We had an unexpected (to me) snowstorm yesterday.
Which means I didn’t even leave the house – unless you count going to the garage to work out. I don’t think that counts.
After being in the garage and working hard for exactly 29 minutes (the Filthy Fifty from Crossfit) – I just stayed inside for the rest of the 1411 minutes of the day.
I couldn’t really tell you what all I did, but I know that I was in the kitchen a lot.
These bars were a product of some of that kitchen time.
A really good product.
So, if you find yourself in a freak snow storm, or you just have some extra kitchen time on your hands, you should make them too.
Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/2 c packed brown sugar
- 1/2 c peanut butter
- 2 T flax + 1/4 c water (this is your flax egg)
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 c flour
- 1/2 c oats
- 1 t baking soda
- 1 c chocolate chips
Icing
- 1/2 c powdered sugar
- 2 T peanut butter
- 2 T milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars, and peanut butter until fluffy. Beat in the flax egg and vanilla.
Combine the oats, flour, and baking soda in a bowl. Then stir it into the creamed mixture. Spread into a greased 13×9 baking pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 10 minutes. Then combine the icing ingredients in a plastic bag, squish it up (or give it to your baby to squish around), cut a hole in the corner, and squeeze it over the top of the bars.
Cool completely before you cut into bars.
Don’t even get me started on how good these look!! 12th day of no sugar will do that to you! Mouth is watering.
I actually haven’t had sugar (except for a quality control bite of this recipe and the cookies on money) since Jan 1 either. I’m just going for one month to see if I can. If you can imagine…baking makes it more difficult.
Oh my gosh, you baked these without any intention of eating them?! That’s willpower right there! They look fantastic!
I’ll store them in the freezer until February.
I am so jealous that you can pull off no sugar, I just love my dessert! I look forward to it every night!
Hah, well it’s only for a month…don’t be too impressed.
Let me tell you, Katie: I made these yesterday, and half the pan is already gone. My husband has had one. So, yeah, they are GOOD. This treat is a trifecta of my 3 faves: PB, chocolate, and oats. I had been obsessing over them until I had the chance to make them this weekend. So delicious! Great job!
Looks delish! Now I just need a snow day and I’ll be able to whip these up!
Oh sweet goodness. It’s 8:15 in the morning and I’m craving oatmeal peanut butter bars. Yum!!
Oatmeal = breakfast food. Go for it.
Be still my heart!
Yum! I need to make these tonight. There are no homemade sweets in the house right now and you would think it was the end of the world for the man and his manchild. I love your recipes because most of the time I already have all the ingredients.
That needs to change…get your men (and yourself) some of these bars!
How are you not enormous? Those look delicious!
I am so making these this weekend for a potluck! Thanks for the recipe!
Is Baby A working on her side planks?!
These look so delicious!
Hah…yes! That’s her favorite way to lie on the floor.
LOVE that you already have the vegan substitution in the recipe so that my brain has to do less calculating…fewer steps between me & delicious dessert is a very good thing! These look amazing! We also got a surprise (to me) snowstorm this morning…but in St. Louis that means about 2 inches so I think we’ll all make it
I think you should probably stay home and bake…just to be on the safe side.
Those look great! I love oatmeal and chocolate together!
how do you do it all!? I need a “wife”
that’s what my two, dear, husband and wife doctor friends say: “we need a wife” 
hehe…you make motherhood and all you accomplish appear effortless and wonderful…………………truth is, for you, it probably IS a lot of work but you MAKE it effortless and fun! have a great day Katie! – jasper
I’ll tell you what…it is A LOT easier than being a full-time 3rd grade teacher. It’s practically no effort at all compared to raising 25 eight year olds all day long…but thank you for the sweet words!
man OH MAN! 3rd graders and 2nd graders – my friend Wendy’s got a story every day from her class you MUST be a pro! and it’s true (the sweet words
) – you’re very welcome to them! 
HOLY YUM!
First of all, these look delicious and I need to make them!
Second of all, I was looking at your pins on pinterest yesterday and I was like “I bet the next thing Katie makes is something with chocolate and peanut butter”
DO I KNOW MY BEST FRIEND OR DO I KNOW MY BEST FRIEND?!?! Love you!
Haha!! How did you know?! I pin what I’m craving and then head to the kitchen.
Love YOUUU!
I was inside ALL day yesterday too. I can’t even tell you how good these look. Definitely on my “to make” list!
um, YUM. according to the forecast, we may get snow soon… I might need to make these today – I don’t have The Cutest Baby In The World to lounge on the floor and squish the icing, though… *sigh*
My mouth just erupted with saliva.
You completed The Filthy Fifty in 29 minutes?! Wow! Awesome work lady! I did it yesterday as well, but it took me 35 minutes. Nice work!
Those bars look dangerously good by the way!
Um, there is barely any difference in 29 and 35 minutes! Also…I subbed 200 single jump ropes for double-unders. I’m working on them, but haven’t mastered them yet. So…that probably shaved off a few minutes.
Oooh oatmeal peanut butter bars are my favorite! I love that these have a pb icing on them!
Holy cow those look good! And thanks for going flax egg here, we’re doing vegan month in February and these may be the first thing I make! (Butter is easily subbed.)
Good luck with your vegan month…you do that every year, no?
Yeah, pretty much. And Adam is totally onboard for this one!
yummmmm…that frosting sealed the deal! looks like baby A was a fan too
peanut butter + oats = awesome.
Oh my goodness!!!!!!I LOVE you for posted these!cant wait to spoil my coworker nurses with these!!!!!
Oatmeal and peanut butter, OH MY! I need these in my life, no question about it.
Oh boy….I cannot believe you braved the filthy 50. I’m pretty sure I “didn’t make it to class” that day just because it was that – ok it’s a lie, I didn’t go because I had school. But, had I not been in school, I would have not been attending that class either! I am going tonight though; this is on the agenda:
Met Con:
30-20-10-5
Wall Balls 20lbs/14lbs
Kettlebell Swings 26kg/20kg
For Time
Those wall ball shots are going to be killer…and so fun! They are my favorite. Good luck!
Totally just pinned these because OMG they look fabulous!
Awesome!! Looks so delicious!
I am going to go check that Crossfit workout!
You will die! And you will love it!
Yum, yum and YUM! These look amazing Katie! Bravo! Thank goodness a snow storm happened
how yummy! Sometimes I love when its just to awful to go outside because its like a forced day of “rest”- aka cooking, eating, organizing, and movie watching
Agreed…the perfect excuse.
Those look amazing! We are supposed to get some snow in Portland this weekend, but we already have Monday off for MLK day so I don’t think I can hope for a snow day…
I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you!
These look aaaaaaaaamazing! I want one NOW!
Pingback: Of Olives and Eggs | The Yum Yum Of Olives and Eggs | A Southern Guy's Blog about Eating
OMG! Snowstorm or no snowstorm, I’m making these!
Oh, goodness! These look so yummy!
And your little one is ADORABLE!!!!
These look fantastic! One of my January goals is no baking sweet treats… so this one will have to wait, but not long after it hits February 1st!
Oh goodness…. words escape me! (“I want one” is all I can think)
Well this recipe seems to include my favorite food combo: peanut butter, chocolate and oatmeal! For the win!
Pingback: Meal Plan Monday « greenhealedlife
These look amazing!
Your daughter is SO beautiful! She is getting so big!!!! How sweet! I love her little legs!
Made these today…and WOW! So good!
Thanks for letting me know!! Glad you liked them.
Pingback: New Recipes of the Week
what is flax?
It is a seed with omega 3 fatty acids. Ground and combined with water it acts like an egg to bind things in recipes. I also like ground flax in smoothies – it gives it a nutty flavor and good fiber.
Highest plant-based source of omega-three fatty acids!!!!
I only have whole flax seed, not ground. If I used an actual egg instead of the “flax egg” would I only use one? And would it turn out the same?