No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Cacao Oat Bars made with dairy free cacao powder, gluten free oats, peanut butter, and sweetened with maple syrup and honey. The perfect snack that is so easy to make, you’ll want to make a double batch!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
These no bake bars bring me back to my childhood. My mom would make a similar recipe as an after school snack for my siblings and I. Fast forward a few years and I never forgot what those extra special chocolate peanut butter bars tasted like so I knew I needed to re-create them for the blog.
Unlike the recipe that my mom would make, these no bake oat bars are made with dairy free cacao powder, gluten free old fashioned oats and drizzled with cacao chocolate and sprinkled with coconut flakes. This is a snack you’ll want to share so I recommend making one batch for you and another for friends, just to be safe.
Why You’ll Love These Bars
Ingredients: These bars are made with only eight simple ingredients. You might already have all the ingredients already in your pantry too!
No Bake: Did I mention these are NO BAKE BARS?! I love a good no bake snack and dessert especially in the summertime. These are an easy snack to whip up in a matter of minutes and only take a little while to firm up enough to cut.
Kid Friendly: These bars are family and kid friendly! They make a great snack for packed lunches or after school activities. They’re also dairy free and gluten free. You can easily swap out the peanut butter for almond butter to make them peanut free also!
Ingredients For No Bake Chocolate Cacao Oat Bars
- Oats: I use certified gluten free old fashioned oats. Any oats should work fine here but make sure to buy gluten free if that is important to you.
- Cacao Powder: Cacao powder can be found in most grocery stores, usually in the baking aisle or it’s also on Amazon. You can also substitute the cacao powder for cocoa powder but make sure the cacao powder is pure without added dairy or sugar.
- Nut Butter: I prefer to use either creamy peanut butter or almond butter when making these bars but you can use your favorite nut butter.
- Sweetener: Pure maple syrup and honey are the sweeteners for this recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Just one teaspoon of vanilla extract is added for a touch of delicious vanilla flavor.
- Cacao Chocolate: I like using this cacao melting chocolate because it is dairy free and melts easily. You can use whatever chocolate you prefer though, just make sure it melts evenly so the drizzle on top turns out.
- Coconut Flakes: I love the way the coconut tastes but also the way it looks on top of these no bake bars!
How To Make No Bake Chocolate Cacao Oat Bars
Step 1: Make the bars by mixing together the peanut butter, oats, cacao powder, honey, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Step 2: Pour the oat mixture into a 6” x 8” baking dish. Press and even out the bars with clean hands or a spatula.
Step 3: Heat the cacao melting chocolate on the stovetop in a small pot. Stir frequently. Alternatively, you can heat the chocolate up in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Make sure to keep an eye on it since the chocolate melts fast.
Step 4: Drizzle the melted chocolate on top of the bars. Immediately sprinkle the desired amount of coconut flakes on top. Use a knife to spread the chocolate if you rather have the chocolate cover the entire top of the bars.
Step 5: Place the bars in the fridge or freezer just until the bars have firmed up enough to cut (about 30 minutes). Store in the refrigerator.
What kind of gluten free oats should I use for gluten free bars?
Make sure to use certified gluten free oats if you prefer to make these bars gluten free. I really like the brands Bob’s Red Mill or Anthony’s Organic for gluten free oats. I also prefer to make this recipe with old fashioned rolled oats instead of quick oats.
How do you melt chocolate for the top?
There are a few different ways you can melt chocolate. I usually prefer to heat up a small pot on the stovetop. Once the chocolate starts to melt, stir frequently and remove from heat once the chocolate is melted completely.
Another way you can melt chocolate is with the microwave. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave the chocolate in 10 second increments. Usually chocolate will melt quickly in the microwave so it’s important to keep a close eye on it and to stir between increments.
Storing Information
Store: The bars are best kept in the fridge covered for up to 5 days. They can be stored at air temperature but they won’t last as long.
To Freeze: These chocolate bars can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
Check Out More No Bake Recipes!
- No Bake Triple Berry Pie
- No Bake Raspberry Energy Balls
- Healthy Granola Bars
- Easy Apple Pie Energy Balls
- No Bake Oat Pie Crust
- Simple Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles
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No Bake Chocolate Cacao Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cacao powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- ¼ cup cacao melting chocolate (or any dairy-free melting chocolate)
- coconut flakes
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together almond butter, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, oats and cacao powder.
- Pour the oat mixture into a 6" x 8" or 8" x 8" baking dish. Press and even out the mixture with the palm of your hand or use a spatula. Set aside.
- Heat the cacao melting chocolate on the stovetop, stir frequently.
- Once chocolate is melted, remove from heat and drizzle over the top of the bars. Sprinkle desired amount of coconut flakes on top.
- Put the dish in the fridge or freezer until the bars have firmed up enough to cut. Store the bars covered in the fridge.
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