Description
These Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars are a delightful combination of flavors and textures, making them a wholesome snack that fuels your day. With creamy peanut butter, sweet bananas, and hearty oats, they are simple to make and incredibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (adjust for sweetness preference)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit (like raisins or cranberries), optional
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts (like walnuts or almonds), optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. You should have about 1 cup of mashed bananas.
- Add the creamy peanut butter, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using).
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until everything is well incorporated.
- If you’re using chocolate chips or nuts, fold them into the mixture at this point.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once done, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, carefully lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: For a nut-free version, substitute peanut butter with sunbutter or tahini. You can also add spices like nutmeg or ginger for a seasonal twist.