Blueberry Oat Bars

Indulge in these incredible flourless Blueberry Oatmeal Bars, a delightful gluten-free treat that’s both soft and wonderfully chewy. Each bar is generously packed with wholesome oats and sweet dried blueberries, then elegantly finished with a luscious vanilla glaze. Perfect for any time of day, these bars offer a delicious and nutritious option for breakfast, a quick snack, or even a healthier dessert.

Your Go-To Wholesome Snack and Breakfast Delight!

These blueberry oatmeal bars are not just incredibly soft and chewy; they are truly bursting with the vibrant flavor of sweet-tart dried blueberries. Imagine the best qualities of a soft granola bar combined with the comforting texture of a warm bowl of oatmeal, all in one convenient, handheld square. They are thick, satisfyingly chewy, and made with better-for-you ingredients, making them an excellent choice for anyone seeking a healthy yet delicious snack.

Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast on a busy morning, a healthy pick-me-up during your day, or a guilt-free sweet treat, these bars fit the bill perfectly. For those mindful of their sugar intake, simply omit the sweet vanilla glaze for a lower-sugar version without sacrificing flavor or texture. These bars are a testament to how wholesome can also be wonderfully delicious and easy to prepare.

Effortless Preparation: How To Make These Delicious Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Crafting these delectable blueberry oatmeal bars is surprisingly simple, requiring minimal effort and common kitchen ingredients. Follow these straightforward steps to bring this wholesome treat to life:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry and wet ingredients for the oatmeal bars, reserving the dried blueberries for a later step.
2. Mix these ingredients thoroughly until they are well combined and form a cohesive batter, ensuring no dry spots remain.
3. Gently fold in the dried blueberries, distributing them evenly throughout the mixture to ensure every bite is packed with fruity flavor.
4. Transfer the prepared batter into an 8×8 inch baking pan that has been properly lined, spreading it out evenly.
5. Bake the bars until the edges achieve a beautiful golden-brown hue and the center feels firm to the touch.
6. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing and, if desired, drizzling with the optional sweet vanilla glaze.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

The magic of these bars lies in a carefully selected blend of wholesome ingredients that contribute to their unique texture and flavor. Each component plays a crucial role in creating a balanced and satisfying snack:

• Old Fashioned Oats: These are the backbone of our bars, providing a hearty, chewy texture and rich fiber content. It’s crucial to use old-fashioned (rolled) oats, as quick oats can result in a mushy texture, and steel-cut oats will remain too hard.
• Oat Flour: This finely ground oat flour adds structure and helps bind the bars together without the need for traditional wheat flour, making them naturally gluten-free. No need to purchase it; you can easily make your own by blending quick or old-fashioned oats into a fine powder.
• Cinnamon: A warm, aromatic spice that beautifully complements the blueberries and oats, adding a comforting depth of flavor. Adjust the amount to your personal preference for a subtle hint or a more pronounced spice.
• Salt: Just a touch of salt is essential. It enhances all the other flavors, making the sweet and tart notes of the blueberries truly pop.
• Peanut Butter: Creamy peanut butter not only contributes to the rich, chewy texture but also adds a delicious nutty flavor and healthy fats. For those with peanut allergies or different preferences, creamy almond butter is an excellent alternative.
• Coconut Oil: This ingredient is key to keeping the bars wonderfully soft and moist, preventing them from becoming dry or crumbly. It also imparts a subtle, pleasant coconut aroma and flavor.
• Honey: Serving as the primary natural sweetener, honey provides a lovely depth of flavor and contributes to the bars’ chewiness. Its natural sugars are a healthier alternative to refined options. Explore the health benefits of honey here.
• Light Brown Sugar: A touch of light brown sugar adds additional sweetness and a hint of molasses flavor, further enhancing the overall taste. Using just 1/3 cup helps make the bars sweeter while preventing them from becoming overly sticky.
• Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract elevates the flavor profile, adding a warm, aromatic note that rounds out the sweetness and complements the other ingredients.
• Egg + Egg Yolk: The combination of a whole egg and an extra egg yolk is vital for binding the bars together, ensuring they hold their shape beautifully. It also contributes to their rich flavor and tender texture. The leftover egg white can be used in other recipes, such as these spinach and feta wraps.
• Dried Blueberries: These are the star fruit of our bars, providing bursts of sweet-tart flavor and a delightful chewiness. It’s essential to use dried blueberries; fresh or frozen berries would introduce too much moisture, potentially making the bars soggy.

DIY Oat Flour: Simple & Quick

Don’t have oat flour on hand? No problem! Making your own oat flour is incredibly easy and quick, ensuring you can whip up these blueberry oatmeal bars in no time. All you need are standard oats and a blender or food processor:

1. Take your preferred type of oats—either old-fashioned (rolled) oats or quick oats—and place them into the bowl of your food processor or a small, high-powered blender jar.
2. Pulse the oats repeatedly. Continue pulsing until they are ground down into a fine, powder-like consistency that closely resembles traditional flour.
3. Stir the oats around periodically, if necessary, to ensure all the oats are finely ground. This helps to prevent any larger, unground oat pieces from being left behind.
4. It’s important to **measure** your oat flour *after* it has been processed into a fine powder, not before. The volume of whole oats will differ from the volume of oat flour, so measuring after grinding ensures precise recipe adherence.

Expert Tips for Perfect Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Achieving perfectly baked, soft, and delicious blueberry oatmeal bars is easy with a few key tips in mind. These pointers will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your bars turn out just right every time:

• Always Line the Pan: This is arguably the most crucial tip for easy removal. Use parchment paper to line your 8×8-inch baking pan, ensuring there’s an overhang on all sides. These bars tend to be quite sticky, and without parchment paper, they can be nearly impossible to remove neatly. The overhang acts as handles, allowing you to lift the entire batch out effortlessly.
• Patience is Key: Cool Completely: It’s tempting to cut into these delicious bars right out of the oven, but resist the urge! When hot, the bars are quite gooey and crumbly, making them difficult to slice and handle. As they cool, their structure firms up, becoming perfectly chewy and holding their shape. Additionally, if you plan to add the vanilla glaze, applying it to warm bars will cause it to melt and create a messy, unappealing drizzle.
• Do Not Over-bake: Over-baking is the enemy of a soft and chewy oatmeal bar. Remove the bars from the oven as soon as the edges appear lightly golden brown and the center looks set. The center may still appear a tiny bit wet or soft, but if it no longer jiggles when gently nudged, it’s done. Remember, the bars will continue to cook slightly from residual heat as they cool and will firm up significantly. Over-baking will result in dry, hard bars.

Optimal Storage for Freshness & Enjoyment

To keep your blueberry oatmeal bars tasting their best, proper storage is essential. Following these guidelines will ensure they remain fresh, soft, and delicious for days, or even weeks if frozen:

Store your freshly baked blueberry oatmeal bars in an airtight bag or container at room temperature. Placed on the countertop, they will maintain their optimal freshness and delightful texture for 2-3 days. While they are still enjoyable beyond this period, their peak flavor and softness will begin to diminish.

For longer preservation, these bars freeze beautifully. Leftovers can be frozen and later thawed to enjoy as a convenient treat. To freeze, individually wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap. This step prevents freezer burn and keeps them from sticking together. Once individually wrapped, place the bars in a single layer (or separated by parchment paper) within an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply remove the desired number of bars from the freezer and let them thaw at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or warm them slightly in the microwave for a few seconds for a freshly baked feel.

Explore More Healthy & Delicious Snack Ideas:

If you loved these blueberry oatmeal bars, you’re in for a treat! Discover other fantastic recipes designed to be both nourishing and incredibly tasty, perfect for any time you crave a wholesome snack:

• Chocolate Energy Bites: Packed with flavor and protein powder, these bites are a perfect energy booster.
• No-Bake Granola Bars: Effortlessly easy to make and finished with a rich dark chocolate drizzle.
• Healthy No-Bake Cookies: A quick and satisfying cookie option featuring creamy peanut butter.
• Healthy Blueberry Muffins: Made with the secret ingredient, Greek yogurt, for extra moisture and protein.
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars: A delightful twist on oatmeal bars with a rich peanut butter flavor.

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

By Chelsea Lords

These flourless, naturally gluten-free blueberry oatmeal bars are incredibly soft, chewy, and bursting with the goodness of oats and sweet dried blueberries. Crafted with wholesome ingredients, they’re perfected with an optional sweet vanilla glaze!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Video

Watch how to make these delicious bars!

Equipment

• 8 x 8-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Blender or Food Processor

Ingredients

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup oat flour (oats that have been blended into a powder)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar (lightly packed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk (save the whites for another recipe or discard them)
• 3/4 cup dried blueberries

Glaze (Optional)

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/16 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 tablespoon milk (any milk works; whole milk was used here)

Instructions

For the bars:

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring a generous overhang on all sides. This makes removing the sticky bars much easier.
2. To prepare oat flour, simply place old-fashioned or quick oats into a blender or food processor. Pulse until they achieve a fine, flour-like consistency. Measure the oat flour *after* blending to ensure you have the precise amount required.
3. In a large bowl, combine all the oatmeal bar ingredients except for the dried blueberries. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined. Gently fold in the dried blueberries. Transfer the entire batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly.
4. Bake for 23–26 minutes, or until the edges are nicely set and lightly browned. The center might still appear slightly moist, but if it doesn’t jiggle when gently shaken, the bars are done. They will continue to firm up considerably as they cool. Be careful not to overbake, as this can lead to dry bars.

For the vanilla drizzle:

1. In a medium bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients. Begin by adding only 1/2 tablespoon of milk. Whisk briskly until a very thick, smooth glaze forms. If the glaze is too thick, gradually add up to 3/4 tablespoon of milk, a tiny bit at a time, until you reach your desired drizzling consistency.
2. For easy application, transfer the prepared glaze to a plastic resealable bag. Snip off a very tiny corner of the bag. Once the baked bars have completely cooled to room temperature, drizzle the vanilla glaze decoratively over them.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Gluten-Free Assurance: While these blueberry oatmeal bars are inherently flourless and thus naturally gluten-free, it is crucial to verify that all individual ingredients you use (especially oats, which can be cross-contaminated) are certified gluten-free. This ensures they haven’t been processed in facilities that also handle gluten-containing products, which is important for individuals with celiac disease or severe gluten sensitivities.

Storage Guidelines: Store these delicious blueberry oatmeal bars in an airtight container or bag at room temperature. For the best taste and texture, consume them within 2 to 3 days of baking. For longer storage, these bars freeze exceptionally well. To freeze, individually wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap, then place the wrapped bars into an airtight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag. Frozen bars can be kept for up to 2-3 months and thawed at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy a quick, wholesome snack.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 207 kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.6g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 9.1g | Cholesterol: 23.3mg | Sodium: 41.8mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 19.3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.