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Oh Henry bars start with a caramel oatmeal base coated in peanut butter chocolate topping. They are based on the famous Nestlé candy bar.
Fan of chocolate and peanut butter will go ga-ga over these chewy bars. Add in a bit of caramel and you have a slam dunk!! For more of this winning flavor combination try Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars with Chocolate Frosting.
Remember “Oh Henry!” Bars?
Do you remember Oh Henry bars?! They have been around for quite sometime, the 1920s really, but were rumored discontinued recently.
Oh Henry is a great tasting candy bar of caramel, peanuts and fudge, wrapped in rich Nestle Classic Milk Chocolate! The perfect combination of crunchy peanuts, rich caramel, and delicious fudge, covered in milk chocolate.
Our Oh Henry bars is a bar cookie with a buttery, chewy base layer of oats, peanut butter, and brown sugar, topped with a milk chocolate-peanut butter ganache. Some think they are similar to Scotcheroos, and they are – but they oats are the main difference between the two sweet treats!
How to Make Them
It is recommended that you use instant rolled oats for this recipe. They are rolled slightly thinner than regular rolled oats and then cut into smaller pieces, which is why they cook faster. If you only have rolled oats, I would put them in a food processor to cut them up a bit. Not too much because you don’t want to end up with oat flour. Stay away from steel cut oats.
PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Evenly coat a 9×13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Also line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
MELT. Place . Cut 1 cup of butter into small cubes and place in a large sauce pan on the stove. Add the 2/3 c peanut butter, light brown sugar, and dark corn syrup. Cook over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. (about 3 1/2 minutes)
COMBINE. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vanilla and kosher salt. Stir. When combined add the oats and mix until the oats have been evenly coated.
PRESS. Transfer the oat mixture into the 9×13 pan. Press into an even layer and smooth out the top with a offset spatula or your hands. (Mixture will be sticky)
BAKE. Bake until lightly brown and you can see bubbles on top, about 20-25 minutes. If the edges have risen up, tap the pan lightly on the counter to flatten them.
COOL. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool and prepare the topping.
Topping:
HEAT. Using a medium sauce pan add the chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, heavy cream, corn syrup. Heat over medium heat. Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. (about 2 1/2 minutes)
SPREAD & REFRIGERATE. Spread the topping in an even layer over the base in the 9×13 pan. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. When you lightly press the top with you finger it should not make an indention.
SERVE. When you are ready to serve the treat, slide a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the slab. Take the slab from the pan and remove the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with sea salt flakes. Cut into 25 squares, or whatever size you like. Serve cold.
Cutting & Storing
Cutting: Allow them to chill and firm up a bit before cutting. I suggest you line the pan with parchment paper that way you can use it to lift the entire block of bars out of the pan. Now you can easily cut them without the pan getting in the way.
Storage: I have to admit I’m a sucker for a good freezer meal recipe. They make a busy weeknight so much easier. I also appreciate a good dessert recipe that can be stored in the freezer. They make really great treats for my kids’ lunch box, or a quick after school snack. They are perfect to have on hand for unexpected visitors or for a late night treat for me and the hubby.
- Freezer: once the bars have cooled, wrap them with plastic wrap. Store them together in a freezer Ziploc. They’ll easily last for 1 month.
- Counter: Store them at room temperature, in an airtight container, for 4-5 days. They can also be placed in the fridge for up to a week.
For more bar desserts, try:
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Easy Lemon Bars
- Millionaire Bars
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Churro Cheesecake Bars
- Funfetti Blondies
- Reeses Pieces Bars
- Cookie Bars
Oh Henry Bars Recipe
Ingredients
For the base:
- cooking spray or butter to coat the baking pan
- 1 c salted butter preferably high fat like Plugra
- 2/3 c creamy peanut butter such as Skippy
- 1 c brown sugar packed
- 1/2 c dark corn syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 4 1/2 c instant rolled oats
For the topping:
- 2 c milk chocolate chips (6 oz)
- 2/3 c creamy peanut butter such as Skippy
- 1/2 c heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 c dark corn syrup
- flaky sea salt for sprinkling on top
Instructions
Make the base:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Evenly coat a 9×13 baking pan with butter or cooking spray. Also line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Place a large sauce pan on the stove. Cut 1 cup of butter into small cubes and place into the pot. Add the 2/3 c peanut butter, light brown sugar, and dark corn syrup. Cook over medium heat. Stir until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. (about 3 1/2 minutes)
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the vanilla and kosher salt. Stir. When combined add the oats and mix until the oats have been evenly coated.
- Transfer the oat mixture into the 9×13 pan. Press into an even layer and smooth out the top with a offset spatula or your hands. (Mixture will be sticky)
- Bake until lightly brown and you can see bubbles on top, about 20-25 minutes. If the edges have risen up, tap the pan lightly on the counter to flatten them.
- Place the pan on a wire rack to cool and prepare the topping.
Topping:
- Using a medium sauce pan add the chocolate chips, creamy peanut butter, heavy cream, corn syrup. Heat over medium heat. Stir frequently until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. (about 2 1/2 minutes)
- Spread the topping in an even layer over the base in the 9×13 pan. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. When you lightly press the top with you finger it should not make an indention.
- When you are ready to serve the treat, slide a knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the slab. Take the slab from the pan and remove the parchment paper. Sprinkle the top with sea salt flakes. Cut into 25 squares, or whatever size you like. Serve cold.
Notes:
- Make ahead: store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to a month. Serve chilled, but not frozen.
- Storage: Wrap the bars in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 1 week. Wrap again with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Crunchy Peanut Butter: For a delicious peanut-y crunch use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Has anyone tried making these with a non dairy sub in place of the heavy cream? Do you think I could just use vegan butter?
I think the sea salt really made these perfect! Simple and delicious.
The perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter! Cant go wrong with these bars. So good!
My family loves this recipe!! They said they taste like a glamorized granola bar!
I am a fan of anything chocolate and peanut butter. It really is the perfect combo! These bars feel kind of healthy because they are made with oats…lol. Making some again for my kids for an after school snack!
Oh, my, these are so good!! Love the caramel & peanut butter oatmeal base & of course, chocolate is the best topping!