Banana oatmeal energy bars are made with just 5-ingredients and make a delicious, quick and easy breakfast. They’re also great pre- or post-workout and lovely with a cup of coffee in the afternoon.
The Clean & Delicious family loves bananas and oatmeal! My most popular recipes include this dynamic duo. For example, my banana bake oatmeal, 3-ingredient banana oatmeal cookies, banana oatmeal pancakes, and banana oatmeal muffin cups are all community favorites.
This makes sense since bananas and oatmeal are such a tasty combination. Add peanut butter to the mix and suddenly things got even tastier!
How To Make 5-Ingredient Energy Bars
This recipe is super easy to make! It’s free of refined flours and sugars and is 100% plant-based (no eggs, no dairy!).
Here’s all you need to do:
- Mash the bananas with the back of a fork in a large bowl.
- Add in oats, peanut butter, walnuts, and chocolate chips. I also like to add cinnamon and vanilla for extra flavor (if you have it on hand).
- Mix until everything is combined and you have a nice thick batter.
- Transfer to a greased quarter sheet pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
- Cool completely, slice, and enjoy!
Are Banana Oatmeal Energy Bars Healthy?
Banana oatmeal energy bars are made up of simple, wholesome ingredients and have a great balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
The combination of oatmeal, banana, and peanut butter is super satisfying and keeps you satiated for hours.
These bars make a great breakfast or workout snack and are great for long car rides. I especially love packing them for an afternoon hike or bike ride with my family.
More Clean & Delicious Energy Bars + Bites:
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- Matcha Protein Bites
- Chocolate Hemp Brownie Bites
- Carrot Cake Energy Balls
5-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas, 14-16 ounces
- 2 cups rolled oats, gluten free
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter, all natural
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chip*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 F and grease a quarter sheet pan with cooking spray or coconut oil.
- Place bananas in a large bowl and mash with the back of a fork until they are broken down.
- Add oats, peanut butter, chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, vanilla and cinnamon.
- Stir everything together until all of the ingredients are well combined and you have a nice thick batter.
- Transfer the batter onto the prepared baking sheet and pat done until it's pushed into the corners, along the sides and even on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are fragrant, lightly browned on top and set through.
- Cool completely. Slice into 16 bars by making one vertical slice and seven horizontal. Enjoy!
Comments
Kuan says
Can use almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Tami says
I’m going to try Almond butter and almonds next time to replace the peanut butter and walnuts – which were delicious by the way!
Dani says
That sounds great! Enjoy it.
Teri lin Keplinger says
Can I make muffins instead of sheet pan
Dani says
I bet that would work just fine. Not sure how many muffins it would make though?
Lisa says
Hi!
What size baking sheet are you using?
Dani says
It is a quarter sheet pan -> 9 in × 13 in (230 mm × 330 mm).
Lisa says
Thank you! Making this weekend! Loved the 3 ingredient banana cookies and the peanut butter cranberry bars!
Malinda says
OMG same! I added some marshmallows too and they were so creamy and gooey.
ChrisyG says
I made these bars this morning and they were fantastic! I got 16 bars out of the batch. My 17 and 20 year old boys had 5 each! I had 3 and my wife had 1. 2 bars left and they’re well hidden for my breakfast tomorrow .
I used slivered almonds instead of walnuts. I added craisans and next time will add pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I also added a couple heaping tablespoons of milled flaxseed. I baked them for the full 30 minutes to get them at the texture I liked.
This will become a weekend staple in our house. Thanks Dani. Another great, healthy recipe!!
Carmen says
So good! I made these a few days ago and are already gone!
Sama says
Loved these bars! so Yummy ^_^
Dani says
Thanks so much Sama!! Glad you liked them.
Adele says
What can I use instead of peanut butter or any nut butter as allergic to it?
Dani says
You can use sunflower seed butter 🙂
Carolyn says
Think it would be ok to defrost frozen bananas to use for this recipe?
Dani says
That should be fine!
Gill says
Yes, it’s perfect for frozen bananas. I build up a supply of over ripe bananas In the freezer. I add a few more oats if the bananas are more fluid once defrosted.
Michel says
I am obsessed with your 3 ingredient oatmeal banana cookies so when I saw this I was excited to try it. I made these tonight and my fiancé and I love them!!! They are SOO good!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Dani says
It’s my pleasure! So glad you enjoyed them.
Gill says
Thank you for sharing you recipes. I have made this twice now. It’s a perfect lockdown treat that keeps me away from munching crisps when working from home. I have cut them into smaller bite sized pieces to spread the joy during the day! I have also added some chopped dried apricots as they are nice and chewy.
Best wishes
Ashley says
These are yummy and very filling! Thanks for this healthy treat recipe, Dani! I love watching your videos! I even got my mom hooked on tuning in! Thanks again!
Marge Teilhaber says
Made this last night on my new quarter sheet pan. I followed the recipe except (1) I toasted 1.5C large walnuts (250 oven for 30M) and then chopped them. I meant to carefully measure the chopped nuts but forgot so I’m guessing that the 1.5C unchopped came to 1.25C chopped. Second tweak was I added splashes of soy milk because the batter was like cement. I used the equivalent of maybe 1/4C. Any nut milk would have loosened the batter. I used organic crunchy PB, no salt, roasted peanuts being the only ingredient. THEY’RE FABULOUS. Maybe even a tad too sweet, so next time (1) I’ll use at least 1/2C nut milk, (2) stick with whatever 1.5C of nuts equals when chopped (sunflower & pumpkin seeds, almond slivers, slices or toasted chopped hazelnuts would be great too), (3) double the cinnamon and vanilla, and (4) 1/4C chocolate chips and 1/4C cacao nibs to tamp down the sweetness and add crunch and nutrition. Dani, you are GOOD!!! Thank you!
Aleena says
I’m allergic to all nuts so, I’m going to use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter. But instead of walnuts what do you recommend using?
Dani says
Any nut would work!
Aleena says
Hi Dani!
I just found about you and ‘Clean & Delicious’ through this recipe, which has opened my eyes to a whole world of clean, healthy and most especially delicious eating.
Therefore I’m kind of a beginner when it comes to this lifestyle. This recipe looks so oooo tasty, and it would be a shame to not try it out due to my nut allergy. I saw from your previous comments to replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter. But what would you recommend to replace the walnuts? Thank you 🙂
Dani says
Maybe try subbing in some seeds (sunflower or pumpkin!) or you can try some shredded coconut.
Rgh says
Oh, these are so delicious!!!
Maria O’Connell says
Made these yesterday and they are super yummy!! My little girls age 5 and 3 loved them aswell. Will definitely make them minus the chocolate so my eldest can bring them in her lunchbox for school. Then make an extra batch with chocolate home treats! Love this receipe and the Oat muffin cups, always have these in the fridge!
Mac says
Hi I made these following the recipe to the letter. They turned out perfect!
I have a question. Are they supposed to be soft / chew or crunchy?
Thanks
Joanna says
Just wanted to add myself to the list of huge fans of this recipe! I’ve been making these regularly since May and LOVE them. I make minor tweaks – my son is allergic to tree nuts so I always use seeds instead (usually a mix of raw/shelled pumpkin + flax seeds). I don’t have a big sweet tooth so I use just-ripe bananas and very dark chocolate (72-85%; I chop up a bar into small pieces). I use a regular 9×13 pan lined with parchment since I don’t have a quarter sheet pan and it works fine. I can’t say enough about these bars. I look forward to having one each day with my mid-morning coffee. Thank you for sharing it! LOVE!
Robyn Edwards says
These are super! They are not too “banana-y”, a bit soft and a great snack size portion. The hint of cinnamon is bang-on. I added about 1/4 cup each of ground flax and pepitas, reducing the amount of walnuts slightly. I used half smooth and half crunchy PB. Advice – use room temperature peanut butter and perhaps mix it into the bananas first before adding the other ingredients. Half of my PB was from the fridge, so it was a bit hard to blend evenly and I was afraid I’d have pockets of PB in the bars. Not the worst problem to have tho! I am bringing these to snack on after a cross country ski with friends today.
Erin says
Thank you for this amazing recipe Dani! These are sooooooo delicious. My hubby and i made the exact recipe the first time, but have since experimented. I feel like a mad food scientist. Hahaha! We just recently tried dried blueberries, chopped almonds and pecans. Yummy! These are perfect for breakfast on the go, or a snack when we’re craving something sweet. I love that we can grab these and not feel guilty about eating them. We also LOVE the overnight oats as well. We love you and All your recipes!
Sonya says
I just made these bars for the first time and love them! I made them as per recipe with the exception of adding cocoa powder and dried goji berries. They are really easy and taste great. Love that they are a very filling and satisfying snack or even breakfast, without being too sweet. The bananas are just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for a great recipe.
Lindsay P. says
I just made these! I halved the amount of walnuts (1/2 c.) and added 1/2 c. Coconut. I also sprinkled 1/2 tbsp of chia seeds on top before baking.
Jill Hughes says
Love these! They are quick, easy and last a long time. You can use a little variety to change it up.
Jackie says
Absolutely delicious!
Dani Spies says
Yay! So glad you liked this one!
Judi C., says
I didn’t use vanilla or cinnamon, but added a little coconut and some dried cherries. Also used mini chocolate chips. These babies are fully loaded. They are in the oven now and smelling awesome! Thanks, Dani.
Missy says
Thanks, Dani! I love these, the kids love these, they’re so good! I made it as a sweet treat for their lunch boxes and after school/afternoon snack (for me with a little coffee;) they’re addictive and yummy – thanks for sharing!
Shrelle says
These are delicious!! Instead of using walnuts, I used dried, unsweetened cranberries, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and sunflower seeds. Dash of extra cinnamon on top. Makes for a perfect snack or addition to a balanced breakfast. 10/10 would recommend
Dani Spies says
Thanks, Shrelle! I’m so glad you enjoyed them and appreciate you taking the time to let me know.
Jennifer Laflamme says
These were so delicious..I cant eat just one! I ate them for breakfast and then again as a late night snack with some homemade hot chocolate. Thank you for creating such a great and healthy bar that tastes amazing. 🙂
Dani Spies says
It’s my pleasure! I am so glad you enjoyed them – thanks for letting me know.
Jacqui Round says
Lovely healthy bars- made them for my daughter’s morning breaks at university in Carlow. Ireland
Dani Spies says
So glad you and your daughter enjoy them! University in Ireland sounds amazing!
Patricia Noble says
These are so delicious and easy to make! I add flaxseed to make them even healthier.
Harold A says
Made these yesterday and the only issue is we may eat them in about two days!! Didnt have chocolate chips so I substituted some dried cranberries.
Zee says
The bars are very tasty. They are like one large sheet of biscuits or cookies, if you are American.
I’ll have a hard time pacing myself & not eat loads.
Baked them with a few changes:
Peanut butter replaced by tahini (same proportion).
Added 2 T. grilled whole flax seeds.
Added ard. 3 to 4 T. raisins.
Baked them for 30 min. at 175°C (convection not fan mode) until really golden brown all over and very slightly grilled on edges.
Make sure you spread them on baking sheet right after mixing bc the uncooked mixture tends to set.
Thank you Dani for another great healthy recipe which we can easily adapt.