Weight Watchers banana oat chocolate chip bars

These banana oat chocolate chip bars use ripe bananas and unsweetened applesauce for moisture, with oats providing the main structure. Chocolate PB2 and Lily’s chocolate chips bring chocolate flavor without turning the recipe into a traditional butter-based cookie bar.

Ingredients

• 5 ripe bananas
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup chocolate PB2
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup Lily’s chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a baking dish with parchment paper or a light coating of cooking spray.
2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth.
3. Stir in the unsweetened applesauce, chocolate PB2, and cinnamon until evenly blended.
4. Add the oats and mix until they are fully coated. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top if desired.
5. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared dish and smooth the top so the center and edges are similar in thickness.
6. Bake at 350°F for approximately 30 minutes. The center should look set rather than wet. Let the bars cool before slicing so they hold together more cleanly.

Texture and Preparation Tips

The finished bars are naturally soft and moist because they contain banana and applesauce rather than a traditional flour-and-butter base. Riper bananas are easier to mash and generally taste sweeter. Allowing the oat mixture to stand for a few minutes before baking can give the oats time to absorb some moisture.

Use the same size baking dish each time you calculate baking time. A wider dish produces thinner bars that may finish sooner, while a smaller dish creates a deeper center that may need more time. The original recipe did not specify a pan size, so watch the center closely instead of relying only on the clock.

Storage

Cool the bars completely, then refrigerate them in a covered container because of their high fruit moisture. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking. They may also be frozen in individual portions and thawed in the refrigerator.

Serving and WW Points Note

Cut the finished bake into equal portions before calculating a serving. The number of bars, exact oat and chocolate brands, banana size, and current WW program rules all affect the points. Enter the complete recipe and actual number of servings into the current WW calculator rather than relying on an older per-bar figure.