Wholesome Oatmeal Bars

Indulge in these delightful Homemade Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars, crafted to perfectly mimic the beloved soft-baked texture and rich flavor of a Nature Valley oatmeal square. Each bar is thick, delightfully chewy, and infused with an irresistible peanut butter essence, generously studded with creamy peanut butter chips. Forget the store-bought versions; these homemade treats are incredibly satisfying and made with ingredients you can feel good about.

Looking for more wholesome, gluten-free delights? Explore our Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake, Healthy Chocolate Cookies, or our Soft-Baked Blueberry Oatmeal Squares.

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Homemade Oatmeal Bars That Truly Outshine the Store-Bought!

During a recent family road trip, my kids discovered and instantly fell in love with Nature Valley’s Peanut Butter Oatmeal Squares, particularly impressed by their soft texture. While they enjoyed the taste, I was less enthused by the list of ingredients. This sparked an idea: to create a homemade version that was not only delicious but also made with simpler, more wholesome components.

The journey to perfect this recipe involved a bit of testing and tweaking to achieve just the right balance of softness, chewiness, and flavor. Once I finally nailed it, the excitement was immense! These homemade oatmeal bars are, without a doubt, significantly superior to anything you’ll find pre-packaged at the grocery store.

They boast a wonderfully soft and chewy texture, with a flavor profile that’s a delightful fusion of classic peanut butter cookies and comforting oatmeal. Crafted with basic pantry staples like golden honey, creamy peanut butter, hearty oats, and fine oat flour, these bars are a guilt-free pleasure. Peanut butter chips lend a perfect touch of sweetness, though for those who prefer a different twist, dark chocolate chips make an excellent substitute.

Why You’ll Love These Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

These aren’t just any oatmeal bars; they’re a revelation for anyone seeking a wholesome, satisfying, and utterly delicious snack. Here’s why these homemade peanut butter oatmeal bars will quickly become a family favorite:

• Perfectly Soft and Chewy: Unlike some overly crunchy store-bought bars, these maintain a beautifully soft and chewy texture, making every bite a delight.
• Rich Peanut Butter Flavor: From the base to the optional drizzle and abundant chips, peanut butter shines through as the star, creating an incredibly satisfying taste.
• Wholesome Ingredients: Made with simple, recognizable ingredients like oats, honey, and natural peanut butter, you can feel good about what you’re eating and serving.
• Naturally Gluten-Free: Using certified gluten-free oats and oat flour makes this recipe accessible for those with gluten sensitivities or dietary preferences. (Always check product labels for verification!)
• Easy to Make: With straightforward instructions and minimal fuss, even novice bakers can achieve perfect results.
• Versatile Snack: Ideal for a quick breakfast on the go, a satisfying afternoon snack, a lunchbox treat, or even a healthier dessert option.
• Customizable: Easily adapt the recipe with different mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit to suit your taste.

Essential Ingredients for Your Oatmeal Bars

Crafting these delectable oatmeal bars requires a few simple, high-quality ingredients. Each plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect flavor and texture:

• Creamy Peanut Butter: The cornerstone of flavor! Opt for a “no-stir” variety. These typically have a more stable consistency, preventing oil separation and contributing to a smoother, more cohesive bar texture. Natural peanut butter (without added sugars or oils) can be used, but ensure it’s well-stirred to prevent the bars from being too crumbly.
• Honey & Light Brown Sugar: This dynamic duo provides natural sweetness and moisture. Warming the honey slightly before mixing makes it more fluid and easier to incorporate evenly into the batter, ensuring consistent sweetness throughout. Brown sugar also adds a lovely depth of flavor and contributes to the bars’ chewiness.
• Large Egg & Vanilla Extract: The egg acts as a crucial binder, holding all the ingredients together and giving the bars structure. Vanilla extract is a flavor enhancer, adding warmth and depth that complements the peanut butter beautifully.
• Baking Soda & Salt: Baking soda helps the bars achieve a slight lift and a tender crumb. A touch of salt is essential; it balances the sweetness and remarkably amplifies the rich, nutty flavor of the peanut butter. Don’t skip it!
• Old-Fashioned Oats & Oat Flour: This combination provides the signature oatmeal texture and body. To get the correct amount of oat flour, it’s best to blend old-fashioned oats into a fine flour consistency yourself, then measure the required amount. This ensures freshness and the perfect texture for your bars.
• Peanut Butter Baking Chips: These little gems add pockets of concentrated peanut butter sweetness and a delightful textural contrast. Feel free to swap them with dark chocolate chips for a different yet equally delicious flavor profile.
• Extra Creamy Peanut Butter (Optional Drizzle): For the true peanut butter fanatics, a simple drizzle of warm peanut butter after baking elevates these bars to an even more decadent level.

How To Make Perfect Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

Creating these delightful peanut butter oatmeal bars is a straightforward process. Follow these steps for a perfect batch every time:

1. Prepare Your Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 325°F (160°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan before lining it with parchment paper. The grease helps the paper adhere, preventing it from shifting as you spread the batter. Remember to leave an overhang of parchment paper on all sides – this will be your lifesaver for easy removal!
2. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the peanut butter chips. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it’s just smooth and well-combined. Be careful not to overmix; over-beating can develop the gluten in the oats and lead to a denser, tougher bar. A gentle mix is all you need for a tender result.
3. Fold in Peanut Butter Chips: Once the base batter is smooth, gently fold in the peanut butter chips with a spatula. If you wish, reserve a small handful of chips to sprinkle over the top just before baking for an extra visual appeal.
4. Bake to Perfection: Transfer the batter evenly into your prepared pan and gently smooth the top with a spatula to create an even layer. Bake for 18–22 minutes. The center might still appear a bit soft or slightly gooey when you first pull them out, but as long as they don’t visibly jiggle when gently shaken, they are done. These bars continue to set and firm up significantly as they cool.
5. Cool Completely for Best Slicing: This step is crucial for clean, neat slices. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan at room temperature. For even easier and more precise slicing, transfer the cooled pan to the fridge and chill for at least 15 minutes before cutting.
6. (Optional) Add a Peanut Butter Drizzle: For the ultimate peanut butter experience, melt 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter until slightly runny (you can do this in the microwave in short bursts). Transfer the melted peanut butter into a small resealable plastic bag. Snip off a tiny corner of the bag to create a makeshift piping bag, then artfully drizzle the peanut butter over the cooled and sliced bars. This adds an extra layer of flavor and a beautiful finish.

Creative Variations and Customizations

While the classic peanut butter oatmeal bar is undeniably delicious, feel free to get creative and customize your batch to suit your preferences:

• Chocolate Lover’s Dream: Swap out the peanut butter chips for an equal amount of semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips. A combination of both peanut butter and chocolate chips is also divine!
• Nutty Crunch: Add 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the batter for an extra layer of crunch and flavor.
• Fruity Twist: Incorporate 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, raisins, chopped dried apricots, or even freeze-dried berries for a sweet and tangy element.
• Spice It Up: A pinch of cinnamon or a dash of nutmeg can add warm, comforting notes to the oatmeal base.
• Different Glaze: Instead of a peanut butter drizzle, consider a simple vanilla glaze made with powdered sugar and milk, or a chocolate ganache for an extra decadent touch.

When and How to Enjoy Your Oatmeal Bars

These versatile homemade oatmeal bars are perfect for a variety of occasions:

• Energizing Breakfast: Grab a bar on your way out the door for a quick, wholesome breakfast that keeps you full.
• Mid-Day Snack: Beat the afternoon slump with a satisfying and delicious treat.
• Lunchbox Treat: A fantastic addition to school or work lunchboxes, offering a healthier alternative to processed snacks.
• Post-Workout Refuel: The combination of oats and peanut butter provides sustained energy and protein, making it an excellent recovery snack.
• Guilt-Free Dessert: A lighter option for satisfying your sweet tooth after a meal.
• Road Trip Companion: Just like their inspiration, these bars are perfect for long journeys, providing convenient and tasty sustenance.

More Easy Snack Recipes:

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Homemade Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

By Chelsea Lords

These soft-baked Homemade Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are a fantastic Nature Valley copycat! They are thick, wonderfully chewy, and packed with irresistible peanut butter flavor and baking chips. Made with wholesome, naturally gluten-free ingredients (see note 1), they’re a perfect better-for-you snack or breakfast.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Video Overview

Equipment You’ll Need

• 8 x 8-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Hand mixer

Ingredients List

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup oat flour see note 2 below for making your own
• 1 cup peanut butter baking chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter optional, for drizzle

Detailed Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Prepare an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) baking pan by lightly greasing it, then lining it with parchment paper, ensuring a generous overhang on the sides for easy removal of the baked bars. Set the prepared pan aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the peanut butter chips. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it is smooth and well-incorporated. Once smooth, add in the peanut butter chips and gently fold them into the batter with a spatula until evenly distributed. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
3. Transfer the entire batter into the prepared pan. Use your spatula to spread it out into an even layer, pressing down gently. Bake for 18–22 minutes. The edges should be lightly browned. The center may still appear soft or slightly gooey, which is normal. As long as the bars don’t visibly jiggle when gently shaken, they are done. These bars will continue to firm up as they cool completely.
4. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cooling is essential for easy slicing. Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan. Place them on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut them into 12 even squares.
5. Optional Drizzle (for peanut butter enthusiasts!): After the bars have been cut into squares, take 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter and place it in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 15-30 seconds, or until it’s slightly melted and pourable. Transfer the warm peanut butter to a small resealable plastic bag. Snip off a tiny corner tip of the bag, and then artfully pipe or drizzle the peanut butter over the tops of the cut bars.

Recipe Notes & Expert Tips

Note 1 – Gluten-Free Assurance: While this recipe uses naturally gluten-free ingredients like oats and oat flour, it’s crucial to check the labels of all your ingredients (especially oats, oat flour, and peanut butter chips) to ensure they are certified gluten-free. This guarantees they haven’t been processed in facilities that also handle gluten-containing grains, which could lead to cross-contamination. For those with severe gluten sensitivities, always opt for products specifically labeled as made in gluten-free environments.

Note 2 – How to Make Oat Flour: Don’t have oat flour on hand? No problem! You can easily make your own. Simply place old-fashioned (rolled) oats into a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until the oats are ground into a fine powder, similar in texture to regular wheat flour. Make sure to measure the required 1/2 cup of oat flour *after* grinding the oats, as the volume changes significantly.

Sweetness Adjustment: If you prefer your bars less sweet, you can slightly reduce the amount of brown sugar or honey, but be mindful that these ingredients also contribute to the texture and binding properties of the bars.

Preventing Sticking: Besides parchment paper, ensuring your pan is adequately greased underneath the paper can help prevent any stubborn spots from adhering.

Don’t Overbake: The key to soft and chewy bars is to avoid overbaking. The center will look a little soft; that’s exactly what you want! They will firm up considerably as they cool.

Storage: Store leftover oatmeal bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, freeze them in a sealed container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving |
Calories: 205kcal |
Carbohydrates: 27.1g |
Protein: 5.6g |
Fat: 9.1g |
Sodium: 77.3mg |
Fiber: 1.8g |
Sugar: 17.8g

Please note: Nutrition information is an approximation calculated automatically and should be used as a guide only. Individual values may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.

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