No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

Jun 25, 2020(Last updated Sep 21, 2021)by Hannah Sunderani

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Here’s a scrumptious recipe for No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars. They are sweet, oaty and nutty with a smooth chocolate peanut butter filling.

This recipe is vegan and gluten-free. Made with just 8 wholesome ingredients, this recipe comes together effortlessly for a lush sweet treat that’s pretty healthy.

I especially love to make these no-bake chocolate oats bars in the summertime. Since it doesn’t require me turning on my oven and adding more heat to the house!

You can keep these sweet treats in the freezer and pop out a square whenever you need. Mitch and I are really enjoying them as an after dinner dessert.

So, let me tell you exactly how to make these No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars.

Healthy No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

Ingredients

The ingredients for this recipe are simple, straightforward and relatively healthy. Using wholesome, unrefined ingredients. It’s likely you already have them in your pantry.

For this recipe you will need:

coconut oil
maple syrup
gluten-free rolled oats
cinnamon
sea salt
vanilla
semi-sweet chocolate chips
peanut butter

As you can see, there are only 8 ingredients for making these sweet and lush no-bake treats. Anyone can do it! Which is why I’ve given it my newbie cook stamp of approval.

I’ll also mention that the photo above showcases coconut sugar, instead of maple syrup. This is because during my recipe testing I first tried with coconut sugar, however I had much better success my third time around, using maple syrup. (For better texture and consistency to the oaty base).

That’s right, I recipe tested these oat bars THREE times! So you can rest assured that this recipe has been tested to perfection.

No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars: Tips & Notes

As I mentioned, this recipe is pretty simple and straight forward. But a few tips will help ensure that your no-bake chocolate oat bars are perfect.

Firstly, I like to line my square dish with parchment paper, to ensure we can easily remove the bars from the dish without it adhering to the pan.

Secondly, when handling the oaty mixture, things can get a little sticky. Especially as we press the first oaty layer into the pan to create the base. I like to wet my hands with a little bit of water when doing this. As it helps to create a barrier between the sticky oats and your fingers.

Peanut Butter for these Oatmeal Bars

For this recipe I opted in for chunky peanut butter, to add a little crunch to the squares. It’s delicious. But you can also use smooth – depending on your preference.

However, what is important is ensuring you are using an “all natural” peanut butter for this recipe. It’s a much healthier version to the conventional kind (which is often laden with sugar and hydrogenated oils).

Natural peanut butter has a runnier consistency, and it works really well for this recipe. Here’s an article about the difference between natural peanut butter vs. conventional.

Chocolate for these oatmeal bars

For this recipe I’ve opted in for vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips by Enjoy Life. Of course you can use whatever brand is available to you. If you’re vegan however, just be sure to check the ingredients list on the back of the package.

Most of the time, semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are actually naturally vegan; made without milk ingredients. I like to call this being “accidentally vegan.” But some brands can be sneeky. So, check the back of the label before purchasing just to be sure.

Other recipes you might like:

If you’re digging these no-bake bars, you might also like these:

Cookie Dough Bites
Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas
Easy Chocolate Chia Pudding
Pumpkin Chickpea Blondies

So there we have it! A sweet, oaty, chocolatey and nutty treat to enjoy for snack time or dessert. I really think you’re going to love these choolate oat bars! And, if you do make this recipe please let me know in the comments below what you think! I love hearing from you. And of course, tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #twospoons. Nothing makes me happier than to see your recreations.

GFSGF

No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

4.75 from 4 votes

By Hannah Sunderani

These bars are sweet, oaty and nutty with a smooth chocolate peanut butter filling.Made with just 8 wholesome ingredients. The recipe comes together effortlessly for a lush sweet treat that's pretty healthy, vegan and gluten-free.

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Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Freeze time 2 hours hours

Serves 16 squares

Ingredients

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 3/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups natural peanut butter (crunchy or smooth)

Instructions

In a saucepan drop in coconut oil and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer on medium high heat and stir to combine. Lower heat and pour in gluten-free oats, cinnamon, sea salt and vanilla. Stir everything to combine, then remove from heat.
Add 2 inches of water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Place a heatproof glass bowl on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the simmering water. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter. Stir gently until everything is melted, smooth and combined. Remove from heat.
Line a square baking pan with parchment paper (I used 9x9-inch square pan) and pour in half your oat mixture. Press the oats mixture into the bottom using your hands to make a solid firm base. Then, pour in 3/4 of your chocolate peanut butter filling for a smooth even layer. Next, sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and drizzle with remaining chocolate peanut butter mixture. (Optional to also drizzle with more all-natural peanut butter for a chocolate peanut butter top).
Freeze bars for at least 2 hours, or until solid. Let sit thaw for 10 minutes, then cut into squares.