These Apple Peanut Butter Snack bars are an easy, one-bowl recipe and they make a healthy and delicious after-school snack!
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Heads up! These Apple Peanut Butter Snack Bars were first published in November 2012. Photos were updated August 2018. Original text remains. Enjoy!
When I asked you what you wanted to see more of on Happy Healthy Mama, two of the most popular answers were “snacks” and “lunch box ideas”. These healthy apple peanut butter snack bars fit the bill for both of those.
They are made with no flour, no oil, and no refined sugar, so you can feel good about feeding them to your children. And if you decide you want to snack on one, you can feel good about that, too.
Like most things coming out of my kitchen these days, these healthy snack bars are quick and easy. You only have to dirty up one bowl when you make them. If you’re a busy mom like me, you know how important that is!
The most important thing, though, is that Meghan loved them. She called them “bery, bery delicious!” She’s getting so big that I can’t help but love her words that still sound baby-ish. Here’s a picture of her trying on my wedding veil recently. Seriously?! How did she get so big?
Sorry for the off-topic moment. I don’t talk about Meghan around here as much as I used to. On to the recipe for these simple and delicious Apple Peanut Butter Snack Bars!
How to Make Apple Peanut Butter Snack Bars
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Apple peanut butter snack bars
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 9 - 16 bars 1x
Description
These gluten-free snack bars are made with wholesome ingredients and are great for after-school snacking or can be a healthy lunch box treat. To make them nut-free, simply use sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup shredded/grated apple (one large apple)
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×9 baking dish and set aside.
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and use the back of a wooden spoon or a spatula to press it down evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the edges are just barely browned. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 16 bars
- Calories: 103
- Sugar: 10.3g
- Sodium: 22.3mg
- Fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 17.9g
- Protein: 2.5g
This is the first time I’ve included peanut butter in a recipe in quite a while. In case you are wondering, I have been re-introducing foods into my diet to see if Luke’s outgrown his intolerances. He’s done well with nuts and peanuts! I’ll tell you more about it when I finally get around to finishing his 10 month (and now 11 month!) post.
If you’d like a peanut-free snack bar, however, this could easily be made so by swapping out the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter. Coconut oil would work, as well. (Check out my Goodness Bars that are similar to these and made with coconut oil.) You can find even more healthy snack recipes here. As always, enjoy!
If you try this Apple Peanut Butter Snack Bar recipe, would you mind rating the recipe with stars when you leave a comment? It’s VERY helpful for me and other readers if the recipes have ratings and reviews. I appreciate you!
If you’d like to save this recipe for later, here’s an image to save to your Pinterest recipe board!
Those look amazing!
Food looks great and very healthy too. Thanks for posting. All of these look great! Definitely saving this for later – good to have a quick recipe for lunch!
Thanks for your article! I have read through some similar topics! However, your post has given me a very special impression, unlike other posts. I hope you continue to have valuable articles like this or more to share with everyone!
Hi! I can’t wait to make these this week. I’m always game for sneaking on veggies…are there any that you have tried to recommend with this recipe? Thank you!
How do I store these?! They are so good! My son loves them! Thank you!!
We store them in the fridge in an airtight container.
Did you use quick cooking oats or regular oats??
I used old fashioned oats.
Just made this recipe with steel cut oats and a little less honey!!! It was amazing 🙂 thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Excited to try these! I ran out of my honey, which is a tragedy in itself! I read in an earlier comment that mashed banana can be substituted? This is a new one to me. Is it a 1:1 ratio? Should it be super ripe? Thanks!
Yes super ripe is best. 1:1 ratio should work fine. I hope you enjoy these!
I make these often and always add shredded coconut. Today I went crazy and also added dried cherries (1/8 of a cup). Made the bars taste totally different, and delicious ! I freeze them, and let them thaw to room temp before eating. :
That sounds like a great twist on these!
How do you recommend storing these? Can they be frozen?
I have not tried freezing them, but I imagine it would work fine. You can keep these on the counter, or they last a bit longer in the fridge.
Just made this for my family for a before bed/watching a movie snack. Both my husband and daughter loved these (My daughter even yelled, “YUUUMMMMY!) and asked I make them again! How can I refuse when they are healthy AND yummy!
An addition to the people who said they didn’t firm up; I don’t have a 9×9 pan so I used a 9×11 pan. They were a little thinner than the ones in your picture. I also added about 5 minutes to the cook time.
Thank you for your tips!
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added”
checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment.
Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
Oh, my! I’m so sorry that is happening. I am not very tech savvy, but I’ll see what I can do. Is there no place at the bottom of the email that says, “Unsubscribe from comments”?
I’m wondering if these should be stored in the fridge or if they’re alright to stay out on the counter?
Thanks!
They can be stored either way. Thanks!
Deeelicious!! Just made them as I am also on a no sugar no flour diet, also did half the honey. How long will these be good? Would anyone know the calorie count? Thank you!
Hi Maryea! Thanks for sharing this recipe! I finally made them this weekend.
I really like the Apple/Peanut Butter flavor of the bars. I did add a cup more of apple and pb than the recipe called for, so then added a few more flakes (barley/rye again) to compensate for the added liquid. They still came out a bit crumbly though. However, this might be because I was too impatient and went ahead and got them out of the pan before they’d cooled all the way? I might add in some flour next time to see if it holds better.
I haven’t read through the other comments, anyone else have the crumbly issue?
ErikaMarie
Made these today …. Amazing! Will be featuring on my blog tmr. as a pininterest item that worked. I will link back to you. Thank you for the healthy snack! Can’t wait to read more of your blog!
Great! Thank you.
So i know its not as healthy so defeats good part but… we added 1/2 cup brown sugar
Hello! I just found this recipe on Pinterest, and I plan on making them tomorrow! If I substitute coconut oil for peanut butter, should I use the same amount or less? Thanks!
I would do the same amount.
I have just made these. Tried a little corner as they were cooling and yummy! I was expecting crunchy and thought I made them wrong…. But they are definately more like a nutrigrain bar ( which is no bad thing). I didn’t have honey so I used agave nectar and added raisins too. Was gonna add choc chips but I’m trying to be good! Luckily my friend lent me her “cup” measuring utensils! Live in the uk and we are all about the grams! Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow! Perfect for pre gym snack too! Thank you for the yummy recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you had the measuring cups with the US system. 🙂
These are so yummy! I keep them on hand for my husband and toddler. I use part sunflower butter and part peanut butter. I’m not a fan of honey so I use a small amount, plus some applesauce. My husband loves when I add chocolate chips to these. I make them in double batches and they are always gone within days.
These sound great . I really need a carb count because my husband is diabetic. Thanks