No Bake Oatmeal Bars

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5 from 401 votes
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These no bake oatmeal bars are thick, soft, chewy, and made with just 3 ingredients! Ready in just 5 minutes, they are a healthy and delicious snack that is easily customizable!

no bake oatmeal bars

No Bake Oatmeal Bars

When it comes to healthy snacks, my favorite recipes to make are granola cups, granola bars, and these no bake oatmeal bars.

Growing up, I was considered to be quite the snack monster. My mom would always have to pack extra snacks in my lunch box, just to make sure my raging appetite could be satisfied. Being a doting parent, the snacks she’d pack would always be healthy, and often be fruit, crackers, or oat based bars.

It’s funny, as, throughout school and high school, I was NEVER a fan of packaged oat bars. My mum would always pack them for me and 9 times out of 10, they’d still be in my lunch box when I got home. It wasn’t until I started high school that I began to appreciate them as a filling and healthy snack. Now that I’m considerably older, snacking is still on my agenda, although this time, I make them myself. While I typically have a protein bar or a fat bomb, I’ve recently loved making no bake oatmeal bars! 

I’ve been meaning to share a no bake oatmeal bar recipe for quite some time. They’ve been my go-to snack lately, and keep me energized between meals! I love how it needs just 3 ingredients to make. No refined sugar and no dairy are needed, but you’d never tell. The texture is thick, soft, and chewy, and stable at room temperature. They are pleasantly sweet and full of peanut butter flavor, without being overpowering. 

With my work schedule often being away from home for most of the day, these have been an even bigger life saver, and I’ve included making some as part of my weekly meal prep.

How do you make no bake oatmeal bars?

The Ingredients

  • Rolled Oats– I used gluten-free oats, to ensure that they are gluten-free. You can use quick-cooking oats (instant oats) or oat bran, but I find those both lack the texture we want. 
  • Peanut Butter– Smooth and creamy peanut butter, with no added sugar. 
  • Maple Syrup– Gives the oatmeal bars sweetness, but holds them all together.

The Instructions

Start by microwaving your peanut butter and maple syrup together, until combined. Next, add in your oats and mix until a thick batter remains. Transfer into a lined 8 x 8-inch pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, to firm up. 

 

homemade oatmeal bars

Tips to make the best oatmeal bars

  • Melt your peanut butter and syrup together, before adding it to the oats. Melting them together ensures a smooth, warm, and thin texture, making it easier to mix into bars. Once the bars have been refrigerated, they will be incredibly thick and sturdy! 
  • Feel free to substitute the peanut butter for either almond butter or tahini. 
  • For some added textures and flavors, add some nuts, seeds, or chocolate chips.

Storing and Freezing peanut butter oatmeal bars

  • To store: Place leftover bars in a sealable container and keep them in the fridge at all times. They will remain fresh for at least 2 weeks.
  • To freeze: Chill your bars and then freeze them, by placing them in a ziplock bag. They will keep well frozen for up to 6 months.

peanut butter oatmeal bars

More healthy snack recipes to try

no bake oatmeal bars

3 Ingredient No Bake Oatmeal Bars

5 from 401 votes
These no bake oatmeal bars are soft, chewy, thick, and need just 3 ingredients to make! Ready in 5 minutes and the perfect healthy snack!
Servings: 24 Bars
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes

Ingredients  

Instructions 

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a microwave safe bowl or stovetop, melt the peanut butter with syrup until combined. Add the oats and mix well, until fully incorporated.
  • Transfer the mixture into the lined pan and press into it firmly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, to firm up, before slicing into bars.

Notes

* Can use smooth almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini instead.
** Can use agave nectar or honey (not strictly vegan) instead. 
TO STORE: Place leftover bars in a sealable container and keep them in the fridge at all times. They will remain fresh for at least 2 weeks.
TO FREEZE: Chill your bars and then freeze them, by placing them in a ziplock bag. They will keep well frozen for up to 6 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BarCalories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSodium: 51mgPotassium: 122mgFiber: 2gCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mgNET CARBS: 8g
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

 

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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