Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars (Printer version)

Chewy bars packed with peanut butter, banana, and oats, ideal for an easy on-the-go energy boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
03 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
06 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
07 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
03 - Add peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir until thoroughly blended.
04 - Add rolled oats, salt, cinnamon, and optional walnuts or chocolate chips to the wet mixture. Stir until evenly combined.
05 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and firmly press it evenly using the back of a spoon or spatula.
06 - Refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour, until firm enough to slice.
07 - Lift from pan using parchment overhang and cut into 12 bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent and creamy but are actually whole-food fuel you can feel good about eating.
  • The entire process takes 10 minutes of hands-on time—seriously, faster than waiting for toast to pop up.
  • They stay fresh for days in the fridge, so one batch covers your snack emergencies all week.
02 -
  • Don't skip the pressing step—loose bars will crumble when you try to slice them, so really lean into it with the back of your spoon.
  • The banana needs to be very ripe and well-mashed; underripe bananas have less moisture and the bars won't hold together as well, but overripe is actually your friend here.
03 -
  • Use a sharp, thin knife dipped in warm water between cuts to get clean slices without sticking—it makes a surprising difference.
  • If your bars come out too soft even after chilling, you probably under-mashed the bananas or used ones that weren't ripe enough; they'll still taste good but may crumble slightly when you bite into them.
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