Description
Sweet banana oat bars bring comfort and nostalgia to homemade desserts with minimal ingredients and maximum flavor. Wholesome oats and ripe bananas create a delightful treat you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Base:
- 5 bananas, mashed
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) peanut butter
- 4 cups (360 grams) rolled oats
Chocolate Addition:
- 1/4 cup (40 grams) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8 inch baking dish by lining it with parchment paper, ensuring complete coverage and slight overhang for easy removal.
- In a mixing bowl, thoroughly mash ripe bananas until smooth and creamy, creating a consistent texture without large chunks.
- Incorporate peanut butter into the mashed bananas, stirring until the mixture becomes uniform and well-blended.
- Fold in rolled oats, gently mixing to distribute them evenly throughout the banana and peanut butter base.
- Add chocolate chips to the mixture, stirring carefully to ensure they are dispersed throughout without sinking to the bottom.
- Transfer the combined ingredients to the prepared baking dish, using a spatula to spread the mixture evenly and create a smooth, level surface.
- Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, watching for golden edges and a set center as indicators of doneness.
- Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan, which helps them firm up and makes cutting easier.
- Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan, then slice into desired serving sizes.
Notes
- Opt for very ripe bananas to enhance natural sweetness and moisture in the bars.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats for better texture and binding compared to quick oats.
- Customize by swapping chocolate chips with nuts, dried fruit, or alternative mix-ins for dietary preferences.
- Ensure peanut butter is smooth and well-blended to prevent dry or crumbly bars.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg