My easy no bake Chocolate Oat Bars are a balanced treat with protein, fibre and healthy fats. It's a dietitian approved spin on the Starbucks oat fudge bar, with only 15 minutes of prep.
One of my top sweet treats from the Starbucks bakery is the oat fudge bar. There's something about it that just hits: the chewy texture, fudge layer and sweet oat crumble.
After some tinkering in my kitchen, I'm happy to say that I've made my own version at home. And believe me, these no bake chocolate oat bars almost deserve their own name.
Loosely inspired by Starbucks but with some dietitian tweaks, these chocolate oats bars are a sweet treat balanced with protein, fibre and healthy fats. No heat is required to make them, and you can have a batch prepped in just 15 minutes.
If you've tried my healthy oatmeal cookie bars, this is its cool older sister. Keep these chocolate oat bars in the freezer for when the post-meal sweet craving comes, and thank me later!
Why This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved
- No bake. A simple recipe that doesn't require any heat.
- Balanced sweet treat. These chocolate oat bars have healthy fats from the peanut butter, fibre from the oats and flaxseed, and protein to provide sustained energy. You won't get a blood sugar crash from this sweet treat!
- Just like Starbucks, but better. Reminiscient of the iconic oat fudge bar from Starbucks, but with less sugar, more protein and made with ingredients from your pantry.
Ingredients
Oats. For our fiber-filled whole grain base. Quick, minute or rolled oats will all work. I also like using oats in no bake recipes because they don't need to be cooked.
Protein powder. Protein powder is a great way to add additional flavour and protein. I recommend Nuzest smooth vanilla for a vegan and gluten-free option. If you want to try it, I have discount codes here.
Flax seed. These add additional protein and healthy fats. I recommend purchasing your flax seed whole and blending it yourself for optimal freshness, as they oxidize quicker once ground.
Honey. This is my sweetener of choice because I like the flavour. Any liquid sweetener will be fine.
Peanut butter. Look for a peanut butter that only has 1 or 2 ingredients: peanuts (and salt). You want your peanut butter to be as runny as possible.
Applesauce. Unsweetened applesauce helps bind the bars without adding too much additional sugar. It also has a mild flavour, so your bars won't taste strongly of apple.
Chocolate. I like semi sweet chocolate chips, however milk or dark chocolate will also work!
The complete ingredient list with measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Instructions
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, honey, applesauce and vanilla extract until smooth.
To the same bowl, add oats, ground flaxseed, vanilla protein powder and salt. Stir to combine.
Line a 9x6 inch rectangular ceramic dish with parchment paper. Set aside 1 cup of the oat mixture for the topping. Add the remaining oat mixture to the dish, using your hands or spatula to press it into all edges, creating an even layer.
For the chocolate layer: add chocolate and peanut butter to a microwave safe dish. Microwave in increments of 15-30 seconds, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth, stirring in between (this should be about 1 minute 15 seconds total).
Evenly spread the chocolate layer over the bottom oat layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of oat topping, gently pressing the topping into the chocolate (this helps it stick). Place in the freezer for about 1 hour or the fridge for 3 hours for the chocolate to set.
Slice into 10 even squares, drizzle with additional chocolate if you would like and sprinkle with flakey sea salt.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: use certified gluten-free oats and a gluten-free protein powder.
To make dairy-free/vegan: use a vegan protein powder like Nuzest and swap honey for maple syrup.
To make nut-free: swap the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter.
Missing ingredients? Try these:
- Flaxseed: replace with ½ cup of blended oats (oat flour) or almond flour
- Applesauce: replace with ½ cup of mashed banana
- Protein powder: replace with ⅓ cup of additional oats (I would also recommend adding 1-2 tablespoon more honey as protein powder does typically add an additional sweetness)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- 9x6 inch rectangular ceramic dish
Storage
These chocoalte oat bars are great to make ahead of time. They can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Top Tips for Success
Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! You may need to use your hands to combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Technically if you use certified gluten-free oats, these are gluten free. I didn't specify the oats had to be gluten-free in the recipe, so I did not label these as gluten-free.
These have a bit more sugar than I would usually recommend looking for in a balanced snack, however they do have a good amount of fiber, protein and healthy fats. This means that they are a more nourishing option if you are looking for something to curb a sweet tooth!
They're not super high in protein, but have 11 grams per serving. I typically aim for 10-15 grams of protein in snacks, so you could always pair it with some Greek yogurt if you wanted more.
More No Bake Recipes
Are you loving the no bake recipes? Try these next:
- Brownie Protein Bars (Nut Free, Gluten Free, No Bake)
- Homemade Perfect Bar Recipe
- Chickpea No Bake Cookie Dough Bites
- No Bake Chocolate Truffles
See you in the kitchen!
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these no bake chocolate oat bars, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
No Bake Chocolate Oat Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups oats quick, minute or rolled will all work
- ½ cup ground flaxseed
- ½ cup vanilla protein powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the chocolate layer:
- ⅓ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together peanut butter, honey, applesauce and vanilla extract until smooth.
- To the same bowl, add oats, ground flaxseed, vanilla protein powder and salt. Stir to combine.
- Line a 9x6 inch rectangular ceramic dish with parchment paper. Set aside 1 cup of the oat mixture for the topping. Add the remaining oat mixture to the dish, using your hands or spatula to press it into all edges, creating an even layer.
- For the chocolate layer: add chocolate and peanut butter to a microwave safe dish. Microwave in increments of 15-30 seconds, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth, stirring in between (this should be about 1 minute 15 seconds total).
- Evenly spread the chocolate layer over the bottom oat layer. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of oat topping, gently pressing the topping into the chocolate (this helps it stick). Place in the freezer for about 1 hour or the fridge for 3 hours for the chocolate to set.
- Slice into 10 even squares, drizzle with additional chocolate if you would like and sprinkle with flakey sea salt.
Notes
- For 20 mini no bake oat bars you can slice each bar into 2 slices!
Michelle says
Made these and they are absolutely amazing - seriously to die for! I ran out of honey (only had a 1/3 cup), so used a little bit of extra apple sauce. Soooo good! The melted chocolate makes these delicious!