you are amazed the way your life has unfolded and the life path you’re walking, living, and breathing right now.
Questions:
1. Best thing you’ve ate or done over the weekend?
I picked up some things for Skylar’s birthday party and we spent lots of time together as a family. The weather has been great, high 60s/low 70s and sunny and we went for a few great long power walks.
2. Do you like to make your own snack bars?
Yes, see the above links. Clearly, I’m a fan.
3. What’s in your “dream” snack bar?
Mine would have to have oats, chocolate, peanut butter and from there…you can’t go wrong!
Have a great week, everyone!















That is an excellent recipe but I cannot think of making that bar in 3 minutes.How did you do it?
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I love bars and these have got to be some of the best. Great recipe and lovely photos.
Thanks
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Um, so, as a college student with only a microwave readily at my disposal… I am going to HAVE to try these! :) brilliant idea!
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These look like a definite MUST TRY! I have all the ingredients on hand already and they look so easy and YUMMY!
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awesome recipe!!!
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WHERE has this post been all of my life and why have I never seen it?!?! :)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — January 20th, 2012 at 11:38 am
These are so easy…enjoy if you make them!
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SO easy and SO good!! :) I’m so glad I ran across them on Pinterest!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — January 29th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Hi Kalee! Thanks for finding me via Pinterest and sounds like you’ve made these and are enjoying…good!
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I just made these and they are DELISH! Great for packing in the kid’s lunch tomorrow…
And btw, my daughter is also Averie. I LOVE the spelling! Great name! hehe
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — January 29th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
Holy moly, that was a FAST turnaround! I am so glad you made them and enjoyed them and yes, lunch boxes are begging for these.
Averie vs Avery..glad you like the way I spell it :)
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Hi I wanted to try the Microwave Banana Oat Cakes recipe linked towards the bottom of this recipe but the link isn’t working. Is it still available anywhere??
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — January 30th, 2012 at 10:50 pm
I just went in and fixed all the links that were broken/bad. I moved my blog about a year ago, long story short, and in the process, some links became corrupt. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
So all links in this post are now working. Enjoy!
http://www.loveveggiesandyoga.com/2011/01/microwave-chocolate-peanut-butter-oat-snack-bars.html
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Making this today!! I am sure my kids will request more. I do think it is mislabled though as being gluten free. All of my celiacs friends can’t eat oatmeal.
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — January 31st, 2012 at 8:39 am
Oats are inherently a GF grain. Many true celiacs require specialty *certified* GF oats because traditional oats can be cross-contaminated in the milling process; but oats as a grain do not have gluten. It’s just dependent on manufacturing and production whether they are cross contaminated.
Hope you enjoy the bars!
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YUM, thanks for this! I have been trying to make something with the extra fiber brown sugar oatmeal packets because my little one doesn’t like to eat oatmeals anymore and I still have a ton left! I’m going to use that in place of oatmeal and the optional sugars. Hopefully it wil turn out just as good as yours! :)
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — January 31st, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Hope your little one enjoys!
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My bf wanted marshmallows to be added to this recipe, so I added them to the chocolate chips, peanut butter mix before putting it in the microwave. They turned out great!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 5th, 2012 at 7:23 pm
Sort of like a quick ‘n easy chocolate-ized rice krispy treat but with oats not rice cereal..sounds like a winner! Thanks for LMK about your tweaks!
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I found you on pinterest. These are in the freezer right now! SOOOO excited! It will totally fill my chocolate craving! Thanks so much! I will give you a shout out in my blog!
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I am SO trying the chocolate/peanut butter granola bar AND the blueberry granola . . WOW!
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 7th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
hope you enjoy it!
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Hi! I scrolled through your comments and I didn’t see this question, would you be able to approximate how many calories this portion amount is for the CPB&O bars?
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Averie @ Love Veggies & Yoga replied: — February 9th, 2012 at 10:59 am
You could plug the data into one of so many types of online calculators that are online and see. I’d guess 150 to 200, max, per bar but that’s a total guess. I don’t have time to do the calculator stuff on my posts; but feel free!
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Thank you for being my Secret Recipe Club inspiration! This is a great recipe!
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — March 12th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
So glad you enjoyed these and that we “met” via the SRC!
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These look great! And super Easy!!!
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — March 30th, 2012 at 11:20 am
Thanks and yes they are!
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Deeeelishious! I made it with semi-sweet choc chips, almond butter, chia seeds, dried cranberries, coconut and rolled oats. Thanks for sharing!
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — May 20th, 2012 at 9:47 am
glad to hear you liked it! Great customization choices you made, too!
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Before I make these, are these hard, soft, chewy, dry or what? It sounds like it might be dry, so I am thinking of adding some more wet if the original recipe is. Thanks :) as always, love your blog and you are an inspiration with all your pretty pictures!
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — June 6th, 2012 at 8:11 am
chewy!
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Mmmmm… Just made these. Added chia seeds, some cinnamon-sugar (just a touch), a few walnuts, and some MINI-MARSHMALLOWS! Cut it into 4 pieces, instead of 3 so each of the fam could have a taste. Mom didn’t want hers (she didn’t like the chia seeds), so I may have a second later tonight. :)
Thanks for the easy recipe. I found it on pinterest (long may it reign).
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — July 26th, 2012 at 7:34 pm
love pinterest! and love the feedback – thanks for sharing what you did and finding me – glad you liked them!
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how much nutella could i use and could i use dried cranberries in them?
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — July 31st, 2012 at 8:24 pm
I’d use approximately the same amount of Nutella, and yes, you can add in dried cranberries – stir them in at the very end.
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Really yummy I missed that “if not dry add more oats” comment, so ours are a bit gooey. Taste like cookies to me!
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Nothing’s more tasty then oatmeal bars!
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These look so good. I just made them and cant wait to try them!
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — September 13th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Yay! so glad you tried them!
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Just wondering if it’s the “quick oats” or the “rolled oats” you used… I heard that eating a lot of the rolled oats raw can cause lower digestion issues.
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Averie @ Averie Cooks replied: — November 23rd, 2012 at 10:13 pm
If you look at the photos, you can see that I used old-fashioned rolled oats. They really aren’t ‘raw’ anymore because the warm microwaved mixture softens them and I don’t have any digestion issues with them. Hope you try the bars!
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I made with steel cut oats, not good at all, I’ll have to try Quaker oats next time!
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