Easy No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars

While I normally prefer baked cookies, these sounded good and easy, too. They are quite rick so I cut them into small squares. 

Easy No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars     Makes one 8x8-inch pan

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 to 3 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats (uncooked0

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup  chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet or milk or any combination of chips)

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper allowing edges to overlap for easy removal; set aside. 
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar.
   
3. Heat over low-heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
   
4. Add 3 cup oats, cinnamon, kosher salt and vanilla. Stir to thoroughly combine. If mixture seems wet, add remaining oats.
   
5. Cool for about 4 to 5 minutes. 
6. Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread out the mixture evenly pressing down to compact. (I covered oat mixture with wax paper and used quite a bit of effort to push and compact this layer. 
   
7. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and the peanut butter. Heat on high in the microwave, in increments of 40 seconds, stirring in between each increment, until melted and fully combined. 
8. Pour all but 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into the pan over the pressed oats; reserve the1/4 cup for drizzling on top of bars.. 
   
9. Top with the remaining oats and again compact.
   
10. Spread with remaining chocolate mixture.
11. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set.
    

Recipe without photos . . 

Easy No-Bake Chocolate Oat Bars     Makes one 8x8-inch pan

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

3 to 3 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats (uncooked0

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup dark chocolate chips (dark, semi-sweet or milk or any combination of chips)

3/4 cup chunky peanut butter

1. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper allowing edges to overlap for easy removal; set aside. 
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar.
3. Heat over low-heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.
4. Add 3 cup oats, cinnamon, kosher salt and vanilla. Stir to thoroughly combine. If mixture seems wet, add remaining oats.
5. Cool for about 4 to 5 minutes. 
6. Pour half of the oat mixture into the prepared baking dish. Spread out the mixture evenly pressing down to compact. (I covered oat mixture with wax paper and used quite a bit of effort to push and compact this layer. 
7. In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and the peanut butter. Heat on high in the microwave, in increments of 40 seconds, stirring in between each increment, until melted and fully combined. 
8. Pour all but 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture into the pan over the pressed oats; reserve the1/4 cup for drizzling on top of bars.. 
9. Top with the remaining oats and again compact.
10. Spread with remaining chocolate mixture.
11. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set