For a delicious and healthy energy boost or a quick snack, these No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars prove homemade is best. They’re also one of the easiest no-bake desserts, so there are no excuses.
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What Makes This a Great Recipe
Granola V Oats: Many consider granola bars a convenient and healthy snack. However, many store-bought “healthy” varieties contain as many carbs, sugars, and calories as an unhealthy chocolate bar or cookie. People also think oats and granola are the same – they’re not. While very similar, Granola is more highly processed, making oats healthier.
Homemade oat (or granola) bars have far more flavor and are better for you.
These chocolate oat bars are chewy and sweet with the right amount of crunch and texture. And, being a no-bake oat bar, you can have them in the fridge, setting in less than 30 minutes. Once set, they’re a very convenient dessert that doesn’t require refrigeration.
They are a very portable and healthy sweet treat for kid’s picnics or a lovely addition to a brunch picnic.
Ingredients
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements and notes.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Dried Fruit: Add dried fruit to your oat bars for extra sweetness and energy. Raisins, Medjool dates, or dried figs are perfect.
- Oats: This recipe uses a mix of rolled oats and quick oats to add texture and a slight chewiness to the oat bars, but you can use 2 cups of quick oats if you prefer a finer texture and less chew.
- Nut Butter: You can use peanut, almond, or cashew butter, depending on your preference.
- Nuts: I use whole almonds in this recipe. You can roughly chop them if you prefer a finer texture. You can also use other nuts such as pecan, cashew, or hazelnut.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Place maple syrup, coconut oil, and your chosen nut butter into a medium-sized saucepan.
Step 2: Stir over low-medium heat until well combined. Be careful not to have it too hot and keep stirring.
Step 3: Remove the pan from the heat and add chocolate chips, shredded coconut (reserve some for sprinkling on top), vanilla extract, salt, ground cinnamon, and almonds.
Step 4: Quickly stir to melt the chocolate and combine it with the other ingredients.
Step 5: Add quick oats and rolled oats.
Step 6: Mix well to combine and coat the oats with the chocolate mix and ensure all ingredients are well distributed.
Step 7: Line an 8’’ square mold with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the prepared mold, and press down until it spreads evenly to the edge.
Sprinkle shredded coconut on top and refrigerate for at least one hour to make the bars nice and firm.
Step 8: Once the mixture has hardened, slice it into 10 individual bars or 20 smaller squares.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can freeze oat bars. After you cut them into bars, wrap each one in parchment paper so they don’t stick together, and freeze them in zip-lock bags or a sealed container. They will keep in the freezer for around two months.
Your oat bars should stay fresh for about a week in an airtight container. Ideally, they should be kept in the fridge or a cool place.
Expert Tips
Chilling: Don’t scrimp on the chill time. It will make your bars nice and hard, making them easier to cut.
Lining the Pan: To make removal and slicing easier, when you line your pan with parchment paper, ensure it extends over the edges. This simple trick lets you easily lift the entire batch out of the pan before cutting it into bars.
More No-Bake Dessert Recipes
Did you try these No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars?
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Healthy No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup peanut butter - you can use almond, or cashew butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 ½ cups quick oats
- ⅓ cup shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup almonds
Instructions
- Place maple syrup, coconut oil, and your chosen nut butter into a medium-sized saucepan. Stir over low-medium heat until well combined.
- Remove the pan from heat and add chocolate chips, shredded coconut (reserve some for sprinkling on top), vanilla extract, salt, ground cinnamon, and almonds.
- Quickly stir to melt the chocolate and combine it with the other ingredients.
- Add quick oats and rolled oats. Mix well to combine and coat the oats with the chocolate mix and ensure all ingredients are well distributed.
- Line an 8’’ square mold with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the prepared mold, and press down until it spreads evenly to the edge.
- Sprinkle shredded coconut on top and refrigerate for at least one hour to make the bars nice and firm.
- Once the mixture has hardened, slice it into 10 individual bars or 20 smaller squares.
Notes
Recipe Variations
- Dried Fruit: Add dried fruit to your oat bars for extra sweetness and energy. Raisins, Medjool dates, or dried figs are perfect.
- Oats: This recipe uses a mix of rolled oats and quick oats to add texture and a slight chewiness to the oat bars, but you can use 2 cups of quick oats if you prefer a finer texture and less chew.
- Vegan Version: For a vegan version, use vegan chocolate chips.
- Nut Butter: You can use peanut, almond, or cashew butter, depending on your preference.
- Nuts: I use whole almonds in this recipe. You can roughly chop them if you prefer a finer texture. You can also use other nuts such as pecan, cashew, or hazelnut.
- Chilling: Don’t scrimp on the chill time. It will make your bars nice and hard, making them easier to cut.
- Lining the Pan: To make removal and slicing easier, when you line your pan with parchment paper, ensure it extends over the edges. This simple trick lets you easily lift the entire batch out of the pan before cutting it into bars.
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