It’s hard to believe something so simple—and low in sugar—can taste this good, but these healthy peanut butter bars are proof it’s possible. Naturally sweetened with just a touch of golden syrup and mashed banana, they’re soft, chewy, and completely satisfying. Perfect for lunchboxes or a wholesome snack, they’re a treat you’ll feel good about reaching for again and again.
Like most of my healthy recipes, this recipe was inspired by my daughters. I love baking recipes for them that are nutritious and delicious. Thus, I developed this recipe and was happy with the result - thankfully, they were too!
Low In Sugar
I always find it hard to believe that something can taste really good without much sugar. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised when I took a bite of these healthy peanut butter bars for the first time.
They are sure to satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth even though they only contain 1 tablespoon of golden syrup.
The other sweetener I use is a mashed banana which along with rolled oats and sugar free peanut butter, making these bars a healthy snack for you or a child’s lunch box.
The texture of these bars is soft and chewy, making it much too hard to stop at just one or two bars.
If you’ve been wanting a decadent treat that’s not loaded with guilt, or a healthy snack for your child's lunchbox, then these bars are definitely your answer.
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Ingredients and Why They Matter
- Rolled oats - Form the base of the bars, adding wholesome fiber and a chewy texture.
- Toasted peanuts - Add crunch, flavor, and a boost of protein—plus, toasting brings out their natural nuttiness.
- Salt - balances the sweetness and enhances the peanut flavor.
- Banana - Naturally sweetens the bars while also acting as a binder to hold everything together. Try use ripe bananas for best results
- Peanut butter (The star ingredient) - adds rich flavour, protein, and helps bind the bars. Use sugar free if you can. I have a recipe for a natural peanut butter here.
- Egg- Provides structure and helps the bars set properly when baked.
- Golden syrup - A touch of natural sweetness and helps with chewiness and moisture.
- Oil - Adds moisture and helps keep the bars soft without needing butter.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances the overall flavour and brings warmth and depth to the bars.
- Dark chocolate - Used as a topping—adds a decadent finish and pairs beautifully with the peanut butter. Use milk, semi-sweet, or dark.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F) and line a 20cm square tray with baking paper.
- Mix oats, salt, and half the peanuts in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mash banana and mix with peanut butter, egg, golden syrup, oil, and vanilla. Combine with oat mixture (taste test here for sweetness - if you would like it sweeter, add more golden syrup to your liking).
- Press into the tray and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden.
- Once cooled, lift out and spread melted chocolate on top. Sprinkle with remaining peanuts.
Hint: Melt the chocolate (in a heat proof bowl) in the microwave in 20 second increments or in a double boiler on the stove top.
To melt chocolate in a double boiler: Place chocolate (roughly chopped) in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water. Be sure that no steam gets into the bowl as this will seize the chocolate.
Variations:
If you know how to make the recipe fit a certain diet, let the reader know here. Don't fake it - only provide guidance on topics you have actual experience with.
- Rolled oats - Make this gluten free by using gluten free oats
- Chocolate chips/dried fruit - add chocolate chips to the batter before spooning into the pan/tray.
- Nut butter - use cashew, macadamia, or almond butter in place of peanut butter
Storage
Store in an air tight container for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to a week.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Healthy Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 180 g (2 cups) rolled oats
- ¾ cup peanuts toasted and chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium banana about 90g
- 110 g (⅓ cup) crunchy or smooth peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon golden syrup
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup dark chocolate melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (355 F) and line a 20cm x 20 cm baking tray with baking paper, leaving an overhang of paper (this makes it easier to lift bars out once baked).
- In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, ½ cup of the peanuts and salt. Mix to combine.
- In a small bowl, mash banana. Add peanut butter, egg, golden syrup, oil, and vanilla extract and mix well. Add this to the oat mixture and mix well until combined. Spoon into prepared tray and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Once cool, use the overhang of baking paper to lift the bars out of the tray. Spread the melted chocolate over the bars and top with remaining peanuts.
