Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Bars

These Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Bars are soft, chewy and incredibly moist, with plenty of banana flavor and creamy peanut butter in every bite. They come together quickly in a 9×13-inch pan and bake in just 23 minutes, making them perfect for meal-prep breakfasts and grab-and-go snacks.

I love making breakfast bars for my boys because they genuinely love eating them—and these disappear especially fast! I usually make a pan on Sunday for quick breakfasts throughout the week, but I’ve learned to hide them in the back of the fridge so they don’t all get eaten immediately.

If your family loves easy make-ahead breakfasts, try my Steel Cut Oatmeal Bars next. They’re another hearty, chewy option that’s perfect for busy mornings.

Made with rolled oats, ripe bananas, peanut butter and other simple ingredients, these homemade banana oatmeal bars are a delicious way to use up overripe bananas. Enjoy them for breakfast, pack them as an afternoon snack or add chocolate chips to make them sweet enough for dessert.

You can also easily make them your own! Mix in dried cranberries, dried blueberries, lemon zest, chopped nuts or chocolate chips for a different batch every time.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Incredibly moist and chewy: Mashed bananas, peanut butter and honey give these bars the dreamiest soft texture.
• Quick and easy: The batter comes together in one bowl with simple ingredients, then bakes in just 23 minutes.
• Perfect for meal prep: I make a pan on Sunday and keep the bars in the refrigerator for quick breakfasts and filling snacks throughout the week.
• A delicious use for ripe bananas: When bananas become too soft for anyone to eat, this is one of my favorite ways to use them. My Banana Applesauce Pancakes are another easy option when you have extra ripe bananas on the counter.
• Easy to customize: Add chocolate chips, chopped nuts, dried cranberries or dried blueberries and lemon zest to create a new variation.

Recipe Ingredients

These easy peanut butter banana oatmeal bars are made with simple, everyday ingredients. Here are a few helpful notes and substitution options:

Old-fashioned rolled oats: These create the best soft and chewy texture. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed. Avoid quick oats or steel-cut oats, which behave differently when baked.

All-purpose flour: For gluten-free breakfast bars, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. I would not recommend almond or oat flour without testing because they don’t behave as direct substitutes.

Baking soda: Make sure it’s fresh so the bars rise properly.

Salt: Fine sea salt or table salt works well.

Eggs: Two large eggs bind the ingredients and give the bars structure.

Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar adds a slightly deeper molasses flavor.

Peanut butter: Regular creamy peanut butter produces the smoothest, most reliable texture. Crunchy peanut butter also works if you’d like little pieces of peanut throughout. Natural peanut butter may make the texture more oily or crumbly.

Butter: Use salted or unsalted butter and melt it before adding it to the batter.

Honey: Adds sweetness, moisture and chewiness. Maple syrup may be substituted, although the finished bars may be slightly less chewy.

Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances the banana and peanut butter flavors.

Bananas: Use 2 medium, very ripe bananas, or approximately 1 cup mashed. Bananas with plenty of brown spots provide the sweetest flavor.

How to Make Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Bars

1. Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the bars out easily.

2. Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the rolled oats, flour, baking soda and salt.

3. Add the wet ingredients. Add the eggs, brown sugar, peanut butter, melted butter, honey and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly combined. Fold in the mashed bananas.

4. Spread the mixture. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Spread it into an even layer, pressing it firmly into the corners with a rubber spatula.

5. Bake the bars. Bake on the center oven rack for 23 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set.

1. Cool and cut. Let the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper to carefully lift them onto a flat surface, then cut into squares.

Recipe Notes

• Add something sweet. Mix in ½ to 1 cup of dark chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips.
• Make them dairy-free. Use plant-based butter and dairy-free chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life. Double-check all ingredient labels to confirm they meet your needs.
• Add seeds. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia seeds or ground flaxseed for extra texture and nutrients. Avoid adding more because both absorb moisture.
• Give them some crunch. Add a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans, or use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
• Try another nut butter. Almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter can be substituted for the peanut butter. The flavor and texture may vary slightly.
• Choose the right peanut butter. Conventional no-stir peanut butter produces the most consistent texture. Natural peanut butter may make the bars oilier, so stir it thoroughly before measuring.
• Make them without peanut butter. I have also tested these bars without the ½ cup peanut butter, and no replacement ingredient is needed. The bars still work, but they have a more noticeable banana flavor and a slightly different texture.
• Keep the sweeteners as written. Replacing the brown sugar with additional honey or maple syrup adds extra moisture and can change how the bars bake.

How to Serve Breakfast Bars

Enjoy these oatmeal banana breakfast bars on their own for a quick grab-and-go breakfast or pair them with one of these easy options for a more complete meal:

• Serve with Greek yogurt and fresh berries.
• Pair with scrambled eggs or hard-boiled eggs for added protein.
• Add fresh fruit or a simple fruit salad.
• Enjoy alongside a smoothie or protein shake.
• Serve slightly warm with a thin layer of peanut butter.
• Add them to a brunch spread with eggs, fruit and your favorite breakfast muffins.

How to Store Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Allow the bars to cool completely before storing them. This prevents condensation from making them soggy.

Thaw: Let an individual bar thaw at room temperature or place it in the refrigerator overnight. For a warm breakfast bar, microwave it for 10 to 15 seconds before serving.

Refrigerate: Place the sliced bars in an airtight container or resealable bag. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 to 7 days.

Freeze: Arrange the bars in a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment or wax paper between the layers. Freeze for up to 2 months.

More Easy Breakfast Recipes

• Steel Cut Oatmeal Bars
• Banana Applesauce Pancakes
• Banana Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies
• 3-Ingredient Banana Muffins
• Peach and Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Blueberry Granola Bars

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Bars

Soft and chewy oatmeal banana breakfast bars made with rolled oats, ripe bananas, peanut butter and honey. Baked in a 9×13-inch pan in just 23 minutes, they’re perfect for meal-prep breakfasts and grab-and-go snacks.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time23 minutes mins

Cooling10 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana oat bars, banana oatmeal bars, bananas, breakfast bars, meal-prep breakfast bars, oatmeal, oatmeal banana breakfast bars, oatmeal bars, oatmeal breakfast bars, peanut butter banana oatmeal bars, ripe banana recipes

Servings: 12

Calories: 272kcal

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter, melthed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 medium bananas ripe, mashed (about 1 cup)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
• Add the eggs, brown sugar, peanut butter, butter, honey and vanilla. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until combined. Stir in the mashed banana.
• Spread the mixture evenly inside the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to press into the corners. Bake in the preheated oven for 23 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown around the edges.
• Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment onto a flat surface and cut into squares.

Notes

• Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the sweetest banana flavor.
• Old-fashioned rolled oats provide the chewiest texture. Quick oats can be used, but the bars will be softer. Do not use steel-cut oats.
• Conventional no-stir peanut butter produces the most consistent texture. Crunchy peanut butter also works.
• Add ½ to 1 cup of chocolate chips, dried fruit or chopped nuts if desired.
• For gluten-free bars, use certified gluten-free oats and a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Store the cooled bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or freeze them for up to 2 months.
  For soft, moist and chewy bars, do not overbake. Remove them when the edges are golden brown and the center is just set. They will continue to firm up as they cool.