No Bake Monster Cookie Bars
Published on June 12, 2024
Quick Summary
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Pin ItI LOVE Monster Cookies. They are are one of my all-time favorite cookies! They have all of my favorite things: peanut butter, oats, chocolate chips, and M&M’s. They are such a fun cookie.
I have turned my favorite cookie into Monster Cookie Bars, Monster Cookie Energy Balls, Chocolate Monster Cookies, and these easy No Bake Monster Cookie Bars.
I love these No Bake Monster Cookie Bars because they are SO easy to make, you don’t have to turn on the oven and they are made with basic ingredients that I always have in the pantry.
The bars are like the classic cookie, they have peanut butter, oats, chocolate, and M&M’s, BUT there is no baking involved. They are layered in a loaf pan and chilled in the refrigerator. There is a layer of peanut butter oats, a layer or chocolate, and another layer of peanut butter oats. The bars are topped with colorful M&M’s and flaky sea salt.
To keep these bars on the healthier side, I use natural peanut butter and sweeten them with honey. I also add a scoop of protein powder to boost the protein content.
These no bake bars are a great little sweet treat to keep in the fridge or freezer. Kids and adults love them! They are perfect for an after school snack, post workout snack, or a little dessert after lunch or dinner.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Peanut butter– I like to use natural peanut butter, just peanuts and salt. Costco’s Kirkland organic peanut butter is my favorite.
- Honey– to sweeten the bars. Pure maple syrup will also work.
- Vanilla extract– always use pure vanilla extract.
- Oats– use old fashioned oats, not quick oats.
- Protein powder– use your favorite vanilla protein powder. I use Clean Simple Eats Simply Vanilla. Use the code TWOPEAS for a discount.
- Flaky sea salt– for the bars and for sprinkling on top!
- Chocolate Chips– I like to use semi-sweet chocolate, but milk or dark chocolate will work too. I like Guittard and Hu Kitchen’s chocolate chips.
- Coconut oil– adding a little coconut oil helps the chocolate melt more smoothly.
- M&M’s– for topping the bars! They are so fun and colorful and a must for monster cookies!
How to Make No Bake Monster Cookie Bars
- Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir together with a spatula until well combined.
- Stir in the oats, protein powder, and sea salt.
- The peanut butter oat mixture will be thick and a little sticky. Stir well to make sure all of the oats get mixed in.
- Transfer about 2/3 of the peanut butter oat mixture to the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Place in the microwave and heat in 30 second intervals, or until smooth. Stir well.
- Pour the chocolate overtop of the bars. Spread with a spatula so the chocolate is in an even layer.
- Crumble the remaining peanut butter oat mixture over the top of the bars and press down gently. Press the M&M’s on top of the bars and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill the bars for at least 2 hours before cutting.
- When chilled completely, lift the bars out of the pan with the parchment paper and cut into bars.
- You can also cut them into small little bites, if you want a smaller treat.
Recipe Tips
- Make sure you line the pan with parchment paper, this will make it easier to lift the bars out of the pan.
- I recommend using a creamy natural peanut butter for this recipe. Stir well before using. You can use a conventional peanut butter like Skippy or Jif.
- If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, make sure you use gluten-free oats.
- To boost the protein content, I like to add a scoop of vanilla protein powder. You can also use collagen powder. If you don’t want to use a powder, you can use the same amount of almond flour or oat flour.
- The peanut butter oat mixture is thick and a little sticky. If the mixture is sticking to your hands too much when pressing it into the pan, lightly dampen your hands with water.
- If you don’t want to use the M&M’s, you can use Reese’s Pieces or no candy at all. The bars are good without candy too.
- Make sure you let the bars chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge before cutting.
How to Store
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- You can freeze the bars in a freezer container for up to 3 months.
More No Bake Recipes
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars
- No Bake Cookies
- Homemade Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Protein Balls
- Chocolate Brownie Protein Balls
More Monster Cookie Recipes
No Bake Monster Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter, Costco brand is my favorite
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder*
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 to 3 tablespoons M&M’s
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir together with a spatula until well combined.
- Stir in the oats, protein powder, and sea salt.
- Transfer about 2/3 of the peanut butter oat mixture to the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Place in the microwave and heat in 30 second intervals, or until smooth. Stir well.
- Pour the chocolate overtop of the bars. Spread with a spatula so the chocolate is in an even layer.
- Crumble the remaining peanut butter oat mixture over the top of the bars and press down gently. Press the M&M’s on top of the bars and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Chill the bars for at least 2 hours before cutting.
- When chilled completely, cut into bars and enjoy!