Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars — So much better than a bowl of plain oatmeal!! Easy, portable baked oatmeal bars perfect for snacks or breakfast on-the-go!!
Easy Baked Oatmeal Bars
This is my idea of oatmeal. Smothered with chocolate chips and a hearty dose of peanut butter stirred in. It’s like eating oatmeal in portable form, except better.
Because the oatmeal my mom used to make for me didn’t include chocolate chips or peanut butter. Even though there are extra goodies that you may not normally use with your morning oatmeal, the bars still taste more like breakfast than dessert.
If you’re looking for desserts with oats, chocolate, and peanut butter, check out the related recipes linked below the recipe card.
The peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal bars are soft, chewy, and filling. They’re definitely on the denser side and if you’re looking for a hearty, comfort food breakfast, you’ve found it.
What’s in Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars?
To make the peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chips bars, you’ll need:
- Milk
- Old-fashioned oats
- Egg
- Light brown sugar
- Creamy peanut butter
- Cinnamon
- Raisins (optional)
- Vanilla extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
To make the chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars, add the milk, oats, egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, and cinnamon to a saucepan. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture has thickened considerably.
Once the mixture has thickened, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and raisins. Turn the mixture into an 8×8-inch pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake the oatmeal bars at 350F for about 25 minutes, or until the center is set.
Can I Use Instant Oats?
No, you must use old-fashioned oats (aka rolled oats) in this recipe. Quick-cook or instant oats behave more like flour and the recipe will not work properly with them.
Can I Add Extra Mix-Ins?
Of course! You’re welcome to substitute the raisins with chopped nuts, another dried fruit, or another favorite oatmeal topping.
Tips for Making Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
While the oatmeal mixture cooks, make sure to stir it regularly so it doesn’t form a skin on top.
I added raisins because I love them with oatmeal but if you’re not a fan, simply omit or try dried cranberries instead.
I think the bars taste best when warm and I nuke the leftovers for a few seconds before enjoying. But my daughter likes them at any temp and happily goes to town on them in the car on the way to school in the morning or as an after-school snack.
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Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
So much better than a bowl of plain oatmeal!! Easy, portable baked oatmeal bars perfect for snacks or breakfast on-the-go!!
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups milk (soy, almond, cow, etc.)
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (not quick-cook or instant)
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- heaping 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup raisins (omit if you don’t like them)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large saucepan, add the milk, oats (not quick-cook or instant because they behave more like flour and recipe will not work properly), egg, brown sugar, peanut butter, cinnamon, and cook uncovered over medium-high heat, whisking frequently, for about 15 minutes, or until mixture has thickened considerably. If you’re in doubt if it’s thick enough, it’s better to err on the too-thick-side than not-thick-enough. Once mixture starts to boil, allow it to really bubble, making sure to whisk it so it doesn’t form a skin.
- After about 15 minutes, remove saucepan from the heat, and add the raisins (or another dried fruit, or omit), vanilla, and whisk to combine. Use caution when adding the vanilla because it could cause the mixture to bubble up a bit.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Evenly sprinkle with the chocolate chips, lightly tapping them down with a spatula if necessary.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until center is set. Baking times could range greatly based on how thick your mixture was on the stovetop, what kind of milk you’re using, oven and climate variances, etc. Bake until your bars are done to your liking, noting that they are very soft bars, shouldn’t be over-baked, and the top will be shiny even when set and done.
Notes
I prefer the bars served warm and fresh, but extras will keep airtight in the fridge or at room temp (I’m comfortable storing at room temp, store in fridge if you’re not) for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in micro before serving if desired.
Inspired by 36th Avenue.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 254Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 24gProtein: 5g
More Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes:
Oatmeal-To-Go Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins — Like having a bowl of warm pumpkin oatmeal in portable muffin form!! Fast and easy!
No-Bake Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars – Make healthy bars that taste like candy bars in 10 minutes!
Loaded Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl — There’s texture and flavor galore including bananas drizzled with melted peanut butter and a touch of cinnamon, fresh and juicy pomegranate arils, and a diced Quaker Chewy Granola Bar with chocolate and strawberries.
Healthy Oatmeal Muffins — These healthy oatmeal muffins won’t jeopardize your New Year’s resolutions and are skinny jeans-friendly. No oil, no dairy, and just 1/4 cup of brown sugar!
Copycat Whole Foods Peanut Butter & Jelly Granola — The granola is very chewy, a little bit gooey, slightly crunchy, and highly addictive. It’s a one-bowl, no mixer, easy recipe.
Trail Mix Muffins — They’re some of easiest and least fussy muffins to make. No mixer, one bowl, and so fast.
No-Bake Tropical Granola Bars — For the tropical twist I added dried tropical fruit. They’re soft, perfectly chewy, have great texture and remind me of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars.
I made this recipe back when I didn’t yet have an oven, used quick oats instead of whole-rolled and replaced some of the sugar with flour, and it still turned out perfectly! Time to revisit this recipe now that I have an oven!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this worked well for you even without an oven!
I love oatmeal so I knew that this recipe would be for me. I was right! Made it yesterday and it was great – warm and cold. My kids also liked it (even though the older one doesn’t eat ‘normal’ oatmeal at all).
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that your kids enjoyed it too!
Making these right now ! May be a dumb question …?…. My baking common sense is about a level 0. Can you freeze these ?????
I haven’t frozen them but you’d probably be okay doing that.
ohhh yes this is def. the best way to use oatmeal!!!
Those bars look and sound so good!
Thanks Kevin! Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Oh yeah. These are my kind of oatmeal too. I’ll only eat oatmeal if it’s smothered with something else, especially if it’s chocolate.
My husband has been trying to get me to eat oatmeal foreverrr but I just can’t do it. But these bars I could definitely eat ANYTIME! We can call them my oatmeal compromise. AND they have chocolate and peanut butter! Pinned!
Hi Averie – I love your site. Your photos are gorgeous. I would love to make these with gluten free oatmeal and almond butter, instead of peanut butter. I think that would work. That way my son can enjoy them too. How nice to have breakfast/snacks planned for the week!
Thanks for the compliments! GF oats are fine…almond butter is thinner than PB so you may have to fiddle around with the consistency of the batter but I think you can make it work!
This is my idea of oatmeal too, perfection, I can’t ever get sick of PB & Chocolate. Pinned!
Thanks for pinning!
Because they taste more like breakfast than dessert, i think i’ll have two for breakfast please :) You’re daughter is so lucky to have you, for many reasons besides your baking, but still i mean, she gets to eat delicious bars like these! I say you cant go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter. And oatmeal really works as a base for those two delicious things. Loving these oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip bars. Nom nom nom xo
Thanks for the sweet comments about my daughter being lucky to have me…I feel lucky to have her :)
You totally read my stomach’s mind :D This sounds amazing, and I’ll definitely be whipping up a batch of this tonight. I have a huge bag of dried cherries that are delicious and I think I’ll try adding them to this! I never ate sweet oatmeal when I was younger. It was always with salt and I thought everyone else was crazy for adding sugar. Now I like it both ways, and oatmeal bars are one of my favorite breakfasts!
I’ve never had salty oatmeal! Bet that was a shocker when you went from salty to sweet oatmeal!
These were great!!!!
Thanks for trying the recipe the day I posted it and I’m glad it came out great for you!
What a fun breakfast treat!
it looks sooooo good!
You know, my mom hated oatmeal, so I never had it growing up but I just assumed I hated it. I had a brief period where I ate it a lot (those silly HLB phases we go through!) but now, I’m much more inclined to use it in bars or baking. These look awesome!
Easy, of course, being the key here as well.
I remember those days! They didn’t last long but I do remember them!
Holy yum!! :) Baked loaded oatmeal bars?? I’m IN!! And my hubby will fall in love with me all over again once I bake these! Definitely whipping up a batch this weekend! :)
So I can eat these for breakfast. YES PLEASE!!! Would have been better than the hotel granola this morning that’s for sure. :)
I KNOW you’ve had an action packed day with such an early start time, no doubt!! These would have stuck to your ribs for the mega day of walking I know you had! Thanks for even commenting while you’re traveling. You are amazing!!
A yummy breakfast on-the-go! Have got to make these bars :)
I absolutely would NOT mind these for breakfast! They look so thick and chewy!
Averie love this idea!! I am not much of an oatmeal person but I totally love oatmeal in my bars!!
I love how you can grab bars quickly and take them on the go. Looks like dessert for breakfast to me! Just pinned :)
Thanks for pinning!
I tried a baked oatmeal recipe once, but wasn’t thrilled–THIS looks like the perfect baked oatmeal recipe!
These are all about turning oatmeal into an almost-dessert :)
I would love these for dessert, breakfast, and snacks all throughout the day!
These look so easy! I am saving this recipe for the next time I need to bring snack into my daughter’s preschool class. I know they would love these!
My daughter sure loved them – hope yours does too!
My 3 favorite things in life are oatmeal, chocolate chips and peanut butter…SO I am going to pretend that you made these just for me ;) Pinning!
Thanks for pinning! And I totally made them just for you :)
These would be great for breakfast and snacks–a little less sweet than dessert but still with enough chocolate to make me smile! I tried a similar method for making oatmeal blueberry bars but I just cooked the oats then waited for them to cool before stirring in the egg. They turned out well and now I know I can save some time by cooking it all together!
Your dessert sounds great! I have a couple blueberry oatmeal bars but more like with an oat crust or crumble topping, not like oatmeal-in-bar-form. I know this recipe would be wonderful with blueberries worked in! You could omit the PB and play around with things, although I kind of like blueberry/PB smoothies so that could work here too :)
I love oatmeal, but adding peanut butter and chocolate is a huge WINNER in my book. Nothing says “Good Morning” like the best flavors combined into a portal bar. :D These would definitely be a hit at my house. We’re raisin fans, so I’d choose to keep them included.
Thanks for saying you’re raisins fans! Me too but it seems the longer I blog, the more I find out how much more people seem to really loathe them!
Now THIS is oatmeal I can get behind! I kept trying to get into oatmeal as an adult and never could. That mushiness was SO not my thing. But when you bake it with PB and chocolate chips, I know I’ll love it!
These are not mushy at all. Soft, yes. But SUPER dense and very chewy! They stick to your ribs kind of density :)
I love baked oatmeal- it’s so much better than the average stovetop version!