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What happens when a jar of homemade peach cobbler meets a ripe banana, peanut butter, and a pantry full of oats?
Well…you make granola bars!
Soft-baked Peach Cobbler Peanut Butter Granola Bars were born from one of those “I have this, this, and this…let’s see what happens” kitchen experiments. The result is a chewy, tender bar with banana and peanut butter throughout, little bites of peach, and a crunchy peanut topping with a drizzle of peach syrup baked right in.
They’re rustic, easy, and definitely have that RGJ “let’s make something out of what we’ve got” attitude.
A little Rumble, a lot of Gumption.
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Tools From the Kitchen:
8×8-inch baking pan
Parchment paper
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups and spoons
Fork or potato masher
Spatula
Knife
Cutting board
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Ingredients:
2½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
1 to 1¼ cups canned peaches chopped into small pieces
1–2 tablespoons peach syrup, as needed
Crushed peanuts, enough to generously cover the top
1–2 tablespoons peach syrup, for drizzling
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Prepare:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
Prepare the peaches. Scoop out 1 to 1¼ cups of peaches. Chop the peach pieces into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Allow some of the excess syrup to drain off, but save the syrup.
In a large mixing bowl, mash the banana until mostly smooth.
Add the peanut butter, beaten egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.
Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Give everything a good stir so those cobbler spices are evenly distributed.
Add the rolled oats and mix until you have a thick, sticky mixture.
Gently fold in the chopped peaches.
If the mixture seems too dry, add peach syrup 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is moist and holds together when pressed. Don’t overdo the syrup—the mixture should remain thick.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it down firmly and evenly. Really pack it in.
Sprinkle the top generously with crushed peanuts.
Drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of peach syrup over the top.
Bake at 325°F for 30–35 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
For firmer, cleaner slices, refrigerate the cooled bars for about 30 minutes.
Lift from the pan using the parchment paper and cut into 9 bars.
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Notes from the Kitchen:
These are soft-baked, chewy granola bars, rather than crunchy commercial-style granola bars.
The combination of peach, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger gives these bars that classic peach-cobbler flavor, while banana and peanut butter add richness and help create a soft, chewy texture.
For the best texture, let the bars cool completely before cutting. Chilling them briefly makes them easier to slice and helps them hold together.
And don’t skimp on those crushed peanuts on top. That little bit of crunch is a really nice contrast to the soft bar.
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