Description
Soft, chewy Banana Oatmeal Bars made with ripe bananas, rolled oats, nut butter, and chocolate chips. This healthy, one-bowl recipe requires no mixer and is naturally sweetened with bananas and maple syrup. Perfect for breakfast on-the-go, after-school snacks, or meal prep!
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 1½ cups ripe mashed bananas (about 3 medium bananas – the spottier, the better!)
- ½ cup nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew – I love almond butter for these)
- 2 cups rolled oats (old-fashioned oats work best; quick oats will make them too mushy)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup – use the real stuff!)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark chocolate are my favorites)
- Pinch of salt (about ¼ teaspoon)
Optional Mix-Ins:
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
- ⅓ cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides (this makes it SO much easier to lift the whole batch out later for cutting).
In a large bowl, mash your bananas really well with a fork until they’re mostly smooth with just a few small lumps. You want about 1½ cups of mashed banana.
Add the nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to your mashed bananas. Stir everything together until it’s well combined and creamy.
Add your rolled oats, cinnamon, and salt to the banana mixture. Stir everything together until all the oats are completely coated and the mixture is thick and well-combined.
Gently fold in your chocolate chips (and any optional mix-ins like nuts or seeds if you’re using them). Reserve a few chocolate chips to sprinkle on top if you want them to look extra pretty!
Scoop the mixture into your prepared baking pan. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer, pressing down gently to compact it. The more you press it down, the better the bars will hold together! Sprinkle those reserved chocolate chips on top if you saved some.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the bars look set in the center.
Here’s the MOST IMPORTANT STEP (I know, I know, it’s hard to wait!): Let the bars cool COMPLETELY in the pan before cutting. I’m talking at least 1 hour, or even better, pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole batch out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and cut into 9 or 12 squares, depending on how big you want them.
Notes
Common Mistake to Avoid – Don’t use quick oats or instant oats! They’ll absorb too much moisture and turn your bars into mush. Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats.
Smart Shortcut – No time to wait for bananas to ripen? Freeze ripe bananas when you have them, and thaw them when you need them for baking. They’ll be perfectly mushy and ready to use!
Test for Doneness – The bars should look set and the edges should be golden. They’ll still be slightly soft in the middle, but they’ll firm up as they cool. If they’re jiggly in the center, give them another 2–3 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American