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I have this secret that I’ve been carrying around with me my whole life. I’ve always been too scared to tell anyone for fear of what they would say. I want to tell you, but if I do will you promise not to call me names and leave me?
I’ve never eaten oatmeal before.
No, really. I’ve never eaten oatmeal. I mean, sure, yes, I’ve had it in cookies, but I’ve never just sat down with a bowl of oatmeal and ate it. I’ve never even tasted it in that form before. It just looks so icky and, if we’re being honest, a little bit creepy. Like maybe the oatmeal actually wants to eat me, instead of me eating the oatmeal.
You aren’t calling me names, are you?
I hope not, because I think I’ve finally decided to try oatmeal. I made these delicious no bake oatmeal bars yesterday and I actually tasted the plain oatmeal crust and, man, it was good. I doubt regular breakfast oatmeal tastes like this crust does (people don’t generally put 3/4 of a cup of butter in their morning oatmeal, do they?), but I’m willing to give it a go.
For now, let me show you these delicious no bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars. And, yes, they are fairly similar to the chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cookies I just made, but these don’t require baking, are in bar form, and, well, they’re just different, okay?
This recipe is super simple. You melt 3/4 of a cup of butter on the stove, add in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 3 cups of quick cooking oats. Cook them over low heat for 3 or 4 minutes and then be brave and take a bite. It’s oatmeal and it’s yummy! The mixture is fairly thick and gloppy (mm, appetizing, no?), but that’s how we want it. Just use a spoon and scoop half of the oatmeal into a buttered 8×8 dish and press it down.
Add 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of peanut butter (smooth or chunky, your choice) to a microwave safe bowl and microwave until it’s all melted together. You’ll have to stop the microwave and stir every 30 seconds or so to avoid burning the chocolate.
Pour the chocolate and peanut butter over the top of the oatmeal crust, reserving a couple spoonfuls to drizzle over the top of the bars.
Gently press the reserved oatmeal on top of the chocolate and peanut butter, drizzle with the remaining chocolate and peanut butter and then refrigerate for a few hours.
Go ahead, try ’em. Just be sure to eat them all as fast as you can before the oatmeal decides to eat you first.
No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter smooth or chunky
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and oats. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Press half of mixture in to the bottom of a buttered 8 x 8 dish.
- In a microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and peanut butter, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and blended. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the crust, reserving a couple of spoonfuls to drizzle over the top.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate and peanut butter, pressing gently to form a crust. Drizzle the remaining chocolate and peanut butter over the top of the bars.
- Refrigerate for 3 hours before cutting and serving.
Nutrition Information:
Adapted from allrecipes.com
thepinkpeppercorn says
Totally delicious!!
Katie says
Dont worry i have never had oatmeal either!
I cant wait to try these out!
Ric says
Okay, very tasty treat. As for you adventures in hot cereal, do put ridicules amounts of butter in it, also add honey walnuts raisins and anything else that suits your appetite. I think you will find it more enjoyable that way. If the view still makes you cringe you can make the oats, without the extras, put it into a bread pan and let it sit in the fridge overnight. the next morning remove from pan slice it like bread then flour the slices and pan fry them in butter. add your toppings and you have one terrific way to eat oats.
Amy says
Mmmm……I’m a college student and these looked sooo good so I decided to make them for me, my friends, and my boyfriend. They were easy, fast, relatively inexpensive (I had everything but the chocolate already because I love baking, so I keep the basics stocked in my apt.) and soooo yummy! I definitely recommend them to anyone! Plus, if it has oatmeal, I totally justify it as a breakfast food. Hey, it’s better than leftover Dominoes!
VickyC.me says
omg these look so good! i will have to try them! 🙂
i especially like the fact that they are “no bake”! 🙂
Carsten says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I really feel hungry!
Cheers,
Carsten
tasteandshare.com
food social network * wine social network
UK Foodie says
Mmmmmm, they look so tasty, will be trying out the recipe later – thanks for sharing!
Suzanne says
great but wish it could cool faster but other than that amazing thanks!
cc says
I have to make these – they look so yummy! Off to the store to buy ingredients. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Ana says
Wow, loved it!
As someone said, oatmeal does not need to be plain, boring and tasteless… You can create your own magical bowl. I like boiling it with milk as Casey said, and in my bowl I put sliced or smashed bananas, raisins, pieces of Brazil nuts, almonds, macadamias, whatever nut I have at home and tons of honey. I think a little butter while cooking would be good…
I will do our recipe this week! Can’t wait
Red Wines says
They need to sell these in coffee shops.
Patrick says
For health concerns, I don’t use a microwave. There isn’t a microwave in my home. Has anyone tried a stove-top version of the recipe?
Patti D says
Umm, well, I was looking for a healthy PB recipe. Ok, oatmeal is healthy right? Even the chocolate is healthy…
(I will start the diet next week).
Thanks!
Elin says
These are chilling in the fridge right now. If I don’t guard the kitchen, my kids might be in there with their spoons before dinner. Thanks for the easy recipe — I have a feeling these bars are going to be like Starbucks’ oat-fudge bar, which is a favourite of my husband’s.
Lunatic says
Haha. Your comment about oatmeal trying to eat you is funny, it reminded me of my sister. She’s scared of oatmeal and shudders quite dramatically every time I eat it. :3