Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars [Flapjacks]

6-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal bars/ flapjacks are sweet and salty, soft and chewy, naturally gluten-free and vegan, and a crowd-pleasing breakfast or snack!

Sweet and Salty 6-Ingredient Peanut Butter Oat Bars

For fans of oatmeal cookies and Rice Krispie treats, these peanut butter oatmeal bars (also called peanut butter flapjacks) fall somewhere in between. Now, with the rich and creamy addition of peanut butter, they are a truly moreish, sweet, salty, ‘buttery’, soft, chewy, yet somehow melt-in-the-mouth treat.

Best of all, they’re one of the simplest snacks to throw together—even kids can get involved. All you need are 6 simple, inexpensive ingredients (you can easily adapt them with your favorite mix-ins), a few minutes of prep, and 15 minutes of baking time.

Enjoy these grab-and-go peanut butter flapjacks at potlucks, parties, in lunch boxes, and at home – they’ll be gone in minutes! You might also enjoy PB sandwich cookies, chocolate peanut butter pretzel bars, and peanut butter granola bars.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

• Quick oats: If necessary, use certified gluten-free oats. Rolled oats also work for a chewier texture (or a blend of both) in this peanut butter flapjacks recipe.
• Peanut butter: It’s best to use creamy peanut butter (smooth or crunchy, though you’ll need a little extra of the latter), as there’s less chance of it separating than natural peanut butter. Other nut butter – like almond butter – may work, too.
• Vegan butter: Use good quality vegan butter, like Miyoko’s or Earth Balance, for vegan peanut butter flapjacks. Avoid low-fat/margarine-style options.
• Golden syrup: Use golden syrup to make a classic peanut butter flapjacks recipe, or enjoy them with unrefined maple syrup or agave.
• Sugar: We used turbinado sugar, though demerara sugar, light brown sugar, or coconut sugar also work.
• Cinnamon: This complements peanut butter particularly well, though you could use chai spice or pumpkin pie spice instead.
• Salt: (optional) To balance and enhance the flavors in these peanut butter and oat bars.

What Could I Add to Peanut Butter Flapjacks

There are several delicious mix-ins you could try in this recipe for peanut butter flapjacks. Add up to ½ cup of:

• Dried Fruit – Raisins, cranberries, glace cherries, chopped apricots, dates, etc.
• Chopped nuts – Peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pepitas, etc.
• Crushed pretzels – To enhance the delicious sweet and salty flavor duo.
• Banana chips – Finely chopped for flavor and crunch.
• Coconut flakes – Raw or toasted.
• Vegan chocolate chips – semi-sweet or bitter-sweet.
• Jam/jelly – Swirl a few dollops into the flapjack batter before baking.
• Chocolate coated – Dip or drizzle the oat and peanut butter bars in melted vegan chocolate and leave them to set for more decadence.

How to Make Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars

• First, preheat the oven to 325F/163C and line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on at least two sides.
• Then, combine the vegan butter, sugar, syrup, and salt in a small saucepan and heat over medium-low, stirring occasionally, only until the vegan butter melts.

• Meanwhile, combine the cinnamon and oats in a large bowl. Pour in the melted mixture and stir until thoroughly coated.

• Stir in the peanut butter until fully incorporated; this can take some time/effort.

Adding the peanut butter at the end of step two can make things easier, but it’s very important not to overheat the peanut butter, as it can separate.

• Transfer the mixture to the pan, press it in an even layer, then bake for 15 minutes, until golden around the edges but soft in the middle.

• Finally, remove the peanut butter oatmeal bars from the oven and let them cool in their pan for 30 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack.

• Finally, slice the flapjacks to your desired size and, optionally, drizzle with more peanut butter. Enjoy!

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Heat over low: And only until the vegan butter has melted, and the ingredients combined. Overheating can cause the ingredients to separate.
• Pack it well: Pack the mixture into the pan firmly to ensure it’s compact before baking.
• To adjust the texture: Adjust the baking time. We bake ours for soft, chewy bars. For a crunchier flapjack/oatmeal bar, increase by 3-5 minutes.

Storage Instructions

Leave them to cool completely, then store the peanut butter flapjacks in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

You can also freeze the bars for 2-3 months, stacking them up in layers separated by parchment/wax paper. Leave to thaw at room temp for 15-20 minutes before enjoying one.  

More Vegan Peanut Butter Recipes

• Peanut butter granola
• 3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls
• Peanut butter cracker sandwiches
• Vegan peanut butter cups
• Chocolate peanut butter bark
• Trail mix peanut butter balls
• Peanut butter cookie dough bites

Photos by Alfonso Revilla