Description
These no-bake peanut butter cup granola bars are the best homemade treat to make! You’ll find these bars are loaded with wholesome oats, creamy peanut butter, and a few other pantry staples- they taste just like a peanut butter cup candy!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups old fashioned rolled oats (see notes)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
- 1 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup pure honey
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 cup mini peanut butter cups
To garnish these bars- optional:
- 3 tablespoons melted chocolate
- 3 tablespoons melted natural, creamy peanut butter
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper with a little over hang on the sides and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut flakes, and peanuts together- set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, molasses, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir together frequently and let the peanut butter mixture warm up nicely but not come to a boil, about 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately pour into the bowl with the oat mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir everything together until well combined. Then empty the granola mixture into the prepared pan, pressing the mixture firmly down into the pan (I like to use the bottom of a glass for this to make sure it’s tight).
- Allow the mixture to cool in the pan for a few minutes and then press the mini peanut butter cups into the top of the granola, all over.
- Cover the pan with foil/plastic wrap and transfer it into the freezer for the bars to harden for 1 hour. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours. When ready, remove the pan from the freezer /fridge and take the granola out by the parchment paper sides. Using a sharp knife, cut the granola into 8 bars.
- If garnishing: immediately drizzle some melted chocolate over the bars followed by melted peanut butter. Since the bars are cold, the chocolate/peanut butter drizzles should set very quickly.
- Enjoy bars right away or store them inside of an airtight container, plastic bag, or foil in the refrigerator at all times. These bars will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.
- Feel free to use gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats if you like.
- To make these bars vegan: replace the honey with maple syrup, molasses, or date syrup.
- To make these bars nut-free: replace the peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or cookie butter. And omit the peanuts and sub for sunflower seeds, rice crisp cereal, or crushed pretzels.
- Storing: Keep these bars stored in the refrigerator at all times for up to 1 week.
Keywords: peanut butter granola bars, peanut butter cup granola bars, no bake granola bars