Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

My Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars are an easy and healthy recipe made with only 8 clean, real food ingredients and no fake vegan "butter"! They're the perfect no-bake plant-based dessert that can be prepared in under 15 minutes that everyone will love!

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Why You'll Love These No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars!

My top 3 favorite reasons:

• It's a Healthy No-Bake Recipe: no need to heat the oven to make this healthy recipe that doesn't contain flour, butter, eggs, or dairy!
• Can Be Prepared in About 15 Minutes: just mix the ingredients for each layer and let it set in the refrigerator before enjoying!
• Made With Clean, Real Food Ingredients: they are made with only 8 nutrient-dense and plant-based ingredients!

Karielyn

Jump to Recipe

You can feel good about making my healthy plant-based oat bar recipe because it's gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, tofu-free, no-bake, no fake vegan "butter", and contains no refined sugar.

Ingredients

Here are the nutrient-dense ingredients that I used to make this gluten-free vegan no-bake dessert. Try to buy organic if possible.

Key Ingredients

1. Oats (Quick Rolled): whole-grain layers for fiber + structure
2. Medjool Dates: natural sweetness + binding
3. Maple Syrup: natural sweetener
4. Coconut Oil: helps set the layers
5. Peanut Butter: creamy texture + healthy fats
6. Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: rich middle layer
7. Vanilla Extract: flavor depth
8. Himalayan Pink Salt: enhances sweetness

That's it! My Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars are super easy to make! 

Why This Recipe is Healthy

Here are "5 Fast Facts" of the primary ingredients in this recipe so:

1. You know what is in the food you are eating
2. You know that the ingredients are nutrient-dense and are nourishing your body
3. You will feel good about what you eat

Oats

• provides significant fiber
• helps control blood sugar levels
• can reduce hypertension and high blood pressure
• increases appetite control hormones
• lowers bad cholesterol

Peanuts (Peanut Butter)

• excellent source of vitamin E
• high in folate
• contains tryptophan which helps fight depression
• good source of fiber
• excellent source of vegan protein

Maple Syrup

• contains manganese and zinc
• super high in antioxidants
• helps with inflammation
• ¼ cup contains more calcium than the same amount of milk
• ¼ cup contains more potassium than a banana

Coconut Oil

• super high in lauric acid
• rich in antioxidants
• contains natural microbial and anti-bacterial agents
• helps to improve metabolism
• can help improve cholesterol levels

Himalayan Pink Salt

• contains 84 minerals
• unrefined, unprocessed, raw
• promotes stable pH balance in cells
• controls water levels in the body
• aids digestion and facilitates better nutrient absorption

How To Make This Recipe

Here is how to make these healthy chocolate peanut butter bars and I'll show you how easy it is with step-by-step instructions below.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Before beginning, prepare an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper, then set aside.

1. Step 1: Prepare the Oat Layer. Add all the ingredients for the oat layer to a food processor.

2. Step 2: Mix the Oat Layer Ingredients. Process the ingredients just long enough to break down the oats. Take care to not overprocess or the oats will turn into oat flour. Set aside.

3. Step 3: Prepare the Chocolate Layer. Add all the ingredients for the chocolate layer to a small saucepan.

4. Step 4: Melt the Chocolate Ingredients. Melt the ingredients on the lowest heat stirring continuously and taking care to not burn the chocolate. Set aside.

5. Step 5: Assembly. Prepare the layers by adding ½ the oat mixture to the prepared baking dish and pressing it down firmly and evenly.

6. Step 6: Assemble the Layers. Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the bottom oat layer. Take the remaining ½ of the oat mixture and using your hand, crumble it evenly over the chocolate layer.

Place the baking dish in the freezer for approximately 60 minutes to set, or until it firms and hardens.

Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for about 5 minutes so the bars will be easy to cut.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Karielyn's Expert Tips

Here are my best tips to help you make these vegan no-bake dessert bars perfectly every time. These small adjustments can make a big difference in the flavor and texture.

Expert Tips

1. Don't overprocess the oats - you will lose the texture of the oats, and you may end up with oat flour.
2. Use low heat to melt the chocolate to avoid burning
3. Press the bottom layer firmly and evenly for clean slices
4. Freeze for at least 60 minutes to allow the bars to set and for the best texture
5. Use parchment paper for easy removal
6. Cut the bars while slightly thawed for perfect edges

Ingredient Substitutions

Oats: I used "quick rolled oats" for this recipe and find they work the best. If you need the recipe to be 100% gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free oats.

Coconut Oil: This is needed to bind the ingredients together. If you don't like the taste or smell of coconut oil (which I don't!), use "refined" coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or smell.

Medjool Dates: I used these as a natural sweetener and also as a binder. You will need (1) cup packed dates which is approximately (10) large dates. The number of dates could vary depending on the size of them so always use the (1) cup packed measurement. Don't forget to take out the pits before adding them to your food processor.

Maple Syrup: I added a little maple syrup not so much for the sweetness because the dates provide that, but because the oat mixture is a little crumbly without it and I found it helps hold the mixture together better. It could be substituted with your favorite unrefined liquid sweetener.

Vanilla Extract: This could be substituted with organic vanilla bean powder.

Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I like to use these because they are dairy-free, but feel free to use your favorite brand or whatever you have on hand.

Peanut Butter: This could be substituted with almond butter or cashew butter. If you need to keep the recipe nut-free, you could also use sunflower seed butter.

Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, however, feel free to use your favorite sea salt.

Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars

My Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Bars are an easy and healthy recipe made with only 8 clean, real food ingredients. They're the perfect no-bake plant-based dessert that can be prepared in under 15 minutes that everyone will love!

Plant-Based | Gluten-Free | Vegan | Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Soy-Free | Tofu-Free | No-Bake | No Fake Vegan "Butter" | No Refined Sugar

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Inactive Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Yields: 16 servings

Calories : 335

Equipment

• Food Processor
• Unbleached Parchment Paper
• 8 x 8 Baking Dish

Ingredients

For the oat layer:

• ▢ 3 cups organic gluten-free quick rolled oats
• ▢ ½ cup organic coconut oil
• ▢ 1 cup organic Medjool dates (packed; pitted)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
• ▢ 1 teaspoon organic pure vanilla extract
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

For the chocolate layer:

• ▢ 1 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
• ▢ 1 cup organic peanut butter (or cashew butter, almond butter, etc.)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon organic coconut oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Prepare an 8 x 8 baking dish lined with parchment paper, then set aside.

Prepare the oat layer:

• Add all ingredients for the oat layer to a food processor and process just enough to break the dates into tiny pieces and the mixture has a moist, crumbly texture. Take care to not over process or the oats will turn into oat flour. Set aside.

Prepare the chocolate layer:

• Add all ingredients for the chocolate layer to a small saucepan and melt on the lowest heat, stirring the entire time and taking care to not let the chocolate burn, then set aside.

Assembly:

• Add ½ the oat mixture to the prepared baking dish and press it down firmly and evenly on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Pour the chocolate layer mixture evenly on top of the bottom layer of oat mixture, reserving a few tablespoons to drizzle on top if you'd like.
• Using your hands, take a handful of the remaining ½ of the oat mixture at a time and crumble it on top of the chocolate layer mixture until the chocolate layer is completely covered with the top layer of oat mixture.
• Using the palm of your hand, gently pat down the top layer into the chocolate until it is flat and as firm as possible without disturbing the chocolate layer.
• Drizzle any leftover chocolate over the top layer of the oat mixture.
• Place the baking dish in the freezer for approximately 60 minutes, or until it firms up and hardens.
• Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for about 5 minutes so they will be easy to cut.
• Store in an air-tight BPA-free container in the freezer or refrigerator until ready to serve because the bars will get soft and lose their shape if left out at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Oats: I used "quick rolled oats" for this recipe and find they work the best. If you need the recipe to be 100% gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free oats.

Coconut Oil: This is needed to bind the ingredients together. If you don't like the taste or smell of coconut oil (which I don't!), use "refined" coconut oil which has zero coconut taste or smell.

Medjool Dates: I used these as a natural sweetener and also as a binder. You will need (1) cup packed dates which is approximately (10) large dates. The number of dates could vary depending on the size of them so always use the (1) cup packed measurement. Don't forget to take out the pits before adding them to your food processor.

Maple Syrup: I added a little maple syrup not so much for the sweetness because the dates provide that, but because the oat mixture is a little crumbly without it and I found it helps hold the mixture together better. It could be substituted with your favorite unrefined liquid sweetener.

Vanilla Extract: This could be substituted with organic vanilla bean powder.

Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I like to use these because they are dairy-free, but feel free to use your favorite brand or whatever you have on hand.

Peanut Butter: This could be substituted with almond butter or cashew butter. If you need to keep the recipe nut-free, you could also use sunflower seed butter.

Himalayan Pink Salt: This is my salt of preference, however, feel free to use your favorite sea salt.

Serving Size: This recipe will make approximately (16) squares. Nutritional information is for (1) square which is (1) serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1svg | Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 113mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Calcium: 32mg

Course:Dessert

Cuisine:American

Recipe Author: Karielyn Tillman

Copyright Notice

The instructions, notes, and photographs for this recipe by Karielyn Tillman of The Healthy Family and Home™ website are copyrighted material. This copyrighted work is protected and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives 4.0 International License and the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) and cannot be legally used without my written permission.

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More Healthy Vegan No-Bake Dessert Recipes  

1. Wild Blueberry Cheesecake
2. Chocolate Crunch Bars
3. Pecan Pie Bars
4. or my CLEAN DESSERTS Cookbook with 72 plant-based no-baked dessert recipes made with clean, real food ingredients just like this one that you will love!