Upon hearing that March 1st was Peanut Butter Lover’s Day, this peanut butter lover started eagerly jotting down ideas of what to make. Though many desserts popped into mind, I wanted something “everyday” and on the wholesome side. These peanut butter oat bars fit the bill and use ingredients that I keep on hand in abundance: lightly salted peanut butter, oats, flax seeds, and good-quality lite coconut milk.
Using my dad’s favorite cookie flavor as my guide, cinnamon raisin oatmeal, I whipped up a batch of thick, chewy, and positively scrumptious squares that somehow reminded us of a Clif Bar combo (Peanut Butter meets Oatmeal Raisin) … only way, way better. Unlike Clif Bars, these peanut butter oat bars have a simple pure ingredient list, lower sugars, more nutty goodness, and are completely soy-free.
Irresistible Dairy-Free Peanut Butter Oat Bars
I decided to experiment with a couple of drizzle options when making these peanut butter oat bars, one low sugar maple-cinnamon peanut butter icing (pictured above) and one “traditional” peanut butter icing (thickly piped below). Though they are soft and pipe-able as shown in my images, both set up when chilled, offering a little extra Clif Bar-like appeal. Since some ingredients can effect the results of these peanut butter oat bars more than others, I thought I would address them:
- Peanut Butter: I did use an all-natural peanut butter when creating this recipe – Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted Peanut Butter. It is a very soft peanut butter, almost a little runny at room temperature, and quite spreadable when refrigerated.
- Dairy-Free Milk: Using just milk alternative or juice can make bars more muffin-like. As mentioned, I use lite coconut milk, which adds just enough liquid and richness to keep the recipe very bar-like, dense and rich. Yet it is a pure ingredient that adds less than .5 gram of fat per bar! In a pinch, you could substitute coconut milk creamer or dairy-free milk beverage.
- Sweetener: I test baked goods with both organic brown sugar and coconut sugar, the latter produces a mellower, slightly less sweet flavor. If using coconut sugar, I recommend blending it with the oats and flax seeds into a powder and adding with the dry ingredients. Brown sugar gives a more “classic” taste. If you want to use brown sugar, but want it a little less sweet, just lightly pack the sugar.
Special Diet Notes: Peanut Butter Oat Bars
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, tree nut-free, soy-free, vegan / plant-based, and vegetarian.
For peanut-free peanut butter oat bars, use almond butter (if tree nuts are okay for you) in place of the peanut butter. For nut-free, use your favorite seed butter. Keep in mind that sunflower seed butter will yield the most “peanutty” results, but it may react with the baking soda to produce a greenish hue. This is totally safe, just not the most appealing!
- 1¾ cup regular rolled oats (certified gluten-free, if needed), divided
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds
- 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (high altitude: use ¾ teaspoon over 3000 feet)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup lightly salted peanut butter
- ½ cup packed brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ cup lite coconut milk (I use So Delicious Dairy Free Lite Culinary Coconut Milk)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup raisins
- Peanut butter icing drizzle (optional, see notes below)
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line an 8x8-inch baking dish (see note in post above) with parchment paper or grease and flour it.
- Place ¾ cup of the oats and the flax seeds in a spice grinder or food processor and whiz into flour, about 60 seconds.
- Add the ground oat mixture to a medium bowl with the remaining whole oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- In a mixing bowl, blend the peanut butter, sugar, coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla, with a hand mixer or by hand, until combined and smooth. Stir in the oat mixture, it should be the consistency of a thick but slightly sticky cookie dough. Fold in the raisins.
- Scrape the dough into your prepared baking dish, and with lightly damp hands, firmly and evenly press the mixture in.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges and beginning to pull away from the sides ever so slightly. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting (can even chill first).
- If using parchment paper, pull the bars out onto a cutting board to cut (otherwise cut in the pan). Cut into 16 bars (cut in half, cut each half in half, turn the pan 90º and repeat). They are a little crumbly to cut but actually hold together quite well, particularly if stored in the refrigerator.
- If opting for an icing drizzle, add one of the options below to a plastic bag and seal. If too runny, chill the icing in the baggie for 10 minutes. Snip a small corner from the bottom of the bag, and pipe the icing onto the bars as desired.
Simple Peanut Butter Icing: Whisk together 2 tablespoons lightly salted peanut butter, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, and 2 teaspoons coconut oil.
Nutrition Note: These bars are cut smaller than Clif Bars (about ⅓ smaller). You can cut them larger for a closer equivalent to Clif Bars in over all nutrition.
66 Comments
What would work as a substitute for the flax seeds? Thanks!
The best substitute would be chia seeds.
Thank you for this great recipe! I’ve gotten hooked on CLIF’s creamy peanut butter bars, but here in 2022, they are both expensive and hard to find. These homemade bars are delicious and so much more cost-effective!
Can I use 1 egg instead of flax seeds?
Yes, you can! You may want to reduce the liquid a bit in this case.
Could I use almond milk instead of coconut?
Hi Stephanie, this is actually lite coconut milk, not coconut milk beverage. If you use almond milk beverage, it should work, but may be a little too moist. I’m not 100% sure, so I don’t want to make guarantees!
I had no idea So Delicious had a regular coconut milk so I assumed! I’ll use another brand of coconut milk then. Thanks!
Yes! It’s my favorite brand now – consistently rich and creamy. Sold next to the cans in the Asian section, but it little aseptic packages with a spout.
These seriously look AMAZING!
Thank you Laura!
Have you tried freezing these? I think they would be great to have for those mornings when I’m feeling really rushed!
I haven’t, they don’t last that long! But they should freeze well.
Made these this week and I absolutely loved them. I didn’t have any raisins so I used dried cranberries instead, which was a delicious choice!
That sounds like the perfect addition! Glad you enjoyed them Mary.
I might try them soon with some chopped, dried apricots. I have been really enjoying them as a great breakfast on-the-go.
That sounds delish! So glad you are enjoying the recipe Mary!
I love these Clif bars and to make them myself would be great. I am curious on what the protein content is on these compared to the actual Clif Bars? Also what specific kinds did you use to get the closest flavoring to the original? I would had to get something that would change the taste to be gross. I see you have the peanut butter and coconut milk listed, does the rest make a difference? Such as the maple syrup, should it be pure, natural, certain brand? Thank you. I know once I make a batch or 2, I can adjust to my taste.
Hi Mike, I think the beginning of my post answers the first part of your question on taste and nutritionals. Though they may be considered “natural” bars, Clif bars use a lot of processed ingredients, so there will certainly be differences. For starters, they use soy protein isolate – this is an ingredient I try to avoid, but it does provide high protein. My recipe has just natural protein, not the addition of a high protein isolate supplement. If you were to add protein powder, it would alter the flavor / texture, but you might enjoy it that way! I do recommend the combo of pure maple syrup (I’d shy away from imitation if possible) and brown sugar / coconut sugar for flavor reasons, but you can certainly trial with honey or brown rice syrup, which will be slightly sweeter and probably quite tasty, too. Back on the maple syrup, my current favorite brand is NOW foods, which also isn’t too badly priced, but as long as it’s pure maple syrup (grade B, or I believe Grade A – bold, robust now), you should be good!
Can I substitute flaxseed meal for the seeds?
These are just what I was looking for and I’m so excited to try them! Thank you!!
Yes, I would use about 3 tablespoons flaxmeal.
Just made these today and they were excellent! We didn’t have maple syrup on hand so I substituted honey; not sure what kind of a difference that made BUT these were SO so good and I would definitely make them again and again! Thanks for the yummy recipe!
The maple just provides a slight flavor difference that we like, but any liquid sweetener should work great! So glad you are loving the recipe Valerie!
Yum, this is the kind of ‘baked’ bar I’m a fan of!
These are so ridiculously up my alley! I’m in love!
Oh my WOW! The best looking recipe I’ve seen all day. I can’t wait to try these!
Thanks Holley!