Oatmeal Banana Bars
Servings 4 servings
Ingredients
- Bananas: Choose ripe bananas for the best flavor and sweetness. Ripe bananas mash easily and blend well into the batter providing natural sweetness and moisture to the bars.
- Rolled Oats: Rolled oats also known as old-fashioned oats, provide a hearty texture to the bars. They're rich in fiber and nutrients, making them a nutritious addition to the recipe.
- Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite chocolate chips whether they're semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate. The chocolate chips add sweetness and a burst of chocolate flavor to the bars. You can adjust the amount based on your preference.
- Nut Butter: Choose your favorite nut butter such as almond butter, peanut butter, or cashew butter. Nut butter adds richness and a creamy texture to the bars, as well as a boost of protein and healthy fats.
- Dried Fruit: Select your preferred dried fruit to add sweetness and chewiness to the bars. Options include raisins dried cranberries, chopped apricots, or chopped dates. Feel free to mix and match different types of dried fruit for variety.
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a baking dish (8x8 inch or similar size) with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until smooth. Add the nut butter of your choice (such as almond butter or peanut butter) to the mashed bananas. Stir until the bananas and nut butter are well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the rolled oats, chocolate chips, and dried fruit to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Stir until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and well mixed.
- Transfer to Baking Dish: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it out evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Press down gently to compact the mixture into the dish.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the bars are set in the middle.
- Cool and Slice: Once done, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. This helps them set and firm up. After cooling, use a sharp knife to slice the bars into squares or rectangles.