This is a dessert recipe you absolutely need in your arsenal. No bake, made of pantry ingredients you probably have on hand, simple to prepare, and so insanely delicious.
There is so much I like about the idea of No Bake Cookies. You know the ones- oats, chocolate and peanut butter mixed and dropped onto parchment paper to set up. They are super simple, no oven required, and I always have the ingredients on hand. The only thing I don’t like? The actual cookies. They aren’t my thing. The texture is weird and I just don’t like ’em.
So I’ve been determined to create a no bake dessert recipe that met the same benefits of a traditional no bake cookie. With the notable of improvement of an end result that I actually enjoy.
And not to toot my own horn, but uh, TOOT freakin TOOT. These. Are. IT. These are so crazy delicious. Nay, these are so BONKERS delicious. And thus their name was born. Meet your new dessert best friend:
The Bonkers Bar
Let me tell you what’s going on in these rich and beautiful squares of heaven. At the bottom, we have a caramel oatmeal layer. A simple caramel is whipped up in a saucepan. Stir in some oats, and spread onto the bottom of the pan. The caramel is buttery and brown sugary, and the oats bring a perfect chewy texture. The little pools of caramel on the edges are especially out of this world. And the chocolate chips stirred in at the end add dots of melty and delicious chocolate throughout.
Next, we add a fluffy and fantastic peanut butter layer. Light and fluffy; like a peanut butter cloud. This goes on top of our caramel oats. Finish it all off with a thin layer of melted chocolate. It’s smooth and crispy and texturally a perfect match for everything else going on down below.
This took a few attempts to get just right, but it was a delicious journey of exploration. And these Bonkers Bars are the gold at the end of that rainbow, and they are worth every extra inch of love handles I obtained on my quest. My family and my dedicated team of taste testers all declared these to be perfection.
Please make these! Your late night, Sunday afternoon, or spur of the moment treat making just got a whole lot better.
No Bake Bonkers Bar
Ingredients
For Caramel Oat Layer
- 1/2 c butter
- 1 c brown sugar
- 1/2 c corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2.5 c old fashioned oats
- 1/2 c chocolate chips
For Peanut Butter layer
- 1 1/4 c creamy peanut butter
- 4 tbsp butter softened
- 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 c chocolate chips melted
Instructions
Caramel Oat Layer
- Prepare a 9×9 pan by lining with foil and spraying with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Mix until smooth and heat until just barely beginning to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Stir in oats. Stir in chocolate chips last.
- Pour mixture into 9×9 pan and spread into an even layer. Place in the refrigerator.
Peanut Butter Layer
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, combine softened butter and peanut butter and mix until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix well, until fluffy.
- Remove oat layer from fridge and spread peanut butter layer on top.
- Melt chocolate chips and spread over top of peanut butter layer. Return pan to the fridge and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
- Hold edges of foil and remove bars from pan. Cut into 1-2 inch squares. Makes 16-24 squares, depending on how large you want them.
These are delicious! My son requested Peanut Butter Bonkers Bars after watching the Woody the Woodpecker movie and I’m so glad we stumbled across your recipe! Despite looking complicated, the recipe is really easy and nearly foolproof. It’s difficult to eat only one square – I’m sure they will not last long in my house! I will continue to make these unique, delicious, no bake bars and share them with family and friends. Thank you!
I’m so glad you guys enjoyed them! I had no idea there was something called a bonkers bar in the woody woodpecker movie! That’s so fun.
Lol “toot freakin toot” had me rolling!!!! Can’t wait to make these this weekend! You’re a genius, Amy!!!