Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars (4 ingredients)

Chocolate chip peanut butter banana oat bars are the perfect portable breakfast, healthy snack, or sweet treat, anytime! Made with 4 simple ingredients, they are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and 80 calories each.

Perfect 4 Ingredient Breakfast/Snack Bars

I’ve come down with a tenacious strain of spring cleaning-itis. So yesterday, the refrigerator and floors were scrubbed, the cookbooks were codified (and dusted), the equipment was polished and systematized, and last, the walk-in pantry (which was approaching nightmare status), was given a massive overhaul.

In the process of that final activity, I discovered not three jars of peanut butter and 2 and 1/2 large containers of oats. Combined with the two bunches of very ripe bananas on the countertop, the writing was on the wall: time to bake!

The result is a perfect breakfast bar or snack bar that everyone will love: Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars!

Recipe Benefits

The bars are so delicious–soft, sweet, flavorful–but also packed with wholesome goodness and super-simple to make. Specifically, they are:

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• Made with only 4 familiar ingredients
• Made in one bowl (in about 2 minutes)
• Frugal
• Loved by kids and adults alike

Ingredients for Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

I mentioned three of the four ingredients above (my accidental hoard). They are:

• rolled oats (any variety, but use certified gluten-free oats if you need these to be 100% gluten-free)
• very ripe bananas
• creamy peanut butter (an equal amount of other creamy nut or seed butter–such as almond, cashew, or sunflower seed– can be used in place of the peanut butter). 
• chocolate chips (use dairy-free chocolate chips to ensure these bars are 100%; if that is not necessary, any variety of chocolate chips (or chunks) will do. You can also sub them for dried fruit or nuts (or add all three! More is more).

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Preheat the Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan. with parchment paper (for extra-easy removal after baking). Alternatively, spritz with cooking spray, or do a light oiling of the pan.

Step Two: Mash the Banana

Mash enough bananas to measure 1/2 cup. I prefer to go by cup measurements rather than stating banana size, since bananas can vary tremendously. Most times it take abotut 1 and 1/2 medium bananas to equal 1/2 cup.

The banana should be very ripe and squishy (an indication that the starches have converted to sugar). Mash them with fork until they are almost liquid.

Step Three: Add the Remaining Ingredients

Now that the bananas are mashed, combine them with the peanut butter (or the nut/seed butter of your choice) in a medium bowl until blended.

Add the dry oats and chocolate chips to the bowl.

Stir until everything is combined and the oats are universally moistened.

That was easy, right?

Step Four: Spread in Baking Pan

Spread the dough in an even layer in the prepare pan

Step Five: Bake

Bake the bars in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes until the surface looks and feels (to the touch) dry and the edges are golden brown. 

So easy! 

Step Six: Cool and Cut the Bars

But now comes the hard part: waiting for these to cool (about 45 minutes to an hour) before cutting. It requires significant will power, but it is so worth the wait. 

If you lined the pan with paper, use the overhang to lift the bars onto a cutting board to cut into 16 squares. Otherwise, cut the bars directly in the pan.

YUM!

Happy baking, everyone!

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