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Home » Recipes » Single Serving Desserts

By Joanie Zisk Published: Apr 10, 2018 · Updated: Jan 19, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · Please read my disclosure

Small Batch Peanut Butter Bars

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peanut butter bars

Just 4 ingredients are needed to make these peanut butter bars; natural peanut butter, oats, and honey. These no-bake bars are topped with a light cream cheese and honey frosting. They're a healthier version of traditional peanut butter bars and this small batch recipe can be ready in minutes!

a square peanut butter bar on a floral plate next to a multi-colored napkin

Peanut butter bars make a delicious treat that can be enjoyed anytime. This small batch recipe features a crust made of oats, peanut butter, and honey. The middle layer is made with peanut butter, honey, and oat flour. We top the bars with a simple cream cheese frosting sweetened with honey.

Why This Recipe Works

  • These bars are a healthier option than traditional peanut butter bars.
  • These healthy peanut butter bars are easy to make.
  • Make vegan peanut butter bars by using maple syrup or agave syrup instead of honey and making a chocolate drizzle by melting vegan chocolate chips.

RELATED: Cooking For One - Tips To Eat Healthy And Save Money

a red baking dish filled with peanut butter bars and one square cut out.

Ingredients and Substitutions

See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.

  • Oats: I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats but you can use quick oats if that's what you have available to you. Oats are used in the crust and in the filling.
  • Peanut butter: Use natural peanut butter.
  • Honey: You can use maple syrup instead.
  • Cream cheese: 2-ounces of softened cream cheese is mixed with honey (or maple syrup) to make the topping.
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How To Make Oat Flour

Oat flour is a nutritious whole-grain flour that's easy to make out of oats. Oat flour is gluten-free if you make it with certified gluten-free oats.

Making oat flour is so easy! Just place the oats in a food processor or a blender and pulse or blend to ground to a powdery, flour-like consistency. 1 cup of rolled oats will make about a cup of oat flour. Transfer remaining oat flour to a zip-topped bag or airtight container to use later.

Oat flour can be used instead of bread crumbs in recipes like meatloaf, meatballs, and chicken tenders

How To Make This Recipe

See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  1. Start by making the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the oats, peanut butter and honey. Press the mixture into the bottom of a small 5x5-inch baking dish or use a dish of similar size.
  2. Make the filling: In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey and oat flour. Spoon over the crust. Set aside.
  3. Make the topping: Blend together the cream cheese and honey with either a fork or a hand mixer. Spread over the peanut butter filling.
  4. Chill: Cover and place the bars in the refrigerator to chill so that the bars are easier to slice.
three peanut butter bar squares on a black table next to an empty dish.

RELATED: 15 Easy Single Serving Dessert Recipes

Frequently Asked Questions

What Size Dish Is Best To Use For A Small Batch Of Peanut Butter Bars?

The dish you use when making these peanut butter bars matters. We recommend using either a 5x5-inch baking dish which has a base area of 25 square inches, a 5x7-inch baking dish with a base area of 35 square inches, a 4x6-inch baking dish that has a base area of 24 square inches, a 6x6-inch dish with a base area of 36-square inches, a 6-inch round cake pan that has a base area of approximately 28 square inches, or 2 (10-ounce) ramekins which each have a base area of 12.5 square inches.

How Should I Store Peanut Butter Bars?

Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. These bars also freeze well and will keep for up to 3 months.

Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients

If you have any ingredients leftover from this healthy peanut butter bars recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:

  • Oats: Baked Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cookies, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie
  • Honey: Turmeric Ginger Tea, Fruit Quesadilla, Mango Sorbet
  • Cream cheese: Mini Red Velvet Cake, Spinach Turkey Wrap, Mini Hummingbird Cake

For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.

For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.

If you’ve tried these healthy small batch peanut butter bars or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.

Also, if you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!

a square peanut butter bar on a floral plate next to a multi-colored napkin

Small Batch Peanut Butter Bars

These Healthy Small Batch Peanut Butter Bars are made with just 4 ingredients and no baking required! Made with natural peanut butter, oats and honey. A healthier version of traditional peanut butter bars. The "frosting" is made with cream cheese and lightly sweetened with a touch of honey. This guilt-free dessert can be ready in minutes!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
chill: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Servings: 4 large bars
Calories: 597kcal
Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • 5x5-inch baking dish

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST

  • ¾ cup old fashioned oats
  • ¼ cup natural peanut butter
  • ¼ cup honey

FOR THE FILLING

  • ½ cup natural peanut butter
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 6 tablespoons oat flour *See Notes

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
  • 2 tablespoons honey (Add more honey if you want the topping to be sweeter)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CRUST

  • In a large bowl, mix together the oats, peanut butter and honey. Press the mixture into the bottom of a small 5-inch or similar sized dish. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE FILLING

  • In a bowl, mix together the peanut butter, honey and oat flour. Spoon over the crust. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING

  • Blend together the cream cheese and honey with either a fork or a hand mixer. Spread over the peanut butter filling.
  • Refrigerate to chill.

Notes

To make oat flour, place oats in a food processor or a blender and pulse or blend to ground to a powdery, flour-like consistency. 
1 cup of rolled oats will make about a cup of oat flour. Transfer remaining oat flour to a zip-topped bag or airtight container to use later.
Nutrition Facts
Small Batch Peanut Butter Bars
Amount Per Serving (1 bar)
Calories 597 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 8g
Monounsaturated Fat 14g
Cholesterol 16mg5%
Sodium 273mg12%
Potassium 458mg13%
Carbohydrates 71g24%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 49g54%
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A 190IU4%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 52mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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About Joanie Zisk

Joanie Zisk is the creator of OneDishKitchen.com, the number one go-to site for single serving recipes. The aim of One Dish Kitchen is to inspire individuals with access to single serving recipes that will enable them to enjoy the preparation of a meal that will nourish both body and soul. Her website is filled with hundreds of easy, flavorful recipes that are tailored for those cooking for one. Joanie is the author of "The Ultimate Cooking For One Cookbook" and her recipes and food photography have been featured in various publications including, TODAY.com, Huffington Post, Real Simple, Self.com,Women’s Day, Buzzfeed, and others. Come say hello and follow Joanie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Debby says

    January 18, 2022 at 8:28 pm

    Do you have to make the oat flour? I have a bag of oat flour, so could I use that?

    Reply
    • Joanie Zisk says

      January 19, 2022 at 11:00 am

      You do not have to make the oat flour if you have a bag already.

      Reply
  2. By says

    February 02, 2020 at 9:14 pm

    Can you use regular peanut butter instead of natural?

    Reply
    • Joanie Zisk says

      February 03, 2020 at 6:15 pm

      I think you probably could, although I haven't tried it. If you do, please let me know how they turn out.
      Joanie

      Reply
  3. Dana DeVolk says

    April 14, 2018 at 5:11 pm

    These were so good, the frosting is a must-make! I can use it on all sorts of desserts. Thanks for the yummy recipe!

    Reply
  4. Jenn says

    April 14, 2018 at 3:45 pm

    I'm seriously loving all your small batch recipes!!! These peanut butter bars are the perfect amount for my husband and I and look so so tasty!

    Reply

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