Banana Chocolate Oat Bars to Grab and Go
Dense, grab-and-go banana chocolate oat bars for breakfast or snack made with simple pantry ingredients.
If you like packaged breakfast or protein bars but prefer cooking with real ingredients, these banana chocolate oat bars are a great homemade alternative. They’re dense, filling, lightly sweet, and easy to make in one bowl.
They’re sweetened naturally with ripe bananas and studded with chocolate chips for that familiar breakfast-bar flavor. Perfect for quick mornings, afternoon snacks, or meal prep for the week.
If you’re building a rotation of quick breakfasts, these bars pair really well with simple fruit or yogurt. My microwave cinnamon apples are another easy option. They’re great spooned over yogurt, cottage cheese, or oatmeal for a warm, cozy breakfast in minutes.
📌 Save this recipe for later so you can make these banana chocolate oat breakfast bars anytime you need a quick grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Why You’ll Love These Bars
- Dense and satisfying (not cakey)
- Made with simple pantry staples
- Naturally sweetened with bananas
- Easy to customize
- Great for meal prep and freezing
They’re similar in size and calories to many packaged breakfast bars, just baked and made with whole ingredients.
Ingredients for Banana Chocolate Oat Bars
- bananas
- eggs
- peanut butter
- rolled oats
- chocolate chips
- vanilla extract
- salt
How to Make the Banana Chocolate Oat Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or grease an 8×8 baking pan.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the eggs, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Fold in the oats and chocolate chips. The mixture should be very thick and scoopable, not pourable.
- Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the center is set.
- Cool in the pan, then refrigerate before slicing for clean, sturdy bars.
Tips for Best Results
- Use very ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter your bars will be.
- Refrigerating before slicing helps the bars firm up and hold together.
- For slightly richer bars, use ⅓ cup peanut butter. For lighter bars, use ¼ cup.
If your bananas are only lightly ripe and you prefer a sweeter bar, you can add:
- 1–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- or an extra tablespoon of chocolate chips
Chocolate Cocoa (No Added Sugar) Variation
If you prefer a less-sweet, dark-chocolate version:
- Replace chocolate chips with 2–3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Everything else stays the same
If the mixture feels dry (banana size varies), add 1–2 tablespoons milk or water.
Storage
- Refrigerator: 5–7 days
- Freezer: up to 3 months (wrap individually)
A Note on Sweetness
These bars are lightly sweet from bananas and chocolate chips. If you enjoy packaged breakfast bars, you’ll probably love this version. If you prefer less sweetness, try the cocoa-only variation.
Final Thoughts on Banana Chocolate Oat Bars
These banana chocolate oat breakfast bars have become one of my favorite grab-and-go options for busy mornings and quick snacks. They’re easy to make, easy to customize, and made with simple ingredients I already keep on hand.
If you love packaged breakfast bars but want a homemade version with real food and no mystery ingredients, this recipe is a great place to start. Make a batch on the weekend, keep them in the fridge or freezer, and you’ll always have something ready when you need it.
Whether you make the chocolate chip version or try the cocoa option, I hope these become a regular in your kitchen, too.
If you try these banana chocolate oat breakfast bars, I’d love to hear how they turned out for you. Your ratings and comments help other readers and let me know what you enjoyed most. Did you use chocolate chips or cocoa powder? Did you add anything fun? Let me know in the comments below!
Banana Chocolate Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 3 large very ripe bananas mashed well
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup peanut butter
- 2½ cups rolled oats
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line or grease an 8×8 baking pan.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the eggs, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt.
- Fold in the oats and chocolate chips.
- The mixture should be very thick and scoopable, not pourable.
- Press the mixture firmly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the center is set.
- Cool in the pan, then refrigerate before slicing for clean, sturdy bars.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for the best sweetness and flavor.
- The mixture should be thick and scoopable, not pourable. Pressing it firmly into the pan helps keep the bars dense.
- Refrigerating before slicing makes the bars easier to cut and helps them hold their shape.
- For slightly richer bars, use ⅓ cup peanut butter. For lighter bars, use ¼ cup.
- If your bananas are not very ripe and you prefer a sweeter bar, add 1–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup.
- Replace chocolate chips with 2–3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.
- If the mixture feels dry, add 1–2 tablespoons milk or water to bring it together.
