Banana Oatmeal Bars Recipe
A great alternative to banana bread for those old bananas on your counter! One-Bowl Banana Oatmeal Bars are soft, wholesome, and perfect for breakfast or snacking. They come together easily with simple pantry ingredients.
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients
- 3 ripe medium bananas mashed (about 1 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¾ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup avocado oil or unsweetened applesauce
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or almond extract
- 2½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup chocolate chips plus more for topping
- 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt for topping (optional but delicious!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it. You can also use a 9x13-inch baking pan they turn out a little thinner. I love both ways!
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth.
- Add eggs, maple syrup, peanut butter, avocado oil (or applesauce), and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- Stir in oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well to form a thick batter.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle extra chocolate chips and flaky sea salt on top.
- Bake for 28–35 minutes or until the edges are golden and the center is set. A toothpick should come out mostly clean.
- Cool completely in the pan before slicing into bars. Store covered at room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 1 week.
Notes
- Use super ripe bananas for natural sweetness and extra moisture—brown spots are your friend!
- Line your pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean edges.
- Press extra chocolate chips on top before baking for a bakery-style look.
- Let the bars cool fully before slicing so they hold their shape better.
- For chewier bars, bake on the shorter end of the time range; for firmer bars, bake a few minutes longer.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
