163. No-bake chocolate chip and walnut oat bars inspired by nostalgic drive-thrus

I used to love the Starbucks ‘island oat bars’. I don’t even know if they still exist, and I am scared to even look. I cut myself off of them cold turkey years ago, as I was craving them almost daily, as much as I craved my morning coffee. The other day I found myself thinking about them again so, I decided to make some.

The Starbucks version is just an oat bar, no chocolate, no peanut butter nor nuts. They were just little bites of blissful heaven. The recipe for the bars in this post are a version that I tweaked to suit what best suited my kids tastes, and to satisfy my nostalgic craving for that gorgeous rich oat bar, from the drive-thru. Realistically if I had made an exact Starbucks dupe I would have been reluctant to share!

These bars require no baking. The recipe is more of a guideline or blueprint. ‘Baking’ rules do not apply. If you measure the ingredients approximately, close enough! The amount of chocolate, and nuts is quite subjective. If you don’t want to use nuts, leave them out.

These bars are super easy to make, and make for a wonderful simple dessert, snack or treat.

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter (plus 1 tsp for melting)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup (or more) chocolate chips

1/2 cup walnuts (or more) - optional, I sometimes only use chocolate chips

Method

1. Lightly grease a glass 8x8 inch dish or, line a metal pan with parchment. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, melt the butter and peanut butter. Add the sugar, stir until fully dissolved. Stir in the vanilla, then the rolled oats.

3. Continue stirring until combined, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and gently combine.

   

   

4. Add half the mixture to the prepared dish, and press very firmly with the back of a fork. You want to create a base.

5. Spread 1/2 cup of chocolate chips or more (this is the middle layer so make it as thick as you like. Sprinkle the walnuts over the chocolate chips.

6. Add the rest of the oat mixture, topping the chocolate chips and walnuts. Press firmly into place.

   

7. Place the dish into the fridge until cool.

8. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 (or more) cup of chocolate chips with 1 tsp butter.

9. Once the squares are cooled, drizzle or pipe with the melted chocolate. Return to the fridge until fully cooled. Cut into squares.

Chocolate drizzle idea. Melt the chocolate then allow to cool slightly. Take a sandwich bag and fill it with the melted chocolate. Snip a corner of the bag, and then pipe the chocolate however you like onto the cooled bars.

Serve and enjoy!

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