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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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 granola bars.
This Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bar recipe makes a half-sheetpan full of soft, chewy oatmeal breakfast bars. Loaded with coconut, fruits, seeds, warm spices, and rolled oats, these bars healthy protein and complex carbohydrates with just the right amount of sweetness. They are naturally gluten-free and dairy-free; plus, they fit right in your hand for a healthy breakfast on-the-go.
Wrap these breakfast bars individually (or, better yet, vacuum-seal them) and freeze them; then thaw to room temperature whenever you want one. For a warm breakfast on the go, ten seconds in the microwave makes them even better. Sealed breakfast bars will last up to four months in the freezer.
Post Updated August 21, 2019 (Originally published February 24, 2014)
Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1 large banana mashed
- ½ cup honey
- 5 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¼ cup ground almonds or ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger optional: I love ginger!
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups almond milk
Optional Breakfast Bar Add-ins
- ¼ cup coconut
- ¼ cup small or chopped dried fruit golden raisins, Craisins, chopped dried apricots, etc.
- ¼ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup anything else that sounds good nuts, seeds, dried fruits, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F [190°C].
- Mix eggs, vanilla, applesauce, banana and honey together in a bowl.
- Add in oats, ground almonds, ginger, baking powder, salt and and “optional additions” you choose, mix well with wet ingredients.
- Pour in almond milk and stir combine. Set on counter for 15 minutes to allow the mixture to thicken slightly.
- Line a large jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spread mixture evenly over parchment paper.
- Bake 1 hour, or until the top is slightly golden and it is “bouncy” to the touch. (Like a heavy quick bread.)
- Remove bars from oven and cool on rack for 30 minutes, or until completely cool. Cut into bars.
- To store, wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap (or vacuum-seal them) and freeze.
Notes
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.
Haven you tried Uncle Uncle David’s Hearty Breakfast Granola? This delicious, slow-baked granola contains no added fats, no sweets, and is naturally vegan and gluten-free.
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I love that these are yummy cold or warmed up!
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!
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..)
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.
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!
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.