Chewy No-Bake Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars—simple to make, no-fuss, and made with real, whole food ingredients! These bars start with old-fashioned oats (the kind grandma used!), salted cashews, chewy Medjool dates, creamy peanut butter, vanilla, and a thick layer of salted dark chocolate. Somehow, they taste just like a soft, chewy oatmeal cookie bar – no baking required. They’re delicious and honestly kind of magical.

It’s hard to beat my mom’s classic Oatmeal Cookie Bars. She used to make them with a cup of sugar and canola oil, always throwing in extra chocolate chips. They were rich, sweet, and totally irresistible.

She made them all year long, but just like her Special K-Bars, these cookie bars were a summer party staple. Everyone loved them—and they were so easy to whip up, which was probably her secret.

I still can’t quite replicate the cookie bars my mom made when we lived in Cleveland—there’s just something about the original! But I do love creating my own twists using simple, real-food ingredients that feel a little more wholesome without sacrificing flavor.

It’s funny—I tend to go one of two ways with sweet recipes. Either I go all in with dark brown sugar and zero regrets, or I lean into a more natural approach for something you can feel just a little better about enjoying—which is what I did here.

These bars have been in my rotation for a while now. I brought a batch to a family dinner (yes, they even made it on a plane!) and they were devoured in minutes—so I knew I had to share them with you.

They’re the perfect summer treat: no-bake, no-fuss, and so scrumptious.

These are the details 

Ingredients 

•  old-fashioned rolled oats – I like the organic, gluten-free
• salted and roasted cashews 
• Medjool dates – make sure these are fresh and plump
• peanut butter – you could use a seed butter too
• vanilla extract
• ground flax or hemp seeds – optional, but they add protein, fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins. Their nutty flavor also pairs nicely with vanilla.
• dark chocolate – use your favorite, any percentage works
• flaky sea salt

Special Tools 

You will need a food processor or a high-powered blender. I prefer a food processor because of the bowl size, but a good blender is great too! 

Steps

Step 1: Blend everything

Add all ingredients—except the melted chocolate—to the bowl of your food processor or blender.

Blend until the mixture comes together and is sticky, about 3 to 5 minutes. It should hold together easily when pressed.

Step 2: Add the chocolate

Press the cookie dough into a square pan. I use the Caraway 9″ square pan.

Pour the melted chocolate over the top and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Chill the bars until the chocolate is fully set—I prefer the fridge, as it gives the chocolate a nicer finish.

In a hurry? The freezer works too!

Storing

I like to keep these bars in the fridge or in a cool spot at room temperature. Just make sure it’s not too warm—otherwise, the chocolate topping can melt.

They stay chewy, creamy, sweet, and salty—literally perfect every time. And don’t skip the sea salt—I think it makes them all the more deliciously addicting.

Looking for easy party desserts? Here are a few ideas:

Crinkle Top Brownies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Blondies

Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars

Caramel Butter Cake with Fudgy Chocolate Frosting

Retro-Style Chocolate Sheet Cake

Lastly, if you make these No-Bake Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love hearing from you and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Delicious and easy no-bake peanut butter pie recipe. 

No oven needed for this creamy and fluffy pie! 

I don’t claim to be a fantastic cook or baker. But every once and awhile I open my recipe binder (it creaks and a cloud of dust poofs out) and find one I love and I just have to share. You will thank me for this one!

I’ve made this “pie” for years, but for some reason it’s been a while since I last did. And now that we’ve had it again, I’m quite sure I’ll be making it weekly. Or so.

It’s SO easy. And insanely good. You will LOVE it. That is, if you like peanut butter. Or chocolate. Or sugar. 

This peanut butter pie is a great recipe for the warmer months, because there’s no oven needed! But it’s also a staple for a holiday meal.

You’ll only need a few ingredients:

Easy No Bake Peanut Butter Pie

3/4 c. confectioners sugar

6 oz. softened cream cheese

1/2 c. peanut butter

one container Cool Whip

2 tbsp. milk

graham cracker crust

I buy the crust ready-made, and I add a little somethin’ extra by using a chocolate crust:

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It takes about five minutes to whip this up – first, mix the cream cheese and sugar:

A hand held mixer does the job just fine!

Then mix in the peanut butter and milk:

I took the pictures in case you’ve never mixed anything in your life.

Finally, fold in a container of Cool Whip (hold a little bit aside for the top of the pie). 

Plop the mixture into the pie crust and cover with the remaining Cool Whip. Then resist the urge to eat it up with a (large) spoon:

Does anyone else love Cool Whip so much they could eat a whole container? I wouldn’t know that first hand.

Then comes the hardest part of the whole pie — you have to let it chill for a while. A few hours is best, but I can tell you from experience that one hour is just fine.

After it’s chilled a bit you can drizzle some chocolate over it, or maybe sprinkle some peanuts, and you have one of the easiest, yummiest desserts EVER. 

This is a sweet dessert, so you could probably get away with using a little less sugar. I have no doubt using 1/2 a cup would be plenty tasty as well.