4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Bars are so quick and easy to make and are a lovely snack, breakfast, or healthy dessert! Put them on repeat to enjoy throughout the week.
After growing completely obsessed with my 3-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies, I felt I just had to revisit the recipe and turn it into bars.
The way I see it, these easy 4-ingredient banana oat bars are the perfect healthy snack on the go or breakfast.
Or if you’re like me and you love a sweet treat but try to minimize your intake of excess sugar, these healthy bars can double as dessert!
The texture on these oatmeal breakfast bars is soft and chewy. You could compare it to a thinner version of Banana Baked Oatmeal.
If you’re looking for a granola bar texture, make my 5-Ingredient Healthy Granola Bars.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients involved in these tasty oatmeal bars!
Ingredients for Banana Oatmeal Bars:
Ripe Bananas: The sweetener of these banana oatmeal bars! Be sure you use very ripe bananas that have plenty of brown spots for the best result. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be, which will ensure these cookie bars turn out nice and tasty.
Almond Butter or Peanut Butter: Unsweetened almond butter or peanut butter is the glue that holds these bars together, eliminating the need for eggs or a leavening agent. It also adds delicious rich flavor!
Rolled Oats: Rolled oats give that amazing unparalleled oaty flavor to the banana oatmeal bars with that lovely texture. I use gluten-free sprouted oats, but you can use regular oats if you aren’t concerned about the gluten content. While you can use quick oats, I find old fashioned rolled oats have the best texture.
If you want to try a grain-free version of these bars, you can swap the oats for any mixed nuts you enjoy, just like I did in my 3-Ingredient Nutty Banana Cookies.
Chocolate Chips: Providing those scintillating pockets of delicious chocolatey goodness, chocolate chips make these bars so inviting!
To keep the recipe vegan, use dairy-free vegan chocolate chips.
For a lower sugar treat, omit the chocolate chips altogether, or use sugar-free chocolate chips.
Optional Additions:
You can add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and up to ⅔ cup chopped nuts (such as pecans or walnuts).
If you love dried fruit, feel free to swap the chocolate chips for raisins or dried cranberries.
Let’s bake these healthy breakfast bars!
How to Make Banana Oatmeal Bars:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper (you can also use an 8” x 8” cake pan as well).
Mash the bananas in a bowl until most of the chunks are out and they’re nice and creamy.
Stir in the almond butter until it is well-combined with the banana and a thick creamy substance results.
Mix in the rolled oats and chocolate chips and stir until everything is well-combined.
Transfer the bar mixture to the prepared baking pan and smooth it into an even layer.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 18 to 25 minutes, or until the edges of the bars are golden-brown and the bars appear set up.
Allow the oatmeal chocolate chip bars to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Because the bars are dairy-free, you can cover them in plastic wrap and store them on the counter for up to 2 days.
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze any remaining bars in a zip lock bag for up to 3 months.
More Banana-Sweetened Recipes:
- Healthy Carrot Cake Muffins
- 4-Ingredient Healthy Flourless Brownies
- 5-Ingredient Paleo Banana Bread Cookies
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- 4-Ingredient Healthy Samoa Cookies
And that’s it! Your gateway to a versatile healthy oatmeal bars recipe that is easy to customize and fun to make!
4-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas 1 ½ cups mashed
- ½ cup (120g) creamy almond butter*
- 2 cups (200g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips
Optional Additions:
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup (100g) chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper (you can also use an 8” x 8” cake pan as well).
- Mash the bananas in a bowl until most of the chunks are out and they’re nice and creamy.
- Stir in the almond butter until it is well-combined with the banana and a thick creamy substance results.
- Mix in the rolled oats and chocolate chips and stir until everything is well-combined.
- Transfer the bar mixture to the prepared baking pan and smooth it into an even layer.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 18 to 25 minutes, or until the edges of the bars are golden-brown and the bars appear set up. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
What is the shelf life? Should this be refrigerated?
Hi there! You can store them in the refrigerator for up to 7 days, freeze them, or store them at room temperature on the counter for up to 5 days (unless you live in a very humid area, in which case, I would suggest refrigerating or freezing). 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
What is that liner you are using in the pan? It looks like it could be parchment paper. Just a suggestion, include the picture of the product in your printed recipe.
Hi Mike-if you read step one of the recipe it mentions using parchment paper to line the pan
Hi Mike! Thanks for the feedback! It is, indeed parchment paper! Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
@Cindy, try to be less passive aggressive. Just because you can’t see people doesn’t mean they don’t have feelings!
I had the same question
Do they need to be stored in the fridge or counter top? How long do they last?
Hi Emily! You can store them on the counter for up to 5 days, or if you need them to last longer, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. They also freeze really well!
Is this a soft/chewy granola bar? Or a crunchy one?
Hi Sarah!
The bars are soft and chewy, similar to baked oatmeal or soft oatmeal cookie 🙂 Let me know if you have any other questions!
just made these.
lovely!
I covered them in chocolate on the top.
Very good recipe
Sounds amazing, Maggi! Thank you for sharing!
Should the 4 ingredient banana oat bars be stored in the refrigerator or is on the counter, covered, ok? They are DELICIOUS by the way. We love them!!
Hi Rhonda! I keep them on the counter for the first few days and if they last longer than that, I move them to the refrigerator 🙂 So happy you enjoy them!
What can I substitute the chocolate chips with?
Hi Pat! Raisins or dried cranberries are great options. You can also add chopped nuts if you’d like. xo
Just did them, I chopped dates in the mixture and put sesame seeds on top, yum 😋. Thanks for these recipes
Ooooh, I LOVE the idea of adding dates for more natural sweetness! How brilliant!! xoxo
Hi! I made these using a mix of almond butter and hazelnut butter and used Santa Barbara Chocolate Cacao Fruit Sweetened chocolate chips/discs and it was fantastic! Kiddos loved it! If you haven’t tried SBC’s chocolate products consider checking them out, they are amazing!! Thank you for a great recipe! 😊
Oooh, all of that sounds fabulous! I love your idea of using sprouted toasted oats as well 🙂 xoxo
PS I also used sprouted rolled oats which I toasted up in my cast iron pan to give a bit more depth of flavor
Making for the second time (we loved the first batch) and using white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts. Looking forward to sampling!
Ooh, I love the idea of using white chocolate and macadamia nuts! Sounds dreamy! xoxo
@Julia, my family loved the white choc/macadamia!
Oooh, white chocolate and macadamia nut sounds absolutely divine! I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoy the bars. Thanks so much for reporting back with your experience! xoxo
These turned out very yummy!
I’m so thrilled to hear it! Thanks for swinging back around to let me know, Sue! xo
What can replace for almond butter? I’m allergic to almonds
Hi Shelly! Any nut or seed butter works here, so you can use peanut butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, etc 😉
Just made these for the second time. I have been using a Mixed Nut Butter (from my warehouse store)in place of other nut butters. It puts the recipe over the top. I freeze EVERYTHING so I have a treat at the ready when I want it. Thank you.
Oooh, now I’m thinking I need to get my hands on this Mixed Nut Butter you speak of!! Thanks for sharing, Christina! xo
Could these be done in the dehydrator? If so.. what temperature and how long for?
Hi Neema! My sincere apologies that I don’t have a better answer, but I’ve never used a dehydrator so I’m not sure how it would work out. If you’ve made a similar recipe in the dehydrator in the past, I would employ the same tactic as before. Hope you enjoy! xo
What time is everybody making it for I’ve been at least 30 minutes and it’s so soft
Hi Bridget! The bars are supposed to be soft and chewy, so I would stick with the 18 to 25 minute range 🙂 xo
How would the nutritional facts change if I used peanut butter instead of almond butter?
Hi Kelsey! As long as the peanut butter is unsweetened, the nutrition facts wills stay the same 🙂
I made these as a vegan bar ( dairy free chocolate chips), because of my grandson’s severe dairy allergy!! Good stuff. Most processed bars have some kind of milk product! So nice to have a really healthy alternative 😉
I’m so happy to hear you and your grandson enjoy the bars! Thanks so much for sharing your experience xo
Just made these and they are yummy! I used almond butter that wasn’t sweetened which I like but I want to make some for others who aren’t as good with lower sugar bars, would simply using a peanut butter that has sugar in work? Thanks!
Hi Ruth! I’m so thrilled you enjoy them! You can definitely swap out the almond butter for a sweetened peanut butter. Any well-stirred nut or seed butter will work 🙂 xo
Just made these, couldn’t wait for them to cool to dig in. YUM! Kroger used to have an organic “super foods” almond butter that came in squeeze packets. I found them when they went on clearance so unfortunately, they no longer carry them. The almond butter had chia, hemp, goji, & lucuma mixed in it. I decided to try using that for the almond butter in this recipe and it was not a disappointment. I stumbled upon this recipe when trying to find a copycat to the Kind breakfast protein bar in the peanut butter, banana, dark chocolate flavor, it’s been hard to find them lately.
Aww love that! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback. The nut/seed blend you used sounds great!
These were delicious! I realized I ran out of chocolate chips after I already mixed the other ingredients in, so I added blueberries instead. Also added about two tablespoons of chia seeds for some added nutrition. Will definitely make again!
Ooh, I love the idea of adding in other goodies like blueberries and chia seeds. Sounds great! xo
I added unsweetened coconut flakes, cinnamon, walnuts, and chia seeds as the additional ingredients and the bars turned out well!
Sounds so tasty! Thank you for sharing! xo
Hi! Sorry if I missed this question. I’ve made these twice and they are great ( once I added craisens) My question is could I use thawed frozen bananas? I have so many in my freezer.
Thanks ! Recipe is so easy and great for a snack . I like to keep in fridge and grab.
Hi Paige! I haven’t tried the recipe using bananas that were previously frozen but I imagine it will work. My only hesitation it they might be more liquidy than fresh ripe bananas so you may need to add a little extra oats. It’s possible you won’t have to make any changes, though! let me know how it goes! xo
Just put them in the oven, I used sugar free caramel salted chips. Also, added vanilla cinnamon and sea salt. Will keep you know how they turned out.
YUM! Caramel chips sound amazing! Enjoy! xo
Can I use frozen bananas in this recipe?
Hi Pamela! I haven’t tested the recipe using frozen bananas myself, but I believe it should work. Just be sure to thaw the bananas completely first 🙂 My one hesitation is frozen bananas that have been thawed tend to be a bit watery, so you may need to add more oats. If the mixture seems watery (instead of thick), I would add more oats until a thick and sticky dough forms. Hope this helps! xo
Trying these for the first time. I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabeties. So overhauling my diet last 6 months with good results. Thanks for recipe and hardly any sugar!
My pleasure, Michelle! My heart goes out to you – I know it can be difficult to make dietary changes but it really does get easier over time and I’m thrilled you’re finding recipes that work for you! xo
Can I sub applesauce for banana?
Hi Blaine! I haven’t tested applesauce myself in this recipe, but I think it would work! I would start with 1 cup of applesauce and if it seems like the mixture is too thick, I would add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup more. Let me know how it turns out! xo
Super easy and quick!
Very yummy 🙂 I added coconut because I add coconut to everthing.
Ooh, yum! I have yet to add coconut to these bars but it’s definitely on my to do list! Thanks so much for sharing, Allison!
I like to follow a recipe exactly as written but I didn’t have almond butter. I decided to use Nutella. My son thought they were delicious so I guess it was a success! Thank you!
OMG, nutella sounds SO amazing! I’ll have to try this myself! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
This was awesome! Just made them. I added white chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips and walnuts. On the top I put a thin layer of honey. Oh my goodness…So good! Thank you for the recipe this is going in my favorite recipe box.
Ooh, all of that sounds amazing, Tonya! Thanks for sharing! xo
Such an easy yet tasty recipe. I substituted raisins for the chocolate, delicious.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Debbie! I’m thrilled you enjoy the bars 🙂
Just made these. I used dried blueberries instead of chocolate chips. And once they were baked and cooled I put them in the dehydrator (or oven) at 195 for 3 hours. They set up like a nature valley crunchy bar.
Totally delish
I love the idea of making this recipe in a dehydrator – how brilliant! Thanks for the inspiration 🙂
I love these bars! So simple and delicious. I added a combined cup of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and walnuts and then did a little more than a cup of the oats. They taste better the second day, I have found!
YUM! I love the added seeds and nuts – sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing, Alexia! xo
These are delicious, they are filling, and satisfying, I made them with peanut butter, going to use almond butter and coconut with chopped almonds with a drizzle of chocolate over top next time.
I’m thrilled to hear you enjoy them, Bet! I put them on repeat in my own household. Your next version sounds delicious! Enjoy!
I have made these multiple times – they are my weekly go-to for a quick breakfast bite. Guests also love them. Those guests who have to head out for early flights (2.5 hours to the airport) usually get these bars and coffee or tea to go for the drive.
I use GF oats. I don’t know if they are drier than regular oats but I wanted something less crumbly and a little more moist. So I used 2 bananas and added 1/2 cup of homemade apples puree (in essence and apple sauce with no added sugar). This worked out great! So if you are using a GF oat I suggest this substitution!
Thanks so much for your feedback, Holly! Adding the homemade apple puree is super useful information for those who are looking to try the recipe – much appreciated! I’m betting store-bought applesauce would work too. I’m so happy to hear you and your guests have been enjoying the bars! I appreciate you taking the time to swing back around to share your experience! xo
These are incredible. I used Hazelnut Butter! And absolutely love them! My new go to for sure! Thank you so much for sharing !!!
Ooh, hazelnut butter sounds incredible! I’ll have to give that a try too. Thanks for the sweet note, Autumn 🙂
These are delish ! I made them as per your recipe for my first batch (very good!) but because I used almond butter and a little almond extract, I tried a batch made with drained frozen sour cherries…awesome. These can be made in so many ways and I love the recipe for that reason…Thank you for a great recipe ! Might add a little cocoa powder next time !
Ooh, I love the idea of adding cherries! How brilliant! Thanks so much for sharing, Wendy! xo
Just made them and they look just like the photo. I added some agave nectar just because. Turned out great! It will make a great quick breakfast for the kids. They have a thick cake like consistency because I used mostly quick oats with partial old fashioned oats.
Thanks so much for sharing, Mary Ann! This is super helpful to others who want to try adding a liquid sweetener to bump up the sweetness. Much appreciated! xo
I’m wondering if I could use hemp hearts instead of the oats or at least for a portion of it.
Thanks
Hi Lois! I haven’t tested the recipe replacing any of the oats with hemp hearts, but I think it could be done! If it were me, I would use 1 2/3 cups of oats and 1/3 cup of hemp hearts. Let me know how it turns out! xo
Can you tell me what the Saturated fat is please I’m trying to find some recipes for high cholesterol.
Hi Coleen! I just edited the nutrition facts in the recipe card to add saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Each bar contains 3 grams of saturated fat (when cut into 16 bars) and 0 cholesterol. Enjoy!
Hi. You indicate this recipe has no added sweetener and is refined sugar-free. You add chocolate chips. Might I ask how this is sugar free, please?
Hi Theresa! My apologies for not being more specific in the post – There are a lot of options when it comes to chocolate chips – there are now paleo-friendly chocolate chips that are sweetened with unrefined sweeteners, as well as keto-friendly sugar-free chocolate chips. I sometimes forget that this isn’t immediately obvious and forget to mention it in some of my recipes.
Some folks also omit the chocolate chips altogether if they are concerned about the total calories of the bars. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
They taste pretty good but it’s of course not very healthy.
I made these and I used peanut butter instead of almond butter. They seemed to be very soft and mushy. I cooked them for 25 mins. Do you think the bananas were to ripe? After mashing the bananas they were very creamy. I am wondering if I should have added 1/2 cup of peanut butter as it only said .25 for 8. Please let me know what I can do to make these right. I also have them in the fridge so they can hopefully harden up some.
Hi Tracy! I just want to be sure I understand what happened – did you halve the recipe to make a smaller batch?
If so, did you stick with 1.5 bananas (which is about 3/4 cup of mashed bananas), or did you still use 3 bananas and measure it out to 1.5 cups?
If you used 1.5 bananas, that is the correct amount for a half batch. The bars are supposed to be soft (not hard like granola bars), but they shouldn’t be overly soggy. Let me know what you did in terms of the amount of banana, and I can try to help troubleshoot from there.
These were absolutely delicious! I love how simple and easy it was using the bananas I had and needed to do something with! I added chia and ground flax seeds and used mini chocolate chips. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
I love the idea of adding flax and chia seeds! Definitely gives a big boost of nutrients to the bars – so genius. I’m thrilled you enjoy them and thank you for sharing your experience! xo