O’Henry Bars

My sister recently reminded me how much we liked O’Henry bars. It’s one of the recipes with a ’10’ by it in my copy of our church cookbook. I don’t make them very often but every time I do, I think that I should make them more often.

I still love our perfect and delicious homemade buckeyes even more, but there is something to be said for the convenience of a good bar recipe like this. Bar recipes are so simple because it’s one pan and you are done! Caramel morsel bars are another great bar recipe but I like the simplicity of O’Henry bars, as well as the combination of peanut butter and chocolate.

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Honestly…is there a better flavor combination then chocolate and peanut butter? I’ll eat it any time of the day. In fact, some of my favorite muffins are these peanut butter chocolate chip mini muffins. 

Anyway, like I said, O’Henry bars are one of those good bar recipes. In a way, this recipe reminds me of a granola bar – except the chocolate is on top. That’s important because I am a chocolate girl. Don’t believe? I even wrote a series on 31 Days of Chocolate with some of my favorite recipes. O’Henry bars made the list!

If you’re looking for a simple and delicious recipe, with a perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate, try these O’Henry bars. Whether call Oh Henry Bars or O Henry Bars, it’s the same thing. Make them soon. You’ll be glad you did!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 cups quick oats
2 cups chocolate chips
2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla. Add in oatmeal.

Pat mixture into a greased 9 by 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly browned. Let cool.

Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a double boiler. When bar mixture is cooled slightly, spread chocolate evenly over the top.

Chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Additional Notes:

Note that the oatmeal can sometimes be sticky when you are removing the bars from a pan, so I recommend using a mini serving spatula to remove the bars. I love my mini serving spatulas and own multiples of them.

I also recommend using a sharp knife for easy cutting. This is the best paring knife I’ve ever used and it’s a bargain under $10!

Finally, you might want to consider lining your pan with parchment paper sheets like these instead of greasing it, to help with the stickiness.

However you make the bars, I hope you like these O’Henry bars as much as we do!

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O’Henry Bars

O’Henry Bars are the perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate for a quick and easy bar dessert.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3/4 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 4 cups quick oats
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup crunchy peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a mixer, cream butter and sugars. Beat in corn syrup and vanilla. Add in oatmeal.
  3. Pat mixture into a greased 9 by 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly browned. Let cool.
  4. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter in a double boiler. When bar mixture is cooled slightly, spread chocolate evenly over the top.
  5. Chill. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 piece
  • Calories: 285
  • Sugar: 20.3g
  • Sodium: 76mg
  • Fat: 15.6g
  • Saturated Fat: 7.9g
  • Carbohydrates: 34.8g
  • Fiber: 2.8g
  • Protein: 3.6g
  • Cholesterol: 15mg

Keywords: chocolate

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11 Comments

    1. They are delicious, Lisa, but unfortunately I don’t have a copy of my church cookbook to sell. I’ve included some of the other recipes on my blog from the cookbook, including Parmesan Garlic Rolls, Runzas, Poppy Seed Chicken, Chicken Enchiladas and Buckeyes, to name a few. You can find all my recipes here – https://joyfullythriving.com/recipe-index/.

    1. Yes, 3 sticks is 1 1/2 cups. BUT, the recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 sticks which is 3/4 cups of margarine. I don’t want your bars to turn out wrong! 🙂

  1. Thank You! I just can’t thank you enough for posting this recipe. I have been looking for it for years. My mother used to make it when I was a kid 40+years ago. When we moved I lost track of that cookbook. But I kept searching. I couldn’t believe it when I saw your post. Thank you again for sharing. It’s those little things in life that just make you happy, isn’t it? Lol!

  2. Yum! Our family is trying out going gluten-free for the week, so glad to see these would still make the cut. 😉 Of course, cutting out sugar is a different story, but…

    These look great! I don’t think I’ve had them before.

    1. Exactly, Keren! I served them to a gluten-free friend at book club, and she loved them too. Cutting out sugar would be hard. Chocolate is simply too delicious! 🙂

  3. And wouldn’t you know, I just made these tonight as a treat to eat with a friend! I went through all my chocolate recipes, and thought, “Hmmm, O’Henry bars are exactly what I need right now.” Just ate a couple, trying not to eat more. They’re SO GOOD!! Oh, and I know we both use regular PB a lot. . .just as good that way, if ya like!

  4. Have you ever done the parchment paper trick–layering parchment paper in the pan instead of or before greasing the pan–so you can lift the whole thing out easily? I’ve seen it done with brownies, but if the oatmeal sticks, this seems like an ideal recipe to try it on.

    1. That’s a good idea, Bethany. I have parchment paper on hand from buckeye cake, so I’ll have to remember that for next time, so I can give it a try.

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