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5 Ingredient Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

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No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars are made with a buttery oat base and a chocolate peanut butter inside. The chocolate peanut butter mixture is nestled in between two layers of the buttery oat bars, with more chocolate drizzled on top. It’s a simple 5 ingredient no bake recipe that comes together within minutes.

These fudgy No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars are very easy to make! It all comes together in under 15 minutes.

My favourite part about this recipe is that it’s a no bake recipe. Perfect for the summer heat!

If you’re looking for more 5 ingredient recipes, check out my 5 ingredient Chocolate Chip Cookies or Best-Ever 5 Ingredient Fudgy Brownies!

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Why this recipe works

  • No bake – perfect for summer!
  • Easy – this recipe is only 5 ingredients and takes 10 minutes to put together!
  • Grab & Go – make it ahead of time as a snack on the way out the door.
  • Chocolate – the chocolate peanut butter mixture is sandwiched in between the buttery oat base, helping everything stick together!

Key Ingredients

Full recipe and ingredients are in the recipe card below. Feel free to scroll through this section to view the five ingredients we’re using!

Butter – Unsalted. This is going to be melted.

Brown sugar – I used golden yellow, but dark brown works as well.

Chocolate chips – Semi-sweet are recommended, dark works as well if you’d like a more bitter filling. Milk or white would be too sweet.

Peanut butter – Creamy must be used.

Oats – Quick oats were used. Rolled oats work as well.

Step by Step Instructions

Here is a more detailed step-by-step than the recipe card. Scroll down for a full recipe video and measurements.

Step 1 – Line and grease an 8×8 square pan with foil or parchment paper.

Step 2 – Melt chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter in the microwave or using the double boiler method. Set aside.

Step 3 – Melt butter and brown sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once it’s melted together, stir in the vanilla and oats.

Step 4 – Turn the stove onto low, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is well combined. Make sure to stir constantly or else it’ll burn! This step is crucial so check out my tips section down below if needed.

Step 5 – Press half of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared square pan and press down firmly with a greased spatula.

Step 6 – Pour 3/4 of the chocolate peanut butter mixture on top and gently spread around.

Step 7 – Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture on top. Make sure the entire top is covered. Drizzle with remaining chocolate/peanut butter.

Step 8 – Place into the refrigerator to chill until completely set. 2-3 hours, or overnight. Slice and enjoy! Keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days, or in the fridge for up to 10 days.

Expert Baking Tips

Here are four awesome baking tips from my kitchen to yours

When cooking the oat mixture, make sure to stir constantly.

Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture all over the pan, for easier gentle spreading.

You will know the oat mixture is ready when you press it down in the saucepan and it is sticking/coming together.

When layering, gently spread the chocolate mixture so you don’t disturb the base! You may also pick up the pan and tilt it around.

FAQ

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! Double the ingredients in a 9×13″ pan.

My oatmeal mixture burned when I cooked it. What happened?

This is due to the mixture not being constantly mixed and stirred while it’s cooking. The bottom of the oats will burn if you leave it untouched while it’s on the stovetop. I used a spatula.

My bars are crumbly. Why?

Ensure you are using quick or rolled oats. If you did and the bars are still falling apart, this means that the oatmeal mixture was cooked for too long or the temperature was to high. Next time, decrease the cooking time and/or lower the temperature.

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PS : If you enjoyed this recipe, please make sure to leave a STAR REVIEW down below! I’d love to stay connected on Instagram @sweettreatsyt! To get more recipes follow me on TikTok @sweettreatsyt!

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars

Ania
5 ingredient No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars are made with a buttery oat base and lots of chocolate. The chocolate peanut butter mixture is nestled in between two layers of the buttery oat bars, with more chocolate drizzled on top.
4.19 from 370 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 bars
Calories 366 kcal
Need metric measurements?Use the buttons below to click between US cups and Metric grams!

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Line an 8×8" square baking dish with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease if it's foil, set aside.
  • Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave or on a stovetop using the double boiler method and set aside.
    1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • Melt butter and brown sugar in a large saucepan together over medium heat.
    1 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • Turn the heat down to low. Stir in vanilla. Add in oats. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly
    2 tsp vanilla, 3 cups quick oats
  • Press half of the oatmeal mixture into the prepared dish and press down firmly.
  • Add 3/4's of the chocolate peanut butter mixture and gently spread it on top. Make sure not to disrupt the base.
  • Gently sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top and press it into place. Make sure the entire top is covered with the oat mixture.
  • Drizzle the remaining chocolate peanut butter mixture on top.
  • Set in the fridge to cool for 2-3 hours, or overnight, until the chocolate has completely set. Slice & enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 9gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 96mgPotassium: 343mgFiber: 5gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 54IUCalcium: 73mgIron: 3mg
Keyword no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars, no bake chocolate recipe, No bake recipe, oat bars, oatmeal fudge bars
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Reader Interactions

Comments

      • Gary Thomasson

        I love oatmeal bars, but I am sick and tired of all the oatmeal-chocolate bars and oatmeal peanut butter bars. I am going to figure out a way to substitute a brown sugar substitute for the chocolate center layer….if anyone has any suggestions please RSVP to me. Thank you so much. GT in Washington State

      • Gregory

        Hey, am I able to substitute the brown sugar with honey and the butter with something else? Also could I add dates somehow.

        Thank you!

      • Ania

        Hi Greg, I don’t think that substitute would work. The sugar and butter are paired together to create a strong base, and since it’s a no bake recipe it’s important to stick to these ingredients. If you try it and it does, please let me know though! 🙂

  2. Tina

    Did you really mean 1 cube of butter? Made these as listed in the recipe and they are EXTREMELY buttery, like puddles of butter.

    Reply

    • Ania

      Hi Tina! Yes. This recipe calls for 1 cup (227g) of butter. Perhaps the mixture was not cooked long enough over the heat so it wasn’t absorbed properly, or the oats were different than what I used? I’m sorry to hear this!

      Reply

    • Peg

      I scanned the comments to see if anyone else found the oats to be swimming in butter. I had the same results as Tina. I thought perhaps there was a typo until I read your answer to her. I cooked the butter and 3c oats for the 3 minutes called for, and then cooked for another two. Still quite a bit of butter not absorbed. Assembled them anyway. There was a lot of butter congealed under the parchment paper – I’m talking tablespoons – after refrigeration. I have to say that aside from being much too buttery, they taste great! I will definitely try again starting with 1/2 cup butter and increasing a little if the mix is too dry. My grandson will love them!

      Reply

    • Ania

      Hi Heather! So sorry for the late reply. The only substitute I can think of is SunButter. As long as it has the same consistency it should work though!

      Reply

  5. Sandi

    I made these per the recipe yesterday and they disappeared! Today I made a double batch to take to a dinner tonight. They’re easy to make and super yummy!

    Reply

  9. Jenni

    These look so good. The unbelievable thing is that I’m not a fan of chocolate. I can hear a collective gasp. Can I just heat the peanut butter to melty stage & spread it on? I use an organic natural peanut butter.I could possibly sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top.just wonder if there has to be all that chocolate?

    Reply

    • Ania

      Hi Jenni! I’m not sure if natural peanut butter is a good idea since we’re not baking this and the consistency of natural peanut butter won’t set the bars at room temperature. You can definitely add less chocolate, but once again it does act like a ‘glue’ and help keep them together! So I can’t guarantee they will slice and hold well (delicious though, I can) 😉 I hope this helps!

      Reply

  10. Nini2008

    I didn’t have chocolate chips, so I used Nutella. Didn’t have brown sugar. No Maple syrup to make homemade brown sugar. Used Mrs. Butterworth in place of Maple syrup. It says ‘sprinkle’ oats on top of chocolate. Sorry, but…when you cook the oats with the butter, ‘sprinkle’ left the building & ain’t coming back. I think I will chill the oat & chocolate layer a bit before adding the last of the oats. I hope they taste as good as they smell!

    Reply

    • Ania

      Hi Mary! Since this is a no bake recipe, I don’t recommend using runny peanut butter. You risk the bars not setting in the fridge and falling apart. While still delicious, this can become a little frustrating! I hope this helps, and let me know what you choose to do 🙂

      Reply

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