These healthy peanut butter cookie bars use a modest amount of sweetener, whole grain flour, and protein-rich peanut butter. They’re perfect as a mid-afternoon treat or a pre-workout snack.
If you’re trying to cut back on sugar but still want something satisfying and tasty, these cookie bars are an excellent choice.
Think of a cookie bar as a cookie pressed into a pan — but these fall someplace between cookie and cake. They’re dense and fudgy with a tender, slightly airy bite.
The recipe includes higher-protein ingredients like peanut butter and Greek yogurt, plus enough healthy fat to keep the bars filling and flavorful.
The finished bars are delicious on their own or topped with chocolate chips for a little extra indulgence.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Peanut butter
- Coconut oil – can be swapped for melted butter or grapeseed oil
- Maple syrup
- Coconut sugar – any granulated sugar will work
- Warm water
- Greek yogurt
- Vanilla extract
- Whole grain flour – whole wheat, Einkorn, or spelt work well; oat flour is a good gluten-free alternative
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate for topping
Recipe steps
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Whisk the wet ingredients together in one bowl, and combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
Pour the dry mix into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
Press the batter into a well-oiled 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Scatter chocolate chips or chopped chocolate over the top if desired.
Bake for 13–16 minutes, or until the top is set and the edges are lightly golden. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars fudgy. Let cool before slicing into 9 bars.
FAQs
Yes — substitute oat flour for the whole grain flour to make the bars gluten-free.
Yes — almond butter or SunButter (sunflower seed butter) or another favorite nut/seed butter will work well.
Recipe notes
Adjust the sweetness to taste. I typically use two tablespoons of coconut sugar plus a touch of stevia; if you prefer to avoid stevia, use the full amount of sugar suggested.
Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- ⅓ cup peanut butter (choose a runnier variety)
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 2-4 Tablespoons coconut sugar see notes above
- 5 Tablespoons warm water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup whole grain flour Einkorn, whole wheat, or spelt all work well
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- chocolate chips or chopped dark/unsweetened chocolate for topping
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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Mix the wet ingredients together in a bowl.
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Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
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Stir the dry mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.
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Press the batter into a well-oiled 8 x 8 baking dish.
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Top with chocolate chips or chopped chocolate if you like.
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Bake 13–16 minutes, until the top is set and the edges are lightly golden. Cool before slicing.
Notes
Weight Watchers points: 8 (estimate)
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 17.8g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 11.4g
Fiber: 1.9g
Sugar: 6.7g
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