Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars Are Amazing

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Healthy And Gluten-Free

I jumped for joy when I ran across this recipe for peanut butter banana oatmeal bars! I was looking for a yummy treat I could make for our granddaughter! She needs to follow a gluten-free diet, and these combine some of her favorite foods: peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas!

I patiently waited a couple of extra days for the bananas to get super ripe and sweet, but I could easily have used some frozen bananas from my stash in the deep freeze! Glad I have some tucked away! I'll be making these again and again!

Why You'll Love These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

No sugar, no dairy! Gluten-Free! Rich in fiber from the oatmeal, and you can use either old-fashioned oatmeal or quick oatmeal! They are packed with wholesome ingredients, and they are delicious! The peanut butter adds wonderful flavor and has an added benefit. It delivers some healthy fat and protein, making these even more filling and satisfying as a snack or breakfast on the go!

They are super easy to make! You only need a bowl, measuring cups, spoons, a fork to mix the bananas and ingredients, and a loaf pan to bake them in! You can pop them into the oven in about ten minutes flat, and they only take about half an hour to bake!

These peanut butter banana oatmeal bars will stay fresh on the counter or in the fridge for three or four days and freeze beautifully! What a great thing to pack in a lunch box or take to work for a morning pick-me-up at break time! Delicious with a cup of coffee or tea!

Wow, I can tell I'm excited about this peanut butter oatmeal squares recipe because as I look back on what I've written, every single sentence ends with an exclamation mark. 😏 But heck, I am excited because it's not easy to find healthy treats that are this tasty. It's a win for GB and my granddaughter!

How To Make Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease a loaf pan, and/or line it with parchment paper to help lift the bars out of the pan after they're baked. I used a nine-by-five-inch loaf pan.

Mash the bananas in a medium bowl using a fork, but leave them a little bit chunky.

Add the peanut butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and honey. You can use natural peanut butter for this recipe, but I used my favorite, Jif creamy peanut butter. 💖I haven't tried chunky peanut butter, but I bet it would work fine!

Next, stir in the oatmeal and about one-third of the chocolate chips.

Put the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top, then sprinkle on the rest of the chocolate chips and bake your peanut butter banana oatmeal bars for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. A toothpick or cake tester should come out clean when you poke the pan near the middle.

The fragrance when they're baking will make your mouth water and make you hungry! Let the bars cool in the pan, then cut them into eight luscious bars! I used a bench cutter, pressing straight down and up to make tidy cuts.

Just look at these beauties! Our daughter AND granddaughter were crazy about them, so I'm making more this week, including a batch for our other daughter's family, simply because they are trying to avoid sugar and eat healthily! They are a hit!

Variations For Making These Yummy Bars

You can use any kind of nut butter, such as cashew or almond butter, omit the chocolate chips, or swap them out with butterscotch or white baking chips. You can add cinnamon if you like, or dried cranberries or cherries! Melt some peanut butter in the microwave and drizzle it over the top if you feel fancy!

It's so quick and easy to whip up a batch; have fun trying some substitutions! Here's a great little post on how to speed up the ripening of bananas in an hour or a couple of days, depending on how desperately you're craving these amazing bars!

Storing Your Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

This recipe only makes eight bars about two and a half inches square, so it isn't a big batch. Normally, you can keep them on the counter for three or four days and be just fine. They'll keep well in the refrigerator for a week to ten days.

These little beauts freeze amazingly well, too. Stack them with waxed or parchment paper between the layers, and keep them in an air-tight freezer container for up to three months.

Yield: 8 bars

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars

Print

A healthy, super easy gluten-free, peanut butter banana oatmeal bar

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups oatmeal, quick or old-fashioned
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease and/or line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas but leave them a little chunky.
4. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, and honey and stir well.
5. Add the oatmeal and about 1/3 of the chocolate chips and stir them in.
6. Put the batter into the loaf pan and level the top.
7. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the top of the batter.
8. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when you poke the pan in the middle and the top is nicely golden brown.
9. Cool and cut into eight bars.
10. Store at room temperature for about 3 days or in the refrigerator for about a week.
11. Freeze in freezer storage containers with parchment paper between layers for up to three months.

I love having some tasty gluten-free snack options available for my granddaughters! Here are a couple that are extra good! Gluten-Free Vegan Chickpea Blondies and Chocolate Chex Caramel Crunch.

If you enjoyed this recipe today, please share it on your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. I'd sure be tickled and ever so grateful; thank you! 

If you haven't already, check out my Facebook page, where I'll post easy, delicious, and family-friendly recipes every week!

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Love GB, (Betty Streff)

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