Name: No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup peanut butter* (creamy & salted); ⅓ cup maple syrup; ⅓ cup coconut oil; ⅓ cup coconut sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut; 2 ½ cups rolled oats; 1 ¼ cup medjool dates (pitted (~14-16 dates)); 1 3 oz bar chocolate (chopped); 1 tsp coconut oil

Toasted oats, coconut shreds, and peanut butter get combined and then filled with a creamy chocolate date filling…trust me when I say these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars are truly drool worthy. I stand by the statement that peanut butter + chocolate is a match made in heaven which is why these bars are so tasty. This just may be my all time favorite combo here between the sweet and salty flavors!

Whether I’m snacking on a bar or enjoying one for dessert, these chewy yet soft peanut butter oat bars satisfy my sweet tooth. They’re easy, quick, and only have 10 better-for-you ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. A winning situation all around!

If you’re looking for another tasty breakfast, snack, or dessert, check out my Chunky Grain Free Granola. It’s the perfect sweetness for any occasion, is completely customizable, and creates the most delicious clusters!

A no bake chocolate peanut butter oat bar is propped up against other bars to show the texture. There are loose oats and coconut shreds and a creamy chocolate layer. The rest of the bars in the photo are blurred out.

Ingredients

Peanut Butter – I prefer to use a natural peanut butter that doesn’t have any added sugars or oils to it. You can also sub this out for any other nut/seed butter, experiment with it!

Maple Syrup – A refined-sugar free sweetener that also adds moisture to these healthy oat bars.

Coconut Oil – Helps to hold these bars together as a healthy fat and bonding ingredient for the crumbly base.

Coconut Sugar – Another refined-sugar free sweetener that gives these bars a slight caramel-y flavor when combined with peanut butter and chocolate.

Vanilla Extract – Enhances the sweet and salty flavors in these chocolate peanut butter oat bars.

Coconut Shreds – I suggest using unsweetened coconut shreds as these bars are plenty sweet as is.

Rolled Oats – Give a chewy and hearty texture while remaining 100% gluten free. Just be sure to buy gluten free certified oats, I usually get mine from Bob’s Red Mill.

Medjool Dates – The secret to a rich and creamy chocolate layer that’s also refined-sugar free. Dates are like the candy of nature, perfectly sweet! Feel free to sub deglet dates, I just find they are typically smaller and less juicy and thus require soaking in warm water for ~10 minutes so they can really soften.

Chocolate Bar – Any chocolate bar will work for this and you can experiment with different varieties of chocolate for different levels of sweetness and flavor.

Sliced no bake chocolate peanut butter bars are on a white sheet of parchment paper. The bars have crumbly oats and coconut shreds with a center of creamy chocolate spread. One bar is presented on it's side to show the texture of a bite.

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1. Line an 8″x8″ pan with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Add all wet ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cook for 1 minute, scraping along the bottom of the pan to ensure mixture does not burn. Remove from heat and stir in dry ingredients.

3. Add ⅔ of the PB Oat mixture to the parchment-lined 8″x8″ pan and press in a single layer with your hands or a spatula. Move to the freezer to set while making filling and set aside remaining ⅓ of mixture to use later.

4. Start on your filling – add chopped chocolate bar and coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl and cook in 30 second increments until melted (~90 seconds total).

5. To a food processor, add 1 ¼ cup pitted medjool dates and process ~1 minute, or until dates form into a ball. Add your melted chocolate to the blended dates and process until smooth.

6. Remove the 8″x8″ pan from freezer and top with chocolate date filling. Spread in a single smooth layer.

7. Top with remaining ⅓ cup of PB Oat mixture, using your fingers to firmly press mixture into chocolate date filling.

8. Move to freezer to harden, about 30-45 minutes.

9. Cut into squares and enjoy! Store in the fridge in airtight container for up to a week.

A no bake chocolate peanut butter oat bar sits on parchment paper with a fork beside it from a recent bite. The chewy oat layer is slightly crumbly and topped with a rich chocolate layer. There are more bars stacked in the background behind it, slightly blurred out.

Top down shot of chocolate peanut butter oat bars sliced into squares on parchment paper. The base is chewy, crumbly oats topped with creamy chocolate and more peanut butter oats on top.

Are Rolled Oats the same as quick oats?

You know when a recipe calls for rolled oats but you only have quick oats? And while part of you wants to just use the quick oats without stopping to think, you also know deep down that there’s a difference … and there is 🙃

While all oat varieties are tasty and great for our health, there are some differences when it comes to overall texture.

This recipe calls for rolled oats because they give a chewy texture and hold these no bake chocolate oat bars together. Old fashion or rolled oats do take longer to cook though because of the thicker texture.

Quick oats are rolled thinner and are in smaller pieces which means they cook faster. That’s why quick oats are great for baking or a quick oatmeal in the morning, they have an overall less chewy, less dense texture.

A no bake chocolate peanut butter oat bar is propped up against more bars to show off the texture. The base is made of chewy oats and toasted coconut followed by a chocolate date spread and topped with more of the oat and coconut crumble. The bars in the background are blurred out.

How to Store Healthy Oat Bars

If you’re like me and love sweets then I highly recommend adding these chocolate peanut butter oat bars to your weekly meal prep. After all, a meal prepped lunch or dinner wouldn’t be complete without dessert too am I right?!

And in that case simply make the bars ahead of time then follow these tips below to store them for later and save any leftovers.

In the fridge – Store bars in an airtight container and separate layers with parchment paper so that they don’t stick to one another. I recommend storing in the fridge for no longer than one week.

In the freezer – Store bars in an airtight container and separate layers with parchment paper so that they don’t stick to one another. I suggest keeping these healthy oat bars in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, remove bars and let sit overnight in the fridge. Or if you’re really impatient, like me, pop it in the microwave or eat straight from the freezer!

A side shot of a no bake oat bar with peanut butter, oats, toasted coconut, and a chocolate date center. There are more healthy oat bars blurred out in the background.

More Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes

As I said before, chocolate + peanut butter holds a special place in my heart. So if you’re looking for more of this power couple in desserts, check out my favorites below!

Peanut Butter Kitchen Sink Cookies – These cookies have everything in them for the ultimate sweet and salty combo. The peanut butter cookie is filled with melty chocolate chips + toffee chips, vegan marshmallows, and gluten free chip crumbles!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – A classic oatmeal cookie with my favorite combo, these cookies are simple yet delicious. They remind me of these no bake chocolate peanut butter bars actually because of the oat-y texture and classic flavor.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding – The perfect way to enjoy chocolate + PB for breakfast! This chia seed pudding is creamy and absolutely delicious with some crunchy granola, chocolate chips, and peanut butter drizzled overtop.

If you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you, and it also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars 🙂