There are some days when you need dessert and you need it fast. I made these no-bake bars on one of those days. I was feeling a bit stressed with my upcoming organic chemistry exam so instead of studying to prepare myself for the exam, I made these bars (Don’t worry Mom and Dad, I did study for my exam too).
Plus, making these bars was like studying for the exam… There are so many reactions going on. I observed the melting point of chocolate and the boiling point of sugar and butter; I felt the walls of my stomach contracting in anticipation; the neurotransmitters in my brain were sending signals all over the place.
Yeah, I don’t buy it either… I’ll just get back to the bars.
Have you ever had a no-bake cookie? These are basically like a no-bake cookie except they have a tasty peanut butter and chocolate layer in the middle.
These bars are incredibly simple, fast, and only require a few ingredients that you may already have.
See, only 6 ingredients! SIX!?!?
Do I need to say more? I’ll just let you look at another picture…
No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Oat Bars (from Favorite Brand Name Bake Sale Cookbook)
Makes 12-ish bars (depending on desired size)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups uncooked quick oats
- 1/2 cup crunchy or creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Method
- Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish. In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add sugar and vanilla; mix well (the mixture may look like it’s separating, that’s okay). Add oats. Cook the mixture over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is blended well. Press half of the mixture into the prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon to spread the mixture evenly.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth. Add peanut butter and stir until smooth (microwave for an additional 20 seconds if necessary). Spread chocolate mixture over oat layer. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate layer, pressing in gently.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.Enjoy!
And while your baking up a peanut butter and chocolate storm, check out some other peanut butter and chocolate recipes!
Rhyann's Rad-Ventures 
These pictures are great!
Grazie, roomie!
How many choc chips should we use? I can’t seem to find it on the post; but I may have missed it.
Hi Melissa, thanks for catching that! You’ll need to use 1 cup of chocolate chips
Ok so I am going to make these without the chocolate and add extra peanut butter, some peanut butter chips and sweetened coconut. This way they will taste sort of like an oat”y” zagnut bar. YUM! And…if I do so I will let you know how they turn out so that you can blog them…and of course enjoy them for yourself!
Yes, I would love to know how they turn out! You should add peanuts to it as well. Or caramel. Or cranberries.