Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars (no bake)
These no-bake oat bars combine a bit of everything we love: they are extremely easy to make, very kid-friendly, have oats for a touch of healthiness, and that magic combination of peanut butter and chocolate. A great snack and dessert.
Servings 12 bars
Ingredients
- ¾ cup traditional oats
- pinch salt
- 1 cup ground plain chocolate cookies
- ⅔ cup confectioners sugar
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate or ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup peanut butter
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
For the ganache topping:
- 3 tablespoons cream heavy or double
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped, or ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- edible confetti or sprinkles for decoration, optional
Instructions
- Have ready a buttered or sprayed 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper.
- Heat ¾ cup peanut butter and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter until soft to mix them. I use the microwave and a large mixing bowl. If you use a small container, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
- Stir in ¾ cup traditional oats, pinch salt, 1 cup ground plain chocolate cookies, ⅔ cup confectioners sugar and 3 ounces semisweet chocolate , finely chopped, to the peanut butter mixture.
- Mix well with a silicon or rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until no dry parts remain. It might take a few minutes. The dough will be shiny and dark.
- Put it in the prepared pan, covering it as even and as smooth as possible. You might aid yourself with the back of a spoon that is lightly dipped in water.
- Refrigerate for several hours until it solidifies, and the oats absorb liquid and become chewier.
- When you’re ready to cut the bars, take the whole thing from the pan and transfer it to a board.
- In a bowl heat 3 tablespoons cream with 3 ounces semisweet chocolate until melted and smooth. I do it in the microwave in 10-second spurts, whisking well each time and making sure I don't scorch the chocolate.
- Pour it over the bars. You can spread it with a spatula or use a piping bag or fork to make a pattern.
- Sprinkle some confetti over it, if desired, before the chocolate settles.
- Keep leftovers refrigerated and well wrapped.
Notes
Substitution: you can replace the peanut butter for same amount of dulce de leche or almond butter.
Ganache: use milk chocolate if you like a sweeter bar or a mix of milk and semisweet.
Freezing: you can freeze it for a few weeks, well wrapped.
