Does your stomach start growling between 2:30 and 3:30 every day? I find it’s around that time each day at work that I need a little ‘pick-me-up’ to power me through the final hours of the workday. I usually have an apple or another piece of fruit, but lately I found I was still hungry. You can only raid your co-workers stash of peanut butter filled pretzels so many times, and so I decided it was time to find a new afternoon snack.
Enter these chocolate peanut butter energy bars from Health Magazine. Made with whole wheat flour and oats, they were definitely better than a candy bar from the vending machine or a cookie leftover from a meeting. I even cut the amount of sugar in half, mostly so that after dinner I could justify eating whatever baked good is inevitably in my kitchen at the time.
These were exactly what I needed—satisfying without being overly sweet. They didn’t bake up as thick as the photo in the magazine, but thanks to the peanut butter, peanuts, and oats they had enough staying power to last me until dinnertime. I found they were better the day after I made them, and we finished off the entire batch in about four days. Not sharing them? I’m sure they’d freeze well individually wrapped, much like I did with these granola bars. 
Chocolate Peanut Butter Energy Bars
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
Description
Satisfying chocolate peanut butter energy bars made with oats, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries, perfect for an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped peanuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, baking soda, and ground cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, canola oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
- Fold in the oats, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and chopped peanuts until evenly distributed.
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.
Notes
- These bars are better the day after baking and can last up to four days.
- They freeze well when individually wrapped.
- You can adjust the sweetness by altering the sugar content.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14
- Sodium: 100
- Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 26
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
- Cholesterol: 20
Also check out this recipe for chewy granola bars.
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Oatmeal Peanut Butter Brookie Bars
- Sea Salt Peanut Butter Cookies
- Sweet and Salty: Chocolate-Covered Hazelnuts
- Almond Butter, Maple and Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these bars better eaten immediately or the next day?
Better the next day — the article specifically says “I found they were better the day after I made them.” The oats, whole wheat flour, and peanut butter continue to absorb moisture overnight, making the bars chewier and more cohesive. The batch lasted four days, and the notes confirm they keep up to four days.
Can I freeze these energy bars?
Yes — both the article and the notes say they freeze well when wrapped individually. The article compares this favorably to the author’s granola bars, which use the same method.
Why does the recipe use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose?
This is an adapted recipe from Health Magazine, and the article frames the whole wheat flour (½ cup) plus oats (1½ cups) combination as what makes these bars a better choice than a vending machine candy bar. The author also halved the original sugar to ½ cup light brown sugar so the bars wouldn’t be overly sweet.
