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No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars have a crunchy, buttery brown sugar oatmeal top and bottom with a fudgy peanut butter filling. They’re easy to make with just 20 minutes of hands-on time!
When it’s hot outside, I avoid turning on the oven at all costs. Despite central air conditioning, here in Florida, the oven heats up the entire kitchen and living area. And then it takes hours for the house to cool down!
It’s just easier to make a dessert that doesn’t require oven time, lol.
I’ve been making chocolate oatmeal bars for years, and this recipe is a spin off that. Instead of a rich dark chocolate and peanut butter filling, here we use a blend of white chocolate and peanut butter. These bars have the same fudgy texture, but they aren’t so overwhelmingly chocolate-flavored.
Of course a little drizzle of dark chocolate on top pairs well with the peanut butter filling. And just a sprinkling of sea salt balances everything.
No bake peanut butter squares are a great dessert for lunchtime dessert, after school snack, and summertime potlucks. But they go beyond that! They’re quick and easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Whip them up for your next party any time of year!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – The best part about these delicious oatmeal bars is how easy they are to make. There’s no baking required, so you don’t have to worry about heating up the kitchen.
- Texture – These have great texture with a crunchy top and bottom and a soft, fudgy filling.
- Flavor – Peanut butter is the star of the show, but a hint of chocolate is the perfect accent!
Tip For the Perfect Consistency When Serving
Keep these squares stored in the fridge, but let them sit out at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving so they can soften to a fudgy texture.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
Top and Bottom Oat Mixture Ingredients:
- Butter – Butter adds rich flavor and helps our top and bottom crust harden when chilled. Use unsalted butter, or if you need to use salted butter, omit the added salt.
- Light brown sugar – Brown sugar adds sweet notes of caramel and molasses.
- Salt – A little bit of salt helps create a balanced flavor profile.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats – Don’t use instant oats here!
- Vanilla extract – For flavor and aroma.
Peanut Butter Filling Ingredients:
- White chocolate chips – The peanut butter filling is essentially just a ganache made with white chocolate and peanut butter. The white chocolate helps it set to a fudge-like texture.
- Creamy peanut butter – Use your favorite smooth and creamy sweetened peanut butter here (Skippy is my go-to).
Topping Ingredients:
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips – We melt the chocolate and drizzle it on top to take these dessert squares to the next level.
- Flaky sea salt – Garnishing with a touch of flaky sea salt pulls out the flavors of everything else and ties it all together.
How to Make No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Step 1: Toast the Oats for the Top and Bottom:
Add the butter, brown sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oats and vanilla and cook until the oats are toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add half of the oat mixture to a loaf pan lined with 2 pieces of parchment paper. Spread it out evenly, and then press it down with a metal spatula.
Step 2: Make the Filling:
Melt the white chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a medium bowl in the microwave or double boiler. Stir to combine.
Step 3: Assemble:
Pour the white chocolate/peanut butter mixture on top of the oat mixture in the loaf pan. Spread it out evenly.
Step 4: Chill & Finishing Touches:
Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top.
Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Cut into squares, and then drizzle the melted semi-sweet chocolate on top. Sprinkle on the flaky sea salt. Serve!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Recipe Tips
- These bars have a more solid consistency straight from the fridge. If you let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, they have a fudgy consistency. Don’t leave them outside in the heat because they will melt.
- For a rich chocolate filling, mix together 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once these are cut into squares, arrange them in layers between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container. Freeze them for up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight before eating.
If you’re looking for a fudgy chocolate oatmeal bar, this recipe is perfect. All you need to do is swap out the filling!
Instead of using white chocolate chips and peanut butter, use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. Melt it together and proceed with the recipe.
That depends on what’s healthy to you! Oats pack a variety of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and peanut butter adds protein.
If you want to cut back on the sugar content to make this dessert healthier, you can use keto brown sugar, sugar free white chocolate chips or sugar free white chocolate, and keto creamy no-stir no-sugar-added peanut butter.
More Easy Dessert Recipes to Make
- Chocolate Pudding Dirt Cups – fun for kids!
- No Bake Cheesecake Parfait – elegant, but quick and easy!
- Vanilla Pineapple Popsicles – just 2 ingredients, a blender, and a popsicle mold is all you need!
- Salted Brown Butter Blondies – rich, gooey, and so good in their simplicity!
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No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars Recipe
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Ingredients
Top and Bottom Oat Mixture:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Filling:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Toppings:
- 3 tablespoons chocolate chips melted
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Line a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with 2 pieces of parchment paper so it hangs over all 4 sides.
- Add the butter, brown sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Stir in the oats and vanilla and cook until the oats are toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add half of the oat mixture to the prepared loaf pan. Spread it out evenly, and then press it down with a metal spatula.
- Melt the white chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a medium bowl in the microwave or double boiler. Stir to combine.
- Pour the white chocolate/peanut butter mixture on top of the oat mixture in the loaf pan. Spread it out evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top.
- Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
- Cut into bars, and then drizzle the melted semi-sweet chocolate on top. Sprinkle on the flaky sea salt.
- Serve.
Notes
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes 1 (9 by 5-inch) loaf pan, which is 8 servings.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Serving Tip: These bars have a more solid consistency straight from the fridge. If you let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, they have a fudgy consistency. Don’t leave them outside in the heat because they will melt.
- For a Rich Chocolate Filling Instead: Melt together 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips + 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
I used chocolate chip and peanut butter yummy
How simple to make, and delicious! I made them for my 4th of July picnic and they were a hit!!