The classic melt-in-your-mouth chocolate oatmeal no bake bars are popular for a very good reason – they’re impossible to stop eating!
At first glance, traditional chocolate no bake recipes—made with wholesome oatmeal instead of flour—might seem like a healthy choice.
But with half a cup of butter and two full cups of refined sugar packed into traditional no bake bar recipes, they’re really not even close.
These homemade chocolate oatmeal no bake bars offer the perfect healthy alternative:
You get all of the wholesome ingredients, without all the extra butter and sugar.
I swapped out the sugar here for pure maple syrup and have also cut way back on the sweetener in general, and I substituted peanut butter for the butter, for an added protein boost you won’t even realize is in there.
Also Try These Buffalo Cauliflower Wings – Just 6 Ingredients
The recipe first came about during the Snowpocalypse 2016, when my then-boyfriend and I were trapped in my apartment while the snow relentlessly slammed down outside.
After watching about seven Daredevil episodes in a row, he looked at me and said, “So where are all the famous Chocolate Covered Katie baked goods?”
With no grocery stores open, I took stock of my pantry and pulled out every one of my favorite ingredients that I always have on hand:
Chocolate.
Peanut Butter.
Oatmeal.
Combining so many delicious ingredients into one easy-to-make and heart-healthy dessert was pretty much a guaranteed success right from the start.
I formed them into no bake cookie balls and put them on a plate.
The boy proceeded to eat eight of them… So I took that as a good sign!
Then we watched even more Daredevil, and ate pasta with jarred Ragu from 7/11 for dinner.
And swore we’d never tell.
Also try the recipe in cookie form –> Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Oatmeal Chocolate No Bake Bar Instructions
Step One: Prepare an 8-inch pan by lining it with parchment or wax paper.
Stir together the liquid ingredients, then combine with the oats and stir until evenly mixed.
Step Two: Smooth into the prepared pan, and press down with a spoon as hard as you can.
Really press down as hard as you can.
Transfer the pan to the freezer until the bars are firm enough to cut.
Step Three: Slice into bars, and enjoy!
Leftovers can be left out at room temperature for a few hours, but for optimum freshness I like to keep them in the fridge or freezer, where they last a few weeks…
If you don’t eat them all first!
Above, watch the video of how to make chocolate oatmeal no bake bars.
Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly sub
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey or agave
- 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups quick oats (Here's a keto version)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment or wax. Set aside. Stir together the first three ingredients. Gently heat until the oil is melted and peanut butter is easily stir-able. Whisk in the vanilla extract and salt, stirring until completely smooth. Stir in the quick oats and cocoa powder until evenly coated. Smooth into the prepared pan, and press down with a spoon as hard as you can. Really pack it in. Freeze until firm enough to cut. Leftovers can stay out a few hours, but I like to keep them in the freezer for optimum freshness, where they last a few weeks.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
More Healthy No Bake Recipes
Or this Avocado Chocolate Mousse
I didn’t have vanilla extract, but I did have vanilla flavored Hemp Milk. The first go around, I used just a tablespoon of that instead and lowered the amount of maple syrup (since the milk was already sweetened.) They turned out really well.
Second time around, I used 1/4 cup of the hemp milk, and only 1 tbsp of coconut oil and 1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp of maple syrup. I heated it all while stirring. Turned out delicious!
My 16yr old son is a carb fanatic and loves his sugar. He loves these! For the PB I used 1/4c almond butter and 3tbsp of your recipe of healthy Nutella. In the 2 cups of oats I snuck in about a quarter to a third c of flax meal. He’ll never know. He begs me to keep them on hand!
I just made these and they are delicious! Super easy to make too. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Has anyone added up the calories? I’m coming out to over 250 calories for one bar. That seems really high, as the original no bake cookies are only 100 calories per cookie. Maybe I’m entering it wrong.
Hi there,
I’d like the calorie content per bar also. If any lively ladies out there have the answer….please post it 🙂
Calorie count is included in the nutrition facts, linked directly in the post where it says “view nutrition facts”
Can I use rolled oats instead? I am gluten free and quick oats typically are not.
Probably – just pulse them a few times in a blender first so that the bars aren’t too chewy/gummy.
Honey just did them today and i love it… my boyfriend really liked them too.. i madr the double of the quantitie ??
Thanks a lot for thw recipe… gonna make more for sure
The only problem with these bars is how do I stop myself from eating them before they are ready?! I would like to redefine “ready” ?. So simple and delicious!
Hi Katie, can I use olive oil and honey? Thank you
These look wonderful! Really silly question. I only have steel cut oats, and they’re not the “quick” kind. Will these work?
Probably not, but you never know unless you try!
Katie, these are amazing!