Peanut Butter Banana Snack Bars are high in protein and low in sugar so they make a great healthy snack for school, work or home.
Back to school time is upon us and the need for snacks is real. These Peanut Butter Banana Snack Bars are great in lunchboxes or as an after school snack. Quinoa flakes make these bars high in protein to keep little ones full. They are also low in sugar so there is no crash. In fact these bars are only sweetened with bananas and a little maple syrup so even toddlers can enjoy them!
These snack bars were inspired by my Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Squares. Another great addition to lunchboxes are these whole wheat "cheesy" crackers.
Jump to:
Ingredients
These bars are made with a short list of base ingredients that you may already have on hand. Quinoa flakes give a boost of protein, but if you don't like quinoa or have a hard time finding the flakes, oats work well too. You can also customize the bars by adding the optional ingredients such as dried fruit, chocolate chips, more sweetener, etc.
- bananas
- peanut butter
- maple syrup
- coconut oil
- cinnamon
- ground flax seed
- quinoa flakes or oats
- chocolate chips, optional
- peanuts, almonds or other nuts, optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Peanut butter - instead of peanut butter, you can use almond, cashew of other nut butter
- Nut free - use sunflower seed butter to make these bars nut free
- Gluten free - quinoa flakes are naturally gluten free. If you use oats be sure to use gluten free certified oats if needed.
- Additions - you can add chocolate chips, dried fruit or other spices.
How to make Peanut Butter Banana Snack Bars
These bars are so easy to make. Simply combine wet ingredients and then mix in dry ingredients and optional add ins. Bake and enjoy!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan. In a bowl, mash bananas. Add peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax eggs, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine.
Add quinoa flakes or oats. Stir well to combine. Add chocolate chips or dried fruit if using at this point as well.
Transfer batter to baking pan. Spread in an even layer. Add chopped nuts, if using.
Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cook in the pan, then slice in squares.
Hint: These bars are not very sweet. If you prefer more sweetness you can add additional maple syrup up to 3 tablespoons more.
Equipment
There's no special equipment needed for this recipe. You will need basic kitchen tools including an 8x8 baking dish.
💡 Top Tip
Use very ripe bananas! You want the bananas to be quite spotty like you would if you were making banana bread. This is where the majority of sweetness comes from in the recipe as well as flavor.
Storage
Store the bars in an air tight container in the refrigerator. Good for 3-4 days.
I have not tried freezing these bars yet so I can't say if they hold up well.
Common Questions
Yes. Quinoa flakes are grains of quinoa that have been flattened. Flakes contain all the same nutrition as quinoa.
The USDA lists the amount of protein in quinoa flakes as just over 13 grams per 100 grams of flakes.
Yes. Quinoa is easy to digest for most people since it is low in phytic acid which can hinder the absorption of minerals.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are our favorite dishes to serve with Peanut Butter Banana Snack Bars:
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think! Leave a review and rating in the comments below. This helps me continue to provide great recipes for you.
Recipe
Peanut Butter Banana Snack Bars
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 3 tablespoon peanut butter
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 2 flax eggs - 2 tablespoon ground flax seed + 4 tablespoon water See notes below for more details.
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups quinoa flakes or quick cook oats
- ¼ - ½ cup non dairy chocolate chips or dried cranberries, etc.
- ¼ cup chopped peanuts, pecan or almond slivers optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking dish. cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- In a bowl, mash bananas. Add peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax eggs.
- Add quinoa flakes or oats. Stir well to combine. Add chocolate chips or dried fruit is using at this point as well.
- Transfer batter to baking pan. Spread in an even layer. Add chopped nuts, if using.
- Place in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool in the pan. Once cool, cut into 16 bars.
- Store in an airtight container.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!