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Retro-style – but updated, Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars. Think doughy, buttery oatmeal cookie base, layered with creamy peanut butter, and sweet salted chocolate on top. All made with simple, wholesome ingredients: oats, pure maple syrup, natural peanut butter, and dark chocolate. They’re sweet, salty, heavy on the peanut butter, extra chocolatey, gluten-free, and butter-free. Every last bite is truly delicious.
When I think of February, I think Super Bowl Sunday, and then of course, Valentine’s Day. This year, we have the Olympics which makes things even more exciting. I’m sharing a couple appetizer recipes next week that will be great for viewing your favorite winter sport as well as the upcoming Super Bowl too. Lots of fun things this month!
For some reason, when I think of the Super Bowl, I always think of chocolate and peanut butter together. I’m sure it’s because I’m from Cleveland. Ohio is the Buckeye State, which means we all love our chocolate/peanutty treats.
These bars are one of my favorite chocolate-peanut buttter combos yet. They’re somewhat inspired by my lunchroom peanut butter bars. But also by the Twix bars I shared a couple weeks ago. I took elements from both and incorporated them into this recipe.
What’s awesome is that they’re naturally gluten-free, butter-free, and have no added sugar other than pure maple syrup! We’re all loving the more wholesome desserts right now.
Start with the oatmeal cookie
I based this layer off of my mom’s oatmeal cookies, but made things less sweet. Just some oats, almond flour, and maple syrup with eggs and vanilla.
I also used coconut oil in place of vegetable oil, something I’ve been doing for years.
Then, just bake the cookies until set. They taste buttery and perfectly sweet, but with no butter or sugar!
The peanut butter layer
Simply just peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil boiled together to thicken the mix. The secret to making this layer really delicious is to use a peanut butter with just peanuts and salt. Don’t use a no-stir peanut butter that contains oils and/or sugar. You just want a natural peanut butter. This will give you the best flavor and texture.
Pour the peanut butter layer over the oatmeal cookies, then freeze the bars. You only need them to freeze them for 30 or so minutes. This helps the peanut butter set up quickly.
When the peanut butter is chilled and stiff, pour some melted chocolate overtop to finish the layers up. My one piece of advice here is to slice the bars before the chocolate top becomes too hard. This will make the bars much easier to cut and prevents the peanutty filling from getting squished out.
The final review? Slightly chewy and crumbly on the bottom, with the creamiest peanutty filling – that’s perfect salted. The chocolate top adds a nice “crack” with every bite.
Delicious! And great for parties too since these can really feed a crowd!
Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies
Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars
Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting
Lastly, if you make these Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Servings: 24 bars
Calories Per Serving: 322 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Mix
- 1 cup, plus 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (just peanuts and salt)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. 2. To make the cookies: In a mixing bowl, beat together the oats, almond flour, baking soda, salt, coconut oil, maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Bake 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden. 3. To make the peanut butter mix: In a medium pot, mix 1 cup peanut butter, the maple syrup, and coconut oil. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Pour over the oatmeal cookies. Freeze 30 minutes, until firm. 4. Melt together the chocolate and 1/3 cup peanut butter in the microwave. Let cool 5 minutes and then spread the chocolate over the peanut butter mix. Return to the fridge to set, about 10 minutes, then slice. The chocolate will not be totally set, but slicing is easier this way. Keep in the fridge.
Notes
If the Cookie Dough is Dry: add 1/4 cup additional melted coconut oil to moisten it.
This post was originally published on February 4, 2022
I have made so many of HBH recipes and really enjoy them! This was just ok.. didn’t taste as I expected. The cookie part was super crumbly and didn’t hold together when cut into squares. It was also a little dry tasting. Might try no oats next time and just do almond flour crust for more of that cookie taste. The middle peanut butter layer was insanely good wish there was more of it turned out to be a thin layer.
I had the same exact experience plus thought the cookie part alone had a bit of a bitter taste because of the baking soda. Now, looking back at the ingredients I am wondering if it was because there was nothing acidic to neutralize the baking soda. My cookie part also crumbled and I followed the cookie part of the recipe exactly. I subbed out peanut butter with sun butter due to an allergy and I liked the sub. Really the top two layers were delicious, wish I could change the cookie layer.
Baking soda is not acidic nor is it an acid. It is a base.
The baking soda is a base as you said. However, I believe T meant that there wasn’t enough acid in the recipe to neutralize (balance) the base of the baking soda. That’s why she mentioned bitterness.
Hey there,
Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe, it is a crumbly cookie base, next time you could add 1/4 cup more of coconut oil. Maybe your baking soda was old? Let me know how I can help! xTieghan
Hey Sabrina,
So sorry the recipe was not enjoyed, next time you could add 1/4 cup more of coconut oil to avoid the crumbliness. xTieghan
Ok awesome! Thank you!!
Would this work with Almond butter?
Hi Deborah,
Yes, that would totally work for you!! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I love that its gluten free! I just wish the oatmeal cookie layer had a little more flavor it just needed a little more complexity and maybe a little more sweetness mine seemed overly salty w the peanut butter and maladon sea salt flakes
Hey Michelle,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Oatmeal cookie part was not soft or fluffy. Measurements were not specified for the chocolate in the cookie or melted chocolate top layer.
Hi Bridget,
So sorry the recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try. xTieghan
A hit for all ages…win win!
Hey Kim,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
These are addictive! So tasty but the measurements seemed a bit off for the peanut butter and wasn’t as thick a layer as the picture showed.
Hey Chelsea,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! Sorry, the measurements are correct for the peanut butter. xTieghan
The ingredients for the oatmeal cookies include “1 cup dark chocolate chunks and/or chocolate chips” and the ingredients for the peanut butter mix include “12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped”. Is it an error to be listed twice? Also, which is it – 1 cup or 12 ouncces?
Have the same question about the two different chocolate amounts. ???
Hi Shanna,
So sorry, the recipe is fixed, no chocolate in the cookie part:) I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
I had the same question about the two different types of chocolate? I want to make these, they look so good!
Hi Staci,
Sorry, I fixed the recipe, you can follow as is now:) Let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hey Allison,
So sorry, the recipe has been fixed, there is no chocolate in the cookie part. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Loved!!!!! Made tonight and everyone just loved them.
Thank you!!!!
Hey Beth,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Wondering if there is rest time between taking the oat base out of the oven and adding the peanut butter layer? I’ve got the base in the oven now, and plan to let it rest for 15. i wonder if guidance on this step could be added t the recipe? Thanks!
Hey Jessica,
Sure, you could allow the cookie base to cool slightly:) Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
DELICIOUS!!❤️
Hey Beth,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! xTieghan
Hi! The 1 cup of dark chocolate chunks, and/or chocolate chips that are listed under the ingredients for the oatmeal cookies aren’t included in the instructions for the oatmeal cookies. Should they be included in the cookie mixture?
Thanks!
Hey Jessica,
So sorry for the confusion, there is no chocolate in the cookie base, you can just follow the instructions for step 4 of the chocolate. Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Whatever you do … don’t make this. I followed the directions perfectly and this was easily the worst thing I have ever made in my life. They have no taste at all and the consistency is very off. Do not recommend!
Hi Lauren,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed, please let me know if there is anyway I can help:) Have a fantastic week! xTieghan
the chocolate chips are mentioned twice in the ingredients, but not twice in the steps. is it intended that there are chips in the cookie base as well?
Hi Tara,
So sorry for the confusion, there are no chocolate chips in the cookie layer, you can just follow the instructions for chocolate in step 4. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try!! xTieghan
Followed exactly. The bottom was not cookie like- more like a brownie batter consistency. Cooked and ended up very crumbly and didn’t hold up to cutting and picking up. Not sure what happened.
Hey there,
So sorry the recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! Let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Made them today and they’re nice, even thought I’m not that of a peanut butter fan. So it’s way too much to eat all at once. Have you tried to freeze them, you think that’s possible?
Hey there,
Awesome!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a bunch for making it! Yes, you can definitely freeze these. xTieghan