Easy Peanut Butter Bars (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 -
1 cup instant oats (use gluten-free if needed)
02 -
¾ cup whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
03 -
1½ teaspoons baking powder
04 -
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 -
⅛ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
06 -
1 large egg white, at room temperature
07 -
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 -
¼ cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature
09 -
¼ cup pure maple syrup, at room temperature
10 -
5 tablespoons unsweetened vanilla almond milk, at room temperature
# Instructions:
01 -
Heat your oven to 300°F and spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
02 -
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
03 -
In another bowl, whisk the egg white and vanilla. Add the peanut butter and stir until smooth. Pour in the maple syrup and mix thoroughly. Finally, stir in the milk until everything is well combined.
04 -
Add the dry oat mixture to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined - don't overmix!
05 -
Spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 10-12 minutes until the edges feel firm but the center still looks slightly underdone.
06 -
Let the bars cool completely to room temperature in the pan. For the best soft and chewy texture, allow them to rest for at least 4 more hours before cutting into squares.
# Notes:
01 -
These bars are wonderfully soft and chewy, similar to oatmeal cookies but in convenient bar form!
02 -
Make sure to measure your oats and flour correctly to avoid dry, cakey bars - either use the spoon and level method or a kitchen scale.
03 -
Don't overbake! The center should still look slightly glossy when you take it out of the oven.
04 -
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least four days.
05 -
These bars freeze really well for longer storage.