Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

On days when a spring storm hits, it’s important to be equipped with the staples. Herbal tea, fuzzy socks and soft peanut butter oatmeal bars. It’s a beautiful sight to see chocolate chips and oats studding thick peanut bars and the scent of it all baking away in the oven. This kind of scene is sure to ward off any springtime chills.

Just like a warm oatmeal cookie, these bars have a similar tender and chewy consistency. The bar version is always nice for freezing or slicing and sharing. These are the kind of bars that would do well in care packages, hauled to a soccer game or taken to the (home) theater for a rainy afternoon movie.

The dough is soft and pliable but full of great texture from the oats and chocolate. You can mix the chocolate chips into the dough or sprinkle the chips on top of  bars while they are nice and hot. I love when the chocolate chips become shiny and gently melt over their fresh baked tops. The chips stay soft and silky well after the bars have cooled, complimenting their soft peanut base. Is a spring rain in your future? I sure hope so.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars (dairy-free, soy-free)
Print Recipe

1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
1 cup Coconut Sugar
1 Large Organic Egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
1 cup Oats
3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/3 cup Chocolate Chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer, cream together the peanut butter, coconut oil and coconut sugar. Add the egg, vanilla extract and baking soda. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the chocolate chips. Gently press dough in a lined 9 by 13 baking dish. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until edges begin to brown and tops are golden. Sprinkle chocolate chips over bars while hot. Allow to sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting into. Store covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 4 weeks.