These simple 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares can be thrown together in minutes. Use all natural/organic ingredients, if you prefer, for a healthier version! Either way, this oatmeal bar recipe is easy, delicious, and the best snack or dessert.
This recipe was originally posted in 2015. The images and recipe have been updated in 2021 to include tips and tricks based on reader feedback!
These 3 Ingredient No Bake Oat Squares Are Easy and Delicious!
Easy can not even describe these 3 Ingredient No Bake Oat Bars! I would say they’re simple to make, but “simple” is so over-used…by me especially…that I’m afraid you might not buy it. Regardless, they are the simplest, easiest, no brainiest bars ever to be.
There are literally 3 ingredients, no baking…only measuring. And you only have to measure 3 things, so…
PLUS, these Oat Bars are kinda-sorta not even that bad for you!
Oat Squares Quick and Healthy Snack Idea!
I know the word healthy is extremely overused, but the simplicity of the ingredients, plus the fiber and protein these contain make them a more healthful option in my house than a cookie. They’re a great option to have on hand for a snack or even a grab and go breakfast!
What Are the 3 Ingredients You Need?
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Peanut Butter
- Honey
Add-In Ideas:
The great thing abut this recipe is that while they are perfect in their 3 ingredient simplicity, you can also add in other ingredients for flavor or health benefits.
- Flax seeds. A tablespoon or two will add fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Coconut. 1/4 cup or so will add texture, flavor, and sweetness!
- Chocolate Chips. Peanut butter and chocolate are the perfect combo!
- Crunchy Peanut Butter. This will add texture when swapped out for creamy!
- Raisins or dried fruit. 1/2 cup would be delicious!
- Chia seeds. a few tablespoons will add high quality protein and antioxidants.
Tips for Making No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares
- If your honey isn’t brand new it might be a little crystallized, which makes it hard to pour. BUT heating honey weakens the ingredients rendering the health benefits ineffective…so if you’re just in it for the taste you can heat it a bit. But if you’re looking for the good stuff that comes along with honey, heating it might not be the option.
- Use Old Fashioned (or rolled oats). I find that they work for the texture and stability of these bars a little better. If you only have Quick oats on-hand, it will be fine, it’s just a texture thing.
- Use whatever kind of peanut butter you prefer! If you love Skippy, use it! If you like natural peanut butter, use that! It’s completely up to you!
Do You Need To Chill These Oatmeal Bars?
Chilling these bars is part of the process to aid in them setting and becoming firm. But do you need to store them int he refrigerator? You can! If you want your bars to stay extra firm, keep them chilled! If you allow them to come up to room temperature they will be softer, but also delicious!
Looking For More Oatmeal Bar Recipes? Try These!
- Salty Caramel Oat Bars
- Homemade Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Passion Bars
- Salty Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 squares 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
These simple 3 Ingredient No Bake Peanut Butter Oat Squares can be thrown together in minutes. Use all natural/organic ingredients, if you prefer, for a healthier version! Either way, this oatmeal bar recipe is easy, delicious, and the best snack or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 3/4 cups rolled oats
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 pan with foil. Spray lightly with non-stick spray.
- Melt the peanut butter and honey together until smooth, either in the microwave or stove top. Combine mixture with oats.
- Press into prepared pan. Place in refrigerator until set. Cut into squares.
Notes
I like to store mine in the refrigerator because they can get a bit soft.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 148
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 55.3 mg
- Fat: 6.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Protein: 4.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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These 3 ingredients are 45% of my diet. Time to put ’em all together into a dreamy dessert!
I have these three ingredients in the pantry – they look fabulous!
Love these!! My husband buys honey like he’s responsible for keeping bees employed, so I definitely have all the ingredients on hand 🙂
Wow. These look great. I’m totally making them this weekend. I think I found something my incredibly picky 5 yr old will eat!
These bars are amazing! Only 3 ingredients? Perfect 🙂
Such a great treat and only few ingredients! I must try these bars 🙂
This is so great! It’s heart healthy and delicious. Best combination of all possible worlds!
Lovely! So simple and yet looks so yum!
Oh my goodness, those honey containers from Costco will be the death of me! So frustrating, especially cause the honey gets firm so fast. I will definitely be using a fresh container of honey for these babies!
Meriem, I just saw this and wanted to share that you can soften a container of honey by putting it in the crockpot, fill crockpot with water to height of honey, turn on low and just let it go until the honey is liquid again. Doesn’t matter if the container is taller than the crockpot — leave the lid off. Works like a charm.
Raw honey takes longer to solidify…and simply soften by putting in hot water for 10 or 15 minutes.
They get hard because they are using corn syrup as a filler.
Actually, pure honey can and does go hard. My grandpa used to keep bees and my dad still has honey from it; it’s more than 20 years old, and it’s hard.
Does the honey taste get stronger, the older it is?
TOTALLY wrong! No corn syrup in most honeys. I buy mine straight from the bee keeper and it does crystallize. How fast it crystallizes depens on the amount of glucose in the honey. Some people prefer crystallized honey. 🙂 Most stuff can be googled for the answer so try that next time!
Raw honey does go “hard”. It becomes crystallized. That’s a good thing. Means it is raw. Store honey does not because its pasteurized to death! You can set your honey in hot water or let the hot water run on the bottle each time you use it and it will go back to smooth. My husband and I are beekeepers.
I buy store bought, and my honey crystalizes.
Put container in microwave and heat about 30 seconds, this should soften the honey.
Would that not kill the natural enzymes and all the other goodness of raw honey?
I was wondering that myself. I make a facial exfoliant using honey,lemon,sweet almond oil and granulated sugar. Honey has anti microbial properties,lemon is an astringent,the oil moisturizes and the sugar provides the exfoliant. (Recipe came from Cooking Light magazine years ago) If I have to reheat the honey,am I loosing that benefit??
Not a good idea, as the bottles typically are plastic… And will melt, releasing plastic toxins. But glass also gets extreme hot as well.
You can also turn the container upside down, once you get the honey softened up again, and the honey will drip to the tip, making it easier to get it out. I usually put the honey upside down in a mason jar. I do this with other sticky items (agave) in my cabinet too. 🙂
I buy mine from Costco when l go to see my daughter or l get her to bring some when she comes.Because I’m a Sam’s member and l have the same problem with Sam’s honey It’s firm when l buy it.l went back to Sam’s and a guy said It’s ok just cut the bottom open and put it in a jar.They have got so much honey at Sam’s that l have been getting it at my daughter’s Costco for about 15mos. HONEY TURN TOO SUGAR.If you use it for health reason you not to heat it.lhad to heat mine too get it out.l live in Alabama &My daughter live in Richmond Va.
Easy, 3 ingredients, and perfect! And PB! Always a win 🙂 pinned