These banana oatmeal bars are soft, with just the right amount of sweetness, and I love the hearty texture of the rolled oats. Even with all the chocolate chips, they’re not too sugary and keep me feeling full with their balance of carbs, healthy fats, and protein. They’re my go-to banana-chocolate pick-me-up for park days, an easy on-the-go snack, or a quick bite between meals.
⅔cupmini chocolate chipsplus more for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper that extends over the sides to make it easy to remove the bars later, and preheat your oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, mash 2 bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, then stir in maple syrup, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla.
To that, add peanut butter, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined.
To your bars, mix in your chocolate chips, then transfer the bars to prepared 9x9 dish.
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges.
Remove from the oven and top with chocolate chips.
Transfer the bars from the baking dish to a cooling rack using the excess parchment paper on the sides to easily remove the bars. Cut and serve cool for those patient enough to wait, or eat hot straight from the oven while the chocolate is still melty.
Notes
You can also sub eggs for ¼ cup of applesauce.
Since you’re cutting these into small bars, I prefer to use mini chocolate chips to ensure there’s chocolate in every bite. If you want to avoid all conventional sugar, you can use sugar-free chocolate chips (I like Lily’s) or omit them altogether. For a dairy-free option, try chocolate chips Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips.
Use virgin or unrefined coconut oil for moisture and to bind the ingredients together while keeping the chewy texture. You can use butter or dairy-free butter if you don’t like coconut.
I used natural smooth peanut butter (the kind that separates), but you could also use crunchy for added texture or your preferred nut butter.
I like to slightly melt my peanut butter before adding it to the batter by heating it up in 10-second intervals in the microwave. Natural peanut butter should only take 10-20 seconds to be at the right consistency.
I like to measure out my bananas after mashing to make sure I have the right amount. Every banana is a different size, and using too much will result in mushy bars, while too little will result in dry bars.
Be careful not to over-mix the batter. This will result in dense bars.
Let the bars cool completely before cutting to avoid crumbling. Use a sharp knife or bench scraper.
Add some protein by swapping ¼ cup of the oats for ¼ cup of protein powder.
Make sure to grease the pan thoroughly or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Store the bars on the counter for 2 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Freeze squares in single layers between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.