Peanut Butter Raisin Bars

Add a dash of good health and cheer to your next cookie swap or holiday party with my better-for-you Peanut Butter Raisin Bars. They’re easy to make, delicious, and they’ll have your kids smiling from ear to ear.

I created this recipe for a blogger cooking competition sponsored by the Recipe Redux and the California Raisin Marketing Board. I was not compensated for the post, but prizes will be awarded to the winners.

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, give my better-for-you PB raisin bars a try. You can feel great about treating your kids and your friends to these wholesome bars.

To keep the added sugar as low as possible, I used just over a cup of brown sugar. When you do the math, it turns out that each dessert bar has less than a tablespoon of brown sugar.

Oats, a handful of mini chocolate chips and roasted sunflower seeds, and plump California Raisins make up the dry ingredients in my holiday bars. This recipe couldn’t be easier! And if you’re wondering about those California Raisins, they’re dried-by-the-sun and are naturally sweet, which means they don’t contain any added sugar.

Peanut butter, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla extract go in next.

Place the mixture in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, pop it in the oven for 18 minutes, and let the holiday fun begin!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Peanut Butter Raisin Bars

 

Author: Liz

Nutrition Information

• Serves: 24

• Serving size: 1 bar
• Calories: 210

• Fat: 11g
• Saturated fat: 2g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Sugar: 13g
• Sodium: 160mg
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 6g

Recipe type: Dessert

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These simple peanut butter bars are perfect for cookie swaps and holiday parties. They're rich in flavor, luscious in texture, and they're made with some of my favorite nutritious ingredients---peanut butter, raisins, sunflower seeds, eggs, and oats. This holiday goodie has less than a tablespoon of brown sugar per serving.

Ingredients

• 3½ cups quick-cooking oats (if following a gluten-free diet, look for GF oats)
• ½ cup California Raisins
• ⅓ cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• ⅓ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1¼ cups brown sugar
• ⅓ cup organic canola oil
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil or coat a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
2. Whisk together the oats, raisins, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in the peanut butter until the mixture is smooth. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir until just moistened.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool 20 to 30 minutes before slicing into 24 bars.

3.5.3226