Try this recipe for easy oatmeal bars your whole family will love! These healthy oatmeal breakfast bars are wholesome and delicious with no processed sugar.
Excellent for an on-the-go breakfast on busy mornings, post-workout, or a great snack idea!
Everyone who tries this recipe says this is one of the best homemade oatmeal bars EVER! If you want a healthy snack or breakfast idea that is healthy and yummy, this Oven Baked Oatmeal Bar recipe is wonderful.
We love Healthy Oatmeal Bars around here!! They're perfectly baked and soft and chewy. They require simple pantry ingredients and are a great grab-and-go snack.
This recipe takes only a few ingredients and is customizable with your preference for yummy add-ins. {Tip - Oatmeal Squares are also good with vanilla ice cream 🙂 }
We're also fans of Strawberry Oatmeal Bars and Blueberry Oatmeal Bars. The fruit makes them taste like a baked crisp but so much healthier!
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Ingredient Notes
- Melted butter - the butter gives these bars a nice rich flavor, but you can also use coconut oil.
- Honey - you use honey in place of processed white sugar. Agave or maple syrup can also be used as a sweetener.
- Eggs - eggs act as a binder in the recipe, and large eggs are best.
- Baking soda
- Salt - we like sea salt or pink Himalayan salt.
- Pure vanilla extract - we always say the better the ingredients, the better the end result 😉
- Old-fashioned oats - traditional oats bake up the best for a chewy texture. Quick oats tend to get too dense.
- Whole wheat flour - you can use all-purpose flour or a combination of whole wheat and white flour.
If you prefer a moist bar, add ½ cup of apple sauce to the wet ingredients.
Variations
VEGAN: Make the bars vegan by replacing the egg with a flax egg, using maple syrup, not honey, and substituting coconut oil for the butter.
GLUTEN-FREE: Make the bars GF by using certified gluten-free oats and using a 1:1 flour substitute.
Add-ins
The possibilities for tasty add-ins for this soft-baked oatmeal breakfast bar recipe are endless!
Try any dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.), cinnamon or nutmeg, shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks, caramel, chia seeds, nuts like walnuts or pecans, and M&Ms will all work!
You can also drizzle some pure maple syrup over the top for a real treat!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Seriously, you can treat yourself to this wonderful and wholesome Oat Bar Recipe with one bowl and one pan.
1.) LINE YOUR PAN - In the first step, line your 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper. This makes it easy to get your oat bars out when they're done cooking. Now, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2.) COMBINE INGREDIENTS - Combine melted organic butter and honey (or sugar if using) in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, baking soda, salt, and vanilla, mixing well. Add the oats and flour (dry ingredients) and mix until well combined. (Add any optional mix-ins. See recipe notes for suggestions.)
Pro Tip: spray your measuring cup with non-stick spray before putting your honey in - it will slide right out!
3.) BAKE - Press the easy oat bars into your lined baking dish. Finally, bake your bars in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the center is set and the outside is golden brown.
Your whole house should smell wonderful at this point!
Tips & Tricks
- This recipe is best if you use old-fashioned oats, not instant oats. It will get too dense otherwise.
- We like using the healthy option of whole wheat flour, but regular flour or a combination of the two will also work.
- These bars aren't too sweet because you make them with honey, so bake them with brown sugar if you prefer a sweeter recipe.
- Some readers prefer these baked oatmeal bars to be thinner. If you do, too, use a 9x9-inch square pan.
- Readers like to substitute ½ of the butter with coconut oil and have good results. We use organic butter, which gives the best flavor!
- If you prefer a moist bar, add ½ cup of apple sauce to the wet ingredients.
Every oven cooks differently. Your cooking time may vary.
Tips for Storing
To Freeze: Bake your bars as directed and allow your healthy oatmeal bars to cool completely. Cut into bars, then wrap individually in foil or plastic. Place wrapped bars in a freezer bag for later.
Thaw for at least one hour at room temperature before eating.
To Store: Layer the homemade bars between waxed paper in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Bring back to room temperature before serving.
You can wrap individual bars in plastic wrap for lunches.
The Benefits of Oatmeal
Did you know? Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. Cool, huh! They're a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and heart-healthy!
Recipe FAQs
Oatmeal Bars are healthy because they contain fiber from the oats that fill you up and help reduce cholesterol. You make these bars with no processed sugar and whole wheat flour, so they're wholesome and delicious.
Cook oatmeal bars in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the middle is cooked through.
Yes, you can absolutely substitute coconut oil for butter in this recipe.
More Oatmeal Recipes
Crockpot Oatmeal - hearty and filling and made overnight in your slow cooker.
Baked Oatmeal Cups - packed with blueberries, these bites of goodness are perfect for meal prep.
Blueberry Crockpot Oatmeal - is a family-favorite recipe bursting with blueberries that takes only 5 minutes to prep.
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars - yep, we added ripe bananas and created one delicious bar!
If you love healthy baked oatmeal bars, try these:
Enjoy one of these recipes with a cup of milk.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars make a great snack for the peanut butter lover!
Cherry Oatmeal Streusel Bar - So, so good! They go great with coffee.
Chocolate Oatmeal Bars - Two great tastes in one!
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Printable Recipe
Easy Oatmeal Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 8x8 pan
- Spatula
- mixing bowl
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup organic melted butter (2 sticks)
- ½ cup honey (or ¾ cup brown sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats (not instant)
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or a combo of white and whole wheat depending on your preference)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and position oven rack to middle position.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, baking soda, salt, and vanilla, mixing well. Add in oats and flour and mix until well combined. (Add any optional mix-ins. See notes for suggestions)
- Spread mixture in a parchment-lined 8x8 inch baking dish. Bake in a 350° F oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We updated the images for this recipe on February 28, 2018.
Mindy says
I also wanted to add, I do half butter, half coconut oil. I have done all coconut oil in the past and it was just fine as well
Erin Henry says
Thanks for sharing!
McKell says
These are amazing. I used half coconut oil and half butter and the sweetener was 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup. Everyone loves them!
Erin Henry says
This is one of our most popular recipes, for good reason! It can be customized to your taste and everyone loves it!
Abigail says
These are just oatmeal cookies haha. I should have realized with the flour and eggs but it was t until the end that I had just made cookies 😅
Erin Henry says
This recipe has whole grains and no refined sugar, so a bit healthier than a cookie.
Annie M. says
These look delicious, but a bit too high in fat for us. Can unsweetened applesauce be used in place of half of the butter?
Erin Henry says
Although we haven't tried it, applesauce has worked in similar recipes to reduce the fat, so seems like it would work here. Let us know how it goes!
Andrea says
Could I reduce the amount of honey used in this recipe? I would like them to be less sweet but do not want to alter the texture/quality of the bar.
Erin Henry says
Hi Andrea, this recipe is not very sweet as is, but you're certainly welcome to reduce the amount of honey. I would maybe substitute some sugarless apple sauce for the honey you leave out to make sure they don't get too dry. Let me know how it goes.
Roberta says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I make this all the time now, with Einkorn flour, adding in unsweetened coconut and chocolate chips. My husband eats these for breakfast now. Thank you!
Erin Henry says
We love hearing how much you enjoy the recipe, Roberta! Thanks for the 5-star review! Eat the recipe in good health, Erin