Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars Recipe
These Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars combine a buttery oat crust with a sweet and creamy peanut butter fudge layer, topped with semi-sweet chocolate chips and oat crumbles for a perfectly chewy and indulgent treat. Easy to make and perfect for snacks or dessert lovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Oatmeal Base
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
Fudge Layer
- 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Toppings
- 1 12-ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Line a 13×9 inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray it with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix Base Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth.
- Add Flour and Oats: Add the all-purpose flour and quick-cooking oats to the butter mixture. Continue mixing until everything is well combined and forms a dough.
- Reserve Oat Mixture: Set aside 1 heaping cup of the oat mixture for topping later.
- Press Base Mixture: Press the remaining oat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake this crust at 350°F for 10 minutes to pre-cook it slightly.
- Prepare Fudge Layer: In a separate bowl, combine the creamy peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Bars: Pour the peanut butter fudge mixture evenly over the baked oat crust. Then crumble half of the reserved oat mixture over the peanut butter layer. Sprinkle the semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly on top, and finally add the remaining oat mixture as the last layer.
- Bake Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake the layered bars for 25 minutes or until the oat crumbles on top start to turn golden brown.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, lift the bars out using the foil edges, cut into squares, and store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Line the pan with foil for easy removal and clean-up.
- Quick-cooking oats provide a chewy texture, but old-fashioned oats can be substituted for a heartier bite.
- Make sure to cool bars completely before cutting to prevent crumbling.
- These bars can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days or refrigerated for longer freshness.
- For a nut-free variation, peanut butter can be substituted with sunflower seed butter.
Keywords: Chocolate chip bars, peanut butter bars, oatmeal bars, dessert bars, no-bake fudge bars, easy dessert, sweet snack
