Wholesome Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These gluten-free Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are incredibly chewy, bursting with flavor, and made with wholesome ingredients. Packed with nutrient-rich oats, creamy nut butter, and delightful dark chocolate, they offer the perfect grab-and-go solution for busy mornings or a satisfying snack any time of day. Say goodbye to store-bought bars and hello to a homemade treat that nourishes your body and delights your taste buds!

Your Ultimate Grab-and-Go Breakfast Solution

My family absolutely adores these Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, and I’m confident yours will too. They are the ideal choice for a quick, nourishing breakfast or a convenient, energizing snack. What makes them so special? Beyond their incredible taste, they’re crafted with simple, wholesome ingredients that leave you feeling full and satisfied for longer. Imagine the comforting texture of a soft granola bar combined with the hearty goodness of a warm bowl of oatmeal – that’s precisely what you get with every bite.

The magic behind their sustained energy comes from the powerful combination of fiber-rich oats and protein-packed nut butter. This dynamic duo works wonders in keeping hunger at bay, making these bars an excellent choice for anyone looking for a breakfast that truly fuels their day. Forget the morning rush; with a batch of these prepped, you’re just moments away from a wholesome start.

Effortless Preparation: How to Make Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

You’ll be delighted to discover just how incredibly simple these bars are to make. This recipe is a true one-bowl wonder, designed for maximum flavor with minimal fuss. In just minutes, you can have your batter ready and baking, transforming simple ingredients into a delicious, healthy treat. Here’s a quick overview of the straightforward process:

1. **Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients:** In a large mixing bowl, bring together all your measured ingredients, excluding only the dark chocolate. Give them a good stir until everything is uniformly combined and the batter looks smooth.
2. **Add Chocolate (or your favorite mix-ins!):** Take your dark chocolate (or other desired additions like nuts or dried fruit) and coarsely chop them. The goal is to have delightful chunks distributed throughout, ensuring a burst of flavor in every single bite. Fold these into the batter.
3. **Prepare for Baking:** Once your batter is perfectly mixed, transfer it to an 8×8-inch baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper. This parchment paper is crucial for easy removal, so make sure to leave a slight overhang on the sides.
4. **Bake to Perfection:** Pop the pan into your preheated oven and bake until the edges are beautifully golden brown and the center feels firm to the touch. Remember, they will continue to set as they cool, so avoid overbaking to maintain that signature soft and chewy texture.

The Star Ingredients of Your Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Each ingredient in this recipe plays a vital role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor, texture, and nutritional value. Understanding why each component is chosen will not only enhance your baking experience but also allow for informed substitutions if needed.

• Old-fashioned oats: These are the backbone of our bars, providing that essential chewy texture and wholesome foundation. Opting for old-fashioned (rolled) oats is key because quick oats are too finely processed, which can lead to dry bars. Steel-cut oats, on the other hand, won’t soften sufficiently during baking, resulting in a tough texture.
• Oat flour: This adds a lovely tenderness and helps bind the bars without introducing gluten. The best part? You don’t need to buy specialty flour! You can easily make your own oat flour at home using either quick or old-fashioned oats. We’ll delve into how to do this simple trick below.
• Cinnamon: A pinch of ground cinnamon beautifully complements the earthy notes of the oats, adding a warm, inviting aroma and subtle spice. While highly recommended for an extra layer of flavor, it’s completely optional if cinnamon isn’t to your liking.
• Salt: Just a half teaspoon of salt is crucial for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the delicious flavors in these Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. Don’t skip it; it truly makes a difference!
• Peanut butter: Beyond its delightful creamy texture and rich flavor, peanut butter acts as a key binding agent, contributing significantly to the bars’ structure and stability. It also boosts the protein content, helping to make these bars more filling. Feel free to use your favorite nut butter, such as almond or cashew, for a different flavor profile.
• Coconut oil: Melted coconut oil adds a touch of natural sweetness, a subtle tropical flavor, and much-needed moisture, ensuring your bars are tender and never dry. If you’re not a fan of coconut, a neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil can be substituted.
• Honey: I prefer to sweeten these bars primarily with honey, a natural sweetener that provides a lovely depth of flavor and a soft chewiness. Natural sweeteners are always a fantastic choice for healthier baking.
• Light brown sugar: While honey provides a great base sweetness, a touch of light brown sugar adds additional sweetness and moisture without making the batter too wet, which can happen if relying solely on honey for all the sweetness. It also contributes to that desirable soft-baked texture.
• Vanilla extract: A teaspoon of vanilla extract brings a wonderful aromatic warmth and subtle complexity that enhances all the other flavors without overpowering them. It’s a small addition that makes a big impact.
• Egg + egg yolk: The large egg serves multiple purposes: it provides essential structure to the batter, helping to hold the bars together, and contributes to both flavor and protein. The addition of an extra egg yolk further enriches the bars, adding tenderness and a slightly richer taste. Don’t discard those leftover egg whites! They can be used in other recipes, like a quick omelet or a meringue.
• Dark chocolate chips: Dark chocolate isn’t just a delicious indulgence; it also boasts fantastic health benefits, including being rich in antioxidants. If dark chocolate isn’t your preference, feel free to use milk or semi-sweet chocolate, though this might slightly alter the nutritional profile. Alternatively, consider adding chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or even white chocolate chips for a different twist.

DIY Oat Flour: Quick and Easy

Making your own oat flour is surprisingly simple and a great way to ensure freshness and control over your ingredients. You can whip up a batch in mere moments using either old-fashioned or quick oats. This homemade version is perfect for these breakfast bars and many other gluten-free baking endeavors.

1. **Choose Your Oats:** Select either old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats. Avoid instant oats (which are too processed) and steel-cut oats (which are too hard and won’t blend into a fine flour).
2. **Blend Until Fine:** Place the desired amount of oats into the bowl of a food processor or a high-speed blender.
3. **Pulse to Perfection:** Pulse the oats repeatedly until they transform into a fine, powdery consistency that closely resembles regular wheat flour. Take your time to ensure all oats are finely ground.
4. **Check for Consistency:** If needed, pause and stir the oats around with a spoon to ensure all larger pieces come into contact with the blades and are finely processed.
5. **Measure Accurately:** This is a crucial step! Always measure your oat flour *after* you have blended it. The volume of whole oats will differ from that of ground oat flour.

Expert Tips for Perfect Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Achieving perfectly chewy and delicious oatmeal bars is easy with a few simple tricks. These tips will help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure your bars come out just right every single time.

• **Line Your Pan for Effortless Removal:** This batter is delightfully sticky, which makes for a great chewy bar, but can be a challenge to remove from the pan. To save yourself frustration, always line your 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Make sure to leave a generous overhang on the sides – these “handles” will allow you to easily lift the entire slab of baked bars out of the pan. If parchment paper isn’t available, grease your pan exceptionally well, though removal will be trickier.
• **Patience is a Virtue: Let Them Cool Completely:** We know the aroma of freshly baked oatmeal bars can be incredibly tempting! However, resisting the urge to cut into them straight out of the oven is key. When hot, these bars are quite crumbly and a bit gooey. As they cool down to room temperature, they will firm up considerably, making them much easier to slice into neat, perfect squares for serving.
• **The Golden Rule: Do Not Overbake!** This is perhaps the most important tip for maintaining that coveted soft and chewy texture. Keep a close eye on your bars as they bake. They are done when the edges appear lightly golden brown and set. The center may still look slightly soft, even a little wet or gooey – and that’s perfectly fine! As long as the bars don’t visibly jiggle when you gently shake the pan, they are ready to come out. Overbaking is the quickest way to turn soft, tender bars into dry, hard hockey pucks. Trust the process, and err on the side of underbaking if you’re unsure.

Explore More Healthy Breakfast Delights

If you loved these Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, you’re in for a treat! We have a curated collection of other wholesome and delicious breakfast recipes that are perfect for busy mornings or leisurely weekends. Dive into these family favorites:

• Healthy Breakfast Cookies: A delightful no-bake option for a quick, sweet start to your day.
• How to Make Oatmeal: Master the art of the perfect bowl of oatmeal with four delicious flavor variations.
• Yogurt Bowl: Get inspired with eight creative and tasty ways to customize your healthy yogurt bowl.
• Peanut Butter Overnight Oats: A reader favorite that combines convenience with the irresistible flavors of peanut butter and chocolate.
• Acai Bowl: Discover four vibrant and refreshing acai bowl recipes, perfect for a nutritious and delicious boost.

Average Rating: 4.71 from 54 votes

Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

By Chelsea Lords

These gluten-free Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are super chewy and packed with oats, nut butter, and dark chocolate. Made with wholesome ingredients, they’re the perfect grab-and-go breakfast for busy mornings!

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Video Tutorial

For a visual guide, check out our video demonstrating how to make these delicious Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars.

Equipment Needed

• 8 x 8-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Large mixing bowl
• Food processor or blender (for oat flour)

Ingredients

This recipe yields 12 delicious bars. Adjust serving size for more or fewer bars.

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup oat flour (finely ground oats, see note on how to make your own)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional, but highly recommended)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter of choice)
• 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)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (coarsely chopped for best distribution)

Instructions

1. **Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan:** Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring there is an overhang on two sides. This is essential for easy removal of the baked bars.
2. **Make Oat Flour (if needed):** If you don’t have oat flour, place old-fashioned or quick oats into a blender or food processor. Pulse until they achieve a fine, flour-like consistency. Measure the required 1/3 cup *after* blending.
3. **Combine Ingredients:** In a large mixing bowl, combine the old-fashioned oats, oat flour, cinnamon, salt, creamy peanut butter, melted coconut oil, honey, light brown sugar, vanilla extract, large egg, and egg yolk. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and the batter is smooth.
4. **Add Chocolate:** Coarsely chop the dark chocolate chips (this helps distribute them better throughout the bars). Fold the chopped chocolate into the batter until evenly dispersed. Transfer the prepared batter into your lined 8×8-inch baking pan, spreading it evenly.
5. **Bake:** Bake for 23–26 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is set. The middle may still look slightly moist or soft, but as long as it doesn’t jiggle significantly when gently shaken, it’s done. Remember, the bars will firm up considerably as they cool. Avoid overbaking to maintain their soft and chewy texture.

Recipe Notes

• **Gluten-Free Check:** While this recipe is naturally gluten-free, always verify that all packaged ingredients (oats, nut butter, chocolate) are certified gluten-free, especially if you have sensitivities or allergies.
• **Storage:** Store leftover Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. For longer storage, refer to the freezing instructions provided above.
• **Customization:** Feel free to experiment with different mix-ins! Chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins), or even a sprinkle of sea salt on top can add extra flavor and texture.

Nutrition Information

(Approximate values per serving, based on 12 servings)

• Serving: 1 bar
• Calories: 211 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 25.1g
• Protein: 4.1g
• Fat: 10.8g
• Cholesterol: 23.3mg
• Sodium: 41.5mg
• Fiber: 1.6g
• Sugar: 16.6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.