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By Sammi Brondo — July 26, 2024
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If you liked the Banana Oaties, you are going to LOVE these. They’re basically the same thing but in bar form and with peanut butter. Consider it an upgrade!
This recipe only has 4 simple ingredients and, like the oaties, couldn’t be easier to make.
If you want, follow the same instructions for the oaties and make them into oaties too. I kinda liked making them a little different as bars, but they’ll work either way. They may just need a little less time in the oven as oaties.
Not only does peanut butter add a delicious flavor, but it also adds a nice boost of fat and protein, making these even more filling and satisfying as a snack.
Grab 1 for a snack or even for dessert – I promise, they will not disappoint.
I love making these bars ahead of time to have on hand for the week. Anything that saves time for breakfast or snacks – or that gives me a ready-to-go dessert – is such a win in my book.
I’ve also seen a lot of parents making these with their kids, which I love. This is such a fun recipe to make with your kids that they can help prepare and eat too.
Now that I think about it – I’m totally making these for my daughter soon!
Store these bars in airtight container at room temp. They’ll last for 3-4 days. You can also make a batch to freeze for up to 3 months. Simply microwave when you’re ready to eat.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes! Any time your bananas are getting super ripe before you’ve had a chance to use them, peel them, place them in a freezer safe bag and store them in the freezer. Defrost them on the counter or microwave them gently before using.
This recipe was made with a 9×5 loaf pan.
Quick or instant oats work best. I don’t recommend using steel cut oats.
Welcome 🙂 As an intuitive eating based private practice, we don’t share calorie counts on recipes. We find that counting calories takes away from internal cues of hunger, fullness and satisfaction – aka enjoyment of the food you’re eating. But trust us, these are full of nutritious ingredients… and you’ll definitely enjoy them.
Mash the bananas
To start, preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
Add the bananas to a large bowl and mash until almost smooth. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix well.
Fold in chocolate chips
Add in the oats, salt, and baking powder and mix to combine. Fold in 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for the top of the bars. If you don’t like chocolate chips feel free to skip them. Check out other substitutions below.
Pour mixture into loaf pan
Pour the mixture into the loaf pan, using a spoon or spatula to smooth it out on top. Add the remaining chocolate chips to the top of the bars. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool and cut
Let cool and cut into 6-8 pieces.
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Bars
Sammi Brondo
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 3 super ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup instant or quick cooking oats
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
Add the bananas to a large bowl and mash until almost smooth. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla extract and mix well.
Add in the oats, salt, and baking powder and mix to combine. Fold in 1/3 cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for the top of the bars.
Pour the mixture into the loaf pan, using a spoon or spatula to smooth it out on top. Add the remaining chocolate chips to the top of the bars. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool and cut into 6-8 pieces.
Notes
Everything else you need to kno
- Bananas: Make sure your bananas are super ripe. The more ripe they are, the sweeter the bars will be. If you want to ripen bananas quickly, try preheating the oven to 350 F – add them to baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. They’ll be black on the outside but super ripe and perfect for baking.
- Peanut butter: I recommend using a creamy, natural peanut butter. The texture works best. If you use something like JIF or Skippy, you may want to add less oats so that the bars aren’t dry. Peanut butter can also be swapped for almond butter or sunflower seed butter.
- Mix ins: There are so many other mix ins you can add to these too. Tons of people have tried this recipe on Pinterest – here’s some ideas that they’ve tried mixing in: chopped walnuts, or peanuts, a dash of cinnamon, pumpkin purée (for the fall or winter), unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut, flax seeds, hemp seeds or even a little bit of honey would work well.
Sammi Brondo
As a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified intuitive eating counselor, I aim to help everyone lose the guilt around food and instead find joy in it. Since becoming a dietitian and earning my Master’s degree in Clinical Nutrition from NYU, I’ve helped thousands of people find food freedom through nutrition counseling and my program. I’d love to help you do the same.
