For the last year or more I’ve been working with the Palm Harbor Library to develop a cooking program for patrons. The program kicked off with an event for adults that was hosted by a local personal chef friend of mine, Cheryl from Pook’s Pantry. I really enjoy working with kids in the kitchen. When you teach kids to cook they are more likely to make good food choices and less likely to turn to fast food. So I worked with the youth librarian to plan an event before the holidays. We couldn’t use the oven because we only had an hour to make cookies. So I decided to go with these no-bake peanut butter chocolate chip oat bars.
I love opportunities to get kids in the kitchen. Seven kids, ages 8 – 12, attended this hands-on class and they were so interested and engaged. They asked questions about cooking, I taught them about kitchen safety and sanitation. They all washed their hands before beginning the program. As I introduced myself and talked about the importance of washing hands and not touching your mouth or nose, we had a few giggles when I noticed two participants who had to go wash their hands again. It was all in good fun. While the majority of kids were girls, there was one boy who had never helped in the kitchen before or cooked a thing. How exciting to see him enjoy himself. He not only asked questions but he asked for help when he needed it.
It was challenging to come up with a recipe that didn’t require the stove or oven. There just wasn’t enough time. I had initially thought about my peanut butter fudge but that requires heat. So I put on my thinking cap and came up with these no-bake bars. They were perfect and relatively easy for the kids to make. The hardest part was mixing it all in because they had to use a bit of elbow grease for the stiff batter.
While the kids were mixing we talked about different things that could be added into the mix. One child’s Mom is allergic to chocolate so they thought of dried fruit and nuts. Another girl made the suggestion to use Nutella in place of the peanut butter. How brilliant for an eleven year old to think of that substitution for these oat bars.
All in all the no-bake peanut butter chocolate chip oat bars were a hit, along with the program. I’m hoping to work with the youth librarian on more programs for the children.
No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place peanut butter and honey in a bowl. Stir well to combine. Add oats and chocolate chips stirring until all is combined. Pat into an 8 x 8 greased baking dish. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least one hour. Slice into squares or bars.
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I love a good classic oatmeal bar! And I love how few ingredients it takes to make them.
Love no bake treats!
Yum! These sound amazing!
I love no-bake treats and these look perfect – especially as a quick snack to take to work, on-the-go or even as an after school snack for the kiddo’s. Great recipe Ellen!
In the past I have taught quite a few young adults how to cook and find their way around the kitchen. It was the most rewarding part of my job. I can imagine how much fun it was teaching younger kiddos! Perfect recipe for them. I bet they loved it!
Love granola and this a treat and healthy.
What a great kid-friendly recipe for them to help out and they look delicious!
How fun and no wonder they were a hit. I know they will be here too. Getting kids interested in cooking is a great life skill that will pay dividends for them in the future.
Your event at the library with the children sounds like a lot of fun. I bet they loved making and eating this recipe.
Sound perfect and very breakfast friendly!!! The fact that I don’t even need an oven is even better!
Perfect! I can use this recipe with my granddaughter. We love to cook together. These are a great snack.
What a fun thing to do! I bet the kids loved it, and loved taking home these treats.
LOVE this. Question: why “not natural” on the peanut butter? Thanks for sharing, Ellen.
Great question, Camilla. It’s because the oils can separate from the solids resulting in an end product that could, possibly, not hold together. When you open natural peanut butter you often have to stir it to incorporate the oils and achieve the right consistency.
Ahhh…yes! I do stir my peanut butter!! Okay.
What a fun project. And what gorgeous results.