These No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are the ultimate easy snack recipe! With just 3 simple ingredients and 5 minutes of prep, this recipe delivers a wholesome snack bar that is soft, chewy, and rich with peanut butter goodness.
My EASY Go-To Snack Bar Recipe
If you love snack bars, you are going to love these no-bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars. They’re the kind of treat that feels a little indulgent, yet are packed with whole grains and healthy fats, all while being naturally sweetened.
And while I have a lot of easy snack bars on my site (I am looking at you no-bake granola bars and copycat larabars), it truly does not get easier than this recipe for PB Oat Bars. Simply stir, press, chill, and devour!
Perfect as a wholesome kid-friendly snack, post-workout fuel, or a quick bite when that afternoon hunger strikes. However you enjoy them, these peanut butter oat bars are guaranteed to satisfy.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
Three Key Ingredients
Oats, honey, and peanut butter are the stars in this simple recipe. Keep in mind the following tips when selecting ingredients for the best results.
- Peanut Butter: This recipe works with natural peanut butter or shelf-stable peanut butter. I personally prefer using all-natural peanut butter, to keep these bars are pure and wholesome as possible, but either variety works.
- Oats: Use rolled oats or quick-cooking oats to make these bars. Do not use steel-cut oats. Be sure your oats are certified gluten-free if needed.
- Honey: I love the combination of honey and peanut butter together. However, feel free to use maple syrup if you would like to make these peanut butter oatmeal bars vegan-friendly.
- Salt: If your peanut butter is not salted you will want to add just a touch of kosher salt to bring out the flavors.
How to Make Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Whis recipe for peanut butter honey oatmeal bars is incredibly simple, I do have a few tips to make the process even easier and ensure perfect results.
- Microwave the peanut butter with the honey. Add the peanut butter and honey to a heat-safe large mixing bowl or glass measuring cup and microwave for 30-60 seconds. This will make stirring the peanut butter and honey into one cohesive mixture super easy.
Kristen’s tip
I typically microwave the honey and peanut butter in a large heat-safe mixing bowl rather than using a glass measuring cup as pictured. That way I can add the oats right to the bowl and only have one dish to wash.
- Stir in Oats. Using a spatula, spoon, or handheld mixer on low speed, mix the oats into the peanut butter mixture until everything is evenly combined.
Kristen’s tip
Using a handheld mixer makes quick work of the mixing is easier for anyone who has wrist or joint issues. Just be sure to use low speed.
- Press into Pan. Transfer the mixture to a pan lined with parchment paper and press the mixture evenly in the pan.
Kristen’s Tip
Because the peanut butter oatmeal mixture is quite sticky, I recommend using a small piece of parchment paper to press the mixture into the lined pan.
- Chill. While you can certainly dig into the peanut butter oatmeal bars right away, I find it is best to allow the bars to chill for 30 minutes. This makes them much easier to cut into snack size bars.
Recipe Modifications
- Add Chocolate Chips: After combining the oats with the peanut butter and honey, stir in up to 1 cup of mini or regular chocolate chips and then press into the pan as directed.
- Top with Melted Chocolate: Place 1 cup of chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until melted and smooth. Add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and stir to combine. This is optional but helps chocolate to set up. Drizzle the melted chocolate over bars pressed into pan. Chill before slicing. Note: Store chocolate topped pb oat bars in the refrigerator, not at room temp.
- Peanut-Free: It may sound odd, but you can make these bars with almond butter or soy butter in place of peanut butter.
- Vegan-Friendly: Use pure maple syrup in place of honey.
Did you make this recipe?
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Prevent your screen from going dark
Salt: If your peanut butter is unsalted, increase the salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Or omit the added salt for a lower-sodium snack.
Oats: Use rolled old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats. Do not use steel-cut oats. Be sure your oats are certified gluten-free if needed.
Honey: Feel free to replace the honey with maple syrup for a vegan-friendly peanut butter bar.
Storage: Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Calories: 248kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 8gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 142mgPotassium: 202mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally published in 2022 and updated in 2025.
