Baked Oatmeal Bars

Mornings can get hectic, and that’s where these baked oatmeal bars come in handy. Packed with banana and chocolate chips, they’re perfect for those days when you’re running late or need to hand something to the kids as they head out the door. I’m a big fan of oatmeal in the morning, but I know not everyone shares my enthusiasm for a bowl of oats.

That’s why I created these rustic, chewy bars—they’re a hit every time. If your kids are looking for a baking project, these bars are a great choice because they’re hard to mess up.

Why I Love This Recipe

• The chewy and nutty texture of these bars is perfection.
• I love adding one of these oatmeal bars to a bagged lunch.
• These bars are simple to put together with straightforward ingredients.

Ingredients

Here’s a rundown of what’s in these oatmeal bars.

• old-fashioned oats – This give the bars their hearty texture. You will not want to substitute with quick-cooking oats.
• semi-sweet chocolate chips
• milk – I use whole milk for it’s richness, but you can use whatever type of milk or milk alternative you prefer.
• bananas – Bananas are great for natural sweetness and a soft texture.
• cinnamon
• salt
• eggs
• honey – It adds natural sweetness and helps with binding the ingredients together.

How To Make Baked Oatmeal Bars

Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Step One: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Step Two: Grease an 8×8 baking pan and line it with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper hangs over the sides so you can easily lift the bars out later.
• Step Three: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and salt. Just set this aside for now.
• Step Four: In another bowl, mash up the bananas with a fork until you get a chunky puree. Then, mix in the milk, eggs, honey, and vanilla until well combined.
• Step Five: Stir the banana mixture into the oat mixture until everything is nicely blended.
• Step Six: Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center is set.
• Step Seven: Let the bars cool completely before lifting them out of the pan and slicing into nine squares. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

Here are some quick tips to make these bars even better:

• Remember to use old-fashioned oats for a chewy texture. Quick oats don’t hold up well during baking.
• Swap out chocolate chips for dried fruit, nuts, or other flavored chips if you prefer.
• Banana ripeness matters. The ripeness of your bananas affects how sweet the bars turn out.
• Replace honey with 100% maple syrup (not pancake syrup) if needed. Local blackberry honey can add a nice nuance of flavor.
• If you happen to be enjoying one of these bars at home, a little maple syrup poured on top is not a bad thing.

Leftovers and Freezing

Here are some ideas for storing and freezing your oatmeal bars:

• Room Temperature: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
• Refrigeration: For longer freshness, keep them in the fridge for up to two weeks.
• Freezing: To freeze, wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or foil and place them in a freezer bag. They’ll stay good for up to three months.
• Thawing: Thaw frozen bars at room temperature or heat them in the microwave for a few seconds to enjoy them warm.

More Lunch Box Bars 

• Reese’s Pieces Bars
• Peanut Butter Cheerios Bars

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Print

Baked Oatmeal Bars

These baked oatmeal bars were made to be something special, with a moist, creamy interior and just the right amount of breakfast-friendly sweetness.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Baked Oatmeal Bars

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 9 bars

Calories 273kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking pan 8x8
• parchment paper
• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowls

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 3 bananas, smashed
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease and line a baking pan (8 x 8) with parchment paper. (Make sure the parchment paper hangs over the side of the pan so can easily lift the bars out of the pan.)
  cooking spray
• In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, chocolate chips, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
  3 cups old-fashioned oats, 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 tsps ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp table salt
• In a medium bowl, combine smashed bananas (smash with a fork into a chunky puree), milk, eggs, honey and vanilla. Mix well. Add to the oats mixture and combine until well incorporated.
  3 bananas, smashed, 1 cup whole milk, 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup honey, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pour oat mixture into prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until edges are golden and the center is set.
• Cool completely before lifting out of the pan and slicing into nine squares.

Notes

For optimal outcomes when making these baked oatmeal bars, I recommended referring to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition

Serving: 129g | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 6.9g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 157mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 30IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg

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