Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars are going to be your new go-to for breakfast on the run, an afternoon pick-me-up, or a healthy dessert.

These bars are soft, chewy, and naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and a touch of maple syrup. They’re packed with oats for fiber, peanut butter for healthy fats and protein, and just enough chocolate chips to keep it fun. Bonus: they come together in one bowl. Minimal cleanup = major win.

If you’re a fan of banana and peanut butter, these healthy peanut butter banana oatmeal bars will be your new favorite healthy snack or healthy breakfast!

Where’s the recipe?

Here at My Crazy Good Life, we write recipes that anyone can make – whether you’re brand new to the kitchen or have been cooking for years.

If you’re looking for ingredient information, detailed instructions, recipe tips, and calculations for healthy eating plans like Weight Watchers and the 21 Day Fix, you’ll find that information below.

Just want the recipe? Scroll down to the bottom of the post where you will find the simplified printable recipe for these banana peanut butter oat bars. 

Ingredients in Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

• Mashed Bananas: You’ll want to use ripe bananas, the same kind that you would when you make banana bread. Riper bananas have a higher sugar content, which is perfect when I make these peanut butter banana bars.
• Maple syrup: This is my go-to vegan sweetener. Be sure to use pure maple syrup – it contains small amounts of minerals like manganese and zinc. 
• Peanut butter: Use natural peanut butter, instead of peanut butter that has added oil or sugar in it.
• Vanilla extract: Use real vanilla extract to add delicious flavors to these baked oatmeal breakfast bars.
• Oats: Rolled oats, or old-fashioned oats, are rich in fiber and protein, plus packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
• Oat flour: Making oat flour is super easy! Simply add the oats to a blender or food processor and grind until the oats are finely ground into a flour consistency.
• Baking soda: We use baking soda as the leavening agent when we make these bars.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds warm and sweet flavors to baked dessert recipes.
• Salt: Just a pinch of salt to these dessert bars helps to balance the sweetness and enhance the flavor of these banana peanut butter bars.
• Chocolate chips: I like to use mini semi sweet, dairy free, or dark chocolate chips. 
• Coconut: Unsweetened, shredded coconut adds a nutty flavor and chewy texture to these peanut butter bars. This is an optional ingredient, but one I really love to add!

How to Make This Recipe

1. Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with olive oil or cooking spray. 
2. In a large bowl mash the bananas with a fork and then add the maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla extract to the bowl. Stir it all together until it is combined.
3. Next, add in the oats, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together until everything is incorporated. 
4. Slowly add in the chocolate chips and (optional) shredded coconut. The batter will be very thick – that’s ok. 
5. Move the batter into the prepared baking dish and flatten the top as much as possible. This will help you cut the bars a little easier and keep them from being too crumbly. Cook for 18-20 minutes. A butter knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean, and the edges of the bars should be golden brown. 
6. Let the bars cool completely and then slice and enjoy! Read below for tips on storage!

Recipe Tips

• Store these bars in an airtight container in the fridge until they’re gone. We think they taste even better after a day in the fridge. I haven’t tried storing the bars in a freezer, but that should also work well too! 
• If you prefer, you can line the baking pan with parchment paper instead of greasing it, so you can easily remove the bars once they’re cooked.  
• I use creamy peanut butter but you could also use crunchy peanut butter or even other types of nut butter like almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter. 
• You can make these bars without the chocolate chips to lower the points and total calories.
• I’ve tried adding protein powder to these, but they were a bit crumbly – I don’t recommend this.

Healthy Eating Plans

21 Day Fix Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

Because of the chocolate chips, these bars would count as a Treat Swap on the 21 Day Fix. 

Weight Watchers Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

For the recipe as written, excluding the optional coconut, each bar is 7 Weight Watchers Points on the 2024/2025 Plan. 

Looking for more great recipe ideas?

• Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars: These healthy Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars are a staple in our home. These healthy snack bars are made with healthy ingredients and are what we grab when we need a quick snack before dinner or as we are running out the door without breakfast.
• Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Our flour-free Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are made with only five simple ingredients. These healthy banana oat chocolate chip cookies are the perfect treat!
• Banana Oatmeal Bites: Banana energy bites are packed with flavor and nutrition, making them the perfect pick-me-up for busy mornings, after-school cravings, or whenever you need a quick energy boost.
• Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls: If you can’t tell, I love the combination of peanut butter and healthy oatmeal. These energy balls are an easy to grab snack that’s full of chocolate and peanut butter flavor!

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Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

Created by: Becca Ludlum

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Approximate Serving Size: 1 bar

Servings 12 people

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These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars are a healthy and hearty breakfast or snack. I love to make these for breakfast meal prep!

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Equipment

• Glass Baking Dish
• Mixing Bowls
• Whisk

Ingredients 

• ▢ 2 large ripe bananas mashed
• ▢ ¼ cup real maple syrup
• ▢ 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup oats
• ▢ ½ cup oat flour
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp cinnamon
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• ▢ ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut optional

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 pan with olive oil or cooking spray.
• To a large bowl, add mashed banana, maple syrup, peanut butter, and vanilla extract. Mix well. 2 large ripe bananas ¼ cup real maple syrup 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Add in the oats, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until everything is incorporated. 1 cup oats ½ cup oat flour 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp cinnamon pinch of salt
• Slowly add in the chocolate chips and (optional) shredded coconut. The batter will be very thick – that’s ok. ¼ cup mini chocolate chips ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• Move batter into the cooking pan and flatten the top as much as possible. This will help you cut the bars a little easier and keep them from being too crumbly. Cook for 18-20 minutes. A butter knife or toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean, and the edges of the bars should be golden brown.
• Cool completely and then slice and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 201mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

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Make sure to follow on Pinterest @bludlum and on Instagram @beccaludlum