Creamy peanut butter intertwining with oats, blanketed with melted chocolate and cut into bite size squares! You’ll love how easy and scrumptious these No Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars are!
As I’m wondering around in my kitchen, trying to get inspiration from ingredients in every cupboard, I come across the large jar of peanut butter.
Does that really surprise you? Because, if you’ve been hanging out over here, you’d know that peanut butter is my fave!
My first go-to search area in the kitchen, is usually my baking pantry. That’s where I head when I’ve got a snacking situation going on. Wouldn’t you? I keep a wide variety of chocolate chips, marshmallows, and candy… to bake with, of course. Or, are you the type to head straight to the refrigerator?
So, back to the jar of peanut butter…. it happens to be right next to the oatmeal. Which is then, across from the pantry of chocolate chips! See where I’m going with this? The makings of a no-bake creation… in a bar form! Then you can cut out whatever size or shape you want. Isn’t that perfect?!
This is usually my go-to recipe on a Wednesday night. Why, you ask?
One, these bars are fast to put together and I am not a night time baker.
And two, they’re for my milkman– which arrives with my dairy in the wee hours the next morning. The poor dude drives in mad snow storms, icy canyon roads, and passes deer ready to jump out in front of him! The least I could do is leave him a little thank you treat out on the porch.
Making these are a breeze.
But, to be honest, waiting for them to set up is really hard to resist! If you are the impatient type, like me, you could scoop the oatmeal and peanut butter mixture onto a flat surface for individual cookies.
If you’re a peanut butter lover, you will also love these easy recipes:
Peanut Butter Crumble Coffee Cake with Peanut Butter Glaze
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cups
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup milk (I use whole milk.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup creamy (or crunchy) peanut butter
- 3 3/4 cup old fashioned oats/oatmeal
- 1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Melt butter in a large sauce pan on medium heat, .
- Once the butter has melted, add the sugar, milk, vanilla, and peanut butter. Whisk until combined.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil for 4 minutes, while continuing to whisk.
- Take the sauce pan off the heat and add the oats. Stir until all combined.
- Spread the mixture evenly in a lined 9 inch by 9 inch baking dish. (No need to use non stick spray.)
- Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on top of the oats mixture. The heat will start to heat up the chocolate chips to melt them. Within about 5 minutes, the chocolate will be ready to spread across with the back of a spoon.
- Allow to completely cool before cutting into squares.
- Set in a 9 inch by 9 inch dish. Cut into 12 pieces or 24 small pieces. For an alternative, you may scoop the oatmeal and peanut butter mixture onto a flat surface for individual no-bake cookies.
1. YUM! 2. I didn’t know there were still Milkmen! I grew up having one but thought they were extinct. I love that!
Thank you, Julie! I love having a milkman. They even deliver the milk in glass bottles, like they used to! Simply the best!
That is so cool that you have a milkman! I wouldn’t mind having one of those! 😉 And these bars! Whoa…Choc, PB, and oats just may be the best combo ever—and you totally nailed it in these bars! Pinned.
Sarah@WholeAndHeavenlyOven recently posted…Old-Fashioned Lemon Bars
Thanks for the pin action and stopping by, Sarah! 🙂
these have to be the NEATEST no-bake bars I have ever laid eyes on! seriously, they look like they are straight from a bakery – so yummy!
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes recently posted…10 Minute Sweet & Spicy Shrimp
Christine, you are SO nice… thank you so much!! 🙂
I’ll be your milkman if that means I can have these! How cool is it that you have a milkman!!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet recently posted…Coconut Chai Latte Bars (Guest Post)
Nancy, you seriously crack me up! If you just didn’t live so dang far away… lol
These look great! I can see why they are your go-to recipe! How nice of you to share to share with the milk man – I didn’t even know there were still milk men. 🙂
Lindsay @ Life, Love and Sugar recently posted…Baileys Chocolate Pie
..MMM wow, those looks great, I love oatmeal peanut butter bars! 🙂
michael recently posted…Southern Butter Beans
That’s so sweet of you to leave the milkman goodies! Love these bars, you sound like me snacking, I always start with ‘what can I make…’
Paula recently posted…Cream Cheese Brownie Cups
Paula, that’s how I am when I get into the candy isle… what to make with it. But, then I get ‘snacking’ on the bag and have to buy another for the actual creation! 🙂
Okay luckiest milkman ever! That is so sweet of you to do that Gloria! Also I totally go to my pantry when I want to snack haha the fridge is a last resort if there are no chocolate chips in the pantry! These bars look delicious I love all the peanut butter and chocolate!
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron recently posted…Lucky Charms Swirled Bundt Cake
The chocolate layer on these bars look PERFECT! I wish I could pop one in my mouth right now!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting recently posted…Baileyâs Spiked Ice Cream Cake
Your milk man is so lucky!! I think I could deliver some milk if it ended with a plate full of these!! LO L
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen recently posted…Guinness Chocolate Cookies
Hi Gloria: Thank you so much for your message. So sweet of you to check-in on me. All is well, as I am taking a long break from blogging. I hope all is well with you, Justin and your three boys. Miss you too my sweet friend. ((( HUGS ))) xo
P.S. I’m loving this no bake bar. PB and chocolate –love the combo! Pinned. 🙂
Thank you so much, Anne! You always make me smile!
Gloria recently posted…Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Featuring Cupcakes!
These are the perfect no-bake bars. Wish I could reach through the screen and grab a couple or deliver your milk to your house, ha! Definitely pinning these!
Kathi @ Deliciously Yum! recently posted…Pancake Poppers
Kathi, thanks for pin action! 😉
Well if this ain’t peanut butter and oatmeal heaven, I don’t know what is! P.S. I’m with Nancy – being your milkman, er woman, is my new choice of career!
Mary Frances recently posted…Things I’m Loving {My Week in Photos + Recipes}
Love where you went with this just from roaming around the kitchen!! The chocolate spread on those looking amazing, can you send some over this way!! YUM!
Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats recently posted…Avocado Egg Salad {St. Patricks Day}
These look delicious!! I love no bake desserts!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes recently posted…Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ummm first of all, you have a milk man?? What?! That’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard, I didn’t even know milkmen existing anymore. Second, these bars look so scrumptious, the perfect dessert/snack!
These look amazing. My hubs will be all over these. I will have to surprise him with some or just save them to bribe him later, hmmm!! They are too good to not use wisely.
Zainab @Blahnik Baker recently posted…Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée
These bars look incredible Gloria! You’ve totally found my weakness, I am a huge sucker for oatmeal and peanut butter lately and these bars would be polished off in no time 🙂 Love that they are no bake too! That’s so sweet of you to make these for your milk man too 🙂
Kelly recently posted…Nutella Swirl Pancakes
Thank you, Kelly! But, I want to tell you congratulations with your new little arrival… which came so fast! Big loves to you!
I must have these bars in my life! PB and chocolate?! I mean come on, perfection on a plate. 🙂 I love the wripples you made with the chocolate layer…so fancy and pretty. 🙂
Tina @ Tina’s Chic Corner recently posted…Spicy Chorizo And Pasta
These bars look amazing Gloria! Pinned and shared on Facebook!
Trish – Mom On Timeout recently posted…20+ St. Patrick’s Day Ideas | $500 Luck o’ The Irish Giveaway
Trish, thank you for spreading the love! 🙂
they look yummy!
dina recently posted…Fiction: The Dough Rises
I LOVE these and that they are no-bake!! That is so sweet to make them for your milkman…I didn’t know they still existed, either. I would love to have all those glass bottles! Thanks so much for sharing it at Sewlicious Home Decor. Pinned 🙂
Marti recently posted…DIY Toilet Paper Roll Yarn Holders
Thanks, Marti! I love how the milk taste in the glass bottles… such a huge difference! Hope you’re enjoying your Wednesday!
Made these bars for my husband,he raved about them to everyone at work! Had to make second batch. This will probably be my new go-to when it’s too hot to bake!
Bonnie, I’m so happy you loved them! These will a perfect treat for this summer so we don’t have to use the oven … if it ever gets to be summer, right?! Thanks so much for stopping by to tell me how they turned out for you! 🙂
If there’s a way straight to my tainted heart, it’s chocolate and peanut butter. Love this combo and need to go make these bars now! Thanks for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!
Alison
Nancherrow
Nancherrow recently posted…Fridays Unfolded #101
Alison, those are my favorite combinations, too! Enjoy your weekend!
I LOVE no bake recipes and this one looks absolutely amazing! Great photos too, Gloria!!
Cathy@LemonTreeDwelling recently posted…25+ Last-Minute St. Patrick’s Day Recipes
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Cathy!
These bars are AMAZING !!
Here we usually make similar, but with rise krispies
I looooooove the fact that you used roll-oats 🙂
Winnie recently posted…רולדה במילוי תפוחים ופרג
What happens if I use the quick oats? I don’t have any others in the house and I need to whip these up quick! thanks
Hey! I have a question…I made this just as directed and they did not set up…ever. Almost like eating raw dough…except even mushier than oatmeal cookie dough would be. I felt like the margarine/butter was way too much….are you sure you mean 3/4 cup and not 3/4 stick?? Just trying to figure out what went wrong!!! They taste delicious, by the way, but you just would need a spoon to eat them at room temp!!
Anne, use 3/4 cup of butter. But, for faster results for a firmer bar… set in refrigerator until chilled or set. I’m really happy you loved the taste of them! Hope you have a wonderful week ahead of you! 🙂
Gloria recently posted…French Dip Shredded Beef Sliders
Mine were quite crumbly … I’m wondering on the boiling if you start timing 4 minutes when you turn it up to medium-high, or if you turn it up to medium-high, and when it starts to boil you time 4 minutes. I did the former and so it boiled for maybe 2.5-3 minutes. Quite a rapid boil.
Yes, start timing once you come to a hard boil. By doing it this way, it will completely dissolve the sugar and therefor bind better together. Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
I am gonna make these but not going to add all that sugar!!! PB is my fav!!!
I used the (one minute oats) without realizing! Will they still be okay?
I made these bars a couple of weeks ago and they were the absolute best. They will replace the bars I buy from the store. I shared with friends and family and they all loved them. I did cut down the sugar by about a 1/4 cup which doesn’t affect the consistency at all. I cut them and wrapped individually in foil and labelled. Put them in an airtight container and stored in the fridge. The last one was just as fresh as the first one. It also stopped me from eating them all at once. lol Now how do I apply for this milkman job? 😉
Thanks so much for sharing your way of freezing them… genius! Also, thank you for making my day even brighter! Hugs!
Hi there!I made these bars exactly how instructed but they turned out pretty dry and crumbled….they didn’t stay in bar form. Should u cut them right after they cool because I didn’t get to cut and eat them til the next day. I can’t think what the problem would be. They tasted good though 🙂
When I make these (at least a few times a month), I will almost make them the night before so I can cut into them the next day. But the bars are always good for a couple days just left out (uncovered) and if they can last more than a day without being devoured. I’m not quite sure what would have made your batch dry and crumbly. The only thing I could think of is maybe use less oats. Stir in 3 cups of oats (instead of the extra 3/4 cup) and that will make them even more gooey. But may take a little longer to set up.
Thank you so much for stopping by and letting me know how they turned out for you! xo
what happens if you use the quick oats? Have you every tried substituting the oats with a cereal like rice crispies or corn flakes?
I haven’t tried using the quick oats in this recipe. (I always have old fashioned oats on hand.) You could possibly try the quick oats, it would just absorb the liquid much faster in this recipe and have a different texture. Corn flakes on the other hand, loose their crisp when adding to the moisture. I would highly recommend keeping with the rice crispies. Thank you for stopping by with your questions! Have most amazing weekend! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe, this looks exactly like the ones my cousin makes 🙂
I’m so excited that I found this recipe! I “may” have made these bars three times in the past two weeks 🙂 The only changes that I made was I replaced 1/4 c of butter with coconut oil and I only use 1 c of chocolate chips for the top. Delicious!
So happy you loved these! Looks like I may be putting my coconut oil to some good use. Thanks for sharing your tip!