Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Updated Jul 27, 2025
Easy, chocolate peanut butter granola bars are made with rolled oats, peanut butter, peanuts, and mini chocolate chips set in a 9x9 baking dish to set.
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My chocolate peanut butter granola bars are so good!
These chocolate peanut butter granola bars have fully replaced the store-bought ones in my kids’ lunches. They come together in one pot and hold up well in the fridge, so I usually make a batch at the start of the week and we’re set.
This recipe has that sweet-salty thing going on from the peanut butter, oats, and chocolate chips, and the texture is just chewy enough. It’s one of my favorites, and these chocolate peanut butter granola bars are one of the few snacks that don’t come back half-eaten.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bar Ingredients
- Old fashioned rolled oats: I used rolled oats because they have a thicker texture. Quick/instant oats are too soft for this recipe.
- Peanuts: I use roasted salted peanuts.
- Peanut butter: Creamy peanut butter binds everything evenly and makes the granola bars soft and chewy. You can also use your favorite nut butter or sunflower butter.
- Butter: I recommend unsalted butter so you can control the salt content of the recipe yourself. You can also use coconut oil.
- Honey: You can substitute pure maple syrup, but honey sticks better.
- Vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla extract if you have it.
- Brown Sugar: I use dark brown sugar for this recipe because it has a deeper flavor and more moisture for chewy granola bars than light brown sugar.
- Chocolate Chips: I recommend mini chocolate chips because they spread more evenly throughout the mixture, so you get a little chocolate in every bite! Mini chocolate chips also make the bars easier to cut.
- Spices: Just kosher salt to taste.
Recipe Video Tutorial
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bar Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup roasted salted peanuts
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper so that some of the parchment hangs over two sides. Spray with cooking spray.
- Add the honey, butter, and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture come to a light bubble for 1 minute while stirring.
- When the butter mixture is ready, remove it from the heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, and peanut butter. Stir until well blended.
- Add the oats and peanuts, and stir to combine. Make sure none of the oats are dry.
- Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Use a rubber spatula or the bottom of a greased measuring cup to firmly press it down.
- Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes, then press in the mini chocolate chips with the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Let the granola bars cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Lift the bars from the pan using the edges of the parchment and place them on a cutting board. Cut into desired shape and size and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Recipe Variations
- Make them protein granola bars. Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder. Too much can dry out the granola bars, so start small and adjust the amount over time. If the mixture gets too dry, add a little extra peanut butter or honey.
- Add a crunch to the oats mixture. Puffed rice, crushed pretzels, or toasted coconut flakes are fun upgrades for homemade peanut butter granola bars.
- Top the bars with flaky sea salt while they’re still warm. If you like the combo of sweet and savory!
Recipe Tips
- Make them in a smaller baking dish. For thicker bars, make them in an 8×8 baking dish.
- Don’t skip the cooling process. Cooling lets the butter harden so all the ingredients stick together and the bars don’t fall apart. It also makes the granola bars easier to cut.
- Store the bars between layers of parchment paper. Otherwise, they might stick together.
FAQs
Store the granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Yes! Freeze them solid on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw the bars at room temperature for about an hour before eating.
If your granola bars are hard, the butter mixture might have gotten too hot. When butter cooks at too high of heat, it caramelizes and gives the sugar a harder texture. Cook the butter mixture over medium, then take it off the heat to add the rest of the ingredients.
Comments
Made these last night and this morning they were still really sticky and not bar like at all. Popped the pan in the fridge. Hopefully they will firm up so I can cut them.
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that! Did you change any of the ingredients or follow the recipe exactly?
Is this made with just regular creamy peanut butter (eg. JIF)? All the recipes I come across are only for natural PB and say it won’t turn out if I use regular!
I think I used Justin’s peanut butter to make these but it was regular creamy peanut butter. I haven’t tried it with JIF but I think it will work fine. There’s a video on the post if you want to check it out and see what the consistency looks like. I hope that helps!
You know a batter is good when you want to keep licking the spatula! These turned out so good! I will be saving this recipe as a go to from here on out. So glad the ingredients are clean and I know what’s going in. Thank you so much for sharing! AMAZING!
Aww, so happy you loved it!! Thank you so much, Stacie!
Can I have the recipe for the chocolate chip granola bars?
Hi Molly! You can find the full recipe in the recipe card (right above the comments) but here’s the printable version of the recipe as well, if that’s easier: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/wprm_print/chocolate-peanut-butter-granola-bars
Loved making these! Actually got fed up w grocery store options and attempted granola bars for the first time. Very simple recipe to follow. I doubled and put them in a half sheet cake pan lined with parchment! I think the base ingredients are a perfect ratio so next time I am going to play around with other options besides chocolate as a topper!
So happy you loved them and found the recipe easy to follow! Thanks, Lulu!! I hope you have fun playing around with different topping options!
Hi, if you bake these for 15-20 mins do you think they may crumble less?
Hi Davin, they will most likely turn into granola then bc the moisture will be removed. Did you find them to be too crumbly as is?
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