Just 4 ingredients go into making these No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares. Smooth homemade peanut butter and chunks of dark chocolate combined with sticky and sweet oats for a little treats that kids, and adults, are going to love! These peanut butter bars take just 10 minutes to put together.
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These oat squares are so simple to make, that even kids can get involved. You can mix it all together with a spoon, but where is the fun in that? I prefer to get my hands in and get all messy, which kids would love to do too.
The perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter, these bars make a great snack or dessert. Minimal ingredients and very little prep time, these are our go-to for something sweet, filling and delicious.
If you are looking for more recipes that use peanut butter, why not try our quick Peanut Butter Dip, delicious Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, simple Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl or our Healthy Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich?
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Why You Will Love Them
- Only 4 ingredients - These no bake peanut butter bars are SO easy to make, and you probably already have the ingredients for them.
- Easy to store and freeze - These are great for batch cooking, as you can freeze them and just get one out when you need to.
- Simple recipe for kids to help with - If you are looking to get your kids more involved in the kitchen, then this is an easy recipe to start with.
- Easy to adapt with different flavours - We have given lots of different ways to adapt these chocolate peanut butter bars so you can make them a different way every time.
- Vegan - If you use maple syrup and a vegan chocolate, then these are vegan too.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Oats - We used jumbo oats as we find they have the best texture.
- Chocolate - We love the intense flavour of dark chocolate, so that is what we use. But you could add some extra flavour by using a flavoured chocolate like orange or mint.
- Peanut Butter - Try to use the best quality peanut butter you can, as it will make a difference. You can also swap it for cashew or almond butter.
- Maple Syrup - This is where the sweetness comes from. You can use honey instead if you prefer.
Variations
If you have a peanut allergy but can eat other nuts, then you can easily make this with other nut butters, or even seed butters to make it totally nut free. We often make a cashew butter version that is really creamy.
If you are going to use peanut butter, why not make our own Homemade Peanut Butter? It's so simple to make and works out a lot cheaper.
You can add chunks of nuts and seeds into these, as well as some dried fruit which would make them more like a granola bar.
How To Make No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars - Step By Step
- Step 1: In a pan, gently heat the peanut butter until it isn't so stiff and then take off the heat.
- Step 2: Put the oats into a large bowl with the chunks of chocolate and pour in the peanut butter and maple syrup.
- Step 3: Mix well.
- Step 4: Line a rectangular dish with baking paper and put the mixture in the pan, pressing it down to fill the dish.
- Step 5: Put the dish in the fridge for 2 hours, then cut into squares and serve.
Are They Healthy?
Whilst they aren't super low in calories, there are no crazy ingredients and additives and you can freeze them for portion control.
I am a firm believer that most things that you make from home are going to be that little bit healthier, because you can control the ingredients.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Add different flavours to the mixture like mint extract, orange or vanilla essence for a flavoured oat square.
- Why not add some crushed nuts for an extra nutty boost?
- These are quite sweet so add a pinch of sea salt to the mixture to compliment the sweetness.
- Dried fruit makes a nice addition, and we love dried cherries as they go really well with the chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
For this recipe we used organic jumbo oats as they add a nice texture to the recipe. Steel cut oats will also work well.
Quick cook oats are much more processed than rolled oats, so don't work as well. They are processed to cook fast (as the name implies!) so they can become mushy when they come into contact with any liquid.
These can be kept in the fridge for up to a week. They are easy to freeze too. Once you have cut them into squares, you can individually wrap them and put them in the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just get them out one at a time when you need them - perfect for lunch boxes.
The only non-vegan part of these is the chocolate. Simply swap that out for one of the many great non-dairy chocolates available and you have yourself a vegan chocolate nut butter treat!
More Chocolate Recipes
If you've tried this no-bake oat squares recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Squares
Ingredients
- 320 g (4 cups) Jumbo oats - (use certified gluten free oats to ensure this recipe is gluten free)
- 170 g (1 cups) Chocolate - 70% Dark; cut into small chunks
- 170 g (0.66 cups) Peanut butter
- 170 ml (0.5 cups) Maple syrup
Instructions
- In a pan, gently heat 170 g Peanut butter until it isn't so stiff and then take off the heat.
- Put 320 g Jumbo oats into a large bowl with the chunks of 170 g Chocolate and pour in the peanut butter and 170 ml Maple syrup.
- Mix well.
- Line a rectangular dish with baking paper and put the mixture in the pan, pressing it down to fill the dish.
- Put the pan in the fridge for 2 hours, then cut into squares and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Add different flavours to the mixture like mint extract, orange or vanilla essence for a flavoured oat square.
- Why not add some crushed nuts for an extra nutty boost?
- These are quite sweet so add a pinch of sea salt to the mixture to compliment the sweetness.
- Dried fruit makes a nice addition, and we love dried cherries as they go really well with the chocolate.
- To ensure this recipe is definitely gluten free, use oats that are certified gluten free.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Linda says
We made these yesterday for a birthday party and o wish I had of made 3 the amount, because they were a huge hit!
I am not much of a baker, so these were perfect and so simple to make.
Louise says
My little one has just discovered how much he likes peanut butter, so I think he'd really like these squares. They look lovely :)
Louise x
Connor Silver says
I love peanut butter! Thanks for this recipe, I will be trying it out :)
Gareth Torrance says
It's a real shame that I'm allergic to peanuts, but those look delicious... What else would you recommend using instead?
Iryna says
No-Bake desserts are so spot on in summer! These Peanut Butter Square look delicious, they will be a perfect pair to my morning coffee.
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
I do like an easy to make recipe with simple ingredients, and a tasty result. Looks delicious. Using quality ingredients can be key to the end result, so I can only agree that chosing Whites oats is a good choice.
Veena Azmanov says
These looks so pretty and super easy. I love not baking in summer. Looks like these would make a great afternoon snack in summer after lunch for us.
Lilinha says
What a delicious recipe. I love peanut butter and oats so I am sure I would love it!
Mel says
These look and sound delicious and I love that they are no bake too - so handy!
Stephanie Usher says
Nice! We do a version of these but with chocolate protein powder, instead of the chocolate. Which makes it a little bit healthier! xxx
Kerry says
Chocolate and peanut butter are my 2 weaknesses. What are you doing to me? You are right though, these are healthier than anything you can buy and what a great idea to freeze them too.
Erin Thomas says
Thanks for including a recipe for homemade peanut butter. I didn't know it was that simple. I am going to make these right away, because I have all the ingredients. Yay!
Jenny says
I am going to make these with the kids tomorrow. I don't think any will make it to the freezer though.
Sarah Bailey says
Oh yum how delicious does this sound and I love that it is no bake, I am all for not turning the oven on in this weather.
five little doves says
I am TOTALLY going to give these a try this weekend! We love chocolate and peanut but I don't always have time to bake and wait around for the oven - and I have a habit of burning things. So yay for no bake!