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    Home » Recipes » Breakfast & Brunch

    Soft Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    August 21, 2019 • Updated: August 29, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Two breakfast bars on a plate with orange slices and fresh berries. Pin text reads: Soft Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    Soft Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are loaded with coconut, fruits, seeds, warm spices, and rolled oats, with just the right amount of sweetness. Naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, they fit right in your hand for a healthy breakfast on-the-go. 

    Two baked oatmeal breakfast bars on a plate with orange slices and fresh berries.
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
    • Why You Will Love this Recipe
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make Soft Baked Breakfast Bars
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • More Oatmeal Recipes
    • Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    What's the Story Behind this Recipe?

    Seven minutes. When my youngest was thirteen, that's how long it used to take her to get dressed, check her face, comb her hair, check her face again, maybe put on a little make-up, gather her school supplies (that were supposed to have been gathered the night before), grab her clarinet, hug her Mama, and run out the door...

    Seven. Minutes. 

    Breakfast, if there was one, was in her hand - because if she couldn't hold it and eat it before she got to the bus stop, it got stuffed in her backpack and forgotten. (Because, heaven forbid should anyone know that she actually eats breakfast.) (Because, "I'm not eating at the bus stop: that's so embarrassing.") It didn't matter how early she awoke; breakfast was always a struggle.

    If I could time it just right, I might be able to get her to take a breakfast burrito, but her most frequently chosen breakfast was a grocery store granola bar, (which are fine for snacking or grabbing a quick carb boost, but lack any substantial protein and are filled with unpronounceable chemicals ingredients). 

    So I started making homemade breakfast bars.

    Why You Will Love this Recipe

    These oatmeal breakfast bars are a fast, simple breakfast solution that fits right in your hand for a healthy breakfast on-the-go. 

    Crunchy granola bars are fine for snacking, but these soft, chewy oatmeal bars feel like a real meal. One batch of this easy make-ahead recipe makes two-dozen soft, chewy oatmeal breakfast bars - enough to get you through the week or month, depending.

    Loaded with coconut, fruits, seeds, warm spices, and rolled oats, these oatmeal breakfast bars are packed with healthy proteins and complex carbohydrates. Gluten- and dairy-free, they get just the right amount of sweetness from natural sugars.

    What Goes into this Recipe

    Breakfast bar ingredients, labeled: old-fashioned oats, almond milk, applesauce, banana, dried fruits & nuts, coconut, ground almonds, honey, spices, vanilla, eggs, baking powder.

    Dried Fruit & Nut Add-ins

    We recommend adding 1 to 1½ cups of "add-ins" to the batter. While not expressly required for making these breakfast bars, they can greatly enhance the overall flavor and texture. (Kind of like how chocolate chips greatly enhance the flavor of Toll House cookie batter.)

    Add-ins are a way to put your favorite flavors forward. Dried fruits and nuts should be chopped before adding.

    Here are a few ideas to get you started:

    • sunflower seeds
    • dried apricots
    • raisins
    • dried cranberries
    • walnuts
    • almonds
    • flax seeds
    • sesame seeds
    • cashews
    • dried pineapple
    • dried mango
    • ginger chips

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    ★ Oats: Use plain, old-fashioned oatmeal for this recipe. We do not recommend using quick oats.

    ★ Almond milk: We like to use an almond-coconut blend for these breakfast bars, but any almond milk will work, as will rice or hemp milk. (Regular milk will probably work too, but we haven't tested the recipe using it, so can't wholly endorse its use.)

    ★ Coconut: Coconut acts both as a flavor boost and a structural component in this recipe. Use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut.

    Hint: To up the flavor profile, toast the coconut before adding it to the batter.

    ★ Ground almonds: Grind almonds in a small blender cup, food processor, or spice grinder. Do not completely pulverize them: you want them to be a little gritty.

    ★ Applesauce: We recommend using unsweetened applesauce. If you use sweetened applesauce, reduce the amount of honey used to ¼ cup.

    ★ Spices: Add spices as desired. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are all good options.

    How to Make Soft Baked Breakfast Bars

    Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C.

    Make Oatmeal Batter

    Thoroughly whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in applesauce, mashed banana, honey, and vanilla.

    Wet ingredients - eggs, applesauce, mashed banana, and honey - in a glass mixing bowl, with a whisk in the middle. Other ingredients in bowls to the sides.

    Add in oats, ground almonds, ginger, baking powder, salt, and your chosen fruit-nut additions. Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

    Collage showing dry ingredients mixed into wet.

    Pour in almond milk a little at a time, stirring to combine. Allow the mixture to sit and thicken for 30 minutes.

    COllage showing difference between soaked and unsoaked oat mixture.

    1st Bake

    Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the oatmeal mixture evenly over parchment paper.

    Raw dough poured onto parchment in rimmed baking sheet.

    Bake 40 minutes, until the top is slightly golden and it is “bouncy” to the touch. (Like a heavy quick bread.)

    Remove baking sheet from oven and cool the oatmeal "cake" on rack for 20 minutes.

    2nd Bake

    Use a sharp, wet knife to cut the oatmeal cake into 24 bars.

    Cut bars still in baking pan.

    Place half the bars on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space in between each bar.

    Bake bars for another 20 minutes at 375°F | 190°C, turning over halfway through the baking time.

    Cut bars on parchment.

    Hint: If you only have one baking sheet, do the second bake in two batches.

    Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling rack. Store cooled bars in an air-tight container.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    How do you store oatmeal breakfast bars?

    If you plan to eat them within the week, simply put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, wrap bars individually (or better yet, vacuum-seal them) and freeze them. Sealed breakfast bars will last up to four months in the freezer.

    Thaw frozen bars to room temperature whenever you want one. They’re delicious cold, but for a warm breakfast on the go, ten seconds in the microwave makes them even better.

    Two baked oatmeal breakfast bars on a plate with orange slices and fresh berries.

    More Oatmeal Recipes

    • Mrs. Obinger's Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
    • Lighter Classic Sloppy Joes
    • Hearty Homemade Breakfast Granola
    • Crazy Delicious Butterfinger Bars

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Two baked oatmeal breakfast bars on a plate with orange slices and fresh berries.
    5 from 6 votes

    Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

    Soft Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are loaded with coconut, fruits, seeds, warm spices, and rolled oats, with just the right amount of sweetness.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegetarian
    Prep Time:30 minutes
    Cook Time:1 hour
    Cooling TIme:20 minutes
    Total Time:1 hour 50 minutes
    Servings: 24 bars
    Calories: 124kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 rimmed baking sheet
    • 1 Parchment Paper
    • 1 Sharp Knife
    • 1 Wooden Spoon
    • 1 Whisk

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 3 large eggs
    • 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
    • ½ cup honey
    • 1 large banana mashed
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
    • 1 cup shredded coconut
    • ¼ cup ground almonds or ground flaxseed
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 cups almond milk
    Optional Add-ins (Use 1 - 1½ cups total)
    • chopped dried fruits raisins, Craisins, dried apricots, dried pineapple, etc.
    • chopped nuts or seeds sunflower seeds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, etc.
    • ginger chips

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375°F | 190°C.

    Make Oatmeal Batter

    • Thoroughly whisk eggs in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in applesauce, mashed banana, honey, and vanilla.
    • Add in oats, ground almonds, ginger, baking powder, salt, and your chosen fruit-nut additions. Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly combine dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
    • Pour in almond milk a little at a time, stirring to combine. Allow the mixture to sit and thicken for 30 minutes.

    1st Bake

    • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the oatmeal mixture evenly over parchment paper.
    • Bake 40 minutes, until the top is slightly golden and it is “bouncy” to the touch. (Like a heavy quick bread.)
      Remove baking sheet from oven and cool the oatmeal "cake" on rack for 20 minutes.

    2nd Bake

    • Use a sharp, wet knife to cut the oatmeal cake into 24 bars.
    • Place half the bars on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space in between each bar.
      Bake bars for another 20 minutes at 375°F | 190°C, turning over halfway through the baking time.
      Hint: If you only have one baking sheet, do the second bake in two batches.
    • Remove from oven and cool completely on cooling rack.
      Store cooled bars in an air-tight container.

    Notes

    If you plan to eat these bars within the week, simply put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For longer storage, wrap bars individually (or better yet, vacuum-seal them) and freeze them.
    Sealed breakfast bars will last up to four months in the freezer. Thaw frozen bars to room temperature whenever you want one. They’re delicious cold, but for a warm breakfast on the go, ten seconds in the microwave makes them even better.

    NOTE: Nutritional analysis DOES NOT INCLUDE optional add-ins.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bar | Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 171mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 44IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    Originally published February 24, 2014. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions for improved reader experience.

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

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    1. Harriet says

      March 06, 2014 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      I made them today, using Ener-G egg substitute and it worked perfectly! I didn't have honey (which also would not strictly be vegan, although I don't actually ban honey for myself) so I used organic sugar. For the goodies I used Craisins, coconut and walnuts. I am so delighted with how it all turned out! So many times healthy baked goodies are a disappointment but this was a keeper.

      Reply
    2. Amanda says

      February 24, 2014 at 11:18 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe because it's so versitile! My kids aren't big banana fans, but I could easily substitute just about any fruit! Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says

      February 24, 2014 at 9:49 pm

      5 stars
      Ahh that morning sounds familiar... 😉 These look great, Renee, and I like that you mention above how it's easy to modify with different flavor combinations.

      Reply
    4. Catherine says

      February 24, 2014 at 2:18 pm

      These look delicious. I struggle to feed myself healthy snacks all day long, as I need to eat a TON while I'm breastfeeding. I'm going to make a batch of these this week!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        February 24, 2014 at 4:24 pm

        I love these bars - enough sweetness to satisfy without being all sugary, and so easy to modify to your own tastes. (One of my favorite combinations is chopped almonds, coconut and nutmeg. Mmmm..)

        Reply
    5. Pech says

      February 24, 2014 at 12:38 pm

      5 stars
      I love that these are yummy cold or warmed up!

      Reply

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