Easy Baked Oatmeal Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Naturally Sweetened)
These baked oatmeal bars are like a mix between a bowl of oatmeal, a muffin and one of these banana oatcakes. They’re portable, golden on the outside, soft in the center and irresistibly sweet. You won’t believe they’re made without any refined sugars, eggs or dairy!
Baked oatmeal bars: easier than oatmeal
When Juniper was a toddler, she refused to use silverware. Instead, she would grab a handful of food and fist-stuff it into her mouth (that girl could fit her ENTIRE FIST in her mouth!). For a while breakfast was a bit of a struggle as we often had oatmeal on weekdays (when the muffin stash ran out), but she refused to eat it out of a bowl with a spoon. One day I slopped it onto a plate, and voila! She devoured the entire thing using her fingers. From then on we started serving her oatmeal on a plate, which she ate by the handful. As you can imagine, this wasn't the cleanest of eating methods, and we often sent her off to school with oat-encrusted hair and clothes.
After a couple of months a light bulb went off in my head: what if I converted her morning oatmeal into bar form? And that, my friends, is how this recipe was born.
Vegan baked oatmeal bars
These vegan baked oatmeal bars are flavored with berries, cinnamon, cardamom, bananas, coconut oil and a touch of maple syrup. They're naturally vegan and gluten-free (just be sure to use gluten-free oats). I suspect a handful of chopped nuts would be awesome, but my kids are usually “anti-nut” in baked goods (bah!). The bars hold hold their shape thanks to an extra dose of chia and flax seeds, which also provide an excellent source of protein and fiber.
How to make easy oatmeal bars
These oatmeal bars are a breeze to throw together, especially since we usually have all of the ingredients on hand. The oats and seeds are combined with the spices, to which you add coconut oil and boiling water. The hot water helps to soften the oats and gel the seeds (flax seeds and chia seeds are both excellent thickeners and help "stick" the bars together).
From there you stir in mashed banana, maple syrup and berries. I usually use frozen wild blueberries and raspberries, which we always have in the freezer, but you could use fresh berries instead.
How to store and serve baked oatmeal bars
The oatmeal bars are a fantastic make-ahead breakfast since they can be refrigerated all week or even frozen for a few months. The bars are fabulous warm or at room temperature. Juni and Ella take theirs plain on a plate, and James likes his warmed in a bowl, drizzled with milk and maple syrup. As for me, I prefer to heat up the bars in the toaster oven until crispy around the edges to eat as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. I’ve also been known to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, but please, please don’t tell my kids. ☺️
Oatmeal bar tips
- Be sure to use gluten-free rolled oats like these if you can't eat gluten.
- Instead of using eggs, these bars are bound with chia seeds and ground flax seeds (which are also a great source of fiber and protein!). If you have the space, store your seeds in the refrigerator or freezer to extend their shelf life.
- I use virgin coconut oil in these bars, which provides a lovely flavor and healthy fats. However, you could use ghee or butter instead.
- It's important to cover the oat mixture and let it sit for 5-10 minutes after adding the boiling water. This will activate the thickening power of the oats and seeds.
- Feel free to swap in honey in place of the maple syrup.
- I usually use frozen wild blueberries and raspberries in these bars, since I always have them on hand, but you could use fresh berries instead!
- A few readers have baked the oatmeal bars in greased muffin tins with success!! Check them early, as they will cook faster.
Other make-ahead breakfasts to try:
Watch the video!
Get the recipe
Baked Oatmeal Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, plus more for pan
- 3 cups (270g / 9.5oz) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons (28g / 1oz) chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons (23g / 0.8oz) ground flax seeds (flaxseed meal)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt* (see notes)
- 2 medium ripe bananas, peeled
- ¼ cup (85g / 3oz) maple syrup
- 1-1 ¼ cups fresh or frozen wild blueberries and/or raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish generously with coconut oil.
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
- In a heatproof bowl combine the oats, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. Stir to combine. Plop in 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mash the bananas using a fork until mostly smooth. Stir in the maple syrup.
- Pour the banana mixture over the oats (which will be quite clumpy at this point) and stir well to combine. Fold in the berries.
- Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish and bake 30 minutes, or until golden on top and around the edges. Let cool 5-10 minutes (the longer it cools, the easier it will be to cut). Cut into bars and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Be sure to use gluten-free rolled oats like these if you can't eat gluten.
- I cook with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is less salty than Morton's (due to its shape). If you use Morton's kosher salt, cut the quantity back to 1 tsp.
- Instead of using eggs, these bars are bound with chia seeds and ground flax seeds (which are also a great source of fiber and protein!). If you have the space, store your seeds in the refrigerator or freezer to extend their shelf life.
- I use virgin coconut oil in these bars, which provides a lovely flavor and healthy fats. However, you could use ghee or butter instead.
- It's important to cover the oat mixture and let it sit for 5-10 minutes after adding the boiling water. This will activate the thickening power of the oats and seeds.
- Feel free to swap in honey in place of the maple syrup.
- I usually use frozen wild blueberries and raspberries in these bars, since I always have them on hand, but you could use fresh berries instead!
- A few readers have baked the oatmeal bars in greased muffin tins with success!! Check them early, as they will cook faster.
This is a great recipe! My son eats an insane amount at daycare and I'm running out of ideas ... but these are easy to pack, full of good stuff, and delicious, so they're perfect for lunchboxes. (And they're good for me too!) Thank you 🙂
Thank you so much for your comment, and I love that you send them for lunch!
Hello - really excited to try this recipe. I don;t see the measurement for boiling water - how much shall I use?
Thanks
xx
Hi there! You'll need 2 cups of boiling water (it's included in the Instructions). I hope you like the bars!
Hi there!
I’m looking to add peanut butter to these (and I can’t use chia :/) how would you recommend amending the recipe for this? Thanks so much!!
Hi there! I would suggest swapping out the chia seeds for 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter (or more to taste). I haven't tested the recipe with peanut butter so can't guarantee the results, but I think it would taste great! Let me know if you give it a go. 🙂
So I made it in cupcake tin and I love it ? Perfect for on-the-go breakfast. Thank you ?
Wonderful! Thank you so much for reporting back. I'll add a note to the recipe. 🙂
Hello, could I bake this oatmeal in cupcake pan or is it better to use normal baking dish?
Hi, while I haven't tested this recipe in a cupcake tin, I have had a reader use one with success! If you try it, be sure to oil the tin well, and to check the oatmeal bars early, as the cooking time will be shorter. Keep me posted!
Hi! I have a blend of ground chia, flax, and hemp. Would I do 6 tablespoons, or just 3 tablespoons? Thanks!
Hi Maria,
Sorry for the delay in response (we just got home from camping)! I would try 4 tablespoons of the ground mix. That should work, but if the bars are a bit loose go for 5 tablespoons next time. Let me know how the bars turn out, and I hope you like them!
5
4.5
Is there anything I could substitute for oil in this recipe? What if I omit it all together?
Made this today and it was really great! A nice balace of sweet and tartness. I did throw some chopped nuts in the batter and enjoyed the crunch.
Hi Karen, I'm so glad you enjoyed!!
Hi, Nicki, just like Karen, I wanted some nuts in it, almonds is my choice. How much almonds do you recommend I put in just so it doesn't become too loose and crumbly . . and do I chop the nuts or leave them whole? Can't wait to try this recipe. It sounds yum!
Thanks, Nicki?
Hi there! I think nuts would be a fantastic addition. The recipe is quite forgiving, but I'd aim for about 1/3 cup of chopped nuts. I hope you enjoy!
Hi Nicki
Thank you for the recipes! Are you able to provide calorie content for Baked Oatmeal Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)?
Thank you
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for your comment! I don't do calorie counts on my recipes, but I believe that there are online services that will do this for you if you input the ingredients and amounts. Happy cooking!
If I wanted to add eggs what do you suggest I eliminate from your recipe?
Hi Sarah,
Hmm, I would try cutting back the chia seeds and flax seeds to 1 tablespoon each. I think you could get away with adding 2 eggs, but trust your judgement according to the texture. Please let me know how they turn out, and good luck!!
Nicki,
I can't wait to try these and that picture of Juni could sell even shoe leather. So adorable!
Awww, thank you, Sandy! Can't wait for you to finally meet her next weekend!
It came out so yummy! Thank you for sharing. I also added some sliced almonds and desicated coconut for a bit of crunch. My family loved it.
I'm so happy to hear that your family loved it! The sliced almonds and dried coconut are a fantastic addition. 🙂