Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Let Me Tell You About These Oatmeal Bars

You know those mornings when you’ve left your coffee somewhere (again), can’t remember if the dog’s been fed, and realize you’ve got exactly five minutes before you need to run out the door? That’s basically how I stumbled onto making these healthy oatmeal breakfast bars. Honestly, it started out as a last-ditch effort to make something for breakfast with what I had—which was, you guessed it, a bag of oats and… not much else. First time they turned out kind of dry (like, eat-with-a-glass-of-milk dry), but after a few tweaks and a cinnamon mishap I won’t bore you with, I now actually look forward to these! If you hear me humming in the kitchen, odds are the bars are in the oven. Don’t judge.

Why You’re Going To Love These

I make this when I’m craving something hearty but can’t be bothered to stand around flipping pancakes (which, anyway, always end up pasty on one side and burnt on the other for me). My family goes bananas over these—my cousin once asked if I’d bought them fancy from the new vegan bakery up the road. They’re sweet but not in a fake, sugar-rush way. Plus, I’ve found they’re pretty foolproof unless you get distracted by, let’s say, your cat wrestling a grocery bag (which has happened). And if you like tinkering with recipes (I absolutely do), these bars are up for it. Sub out the nuts or the sweetener, throw in whatever dried fruit you forgot you bought months ago—it’s all fair game.

What You’ll Need (But Don’t Panic)

• 2 cups rolled oats (Honestly, quick oats work if you’re in a pinch. My grandma always swore by Bob’s Red Mill, but supermarket brand is decent too.)
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like walnuts, though pecans are less of a dental hazard. Go nut-free if you want. No biggie.)
• 1/3 cup honey or pure maple syrup (Or, for those times when the honey jar is just a sticky mess, you can use agave. Tastes a bit different, but still good.)
• 1/4 cup nut butter (Peanut, almond, sunbutter if you’re allergic… or once, in desperation, I used tahini—it was, uh, interesting.)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (I made it once with mashed banana instead and the bars were softer, which I kinda liked.)
• 1/2 cup dried fruit—raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots (Cherries are fancy. Or just go barebones and skip it.)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (If you remember, honestly sometimes I forget and nobody notices.)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or more if you had an accidental shake, story of my life)
• Pinch of salt (give or take, I just grab a generous pinch with my fingers)
• Optional: 1 tbsp chia seeds or flaxseeds (for that healthy vibe)

How To Make ‘Em (Even If You’re Distracted)

1. Prep — Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grab a square baking pan (a 20x20cm one works—otherwise, just use that battered rectangle dish in the cupboard, it’s fine). Line it with parchment or give it a quick spray. I’ve forgotten this step once, and prying bars out of the pan is a sad way to start the day, trust me.
2. Mix Wet Ingredients — Take a big bowl and slop in the honey (or whatever syrup situation you’ve got), nut butter, applesauce, and vanilla. Give it a whisk or mash with a fork till it’s kind of smooth. This is where I normally get distracted and end up with nut butter on my elbow.
3. Stir In The Dry — Throw in your oats, nuts, dried fruit, cinnamon, salt, plus chia or flaxseeds if you’re feeling virtuous. Stir till everything’s friendly but not over-mixed. Don’t worry if it looks a bit globby—totally normal.
4. Press It Down — Dump the mixture into the pan. Use the back of a spoon (or your clean hands, if you’re impatient like me) and smush it down until it’s basically the same thickness all over. I sneak a corner taste here. Not saying you have to—but why not.
5. Bake — Chuck it in the oven for about 22–28 minutes. You want the edges looking golden and the middle set. My oven always runs hot on one side (and I keep saying I’ll get it fixed), so I check at 20 mins and sometimes rotate the pan.
6. Cool — Let ‘em cool in the pan for at least 15 min. It feels like forever. But if you try to cut them too soon, they crumble all over the place—ask me how I know.
7. Slice & Enjoy — Lift the parchment out (if you remembered it) and chop into bars. Eight big ones, twelve smaller, or just random sizes if you don’t care about neatness (which, some mornings… I don’t).

Notes I’m Pretty Sure You’ll Appreciate

• More applesauce makes these gooier. Less, they’re more like a granola bar. Actually, I find it works better if you’re somewhere in between.
• Once, I tossed in coconut flakes, but they weirdly absorbed all the moisture and the bars came out chewy in a strange way. So maybe stick to just a sprinkle.
• Too many nuts and you’ll think you’re eating squirrel feed—I mean, unless that’s your thing.

Variations: The Good, The Bad, And The Not-So-Pretty

• Chocolate Chips: No shame—sometimes I stir in a good handful. My nephew calls these “breakfast cookies.”
• Pumpkin Spice: I stirred in some canned pumpkin once (replacing half the applesauce, for science). The flavor was great, but the texture was off—too cakey for my taste.
• Berry Swirl: Adding frozen berries—don’t. Turns out, they throw off the texture and everything gets soggy. Live and learn!

Stuff You’ll Need (ish)

• Mixing bowls
• Something to stir with (spoon, spatula, or, honestly, I’ve used a fork in a pinch)
• Baking pan (but if you’ve only got a muffin tin, sure, spoon the mix in there—you’ll just have oatmeal cups, which are pretty fun)
• Parchment paper (a butter wrapper even works for greasing if you’re out)

How To Store These (Or Try To)

Stick the bars in an airtight container at room temp—they’ll last two to three days, in theory. You can freeze ‘em too (I slice first, then wrap individually so I can just grab and go). But honestly, in my house, they’re usually gone within 24 hours. Almost embarrassing, really.

A Few Ways To Actually Eat These

Now, my personal favorite is with a big dollop of plain Greek yogurt and some diced apple—that’s my Monday power breakfast. My partner? Spreads peanut butter on the bars, which is overkill but makes him happy so fair enough. At least one cousin dunks ‘em in milky tea (which is slightly odd, but who am I to judge). Here’s a classic variation source I admire if you want even more ideas.

Hard-Learned Lessons: Read These!

• I once tried to speed-bake them at a higher temp (because late for work), and let’s just say the bottom was nearly charcoal. Don’t rush the oven.
• Trying to cut them warm? Nope. They just fall apart. Let them cool, make another coffee, and come back.
• If the mix seems super dry, add a bit extra applesauce or even splash in some orange juice—learned that trick from a friend in Manchester.

FAQ (Answering Real Questions I’ve Gotten)

Oh, if you make a double batch, let me know how you store ‘em, because mine have never lasted long enough to figure that out!

★★★★★ 4.70 from 18 ratings

Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

yield: 12 bars

prep: 15 mins

cook: 25 mins

total: 40 mins

These Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are a nutritious, easy-to-make snack or breakfast option loaded with wholesome oats, nut butter, and natural sweetness from bananas and honey.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Instructions

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. 2
   In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas, almond butter, honey, and applesauce until well combined.
3. 3
   Add the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, salt, and dried cranberries or raisins to the wet mixture. Stir until evenly mixed.
4. 4
   Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.
5. 5
   Bake for 25 minutes or until the bars are golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool before slicing into bars.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 145cal

Protein: 3.2 gg

Fat: 4.2 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 24 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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