Food as stress relief ? Darn right ! Sarah from sugarapron.com has put together a recipe for amazing no-bake bars that people gush over and remember for months to come.
No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
The only thing easier than making these no-bake chocolate oatmeal bars is eating them….
Prep Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 16 -20
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Instructions
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Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside. Overhangs the edges of the foil to lift the bars easier from the baking dish. (You can use a 9×13-inch if you want thinner bars.)
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Melt butter and brown sugar in large saucepan over medium heat, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Stir in vanilla. Mix in the oats.
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Cook over low heat 3 to 4 minutes, or until ingredients are well blended.
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Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread out the mixture evenly, pressing down. Reserve the other half for second layer.
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To make the filling, melt the peanut butter and chocolate chips together in a small microwave-safe bowl and stir until it’s smooth.
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Pour the chocolate mixture over the crust in the pan, reserving about 1/4 cup for drizzling and spread evenly.
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Pour the remaining oat mixture over the chocolate layer, pressing in gently and drizzle with the remaining chocolate mixture.
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Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.
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Note: Like any no-bake cookie, the final texture of these really depends on how long you boil the sugar mixture. If it doesn’t boil long enough, the cookie/bars mixture will be too soft, if you boil too long, they could turn out dry and crumbly.
For someone like me who doesn’t bake, these bars are like a reward from heaven. Enjoy.
