I know you really need another one.
Because the other 931 versions just don’t tickle your fancy.
Because I just… know you.
Because what’s more fun that a humongous ball of dough?
I know that you like to take a bite of a pretzel then a bite of a brownie, preferably double fist style. Maybe you like to squish potato chips on your sandwiches like I used to do at Mother Lovett’s house on Sunday afternoons? Yes, yes… you probably do. We’re like peas and carrots.* But really, nothing like peas and carrots since you won’t find either of those items in my house nor would I ever want to be one. Ever. I’d much rather be peanut butter and chocolate, bacon and eggs, or cheese and wine.
Much better.
I know that you like pizza for breakfast and beer in weird things, like marshmallows and pasta, and sometimes… in breakfast.
Hey… don’t shoot the messenger.
And I don’t really feel like making a big stink to convince your that these bars are amazing, because um… I’m watching Sweet Home Alabama for the millionth time and 932 variations of peanut butter oatmeal bars is no exaggeration. You’ll make them if you want to. Hopefully you’ll love them too and won’t pay me to go away a la A+ F and the Situation. Speaking of, can I just tell you that I’ve had to watch Regis and Kelly each morning for Regis’ Mother Lovett-isms, like yesterday when he called the Situation the “Satisfaction?” I sat and laughed to myself for about four full minutes. Then I cried.
So I like these bars because they are: peanut buttery, oatmealy, dense, sort of sweet, kind of cake-like and non-granola like. Plus, they are snacky type bars and… I really love snacks. I also put about 8000 mini chocolate chips inside because they are mini. Which is probably another giant reason that I like them. Which means that there are tiny bite sized antioxidants in here and I really need some of those. Don’t you?
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Squares
makes 9 squares
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cups creamy peanut butter, like Skippy Natural
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk (I used vanilla almond milk)
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, add peanut butter and sugar and mix on high speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in vanilla extract and mix until combined.
3. Add in flour, oats, salt and baking soda, mixing on medium speed. The dough will look crumbly and you want the peanut butter mix to be broken up into clumps. Add milk with the mixer on low speed, and mix until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips.
4. Make sure dough is completely combined, and roll it into a ball with your hands. Place it in the middle of an 8×8 baking dish, pressing it to fit. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until set and golden on top. Let cool completely, then cut into 9 squares.
*Ew.










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I love it, no butter, no oil. Oooohh…
I’m making this girl! Thanks for posting a healthy one. I still love all the others.
I’m gonna add pretzels because I’m insane.
I was just thinking the same thing, Sara!!!!
That’s perfectly done! a healthy delectable goodie. Wow, can’t wait to try it.
brilliant! <3
and perfect for MONDAY AFTERNOON after the first day of kindergarten.
Oh yeah. Now I know what to do with that 1/2 package of mini chocolate chips in the pantry. My kiddos are going to love this. Thanks for another great recipe.
these sound delicious!! I really like that a lot of your recipes are for 12 cupcakes, or as in this case, 9 squares. Makes me really want to try them.
Oops you did it again!!
Wow! I could eat the entire pan
Made these last night, half the batch is gone already. Co-workers are very happy I brought the rest with me today
. Happy Friday!
I will be making these. Then eating the pan and making them again pretending I am not making round 2. Just sayin.
these look soooo good. i’m eating a chocolate chip bar as we speak and this post is making this bar so unqualified. i need these in my mouth right now!
You really can’t go wrong with oatmeal. Or peanut butter. Or snack bars. So this is a win, win, win! =)
Looks awesome and I want to make it right now but I don’t have whole wheat pastry flour. Would whole wheat flour be ok?
Okay – I have to be honest here….I think this one is my favorite! It looks absolutely incredible! 932 is the winner!
Words can not explain how awesome these are!! I just polished off two!! Thanks for such a great recipe, definitely a keeper!!
Just made these. So awesome, even with forgetting to to turn the oven off for several minutes — just a bit crunchier but still delicious!
Just made these tonight they were AMAZING!
Hi Jessica!
I just made these and they are AMAZING!!! I love how they aren’t too sweet and are so cakey! My boyfriend is currently dipping his 3rd piece in some almond milk and ohhing and awwing
There can never be too many variations on the peanut butter snack bar
These look divine. Definitely going to give this recipe a try ASAP. Thanks!
Holy yummy batman….these were the perfect afterschool snack for my kids. And the perfect “oh I think I’ll eat one more because they’re healthy, right?…” snack for me!! Thank you!
I made these last night and the people in my office love them!
De – lish. That’s pretty much all I have to say about that.
Any suggestions on what I can add other than PB? It upsets my tummy. :/
Any other nut butter?
I just made them using cinnamon chips instead of chocolate chips because they’re what I had on hand. They’re in the oven now and smell amazing!
Made a double batch, couldn’t take the chance of not having enough….these are awesome.
So yummy.. especially coated in caramel. Trust me, oats cancel out the caramel. It’s balance.
Can I just say how un-flippin-believably good these are!!!! I used all purpose flour and a mixture of milk chocolate and semisweet chocolate chips…oh mama, were they delicious! They barely lasted two days in our house. Excellent recipe!! Thank you!
I’ve made these 3 times in the last 2 weeks and my family keeps asking when I will make them again.:) These are FANTASTIC! I served ice cream on top one time and another time I added in chopped walnuts. Thank you soooo much for a fantastic recipe!!
I am getting ready to make these…again! This will probably be the 4th or 5th time in the last few weeks. I just LOVE these things!
i made these with the cinnamon raisin swirl peanut butter from peanut butter & co and they were AMAZING! thanks for a great recipe!
I made these last night and my husband and I loved them! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I really love that it doesn’t need any oil or butter!
Ok. These look awesome. And I am sitting here thinking I feel like such a fatty because 99.9% of the recipes I bookmark are desserts. Just like this one. That I shouldn’t be eating. But I do anyway. And I work out to make myself feel better. Oh, well.
made these twice already!
I’ve made these twice now – first time I made 1 1/2 recipes and used milk chocolate/peanut butter chips, baked in a 13×9 pan, made enough for me to take for breakfast 6 mornings. Today I doubled the recipe, used butterscotch chips, and baked in a jelly roll pan (15×10?) – should make about 8 breakfasts’ worth. These are amazing, keep me full all morning thanks to the oatmeal (fiber) and peanut butter (protein), freeze well, taste great, and are easy to eat in the car! Thanks for an awesome recipe, Jessica!!
I have been wanting to make these forever and finally I am snowed in, so today is today! Am wondering if you have any ideas for how to adapt them and make pumpkin chocolate chip bars instead of pb?! I LOVED your chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
, they were a huge hit! Thanks for all the amazing recipes!
Looks delicious! I don’t eat wheat but I’m thinkig a little swap out for oat flour should work just fine. Thank You.
im gonna do crunchy peanutbutter.. yum. texture
Ooooh, I cannot WAIT until these come out the oven! I love how these easily have the potential to become vegan with non-dairy milk and vegan chocolate chips. I work as the pastry chef at a natural/organic grocery store, and I have to work on more vegan and GF recipes for my customers with dietary restrictions. I’m definitely going to play around with this recipe and see what the possibilities are. Thanks for helping the wheels in my mind turn…
Hi, I was wondering if its alright to use all purpose flour in place of whole wheat pastry flour? there is no such thing in New Zealand
Yes!
I just made these, and they were absolutely delicious. My whole family loved them.
I made a double batch, and baked them in a 9 X 13 metal pan at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
I didn’t have any whole wheat pastry flour, so I used a mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour. I substituted pure maple syrup for half the vanilla, which gave the bars a really delicious flavor. I substituted a mix of organic raisins and chocolate chips for the mini chocolate chips. And I used sugar-free, all-natural peanut butter, so the flavor wasn’t too sweet.
I will definitely be making these again – possibly tomorrow!
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