Soft, chocolatey, and ultra fudgy NO BAKE chocolate oatmeal fudge bars!
When I first posted a picture of this recipe on Instagram, people went crazy.
In under 24 hours, the photo had already gotten close to 10,000 likes and over a hundred comments… I couldn’t respond fast enough!
It was hard to keep the recipe secret, but I wanted to first test the bars out at a party in real life, to make sure they tasted as good as they looked.
The test run went even better than I’d hoped, with 6 requests for the recipe and TWO batches of these bars completely gone before the party was even half over.
So I can now tell you with confidence this recipe is definitely non-health-food-eater approved!
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Oatmeal fudge bars have been a favorite potluck recipe for generations.
But just because they contain oatmeal does not make the standard version of these treats a healthy choice.
Many oatmeal fudge bar recipes–including copycat recipes you can find online for the famous Starbucks oatmeal fudge bars–contain a shocking amount of butter and sugar even by traditional dessert standards!
Think 1 1/2 cups of butter, 2 cups of flour, and an entire 2 cups of sugar, not to mention all the sugar from 2 cups chocolate chips and a can of sweetened condensed milk.
If any recipe were screaming for a healthier makeover, the traditional oatmeal fudge bar would be it.
With so many facets of the original recipe needing an update, I opted to throw the traditional recipe out the window and start completely from scratch.
These lightened-up oatmeal bars are flourless, vegan, and just as deliciously chocolatey as the original version!
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If you’ve never had an oatmeal fudge bar before, imagine eating a homemade oatmeal cookie sandwich with a layer of smooth chocolate fudge in the middle.
That’s pretty much what this recipe tastes like.
Oh! Except I forgot to mention the BEST part!
Instead of using any oil in the recipe, I made these bars even more delicious by adding peanut butter.
Basically, they contain all my favorite foods in one hand-held dessert.
If you are not a peanut butter addict like I am, you have many alternative options for these bars, including almond butter, cashew butter, coconut butter, or even sunbutter.
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cup quick oats, or here’s a keto version
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave
- 1/4 cup peanut butter, or allergy-friendly sub
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 4 to 5 oz chocolate chips or sugar free chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter, or allergy-friendly sub
Instructions
- *If you want a thicker chocolate layer than the bars in the pictures, feel free to increase the amount of chocolate chips. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment or wax paper, and set aside. Stir together the maple syrup, 1/4 cup peanut butter, water, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the oats and salt. Transfer about 2/3 of the mixture to the pan, and press down very well, using a second sheet of parchment to press it evenly into the bottom of the pan. In a separate bowl, carefully melt the chocolate and 1/2 cup peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Pour this evenly on top of the crust in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining oat crumbles on top of the chocolate layer, then press down. Refrigerate or freeze until firm enough to cut squares. View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Cassie Thuvan Tran says
These look fantastic Katie! I think I’d have trouble not eating the entire chocolate base recipe though. The combination of melted chocolate and peanut butter sounds delightful! Definitely quite a fatty pairing but it’s worth a spoonful (or two)!
Lauren says
Just made these and they are AMAZING! I used 6oz of chocolate and it was a pretty thick layer. Couldn’t imagine you’d want any more than that. Definitely will be making these regularly. So easy and delicious!
Carol says
Delicious!! Quick and easy. And, because they’re no bake, perfect for a HOT day when you don’t want your oven to heat up the house!
Sienna says
i have made these bars so many times i practically have the recipe memorized and every time they come out delicious!!! i love these and so does my entire family and it is definitely a big hit when we have company over. im 12 years old and make these easily so if you don’t bake a lot then that’s fine because these are super delicious and easy to make!!!
Sarah says
I have tried these before as written and they were wonderful. Just wondering if you think they would work with an equivalent amount of lentils?
Sarah says
Oops, That comment was for the banana blender muffins.
Aya says
Such a wonderful recipe ! I used hazelnut butter instead of peanut butter and it’s Nutella tasting heaven .
Gina says
These are soo good! For the nutrition – how many bars did you cut it into? I cut mine into 16 but not sure how that lines up…
Carolyn McFarland says
Oh, superb!! Eaters love these Chocolate Oatmeal Bars, and the “baker” (me) surely likes how easy they are!!
Melanie says
I made these over the weekend and can’t stop eating them. They are so good. They’re like a Reese’s and a no bake cookie all rolled into one.