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.
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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
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.
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.
FAQs & Expert Tips
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.
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Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Equipment
- 1 Sharp Knife
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Whisk
Ingredients
- 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
NOTE: Nutritional analysis DOES NOT INCLUDE optional add-ins.
Nutrition
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.
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Originally published February 24, 2014. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions for improved reader experience.
Harriet says
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.
Amanda says
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!
Marlynn @UrbanBlissLife says
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.
Catherine says
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!
Renée ♥ says
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..)
Pech says
I love that these are yummy cold or warmed up!