No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

Prep time: 30 min
Servings: 32
Yield: 32 servings

Description

These yummy no-bake oatmeal bars with a chocolaty peanut butter layer are quick to make — you just need patience to let them set up in the fridge!

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

Directions

1 Grease a 9-inch square pan.
2 Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla; mix in oats. Cook over low heat until ingredients are well blended, about 2 to 3 minutes.
3 Press 1/2 of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Reserve remaining oat mixture for topping.
4 Meanwhile, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Pour chocolate mixture over crust in the pan and spread evenly with a knife or the back of a spoon.
5 Crumble remaining oat mixture over chocolate layer, pressing down gently. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cutting into bars.