Breakfast | Gluten-Free | Oil-Free | Recipes | Sweets
Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Oat Bars
Healthy banana oat bars flavored with peanut butter and filled with an easy chia jam filling. Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack!
Why We Love These Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars
- Easy & Kid-Friendly: These oat bars are super simple to make and are a great baking activity with kids. Let them mash the berries and swirl the jelly on top. They’ll love the flavor too, of course! PB&J is a childhood classic that’s also enjoyed well into adulthood. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of it!
- Wholesome & Delicious: Low in added sugars and packed with hearty-healthy oats, peanut butter, berries, and plant-based protein powder.
- Grab & Go: These bars are great for a quick breakfast or snack on the go. Or pack them into lunch boxes for a little sweet treat.
Key Ingredients
- Peanut Butter ⟶ I prefer smooth, natural peanut butter (made from just peanuts) but any peanut butter will work. You can also try almond butter or other nut/seed butters!
- Oats ⟶ Rolled oats and oat flour (which you can make by grinding rolled oats in a blender) yield a hearty, dense texture similar to baked oats.
- Bananas ⟶ Use super ripe bananas (lots of brown spots!) for natural sweetness and extra moisture.
- Protein Powder ⟶ I used a plant-based vanilla protein powder that’s lightly sweetened with sugar (I can’t stomach any that contain stevia). This adds an extra boost of protein and vanilla flavor. If you use a plain protein powder, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. A peanut butter flavored protein powder would be delicious too!
- Jelly/Jam ⟶ I made a quick chia jam with frozen berries, but you can use pre-made jelly/jam to make things even easier.
How to Make
This is a brief overview. See the recipe card for full details.
Mix oat bar ingredients together until well combined, then add about 2/3 to a lined 8×8-inch pan. 
Spread jelly/jam on top. You can make the chia jam in the recipe card, or use a pre-made jelly/jam. 
Top with remaining oat mixture. You can spread it out into a thin layer to cover, or dollop it on top and leave some gaps. 
Bake at 350°F/180°C for about 30 minutes until the center is firm. Cool completely.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Oat Bars FAQ
More Nourishing Oat-y Breakfasts!
- Basic Overnight Oats
- Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Baked Oatmeal
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal
- Tiramisu Baked Oatmeal
- Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal
- Tofu Banana Pancakes
- Sesame Miso Granola
- Vegan Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
If you try out this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Banana Oat Bars
Healthy banana oat bars flavored with peanut butter and filled with an easy chia jam filling. Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack!
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Servings: 16 small squares
Ingredients
Jam Filling
- 300 grams frozen berries
- 12 grams (1 tbsp) sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
Peanut Butter Oat Bars
- 240 grams (2 large) very ripe bananas mashed
- 60 grams (¼ cup) peanut butter
- 120 ml (½ cup) soy milk
- 24 grams (2 tbsp) brown sugar optional
- 30 grams (¼ cup) plant-based vanilla protein powder1
- 120 grams (1½ cups) gluten-free rolled oats
- 40 grams (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) gluten-free oat flour
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Jam Filling
- Add frozen berries and sugar to a saucepan and heat over medium. Stir occasionally so the fruit doesn't stick to the pan.300 grams frozen berries, 12 grams (1 tbsp) sugar
- Once the berries are very soft, use the back of a large spoon or potato masher to mash the berries until there are no large chunks left. Simmer for a minute or two to cook off excess liquid.
- Mix cornstarch and water together, then add to the saucepan along with the chia seeds. Stir constantly until thickened, then turn off the heat. Set aside to cool for a bit while you prepare the oat bars.1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp water, 1 tbsp chia seeds
Peanut Butter Oat Bars
- In a large bowl, combined mashed bananas, peanut butter, soy milk, and brown sugar. Add protein powder and mix well to remove any clumps of protein powder.240 grams (2 large) very ripe bananas, 60 grams (¼ cup) peanut butter, 120 ml (½ cup) soy milk, 24 grams (2 tbsp) brown sugar, 30 grams (¼ cup) plant-based vanilla protein powder1
- Mix in rolled oats, oat flour, ground flax, baking powder, and cinnamon.120 grams (1½ cups) gluten-free rolled oats, 40 grams (¼ cup + 1 tbsp) gluten-free oat flour, 1 tbsp ground flax, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp cinnamon
- Add about 2/3 of the oat mixture to your lined baking dish. Spread the jam filling over. Dollop the remaining oat mixture on top (it's okay if it doesn't completely cover). You can also add a few extra dollops of peanut butter if you'd like.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until the center is set.
- Cool: Place the baking dish on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then use the parchment paper to carefully remove the oat bars from the baking dish. Place the oat bars (with parchment paper) directly on the wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store: Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze individual pieces for up to 3 months.
Notes
1) Protein Powder: I use Orgain Simple Vegan Vanilla Protein Powder* which is lightly sweetened. If you use unsweetened protein powder, I recommend adding the brown sugar. If your protein powder is unflavored, add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract.
*Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, but the price remains the same to you. Thank you for supporting Ellie Likes Cooking!
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