Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
A delicious and simple cookie bar recipe packed with chocolate chips, peanut butter, oats and peanut butter chips. Easier than cookies but just as tasty!
I don’t know what else to say except that oatmeal, chocolate chips, and peanut butter need to be a thing. In bar form.
These delicious oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip bars are a cinch to throw together and even though I love me some cookies, sometimes I want to weep at the simple possibilities cookies-in-bar-form provide.

I love bar cookies. Love, love, love them. I love them.
Sorry to be so vague about it, but I really love them.
These bars are adapted from another favorite, these oatmeal chocolate chunk bars, but are a bit different.
Besides the obvious addition of peanut butter and peanut butter chips, these bars are really soft and slightly lighter in texture.
Embrace bar cookies. If you haven’t yet (you poor thing!), how about you start with these?
One Year Ago: Buttermilk Biscuits
Two Years Ago: Crab and Goat Cheese Ravioli
Three Years Ago: Smoked Mozzarella and Penne Spinach Salad
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (213 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (100 g) rolled oats
- ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup (85 g) peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup (170 g) peanut butter chips
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips, semisweet, bittersweet or milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and oats.
- In a large bowl (or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated and brown sugars until light and well-mixed, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla, egg and egg yolk until combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips and mix until combined.
- Press the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes until lightly browned on the edges. Don’t overbake or the bars will be dry! Remove the pan to a cooling rack and let the bars cool in the pan before cutting into squares.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (adapted from this favorite Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars)
I’m providing dessert after conference tomorrow and want to make these. Think I could make the dough tonight, put them in the pan, and just refrigerate until ready to bake tomorrow so that I can avoid being in the kitchen during conference?
Yes, I think so!
I used old fashioned rolled oats and it almost tasted like i was eating raw oats… should I have used a different kind?
Would it be possible to omit the oats all together and use more flour? Other than my oat issue , these were wonderful with a cup of tea!!
You could definitely try quick oats! If you eliminated the oats, you’d need to adjust the flour amount, so I’d recommend keeping them in there unless you want an experiment.
Love these bars! I am thinking of doubling the recipe in the 11×17 pan, as suggested. would the baking time change much for doubling the recipe? Thank you!
Nope, it should stay the same.
I have made these twice. By the recipe – they are perfect. Thanks for a great recipe!
These were great. Made as instructed, brought to a picnic today, delicious! Just watch in oven with time, I took them out at about 19 minutes as I did not want them to dry out.
I just made these. I used mini choc chips and whole roasted spanish peanuts with skins on instead of peanut butter chips. They are fabulous!
Hi Mel,
This is the first recipe I’ve tried from your blog and these are amazing!! Soo good! I’ve shared your website with 4 friends already. Thank you so much!
I just made my 3rd double batch of these babies since you’ve posted the recipe. I put most in my freezer and (try to) make them last. 🙂 I get sad when I run out so I have to make more! I love how simple they are to put together, not to mention how heavenly they are. They have become my new favorite bar recipe! Would also be great for any bake sale or pot luck.
These are amazing!! My husband loves peanut butter and chocolate, so I had to make them asap. I added mini reese’s pieces, and they were delicious!!! Your recipes are awesome! I’m glad I accidentally found them!!! Keep them coming! Thanks for sharing!
I will need to get an aluminum pan this size! They turned out very well. I put most in the freezer so I can try some self restraint:-). A quick pop in the microwave from the freezer….delish! Great recipe as per usual!
Hi Mel,
My bars are cooling as I type this, but I used a glass pan because I don’t have a 9×13 metal pan except for cookie trays. Could I have used that and does cooking in the glass dish change any instructions like the temperature or baking time? Thank you.
Melissa – I always use an aluminum 9X13-inch pan for bar cookies (and most other baked goods) – I think I’ve read that with glass pans it helps to decrease the baking temp by 25 degrees. How did the bars turn out?
In the oven! Oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies are my favorite, so I don’t know why I never thought to make them in bar form. Thanks for the recipe!
I made these for Memorial Day and they were a HUGE hit! (even though I forgot the vanilla)
I will definitely be making them again, they went together so easily and tasted so good.
hi! can i halved this recipe for a 8×8 pan instead? thanks!
Nancey – Yes, just keep an eye on baking time (probably lower a bit).
I love these!! Even without the peanut butter chips, there were still delicious, thank you!
These are my new favorite. My mouth is watering just thinking about them. I’ve made them twice in the last week because everyone loves them! Thanks for the great recipe!
I live in Australia and can’t get peanut butter chips so guess I will use more chocolate chips. I love slices (bar) cookies also so much easier. I hope these freeze well as I cut my “bar” cookies and put in the freezer so always have a variety of goodies on hand to serve when friends drop in for coffee.
Delicious recipe and so easy! Everyone ooh’ed and aww’d over it when I brought it to the table after dinner… And my husband and I keep sneaking small cuttings out of the pan! I didn’t have peanut butter chips, but I had white chocolate chips on hand and used them instead and it was wonderful too! Thanks again for making me seem like a great cook! 🙂
For the first time in forever, I only have the kind of peanut butter that is JUST peanuts (no salt, sugar, etc.). Would this work? Or should I up the salt?
Thank you!
Glindy – I’d maybe up the salt a tiny bit – 1/4 teaspoon is all but hopefully they’ll work out just fine!
i totally need to make these now! i loooove bar cookies, and this sounds like a winner of a recipe.
Made these for my husband because he had a rough day at work on Friday and he loves anything with chocolate and peanut butter. He loved them and so has everyone else who’s tried them! We loved that the texture of this recipe was like a cookie in bar form, and really loved the addition of the oatmeal. These were delicious and turned our perfectly! Make sure you bake them just so the edges are lightly browned. It will seem like they’re underdone, but they turn out perfect after they’ve cooled. Thanks for helping me cheer my husband up!
Do I need to have eggs at room temp for all baking cookies too, or just cakes?
Jenni – I never really worry about it unless the recipe states to have them at room temp (and usually it’s only a big deal in cakes). I’m always too impatient to plan ahead for things like cookies.
I made these for a funeral this weekend (and of course doubled the recipe so I could eat some too!). The ones at my house were GONE and I had people calling me for the recipe at the funeral. I actually made them as a bit of a joke because it was a funeral for a German lady in our ward and peanut butter doesn’t exist here. Apparently they were a hit though, and no surprise since your recipes always are! I would totally buy your cookbook; all my go-to recipes are on your site and I keep getting flour in my keyboard or running out of paper from printing them all.
Bar cookies are always popular. Of course one can’t go wrong with the chocolate
peanut butter combo. They make great dance partners. And if you didn’t have a dance partner, I suspect you could land one with these bar cookies!!!!
Bar cookies are the bomb!
Yummy! Didn’t have any pb chips but it was great! Definitely under cook it though, like the other bars they are much better underdone. Thanks for the great recipe yet again!!
I made these yesterday without the peanut butter chips, because I didn’t have any. They were still very lovely and delicious. I used super chunky p.b. and mini choc. chips.
Now I’m wondering if anyone ever tried these with butterscotch chips.
I made these bars within a couple hours of reading your post. I just happened to have peanut butter chips in my pantry (leftover from making your kicked up rice krispy treats, which were fabulous BTW) so I didn’t even have to go to the store. These bars are so good! I love the texture the oats give them, and the peanut butter/chocolate combo? Perfectly balanced. 1st cookie bars to come out of my kitchen: success!
Made theses last night, turned out great! Taste just like a cookie, if a cookie were square! Great time saver, instead of all the cookie “work”. Thanks!
You posted these yesterday, and I had to make them! My kids had some little friends coming over, so I made these as a treat for everyone. Just thought I would throw it out there, that I used 2 full eggs, because I was lazy, and they turned out awesome! Still had that deliciously chewy texture, and not really cakey! These will definitely be made again and again…especially when I’m craving a cookie and don’t want to be in the kitchen forever baking sheet after sheet! Thanks again Mel! 🙂
hi, these looks so yummy. how do you manage to make the perfect brownies squares?
especially if brownies are too fudgy 🙂
Cookie – Waiting until they are cooled helps – also refrigerating them for extra chilling time can help get clean slices.
Thanks for the recipe, all I had on hand were the mini baking m@m’s so I used those instead of both the chocolate and peanut butter chips and it tasted fantastic. Great recipes as are your other one’s, love your blog 🙂
My husband would adore these. I really need to be in the kitchen making these, now! Thanks for sharing!
Mel We LOVE love LOVE your choc chip cookie bars. I make them frequently and never tire of them. These bars look heaven sent. I must make them soon! Good advice to Ann on the lense and aperture! I am a photographer and I set my camera with my 50mm-1.8 on the At setting and adjust the aperture to a low 1.8 or so- like you said-and the camera automatically adjust the shutter. Gives me that beautiful blur.
Thanks for another tastey recipe!
We absolutely love your oatmeal chocolate chunk bars. I made them this past weekend. We will definitely give these a try. Thanks Mel!
Have you ever tried putting “dead flys” (raisins) in them? I was just wondering how much you would put in there and if you need to omit anything.
Diane – I’ve never tried raisins – you will have to experiment. Maybe a cup or so? Good luck!
Oh these definitely need to be a thing…and now they are! Need to get some of these into our kitchen stat 🙂
Made ’em,ate ’em, loved ’em. However, my jeans don’ t care for you at all!
Ahhhh, the perfect way to use up those Reese’s peanut butter eggs! In the oven now 🙂
Hi Mel…this sounds yummy. Have you tried the recipe using just one egg and not adding the additional yolk?
GiGi – I haven’t. I think the bars really need that extra yolk for moisture.
Eggs, check. Oats, check. Looks like good breakfast food to me! *snickers* 😀
I can’t believe I’m even entertaining the idea of making these with all the Easter Candy still lurking around my house, but I have found myself adding peanut butter chips to this weeks grocery list!
These look amazing, Mel. I LOVE all of your recipes and have had much success with so many. The shrimp dish you posted a few days ago was fantastic. I am always looking for good bar cookie recipes. I can’t wait to try these. Quick question…I LOVE your photography, too. How do you make the main image so sharp and blur the background? My almost 18 year old daughter is very interested in photography and does some shoots with people and your way looks so nice!
Hi Ann – that’s so nice! Thank you! I don’t much about photography but I do try to use a wide aperture (low number, like 2.0 – 2.8) when I take my food photos so that you get that great blurred effect (I think in photography circles it’s called bokeh). Usually a good lens that has a wide aperture will do the trick. A great, inexpensive lens to start with on a DSLR is the 50mm/1.8. Good luck to your daughter!
hey mel!
do you use white wheat flour in these too?
Thanks
Liza – I haven’t used white wheat flour but I bet it would work great, even half wheat/half white. The bars will probably be slightly more dense and hearty but if you are used to that “whole wheat effect” it will probably work great!
Should I use quick or old-fashioned oats in the recipe? I was thinking you meant the oats you boil for 1 minute (quick oats).
Hi Cindy – I use old-fashioned oats. I’ll edit the recipe so it’s a little more clear. Thanks!
Bars always win over cookies. Always!! Love these!!
One of the things on my list for today is lunch box treats, and look at your perfect timing!
Your photography could win awards, I’m sure. When are you going to publish a cookbook? hint hint
Barb – you are too sweet! I’m afraid my blog would suffer if I did a cookbook (and to be quite frank, so many bloggers do cookbooks, I’m not sure there’s room for one more, know what I mean?)!
I am thinking about making these for a graduation party in June. Do you think I could put the batter together now, freeze it in a plastic bag, then thaw, spread into the pan and bake the recipe a day before the party?
Pam – I’ve never thought of doing that but cookie dough freezes exceptionally well so I think it could work. Good luck!
Yes there is room for your cookbook(s)!! Reconsider.
I’ve made peanut butter oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and I’ve made chocolate chip cookie bars, but next time I will totally have to add the oatmeal, peanut butter, and peanut butter chips to my cookie bars! I’m wishing I could just grab that cookie bar through my computer screen and gobble it up!
I needed this recipe last week. 🙂 I just added oatmeal to my blondies instead, but this is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you! Making it tomorrow. (I swore off sweets for today, too much Easter.)
Bar cookies are the best! These look delicious, Mel!