Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

This four ingredient, no bake snack couldn’t be more simple to make. I don’t know why, but when things started shutting down in March, I stocked up on OATS. I don’t even LIKE oatmeal, and yet I still felt compelled buy ALL THE OATS. If things got really bad, at least we could eat oats. Well. A lot of what we refer to as the “pandemic pantry,” is still stocked, and I think it’s time to start using those items. So I thought to myself, “What can I make with oats that isn’t oatmeal?” Enter onto the scene, these sweet and sticky chocolate peanut butter oat bars.

Sometimes I just want a little snack that’s sweet and not outrageously unhealthy. Having these on hand in the fridge satisfies my sweet tooth and also gives me a little energy to get through a busy afternoon.

I know we have a pretty great recipe when it’s mom, dad, AND toddler approved. As Neil was taste-testing these, he said, “Oh these are GOOD.” These would also be cute cut in different shapes. I almost cut them in hearts for Valentine’s Day, but couldn’t find my small heart shaped cookie cutter. I’m sure they’re healthier than some other sweet treats this time of year!

We rarely use wax paper, but this is one recipe where it really comes in handy. Not only do you use it to line the baking dish, but you can also layer it between the bars before popping them in the fridge so they don’t stick to each other.

In other news, this is the first blog post that I shot completely with my iPhone. The camera on the new phones is incredible. Hope you’re all doing well and having a great week. Until next time!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Prep Time: 15 min. Chill Time: 30 min.

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

3 cups oats

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation:

Line a 8×8″ baking dish with wax paper. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and continue to stir until they are well combined. You might need to use a little muscle! Press the mixture evenly in the baking dish and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and lift the wax paper with the bars onto a cutting board. Cut into desired shapes. Layer wax paper between bars and store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.

Makes 16 squares.