Every week I like to prepare a healthy snack we can grab for a quick breakfast or when someone needs something to eat in a hurry. Sometimes it’s Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lara Bars or No Bake Peanut Butter Chia Oat Bars. In cooler months I often make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars or Chocolate Chip Gingerbread Oat Bars.
By the way, most of my healthy snacks include chocolate — and I’m not apologizing for it.
These Dark Chocolate Banana Oat Bars are no exception. Dark chocolate chips are essential here — unless you truly dislike chocolate in banana treats, in which case walnuts are a fine substitute. I, personally, prefer the chocolate.
I’ve tried many versions of banana oat bars aiming for both healthiness and flavor. Too many attempts were dry, crumbly, bland, or tasted overly “healthy.” Finally I landed on this version that checks all the boxes: hearty and oat-forward yet tender and moist, lightly sweetened with honey and ripe banana, with the dark chocolate adding the perfect finishing touch.
This is the recipe I’ll keep coming back to — reliable, tasty, and easy to make.
Dark Chocolate Banana Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 ¼ cup mashed banana about 3 bananas
- ½ cup coconut oil melted
- ¾ cups milk I used almond milk
- ½ cup honey
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13″ pan with cooking spray or butter.
- In a large bowl combine oats, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and flaxseed meal.
- In a medium bowl whisk together mashed banana, melted coconut oil, milk, honey, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chunks or chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 35–38 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the center still seems doughy, bake a few minutes longer.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
- Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 31 g
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Protein: 5 g
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Fat: 13 g
Mention @greensnchocolate to let me know!