Berry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

https://ninth.recipes/recipes/berry-peanut-butter-oatmeal-bars

Ingredients

2 1 / 2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter

1 / 2 cups honey

2 large bananas

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 / 2 teaspoons salt

1 1 / 2 cups frozen mixed berry

Steps

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides for easy removal.

Step 2

In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and salt until well combined.

Step 3

Stir in the oats (and optional seeds) until everything is evenly coated. The "dough" should be thick and slightly sticky.

Step 4

Gently fold in about 1 cup of the berries. Try not to over-mix if using raspberries, or your whole bar will turn pink!

Step 5

Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Use the back of a spoon (or damp fingers) to press the mixture down firmly into an even layer. Scatter the remaining ½ cup of berries on top and press them slightly into the surface.

Step 6

Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center feels set to the touch.

Step 7

Let the bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out by the parchment paper. If you cut them while warm, they will crumble.

Footnote

If your peanut butter is stiff (from the bottom of the jar), microwave it for 20 seconds to make it easier to incorporate. Because of the fresh fruit and moisture from the bananas, these stay fresh for about 3 days on the counter or 1 week in the fridge. They also freeze beautifully!

What makes this dish special?

These bars are a masterclass in texture and flavor contrast. You have the salty richness of the peanut butter playing against the bright acidity of the berries, all held together by the earthy, toasted notes of oats. What makes them truly special is their versatility; they are naturally hearty enough for breakfast but sweet enough to pass for dessert, and they happen to be much healthier than store-bought granola bars.