Sweet and gooey these chocolate chip and banana oat bars are a fantastic family recipe that kids and adults will love. They're perfect as an afternoon snack, dessert or even as a breakfast bar.
These family friendly chocolate and banana oat bars make a perfect sweet treat for adults and kids. There's a crumbly oaty biscuit base, a layer of squidy banana and then a crumbly oaty topping. Plus of course they contain chocolate chips and who doesn't love banana and chocolate? Well, my son actually but the rest of us love them!
Mr Searching for Spice is such a huge fan of these chocolate oat banana bars that if he knows about them, the rest of us are lucky to eat more than one or two!
They are so delicious! Sweet and gooey in the middle from the banana, and the few chocolate chips on the top go really well. I would honestly suggest you make double the quantity!
The inspiration for this recipe
The cereal bars are based on a recipe I found in Mary Berry's Baking Bible
Ingredient notes for chocolate banana oat bars
There is a full printable recipe further down the page but basically to make these bars you'll need:
- Self raising flour - I used a mixture of white and wholemeal as I love the nuttiness of wholemeal flour. However, you can just use white self-raising flour.
- Porridge oats - These add texture and flavour to the bars.
- Caster sugar - I used golden caster sugar but any caster sugar is fine.
- Butter - Use at room temperature
- Banana - I used one banana but you could add an extra one.
- Chocolate chips - Use milk or dark chocolate depending on what your family like.
How long does this banana and chocolate chip tray bake last?
This banana tray bake keeps well for up to 3-4 days. I usually keep the bars in an airtight container in the kitchen but you can keep them in the fridge so they last a little longer.
You can also freeze them for up to three months. Wrap them up well in baking paper and keep them in an airtight box. Defrost them at room temperature.
Unless of course it meant that we were making biscuits together. This banana tray bake is not quite as healthy as the snacks she usually has, but I thought it would be a nice treat for her and for me.
Recipe
Chocolate Chip and Banana Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 75 g white self raising flour
- 20 g wholemeal flour
- 75 g porridge oats
- 75 g golden caster sugar
- 110 g butter at room temperature
- 1 banana
- 30 g chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Grease and line the bottom of a loose-bottomed square baking tin (18cm).
- Put the flour, oats and sugar in a bowl and mix together. Add the butter and rub together with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Put about ⅔ of the mixture into the baking tin and press it down with your fingers.
- Slice the bananas and lay them on the oat mixture. Top with the rest of the mixture and press down again.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.
- Let them cool in the tin but run the knife through to slice them into squares while they are still warm.
Notes
Nutrition
More cereal bars that are great for kids
These chocolate chip pumpkin cereal bars have no refined sugar! Well, except for the sugar in the chocolate chips! Or how about one of these recipes:
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make these oaty chocolate banana bars. I love to get feedback from readers.
You can also stay up to date by following on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Renu
Thanks, found your recipe in baking crumbs. Wonderful recipe. Oats and banana two healthy ingredients. I have bookmarked this recipe to try.
Corina Blum
Thanks Renu! I hope you like it. Let me know!
megha
very nice recipe thank you for shearing keep it up.
Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog
I love the fact that Little Miss Spice only licked them - it really takes me back! 🙂 Cooking for children is fraught with problems isn't it! I think they look gorgeous and would have gladly devoured one.
Corina Blum
It is fraught! Sometimes I make things and they like them but the next time I make them they say they don't like it!
Jenny Walters
Ooooh these look good. I'm surprised she didnt like them. I love oaty bars too. Just so versatile and perfect quick breakfast treats. I have never made any with banana in though so feeling very inspired.
Corina Blum
I'm amazed you've never made anything with banana in! I have to admit that I love banana things to have chocolate in as well.
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie
What a great recipe! Perfect for sneaking some goodness into kids, and much better than shop bought snacks! Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Eb x
Corina Blum
You're welcome Eb and thanks for hosting! x
Helen - Cooking with my kids
I love making flapjacks and cereal bars with my kids but like you, I think I can get them to lick them but not much else #cookblogshare
Corina Blum
I'm glad I'm not the only one! It's frustrating isn't it but I do know other people have made these with their kids and their kids have enjoyed them so at least I know there are kids out there who love them!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
These look delicious and gooey from the banana. Lovely flavour combination.
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you like them Cat! I think they are really tasty.
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder
These have my name written all over them and I'm pretty sure my two boys would literally "go bananas" for them lol. We are all huge fans of oaty/ flapjacks type bars here at the moment and yours look so so lush! Thank you for sharing them with #BakingCrumbs 🙂 x
Corina Blum
Thanks Jo! I'm so pleased you like them and that you think your boys would too. My husband loves them! x
Kat (The Baking Explorer)
They sound very moreish!!
Corina Blum
Thanks Kat! They are delicious.
Monika Dabrowski
Great recipe, with just the right amount of sweetness, my youngest son would probably like to eat the entire traybake. Pinned.
Corina Blum
Thanks Monika! I'm sure your son would love these - they are perfect for kids as well as adults. My husband and I ate quite a few!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
These would make an ideal after-school snack! I'm not crazy about bananas myself, but I don't mind them at all if they're in baked goods. These banana and chocolate chip bars look scrummy!!
Corina Blum
Bananas are not my favourite fruit but I do love them with chocolate and they are so good in these!
Jill
Love the extra chocolate chips sprinkled on top. These bars look perfect! My kids' tastes keep changing. For a while they'd eat anything and now as they are entering their teens, they are getting more picky again, LOL!
Corina Blum
Oh no! It's so hard when they are picky. My 5 year old used to eat most things but now it really depends on his mood. With some recipes I've no idea if he'll eat it or not even if he ate it a couple of weeks ago!
Kelly Anthony
I'm always looking for new and healthier snacks to feed my girls and this recipe will be perfect. I mean who doesn't love banana and chocolate.
Corina Blum
Exactly! It's a brilliant combination.
Toni
This was perfect! My kids really loved them!
Corina Blum
That's so good to know. I'm really happy your kids liked them!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
Kids are funny how they demand your FULL ATTENTION. I love how she tries to take off your apron. These banana bars will surely be a hit with our little ones.
Corina Blum
She was so cute at that age! She is 7 now but still very determined. I had plans for her recent birthday cake but she insisted on decorating it herself!
Melissa
I love a good bar recipe! These look amazing.
Corina Blum
Thanks Melissa! They are so good - I loved them.
Kate
These sound delicious. Super gooey!! Yum!
Sarah
these bars sound delicious! can't go wrong with banana and chocolate. 🙂
Eat Your Veg
Ahr she doesn't know what she was missing out on, these sound totally lush to me!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime
These look perfect for my breakfast! Lovely that you can make the time to bake with the little one 🙂
Vanesther
These look so good - moist and chewy and gooey! I'm amazed your little one didn't enjoy them but I'll have her share!
Corina
Unfortunately she's just very picky - She wouldn't even put them in her mouth, but she liked the fact she had helped to make them. She even asked for 'homemade bars' a couple of times but then changed her mind and wanted the bought ones!
whatjessicabakednext...
Yum, these look delicious!
explorenewness
YUM! I'm going to have to try this soon!
Camilla Jordan
Just found this recipe! Could the bananas be mashed and mixed in the recipe rather than rounds?
Corina Blum
Hi Camilla, yes you could definitely mash the bananas if you want and then just spread them in a layer in a the middle rather than just cutting into slices. Do let me know if you like the recipe!
Corina
Joanne
Aww little Miss Spice sounds adorable!! I love that she likes baking with you...these bars sound fabulous!
Julie
These look delicious. You can't go wrong with chocolate and bananas.
Corina
Exactly!
Stuart
I love chocolate and banana together! These look lovely, thanks entering them into Treat Petite 🙂
Karen Burns Booth
WONDERFUL little bakes for our tea time table thanks! I love bars like this, so easy and tasty too! Karen
Corina
Thank you Karen.
sophiebowns
Yummy! They look great!