Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

These gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars are one of those recipes I keep coming back to. They’re chewy, not crunchy, with a good amount of peanut butter flavor and chocolate chips in every bite. I make a batch and they’re gone within a few days.

The recipe uses oat flour instead of a standard gluten-free flour blend, which gives the bars a softer texture that holds together without being crumbly. Purity protocol oats are important here if you have celiac disease, since regular oats are often processed in facilities that also handle wheat.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Chewy, not crunchy. These bars hold together without being dry or crumbly, which is harder to pull off with gluten-free oats than it sounds.
• Ready in 30 minutes. One bowl, no mixer, and they’re out of the oven in under half an hour.
• Easy to customize. Swap the chocolate chips for dried fruit, add chopped nuts, or use almond butter instead of peanut butter.

Searching for more gluten-free snack recipes? gluten-free chex mix / homemade baked tortilla chips / sweet and spicy chex mix / chocolate avocado pudding

Ingredient Notes

• Gluten-Free Certified Oats – Use certified gluten-free purity protocol oats. Regular oats are frequently cross-contaminated with wheat and are not safe for celiac disease.
• Gluten-Free Oat Flour – You can make your own by blending certified gluten-free oats in a food processor until finely ground. Store-bought works too. Do not substitute a standard gluten-free flour blend here as it will change the texture.
• Brown Sugar – Light or dark both work. Dark brown sugar will give you a slightly deeper, more caramel flavor.
• Honey – Adds chewiness and helps bind the bars. Don’t reduce it further or the bars won’t hold together as well.
• Peanut Butter – Use a no-stir, creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Natural peanut butter with separated oil can make the bars greasy and affect how they hold together.
• Butter – Melted and slightly cooled before mixing in.
• Chocolate Chips – Use whatever you have on hand. I used regular size, but mini chocolate chips work great in this recipe, too!

Make Your Own Oat Flour

Blend certified gluten-free purity protocol oats in a food processor or blender until finely ground. It takes about 1 minute and 1¼ cups of oats makes roughly 1 cup of oat flour. Make sure to use the same purity protocol oats you’d use in the rest of the recipe.

Recipe FAQs

Yes, as long as you use certified gluten-free purity protocol oats and gluten-free oat flour. Regular oats are not safe for celiac disease even if they’re labeled gluten-free, because they may be cross-contaminated with wheat.

Maple syrup works as a 1:1 substitute. The bars will have a slightly different flavor and may be a touch softer, but they’ll still hold together.

Expert Tips

• Don’t overbake. Pull the bars when the edges are browned but the center still looks slightly underdone. They firm up as they cool and will be dry if you wait too long.
• Press the batter firmly into the pan. The mixture doesn’t spread during baking, so whatever shape you press it into is what you get. Use the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed measuring cup to get an even, compact layer.
• Cut while warm. Wait about 5 minutes after pulling them from the oven, then cut. If you wait until they’re fully cool they can crumble at the edges when you slice.

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

Freezer: Freeze in a single layer first, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating.

Make Ahead: These bars are great for meal prep. Bake a batch on Sunday and they’ll last through the week.

Serving Suggestions

These are good on their own as a snack or packed in a bag for later. I’ll grab one in the morning with a cup of coffee or my apple kale green smoothie when I don’t have time for a full sit down breakfast. They’re also good crumbled over yogurt or alongside my chia pudding breakfast bowl for something more filling. For a bigger breakfast spread, they go well with my gluten-free cinnamon streusel muffins or my slow cooker chocolate peanut butter banana oatmeal bake .