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When you need a sweet treat without turning on the oven, these no bake chocolate peanut butter oat cups come to the rescue. They’re chewy, chocolatey, and made with simple pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
Perfect for busy afternoons, after-school snacks, or an easy dessert, these little cups disappear fast around here and for good reason.
Bringing Snack Friday Back
Every Friday we USED TO do “Snack Friday.” We USED TO be fun. We USED TO have the kids bring all of their friends over after school to devour the delicious treats and snacks.
And then they started to grow up more…and we got busy…and I got distracted…and life got really, really, hard as we faced some really, really serious things…and then this year happened. And I realized that at no point did Friday ever say we couldn’t be happy in the mud.
So, we are bringing back snack Friday and the kids and the food and all of you. The easiest way to merge back into the fun house? Peanut Butter Oat Cups are totally no bake and best of all, we make them with whatever we’ve got.
Sometimes it’s in muffin tins or rolled into balls. Sometimes I use dark chocolate and sea salt and other times white chocolate with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Either way, it’s about gathering people in and this snack is perfect for a quick treat.
Why You’ll Love These Oat Cups
I’ve been making these oat cups since I was a kid so let me tell you all the reasons why you will love them!
- No bake
- Kid-friendly
- No added refined sugar
- Made with pantry staples
- Easy enough for kids to make
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Old Fashioned Oats: The backbone of these oat cups. Old fashioned oats give structure and that hearty, chewy texture that makes them satisfying.
- Protein Powder: Just a little helps bind everything together and gives the oat base a soft, sturdy texture. Bonus, it adds protein!
- Peanut Butter: Adds rich peanut butter flavor and helps hold the oat mixture together. Use a creamy peanut butter for the best texture.
- Maple Syrup: Naturally sweetens the oat base while adding a subtle caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors and makes the oat base taste more dessert-like.
- Salt: A small amount balances the sweetness and enhances the peanut butter and chocolate flavors.
For the Topping
- Chocolate Chips: Create that classic chocolate layer on top. Semi-sweet works great, but milk or dark chocolate are also delicious.
- Peanut Butter Chips: Add extra peanut butter flavor to the topping, or swap with more chocolate if that’s what you have on hand.
- Flaked Salt: A light sprinkle on top finishes everything off with a perfect sweet-and-salty bite.
How to Make Peanut Butter Oat Cups
This no bake peanut butter dessert uses pantry-friendly ingredients and couldn’t be easier to make.
- Combine: Add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips to a medium bowl and stir until combined.
- Place in Muffin Pan: Place the oat mixture into the muffin cups lined with paper liners. It will make 8 cups so try to distribute the mixture evenly. Flatten the mixture as much as possible.
- Freeze: Place the pan in the freezer for at least 2 hours.
- Melt: Place the chocolate and peanut butter chips in a saucer and melt until smooth. Pour a spoonful or two over each oat cup and smooth it out.
- Freeze: Sprinkle with flaky salt and freeze for another hour.
Fun Variations to Try
- Swap almond butter
- Add coconut to the oat mixture or sprinkle on top
- Drizzle with white chocolate
- Add rainbow sprinkles to level up the fun
Storage Tips
Leftover no bake oat cups should be stored in the freezer in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a month.
These chocolate no bake peanut butter oat cups are the kind of recipe you’ll make once and then keep coming back to. They’re easy, dependable, and hit that perfect balance of sweet and satisfying. Whether you’re making them for snacks, dessert, or just because, they’re always a good idea.
More No Bake Desserts to Love…
- No Bake Caramel Cheesecake Bars
- Hot Cocoa No Bake Cookies
- No Bake S’mores Bars
- No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
- Classic No Bake Cookies
- No Bake Churros Snack Mix
Watch How These Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cups are Made…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cups
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
- ¼ Cup Protein Powder
- 1 Cup Peanut Butter
- ½ Cup Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For the Topping
- ½ Cup Chocolate Chips
- 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter Chips, (or extra chocolate chips)
- Flaked Salt, for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, protein powder, peanut butter, syrup, vanilla and salt.1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats, ¼ Cup Protein Powder, 1 Cup Peanut Butter, ½ Cup Maple Syrup, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Transfer the oat mixture to the cups of a muffin tin lined with paper liners. Fill each cup about ¾ full. Flatten out as best as possible.
- Refrigerate slightly to set the ingredients or Freeze the tray for up to 2 hours.
For the Topping
- In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips, stirring constantly until smooth and melted.½ Cup Chocolate Chips, 2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter Chips
- Remove the tray from the freezer and drop a spoonful or two of chocolate on the tops of each and smooth it out flat.
- Sprinkle with the flaky salt and freeze or refrigerate to harden the chocolate.Flaked Salt
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, what could I sub for protein powder? Thank you. My husband will love these!
Love this recipe! Very easy and utterly delicious, hard to stop at just one 😉 I didnt have any protein powder on hand, so I switched it out for gluten-free flour, and it worked wonderfully 🙂
Haven’t made it
Easy and tasty!
Can’t get it sent to me @ janpan212@gmail.com..please send it to me, thanks
Do you have to use protein powder or can it be left out?
I was wondering if the recipe could be doubled or tripled and put in a 9×12 baking dish and cut into bars?
We don’t have any cupcake pans and I am feeding 9 young men ranging in age from 4 yrs to 23 yrs old!
Can I make these without the protein powder? It’s not an ingredient I ever have on hand.
This was one of the first recipes we made in Home Ec in 7th grade in 1970 something! (Minus the protein powder and the topping.) Love it! It’s simple, easy, quick, nutritious, inexpensive, and great for kids to make too!