Peanut Butter Banana Bars (Print Version)

Chewy bars with peanut butter, ripe banana, and oats ready without baking for quick energy.

# What to Use:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
03 - 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
06 - 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
07 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

# How to Prepare:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth.
03 - Add creamy peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir thoroughly until well blended.
04 - Add rolled oats, salt, ground cinnamon, and optional mix-ins such as nuts and chocolate chips to the wet mixture. Stir until evenly combined.
05 - Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly using the back of a spoon or spatula.
06 - Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to cut.
07 - Lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang. Cut into 12 bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in minutes, which means you can actually make them instead of just thinking about it.
  • No baking means no heating up the kitchen, and your hands get to do the work—there's something satisfying about that.
  • They taste decadent but you know exactly what's in them, so the guilt stays far away.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper overhang—it's the difference between lifting out a perfect block and scraping bars out of the corners with frustration.
  • The bars keep getting better as they sit, so making them a day ahead actually improves things instead of making them worse.
03 -
  • If your mixture feels too dry after mixing, add honey one teaspoon at a time until it comes together—every batch of bananas has different moisture.
  • Press the mixture into the pan firmly but without anger; use the side of a flat spatula and work in sections to get everything even.
Go Back