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This Oatmeal Breakfast Bars recipe is basically like oatmeal in bar form for on-the-go breakfast and snacking. They are more substantial and healthier than a packaged breakfast bar, and can be easily customized with different add-ins based on preferences. Made with staple pantry items, these are easy-to-make and can be stored for a few days or frozen for months!
RECIPE VIDEO TUTORIAL
How to make oatmeal breakfast bars
- Measure all the dry ingredients in medium bowl.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together using a fork.
- In another larger bowl, measure all the wet ingredients.
- Then whisk the wet ingredients together.
- Now combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and give it a good stir.
- Let the mixture set for 20 minutes so the oats absorb the moisture and the flavors of the oatmeal bars really blend.
Then fold in the walnuts and cranberries and transfer it to a baking dish lined with parchment paper. You want to bake it until it’s golden brown in color and firm when pressed against.
If you use a square 9×9 baking dish like I did, you can easily cut the breakfast oatmeal bars into 16 squares.
Tips for making breakfast oatmeal bars
- Let ingredients sit to absorb moisture. This is key to making the oatmeal bars recipe successfully and ensuring that it holds together without crumbling. The mixture needs to soak before baking, or it will be not stick together.
- Use a larger piece of parchment paper than necessary. This will allow some of the paper to hang on the sides, making it easier to lift the bars out of the pan and slice them neatly. Plus easier clean-up!
- Double the recipe for a bigger crowd. The recipe doubles just fine. But if you double the recipe, use a larger baking dish and add 10 minutes to the baking time, or bake in two separate dishes.
- Switch out the add-ins. The recipe is so versatile to make it based on your taste preferences and available ingredients. I love the combination of cranberries and walnuts with oatmeal bars, but you can use other nuts, chocolates or seeds.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use frozen fruit?
Yes, this breakfast oatmeal bars recipe works really well with any add-ins you throw in there. Frozen fruit like blueberries or cranberries work great. There’s no need to thaw the fruit in advance.
How long can I store the oatmeal bars?
The oatmeal bars are great for meal prepping. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Then you can can enjoy them cold, at room temperature or warmed if you prefer.
Can I freeze the breakfast oatmeal bars?
Yes, the oatmeal bars freeze really well. Allow the baked dish to cool completely, then slice into 16 bars and store in individual portions in freezer-safe bags or containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
More oatmeal recipes:
- How to make oatmeal
- Baked Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups
- Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Baked Blueberry Oatmeal
More bars recipes:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
- Pecan Date Bars
- No Bake Samoa Bars
- Vegan Protein Bars
- Easy Pumpkin Bars
- Caramel Apple Granola Bars
- Healthy Honey Oat Granola Bars
I love this homemade quick, grab and go breakfast for busy weekday mornings. The oatmeal bars are nutritious, filling and delicious, and it’s something the whole family can enjoy throughout the week. For me, it’s almost like a dense cake that slices and packs well for breakfast and on-the-go mornings!
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Oatmeal Breakfast Bars recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup almond milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup walnuts finely chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper hanging over the edge.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients including the rolled oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
- In another large bowl, combine the wet ingredients including the eggs, milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract. Transfer the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and set aside until flavors blend, about 20 minutes.
- Fold in the walnuts and cranberries, and spread combined mixture into prepared square pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until edges are golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before slicing. Cut into 16 bars.
Equipment
Notes
- Make it your own: You can change up the milk, the fruit and the nuts to adjust it to what you have on hand or your taste preferences.
- Make it vegan: Replace the egg with a flax egg.
- Make it gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Make it sugar-free: Omit the cane sugar or used mashed or pureed fruit in the base recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Your recipe looks delicious. I was wondering if I could substitute the sugar for honey or pure maple syrup? Trying to avoid refined and excessive amounts of sugars.
Yes, I’m sure honey or maple syrup would be good substitutes! I haven’t tried it myself but I would start with 1/4 cup and adjust from there. You may have to experiment a bit to see what works best. Hope that helps!
I’ve made this several times and it was a hit with the family! Also added protein powder, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and ground flax seeds. I also used ground nuts and chopped dark chocolate! So good! Thanks for sharing.
Yum, your tweaks sound amazing! Thank you! So glad you liked it!!
The bars had a nice consistency when they were freshly baked and out of the oven. Your instructions said to cool the bars and store in an air tight container in the fridge. When I did that, the bars became dense and dry. Maybe adding a little coconut oil to the recipe may keep it moist??
So sorry to hear the bars turned out a bit dry for you, Judy. The texture should be soft and moist. Is it possible your oven runs hot?
This is a simple and delicious recipe to make. I’ll bake it again and again! Thank you 💖
Yay, so happy you love it!! Thank you!
Great recipe! To make it vegan I just replaced the 2 eggs with 1 mushed up banana. Added some nice flavor, and stayed together well.
Amazing! Good to know that vegan substitute works well. Thanks so much for sharing, Nate!!
If I use 1/4 cup sugar instead of 1/2 cup sugar, and use small pieces of whole fruit such as cherries, instead of dried fruit, do I need to adjust the liquids? (I’m trying to cut the sugar a bit.)
Hi there! I would decrease the almond milk with those changes but I can’t know for sure if the bars will stay together without testing it myself. You’ll have to experiment with the ratios and let me know how it goes. Fresh cherries sounds so good, I hope it turns out great!
I made these to take to work for my coworkers. Everyone LOVED them! So simple and so delicious. I used mixed dried fruit, since that is what I had, and used oat milk. Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Yay, so glad your coworkers loved them! Thanks, Melanie!!
These are delicious. I only used 1/4 cup of sugar and 2 TBL of honey. Absolutely delicious.
Thanks, Debbie! So glad you liked them!
Trying this tomorrow. Are there any tips for replacing the cane sugar with Honey? I know they are not usually 1:1 in baking.
Great question, Shani! You can use 1/4-1/3 cup of honey to replace 1/2 cup cane sugar.
Loved these, I had one sad looking apple in the fridge which I stewed and it was just the perfect amount. Added slivered almonds and coconut as that’s what I had in my pantry.
They are a quite soft and cakey bar rather than sticky and chewy which I really liked. Not too sweet either. Next time I might add some Blueberries and more nuts seeds to give more crunch.
I bake weekly for local charities here in New Zealand and this is a good healthier alternative to cakes and biscuits.
Yay, so happy you made it work with the ingredients you had on hand! Sounds like a delicious combo of fruits and nuts, I hope everyone at your local charities enjoy them too!
Do you think these would work with whole cows milk instead of almond milk?
Yes, absolutely!
Swapped chocolate chips for the other add-ins and used cow’s milk. Absolutely delicious!
Yum, your tweaks sound so good! Glad you liked the recipe!!
Love this recipe …. Thank you for sharing it.
Yay, I’m glad!! You’re so welcome!
Did you use sweetened or unsweetened, vanilla or regular almond milk?
I use unsweetened regular almond milk but any type will work!
Delicious! A wonderful way to have oatmeal for breakfast that is not the same old thing!
Yay, so happy you liked them!! Thanks, Kim!
I love everything you make, and so does my dog but she’s not getting my granola bars! 🤗❤️💋💋💋
Thank you, now I know what to do with the applesauce that I forgot about 🤣
❤️🤗🙏
Yay, so glad you can use that forgotten applesauce haha!! Thanks, Jan!
Hi, I was just wondering if they would keep at room temperature for a few days or if they have to be refrigerated. Thank you
Hi Sarah, I would recommend storing them in the fridge if possible!
Okay thank you. Just going backpacking and thought they would be a good breakfast option if they didn’t have to refrigerated
Hi, just wondering if I could omit the applesauce? If not is there a sub I could use?
You can just leave out the applesauce. Enjoy!!
Hi. Could I use honey instead of cane sugar? If yes, how much of it should I use?
Thanks. Can’t wait to try them!
Hi Aniqa! Honey should work in place of sugar, I would use about 1/4 cup. I hope you enjoy them!!
Has anyone tried dehydrating these after the bake to make them shelf stable?
I haven’t dehydrated them myself. I would love to hear how they turn out if you end up trying it!!
I just wanted to let you know, I made these oatmeal breakfast bars and they are “So Good”. Easy and delicious. T
So happy you enjoyed them!
My family and I loved this recipe! It’s super yummy and made for a great snack on the go.
If I wanted to add a little banana, should I omit or decrease any of the other ingredients?
Thanks, Hannah! I think you could simply add the banana for more flavor.
I’ve made these many times and they are so delicious. Also, you won’t feel guilty for eating more than one. My husband and grandsons love them too! It’s a great snack for hungry kids.
These look great but looking for a low sodium option to manage BP. What would omitting salt do to the recipe? Could I try 1/4 tsp or less?
I think they will work out just fine without the salt.
Thank you! I’ll give it a try.
Hi, could I use old fashioned oats? Thanks
Yes! Those are the same as rolled oats.
Love these! Have made “black forest” style with chocolate chips and cherries for more of a dessert bar, have also added coconut. Versatile, easy and so tasty! Try adding some honey too.
Sounds like such a good combo!
The applesauce was at the bottom and I couldn’t even chew them because the oats were hard! What did I do wrong? I was so hopeful.
Hi there! Did you allow the mixture to soak before baking?
Hi Vicki, my niece had the same problem as you described. After going over the recipe with her, I realized she made two critical mistakes; she did not allow her mixture to sit per the 20 minutes instructions, And she used quick oats…QO will Not work in this recipe. Be sure to mix your dry ingredients together well before adding your well mixed wet ingredients. They will come out perfect! She now makes several batches a day and sells them in her office complex…big hit!!
Can you swap the almondmilk for regular milk?
Yes!
Delicious and toddler approved! Doubled the recipe, did 3/4 of the sugar and added chocolate chips. Cant wait to make again!
Sounds like a win to me!
This was a great place to start to make healthy oatmeal bars. I hate when people say I did this but not that and I substituted this for that and it wasn’t good. That being said… I made these using the exact recipe and they are very good – but so sweet I thought my teeth were going to fall out. So… I made a couple of modifications. I use 1/4 of what the recipe calls for for sugar and add a drop of maple syrup for taste. My daughter doesn’t like nuts so I put in a sprinkling of chocolate chips (just a few or you enter into the maybe not as healthy as they could be territory). I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk and up it to skip the applesauce (which I never have in my house). A handful of dried cranberries and everyone is happy. Great recipe – and so easy to tweak to your preference.
Thanks for sharing, Debbie!
I feel like I should have soaked the oats just a tad longer than calls for for a texture I prefer. I loved that it was not too sweet and that the additions are customizable for what you prefer. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for your feedback!
Could you swap out one of the ingredients for greek yogurt? If yes, which one?
Hi there! I haven’t experimented with this, but you could try adding a little Greek yogurt into the mix (I’d start with about 1/2 cup) and bak as directed.
These were delicious! I added some chocolate chips, topped it with a little flax seed and chia seeds and drizzled a little honey on the top for the kiddos….perfection! Thank you!!!!
Sounds so good!
These were a hit with my family! They were soft and delicious. I added 2Tb of mini chocolate chips to the top before baking to ensure my kids would try them lol
So wise to add the chocolate chips. So happy everyone loved them!
These turned out just “okay” for me. The flavor was good but the oats seem like are undercooked…not soft and chewy. Do you have any suggestions? Should I soak them in water for a bit first? Thanks!
So sorry these didn’t come out as expected. Did you let the mixture soak before baking?
Hi. We’re allergic to walnuts and pecans here. Can we leave them out or can you think of a substitute?
Hi there! Of course, you can skip the nuts or swap them for sunflower seeds.
Looks delicious, can I replace sugar with dates?
I haven’t tried this myself, but I think it sounds great and should work out all as long as the dates are soft.
What do you think about swapping dried cranberries for frozen ones?
I think that should be fine, just make sure to thaw the frozen cranberries first and drain off any moisture that pops up while they thaw.
These are delicious! Have you tried using maple syrup or honey in place of the sugar?
So glad! I haven’t tried swapping the sugar for maple syrup or honey, but you can omit the cane sugar or used mashed or pureed fruit in the base recipe instead.
Really like this. Nice to find something that’s not full of sugar of some description.
I swapped out cranberries for dates (no cranberries), used brown sugar and added a couple teaspoons of peanut butter.
Light and chewy – will make these again
Sounds great, thanks for sharing!
Excellent turn out! Soft without being hard to chew. I plan to bulk make these–would it be possible to add peanut butter to them? If so, would you sub out an ingredient or just add a couple tblsp? Thanks!
Thank you so much! I would just add a couple of tablespoons in there.
I added no milk but a lot of applesauce and still tasted amazing!
Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome!
I made these with chopped fig instead of berries and Nuts. Amazing! Thank you for a great recipe! The texture came out like a chewy cake, not crunchy and they held together well. I made a large batch, cut and wrapped each bar in plastic wrap, put them in several freezer bags, and froze them for later. We can pull out one ore more as needed.
Oo YUM! Fig sounds amazing!
I love this recipe. I made ours with 1% milk, applesauce and cooked figs. Still added the cranberries and nuts. They are great reheated in the toaster!
OO I love that idea of heating them in the toaster!
What can I swap the apple sauce with? More milk?
You can just leave out the applesauce. Hope you enjoy!
These are delicious and so easy to make. My added raisins instead of cranberries to make my husband happy. He loved them! Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome!
Followed the recipe, at the end added more nuts, absolutely delicious!! Thank you 😊
You’re so welcome.
When replacing the eggs with flax seed how much flax seed to 4 eggs.
Hi Amanda, you can use this recipe for flax eggs to sub for regular eggs.
Mine came out very wet and soggy. I would make again but use 1/2 the applesauce and maybe a little coconut oil.
So sorry to hear that. If you do make it again let me know if you feel like that works better.
Do you have to have unsweetened applesauce or any applesauce for recipe? I don’t have any on hand.
You can use butter or olive oil instead of applesauce. Or pumpkin puree if you have any on hand!
I cooked this extra long, but it is still a pan of thick oatmeal, not squares.
I am so sorry to hear that! I am not sure what might have happened.
I only have sweetened cinnamon applesauce on hand. What is the best way to adjust the recipe?
You can use that!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I followed your ingredient list and cooking directions and they turned out perfectly! I love that they don’t have flour in them, or any butter, margarine or oil..so clean tasting!!!! I will be making these to always have on hand…cheers!
You’re so welcome!!
Are they not supposed to be crunchy in the middle?
No, these are more chewy.
These were delicious. I substituted strawberries for walnuts and Greek yogurt for milk. They turned out great. Thanks!
So glad you liked them, Angela!
Hi
Can you please send me instructions on how to make the oatmeal breakfast bars to my gmail? Im having trouble following it on your YouTube channel. You did a great job.
Thanks
Jenny
Can I substitute 1/4 c sugar with 1/4 c pureed banana?
I’ve not tried that, but my gut is telling me that banana is not a good substitute here and that they will spoil quickly as well as not set up. You can use another sweetener like coconut, monk fruit, stevia, etc.
Except for doubling the cinnamon, I made the recipe as is and am glad to report that the bars turned out perfectly and were a hit with all recipients (and requests have been made to receive more). This will be a go-to recipe. Thanks so much for publishing it!
So glad you liked it, Laura!
I used raisins and course chopped cashews and raw honey instead of apple sauce and it came so moist and yummy
That sounds yummy!!
These are amazing! Handy snack and you don’t feel guilty diving into them. I made mine with walnuts, pistachios, dark chocolate, olive oil, and peanut butter. I blended the nuts and dark chocolate into small chunks so I could evenly mix them in. The bars ended up tasting like moist nutty biscuits. Felt that adding some honey could have gave them a little more flavor but I liked their taste. Here is the recipe I did.
1 Cup Walnuts (16pro, 720 cal)
1 Cup Pistatios (16pro, 720 cal)
2 Cup Oats (40pro, 1200 cal)
1 Cup Milk (8pro, 150cal)
2 Tbsp Peanutbutter (8pro, 200 cal)
2 Tbsp Olive oil (Xpro 240c)
1 Bar Dark Chocolate (2pro 150 cal)
4 eggs (28pro, 280cal)
2 tsp of baking power (Xpro, Xcal)
_______________
Total: 138 protein, 3620 calories
Cut into 12 Bars: 11.5 protein 301 calories
Thanks so much for sharing!
Love this recipe! First time I made it with blueberries and pumpkin seeds. I add ground flax chia seeds as well as unflavored protein powder. I use almond/coconut milk, and add about 1-2 tablespoons more. I only use about 1/4 c of honey to sweeten it.
This time it’s fresh apples cut very small, walnuts and maple syrup to sweeten it.
Next time I am going to use pumpkin puree instead of apple sauce. I just love versatility of this recipe!
Thank you so much, Amy! Love the suggestions too!
I just found this recipe and make it all the time. I always double it. I was looking for a lower sugar alternative than what the stores offered. I only use half the sugar, and then I use honey for half of this. They are chewey but I freeze them and use the toaster oven for my morning breakfast. I literally make and freeze these every week. I use cranberries and pecans that I chop finer plus some mini chocolate chips, I add in chia seeds. I use oat bran in place of a small amount of oats and leave out one egg yolk.
Yum! Thanks for sharing!
If I wanted to sub maple syrup for the sugar, would I omit or reduce the almond milk?
Hi Erin, I have not tried to make this recipe with maple syrup. You need the almond milk to soak into the oats, and I don’t think the maple syrup will do the same thing, so I wouldn’t omit the almond milk. It might take some trial and error, and I would start with 1/4 cup of maple syrup and the rest of the recipe as written. Hope that helps!
I make it with 1/4 cup maple syrup and it’s delicious! I keep everything else the same except I add in a little extra oatmeal.
Interestingly, I learned in a baking class that sugar is considered a liquid in terms of baking chemistry so you should not need to worry about compensating for the liquid quality of a substitution like maple syrup or honey.
Great insight, Kristen! Thanks so much for sharing!!
I love how simple these are to make and they come out so good each time even with substituting what you have on hand. I do like extra fruit and nuts so I increase those to 1/3 cup and add a dash of nutmeg. A few tablespoons of shredded coconut is good too. I like the softer texture of these rather than a hard or chewy crunch. Family really enjoys them too!
So glad you like them, Jan! Great additions!
I have all the ingredients except for applesauce. Can I substitute something for the applesauce? Thanks.
You can use mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, or even yogurt at a 1:1 ratio. Oil or butter would work here as well in a 1:1 ratio. Hope you enjoy it!
A very nice base recipe. I’ve tried a few oatmeal bar recipes and they just end up so dry I have to drink water just to swallow them.
I did use flaxseed eggs to cut down on calories and it worked just fine. I had some of that pre-made salad toppers of candied pecans and craisins so chopped those finely and tossed in a few semi sweet chocolate chips. Next batch I’ll definitely cut back on the sugar. Thank you for this recipe
Oh yum! The craisins, pecans, and chocolate chip combo sounds amazing! So glad you enjoyed the bars!
Was hoping for a chewy bar and mine turned out pretty spongy…any tips for a better consistency?
Oh no! I am sorry to hear that! I am happy to help troubleshoot. How long did you let the mixture sit before adding it to the pan? When you pulled them out were they golden brown in color and firm to the touch? Every oven is different, so it may be that they needed some extra time to bake.
Made them yesterday for the work week. Added some dark chocolate morsels to it. Delicious
Ooo Yum! I love dark chocolate, great idea! Glad you enjoyed them!
Hello,. I’m wondering how chewy these are? I’ve made granola bars before and they were crunchy instead. Now I’m looking for a chewy recipe.
Hi Ginny, these are not as chewy as, say, a quaker oat bar, but they aren’t hard either. More like in the middle. Hope that helps! You’ll have to let me know what you think of them when you make them!
So delicious! I made these for a friend who is undergoing chemo treatment and she appreciates foods that are easy, just grab and go. I’ll be making these again. Thank you for a wonderful healthy recipe!
I am so glad you both like them! Such a nice thing to do for her!
So delicious!! This is perfect for a breakfast/snack when you’re in a hurry / not in the mood to whip up some food. Absolutely love it. Added some coconut flakes and chocolate chips in them as well, definitely recommend. This recipe is just perfect as it is but to keep it a bit varied it’s lovely to add different things with each batch. I was looking for a more crunchy breakfast bar, but was pleasantly surprised (this isn’t normally something I would have chosen/made/eaten) and will be my new breakfast. Even my husband wants me to make it for him. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Thank you so much! Those sound like the perfect addition. Hope you both continue to enjoy these breakfast bars!
I made these bars. Love them. Didn’t have applesauce so used pulp from juicing carrots. I used about a cup. Switched the walnuts and Cranberries for almonds and pumpkin seeds. Would make them again.
Ooo, I love all the things you did here, sounds yummy!!
Made them again❤. So love having them around as they are a ready and healthy snack to have when you are on the go.
I’ve made these bars several times, and I do love them. They’re tasty and satisfying and easy to adapt. I use banana instead of applesauce –only because I would just never have applesauce on hand– and I’ve used dark chocolate-covered raisins instead of cranberries (because that’s what I had in the cabinet). Today I’m going to try cranberries
That is so great to hear! I love the versatility of this recipe too. Sounds absolutely delicious!!
You need to add the salt or that makes it inedible
I think the salt can be optional.
Excellent bars! Subbed canned pumpkin for the applesauce and skipped the walnuts so I can share with my baby. So delicious! Could half the sugar. The pumpkin is sweet.
Thank you so much! I’m glad it worked out that way too. Yay!!
I will surely try this recipe out
It looks good and yummy
Of course afterwards you gonna see my feedback
I can’t wait to hear what you think! Thank you!!
Breakfasty indeed. Tasted like oatmeal in a bar. Not a crisp bar, but a satisfying one. Delish! Added some candied orange peel which added a little zing. Thank you.
Thank you! If you want a crispier bar, you can also try baking these bars for longer too. Glad you enjoyed it with the candied orange peel – yum!
I can’t think of the last time I made something from an online recipe and had to toss it out. These “bars” were inedible. It was very disappointing to say the least.
I am so sorry to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with me. What made them inedible?
I can’t speak for OP, but mine never firmed up and were like eating cold mush after baking an extra 10 to 15 minutes. The bad mouth feel sent them to the garbage.
Aww, I’m so sorry to hear that. Did you let the oats sit and soak for the full 20 minutes? Usually, when they don’t firm up, it’s due to the shortening of the rest time. They can also come out soggy if not enough oats were used or too much liquid was added. Maybe the applesauce had a little more liquid content than the brand I use, etc. If you’re up for trying them again, I’d let them sit for 30 minutes this time and then bake.
I would love to try cashew butter in these. How much should I do.
That would be delicious! I would just add a few tablespoons.
Very good breakfast bars. I think next time I might add a little glaze on top as well. Thankyou for a very easy recipe.
Thank you so much! That sounds like it can be a delicious addition too!
Not overly impressed. I let this soak for 20 min and then another 15 minutes since it still looked somewhat runny. Baked for 35 minutes. I wanted to bake it longer but the edges were quite brown already. When I tried to slice it up, it was was too soft for my liking. Instead, I let it cool down a bit and got my dehydrater running. Hoping it will be a little more firm and crisp in a while.
I am sorry they didn’t turn out how you expected. They do firm up after cooling completely. I recommend cutting at 5 minutes, so they are still soft and are easier to portion before they start to firm up.
Awesome recipe! I’ve added this to my rotation, it makes a quick and delicious breakfast that I can make on Sunday and toss in a container to take to work. I use raw pumpkin seeds and raisins for my add-ins but you could do any kind of fruit/nut, maybe layer jam or peanut butter in the middle, etc. I’ve tried 2 variations so far:
1st using quick oats (only kind on hand) and blueberry preserves instead of apple sauce (I hate apple sauce). This made more of a cakelike or muffinlike texture which was really nice. I would make this again with a muffin pan to make “bites” instead of cutting it into bars.
2nd using rolled/large flake oats and rhubarb-ginger preserves. Either I didn’t let the oats soak for long enough or I should have added more preserves/milk because it came out pretty crumbly and doesn’t hold together well HOWEVER it’s still delicious and kind of like a baked oatmeal. Been eating it for breakfast all week! Next time will try soaking for longer.
Thank you so much! I love that. Those are such delicious add-ins! I would love to try the blueberry preserves version – yum!!
First time making these, the flavour of the bar is delicious. I did expect them to be more crunchy and dry but instead they were soft and moist. Is this how they should be?
Thank you.
Thank you so much! Yes, it should be! You can also try baking it for a little longer to achieve a crunchier texture.
Could chia seeds be added or something to add more protein and fiber? How would I go about doing that?
Yes, you could probably add a few tablespoons!
I have an apple intolerance (as well as banana and most other fruits). How could I make this recipe without that part?
You could use try nut butter or oil!
Even better after being stored in an airtight container for a couple of days.😊
I love that!
My husband wanted something we can store and take a long on a trip. How long can they stay in airtight container? We will have limited cold storage but could make sure these were stored in the cooler if needed? Thanks so much!
The baked oatmeal bars can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Hello.
Your recipe sounds yummy! I can’t wait to make it. But I’d like to substitute maple syrup for the sugar. How much syrup would you suggest I use?
Thank you! I have not used maple syrup in this recipe as a substitute. You could try a 1:1 substitution ratio, but it may alter the texture slightly.
If I double the recipe how long would you bake in a 13×9 inch pan?
If you double the recipe, use a larger baking dish and add 10 minutes to the baking time, or bake in two separate dishes!
I tried this recipe today and I made a few changes on it. The first change was toasting both the oats and the hazelnuts (the nuts of my choice to use instead of almonds). Then I used brown sugar instead of white sugar, to give it more flavor. Thirdly, I put maple, vanilla, and cake batter extract into it. Also a pinch of instant coffee to round out the flavor profile some more. I added a 3/4 scoop of vanilla protein powder from organic protein. Additionally, I made walnut butter in replacement for the applesauce since I had none. Lastly, I added white chocolate chips instead of fruit since my boyfriend isnt of big fan of it.
That sounds delicious! This recipe is super customizable, so I’m glad you were able to make it work with your preferences!
I’ve tried SO MANY recipes for generally healthy home made granola bars/breakfast bars….. so so many. And time after time I’ve been disappointed by the flavor being bland or the consistency being too crumbly. This time however, it’s just what I wanted!!! I did tweak things a little – I added a half cup peanut butter, substituted the sugar with honey and added 1/2 cup of an 8-grain breakfast cereal made by bob’s red mill. I also took out 1/4 cup of the cranberries for chopped dried apricots. My daughter doesn’t love walnuts, so I chopped up some almonds and used those instead. Pretty amazing. Just the right Amt of sweet with a touch of cinnamon. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you came across this recipe and it hit the spot. Happy to hear you found it so versatile too!
Do you think substituting mashed banana instead of applesauce would work out? I’m exciting to try this but don’t usually have applesauce on hand
I think so! You can also use butter or olive oil instead of applesauce.
My son LOVES these! I added a couple tablespoons of peanut butter and baked them in ten muffin cups instead of the 8X8 pan suggested. He eats one on the way to school every weekday! Thank you for sharing!
Yay!! That sounds delicious. I’m so glad to hear it!
Wicked good!! So glad to be able to make my own at home! I used only maple syrup as a sweetener, added 2tbs roasted butternut squash I had on hand & freeze dried blueberries— came out phenomenal! Next time I may soak for 30 min prior to baking though
Thank you!! That sounds perfect.
Just made the bars. Fantastic flavor. I am looking to make them more firm. They are a bit spongy/cakey….hoping for more density. Any advise?
Thank you! You can try substituting honey for the sugar to make it more dense.
What would happen if I eliminated the baking powder?
I made these bars exactly as the recipe instructions called for. However the bottom of the bars were “wet”. I don’t know what I did wrong? So disappointing!
Bummer, I’m not sure what may have happened. I’m happy to help you troubleshoot if you’d like to try it again. Sometimes it takes a little longer for the oats to absorb the liquid, depending on the brand you use. It may be that the initial 20 minutes was not long enough and caused it to be too wet.
I don’t know what I did wrong but this recipe turned out ooey and gooey as well as awful. The texture was all wrong. If you want gooey, this bar is for you. 😕
These should be chewy but not gooey. If the mixture looks too gooey before baking, you can always add more oats. And if it looks gooey after baking, it may need a few more minutes in the oven.
Doubled the batch and I added a cup of peanut butter and swapped the walnuts for almonds and this it excellent.
Love the sound of that! Yay!!
Can you use 2% cow’s milk instead of almond milk?
Yes!
I used whole milk. Turned out great
I love that!
Hi! Can you use butter or olive oil instead of applesauce?
Yup, in the same quantity is fine!
I recently made this & they turned out wonderful. I was searching for a lower calorie savory oatmeal bar, when I came across your recipe. I adjusted the recipe for my savory take, by instead of sugar, cinnamon, fruit, applesauce, etc., I used plain Greek yogurt, garlic powder, organic basil. Came out good. Next time I’ll try it by your recipe. I’m gonna check out your other recipes. Thanks for posting it, Anna Marie😊
That’s amazing! Glad you made it work! Hope you enjoy the sweet version too!
We love peanut butter. Do you think I can add peanut butter to these bars and if so, how would I do it. These bars are absolutely delicious. My whole family loves them.
You definitely could! You could try adding a few tablespoons of peanut butter to this before you bake it.
I was wondering if you could put peanut butter in this recipe?
Yes! You could add a few tablespoons of peanut butter to this before you bake it!
Great flavor, but a little too soft. I want a more firm bar and perhaps will cut back on applesauce.
Glad you enjoyed the flavor! Another thing you could do is bake it longer.
One child loves oatmeal in a bowl with the works and the other… Not so much, so she asked me to make them into oatmeal bars. I googled and of course Google pulls up my only source of go-to recipes from Feelgoodfoodie <3 and I wasn't disappointed. Oh so good!!
Aww, so glad you all enjoyed! Thank you!!
These are absolutely delicious! On my second batch in 2 weeks and added fresh blackberries this second time. Love the variations you can make with this recipe. Thanks so mucho!
Thank you! That’s amazing!
Hi! Thanks for a simple and direct recipe. How many bars is a serving (based on the nutritional facts)?
You’re so welcome! One bar is one serving, and this recipe roughly makes 16 bars.
Hi and thank you for this delicious recipe! I seriously LOVE oatmeal and am always looking for different ways to eat it. I made this recipe as stated except left out the white sugar and used applesauce instead of oil. It’s good this way, but I can see that it would be better with dried cranberries and walnuts, so I will do that next time. I’m going to freeze some of these for later. My better half always has a large slice of banana bread for his “snack before breakfast” but I want something healthier so here it is! Bonus: healthier and also delicious!
You’re so welcome! So glad you enjoyed this!!
Another weekly devotee here, I love how filling these are as a grab and go breakfast. I dont always have apple sauce on hand, so i mash up an apple a little, that works. The chunks are not even noticeable. Also I use regular milk since that’s what I have, also works fine, this recipe is hard to mess up.
Thank you so much! So glad that worked out!
I made these bars but decided to give them my own twist. I’m not big fan of cinnamon, cranberries, using sugar or apple sauce so instead I doubled the vanilla extract, added dark chocolate, honey, macadamia nuts, almonds, raisins and hazelnuts. Taste pretty good although not that sweet, next time I’ll use more honey. Defo recommend as a healthy alternative
If substituting honey for the sugar, how much would I use? Also, would I need to adjust the amount of almond milk? These look absolutely yummy and right up my alley.
Thank you.
I’d use roughly 1/4 cup of honey and keep the amount of almond milk the same. Let me know how it goes!
I have never had a recipe tell me to soak my ingredients before baking but it really makes the biggest difference such a good tip. I love these bars! I make them for my husband and his colleagues each week and as a snack for myself when I’m working, I was so tired of spending €2 + on a pack of 6 sugary breakfast bars now I can make my own for much cheaper and exactly how I like it. Thank you!
Thank you so much! Homemade definitely has its benefits.
Hi, I’m having a hard time producing the right result. The bars come out very spongy and chewy. So the first time I used quick oats and figured that’s what went wrong. So the second time I used old fashioned oats but the texture was still the same. I am baking around the time suggested. The other changes I made to the recipe is that I’m using 1/4 of honey in the bars in place of the sugar. I’m also using frozen berries. Do you have any advice? I really want a healthy homemade breakfast bar but one that is a different texture..more crumbly..or cakey..versus spongey and gummy
It’s likely chewy because of the honey as a wet ingredient instead of the sugar as a dry ingredient. The addition of the frozen berries is also likely to add moisture to the bars. I’d recommend sticking to add ins like nuts, chocolates, dried fruits, or seeds. I’d also recommend either omitting the cane sugar or using mashed or pureed fruit in the base recipe.
Thank you for replying :). I will relook at your suggestions and try again. I love your website.
How much mashed banana would you suggest in place of the 1/2 of cane sugar?
I would do 1/2 cup of mashed banana.
Of course! Let me know how it goes. Thank you!!
Delicious. Lots of room for variation. I substituted yogurt for the applesauce and cut the sugar in half. I’ll bake these again for sure.
Thank you! There definite is.
thoroughly enjoyed
Thank you so much!
My husband and I love these bars as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. Agree with a previous comment though, we only get 9 bars from this recipe. I used raisins instead of cranberries, and added 1 tsp of ground ginger and 2 stem ginger balls (cut up small). I used truvia instead of cane sugar (less than the recommended amount) and made up the difference with 1 Tbsp of the stem ginger syrup. Super quick and easy to make.
Thanks for the great recipe. We also like your hummus recipe!
That makes me so happy to hear! So glad you enjoyed it with those substitutions too. You’re so welcome!
I have made these bars in so many times! The original recipe is awesome (I try to make the recipe “as is” first) and it really is adaptable to other variations as well.
The only problem with the recipe is that there is no way my family can make 16 servings from this. LOL. I’m lucky to get 8 squares from the pan.
Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
That makes me so happy to hear! It really is super versatile.
I’ve made these many times. Always a hit! Ive even given them in cute parcels as a gift
I’ve also substituted the amount of apple sauce for half butter half yogurt or just butter instead of the applesauce since I didn’t have apple sauce and it turned out really good. I also added extra coconut and came out great!!
That’s so good to hear! Yay!!
Hi, I don’t have cane sugar. Not a fan of sweeteners. Can I use plain white sugar or brown sugar? I also have molasses…? any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!
Yes, either the plain white sugar or brown sugar should work. You can also make it sugar-free by omitting the cane sugar or using mashed or pureed fruit in the base recipe.
Can you use melted creamy peanut butter in place of applesauce? I also added some flaxseed and chia seeds in mine.
I have yet to try that, but I think it could be a fun idea! It might be a little dry though because the applesauce helps add moisture.
Made these using pecans, and subbing maple syrup for half the sugar amount, since I was short on walnuts & sugar. I’ve eaten 2 every morning with coffee and yogurt- they’re great slathered with almond butter or butter!
Sounds like a delicious way to enjoy it! Yay!!
If using banana, pumpkin or applesauce how much? Another question do you cook oatmeal pior to making bars?
This recipe calls for ¼ cup applesauce! No need to cook the rolled oats before using in this recipe. Hope this helps!
These are so great! I added pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, and chocolate chips to mine for a yummy fall snack. Are these okay to be wrapped up and stored at room temperature? Thanks !
Thank you! That sounds so perfect for the fall. I would recommend storing it in the fridge if possible!
How much pumpkin did you use?
You could add a ¼ cup pumpkin puree instead of the ¼ cup applesauce!
Thanks so much Yumma,
Can you help with a substitute for cane sugar compatible to zero calories – measurements
Substitute for Eggs – like Flax egg ?
Thanks again JETTA
You’re so welcome! I would look at whichever zero calorie sugar substitute you’re using and see what they recommend for the substitution ratio because every sugar varies. You could definitely use a flax egg in this!
I used Splenda. It measures cup to cup to regular sugar and bakes well.
In that case, I’d use one to one ratio for the sugar substitution.
Hi yumna
I made these oatmeal granola bars. Substituted eggs with flax egg & apple sauce with curd. Turned out so so good.!! As my kids insisted I also added chocochips
Thank you very much for the easy peasy recipe
Soni
That makes me so happy to hear! Sounds delicious!! You’re so welcome.
I tried this recipe and it was super delicious. I even subbed the apple sauce with a whole banana, and the dried cranberry with 85% dark chocolate and pistachio’s it turned out great. I eat this as a snack with coffee or if I was in a rush and couldn’t make breakfast. Since I’m trying to cut down on sugar while dieting this is the best snack for me and fresh fruits.
Yay!! Sounds like such a great way to switch it up!
These were delicious! I didn’t have almond milk so I subbed it with cow’s milk and subbed the apple sauce with canned pears which I blended into apple sauce texture. I kept everything else the same. It was a big hit. My 82 year old dad loved it, my mom, 3 and 1 year old daughters, and I. It did not cause a mess when my toddlers ate them. I’m tired of crumbs all over the floor. The directions were so clear and easy to follow. I love that I can freeze them. This would be a great snack in my child’s lunchbox. Thank you! I will be making these again. Maybe with raisins next time.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you were able to make it work with what you had on hand and that everyone enjoyed!
These are so good, healthy and easy to make , I made them last night and they were so delicious 😋😋
Thank you so much! That makes me so incredibly happy to hear!
I love this….I added a 1/4 cup of milk chocolate chips….
Thank you! Love that!!
Made them last night to serve as mid-morning snack when my son is at school. He gave 2 thumbs up and is looking forward to take them. I cut them up in 15 pieces and dipped the top in melted 80% chocolate. Fab recipe. Will do some different flavor varieties.
Can I use fresh cut fruit? Will they still freeze nicely?
That’s so great that he enjoyed it! Thank you!! I would recommend dried fruit in that case.
Can I substitute applesauce with syrup?
I would recommend substituting the applesauce for something like mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, or yogurt.
These are really delicious, healthy and easy to make! Followed recipe exactly. Thank you for this new favorite recipe.
Thank you so much! You’re so welcome!!
Rlly delicious and easy!
Thank you so much!
What kind of applesauce do you put in it.
100% applesauce!
I don’t normally comment on recipes, but these are SO GOOD. I multiplied the recipe x6 and made them in a jelly roll pan. I also substituted agave nectar for the sugar (2/3 what the recipe called for, and then went easy on the applesauce and left out an egg to reduce the liquid since I was short one anyway). Turned out great! This seems like a very versatile, forgiving recipe.
Thank you so much for letting me know! It really is!
Made this recipe today. June 9, 2021
I put in finely chopped pecans in all of it
Divided it and added dry cranberries to 1/2 of the oatmeal mixture and fresh Blueberries to the other !! Also I didn’t have cane sugar so I used light brown sugar. Each we so delicious!! Thanks for Sharing this recipe!!
That’s so perfect! You’re so welcome!!
If I want to substitute flax seed for the egg, how much flax seed should I use?
Replace the eggs with flax eggs! One flax egg requires one tablespoon ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water.
I’m wanting to add peanut butter, the natural liquid kind. Should I replace anything with it so they aren’t too wet? Maybe the applesauce?
Depends on how much you plan to add! If you’re only adding a tablespoon or two, it should be fine following the recipe as is and adding in the peanut butter!
Awesome, thank you!
THESE WERE THE BOMB!!!!!(in a good way) I made these for my family and they could not stop eating them. My brother charlie ate like 5 in one morning. We even added some of our own things like almonds, carmel sauce, and white choclate chips. This is the best, quick breakfast bar on the go, way to go!!!!!
I love that!!! That sounds so delicious too.
Love these bars! Didn’t have applesauce so used mashed banana. Worked great 😊
Thank you! I’m glad it worked out that way too!
We make these every week! My girls were eating Belvita Breakfast Bars as a quick breakfast and I wanted something healthier. We double the recipe and the whole family has one every morning. I use mashed banana instead of apple. We’ve experimented with all sorts of add ins and we always love them! Thanks 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks so much for sharing!!
What can I replace the applesauce with?
Hmmm, you could try using mashed bananas.
Yummm! Made a half batch of these but with just 1/8 c of maple syrup, and with some frozen chopped strawberries instead of fruit and they’re pretty tasty considering the amount of sugar in them! I also topped them with seeds and nuts.
I love the sound of that!
This has become my go to breakfast staple! High protein and fiber, wholesome ingredients, it tastes pretty good… Except I’ve made it 3 times now, and each time it tastes/smells so “eggy.” No matter how well I whisk the eggs before adding, and then stirring it in. Any suggestions? Thanks for your many (actually) healthy, and (actually) tasty recipes!
I love that it has become a staple! You could replace the egg with a flax egg, so it won’t have that eggy taste?
For sure, I’ll give it a whirl! Also, I’ve tried the mashed banana substitute and it works deliciously!
I came across this recipe when I was looking for “lactation friendly” recipes. I wanted something with oats specifically but I modified the recipe a little to include 1.5 tbs flaxseed, 1.5 tbs brewers yeast, and 1 tbs of hempseed and doubled the apple sauce to account for the extra dry ingredients. I also reduced the sugar by half and substituted brown sugar for cane sugar. They bake to a soft, chewy consistency in 35 minutes and I love it! Great breakfast on my way to work in the morning and they store for 2 weeks in the fridge individually wrapped.
I’m glad it worked out with those alterations! Yay!!
I’ve been looking for a recipe to support lactation for my daughter so glad to see this will definitely try these adaptations
Hope you enjoy!
This is what I’ve been looking for! Yummy, healthful, quick and easy to make, and I can change it up. I made it with oat milk, and had all the other items on hand. Except the parchment paper, so it broke in the middle where it stuck to the pan, but I’m adding that to my shopping list. Looking forward to adding blueberries to it. Tastes great with my morning iced tea. I bet it pairs well with coffee, too.
I’m so glad you came across this recipe! Definitely give it a try with that next time!
Recipe is nice and flexible. Meanwhile, i cannot stand your commercialized intrusions. Even if i “jump” to
recipe I have to wait for a million commercial downloads. I understand that this helps compensate you, but this one is over the top and annoying for a pretty simple general healthy recipe that i pretty much have done on my own. Would have saved it but not worth the tuna helper intrusion.
Thank you! I will look into that to make the user experience more enjoyable.
Ask some one to show you how to lessen the time on most commercials. I see very few
Sites that do not have commercials.I did read the recipe 3 times because I didn’t see any flour.
I made these with the flax egg, frozen fruit and I dropped the cinnamon. Really good and so easy to make. Mine didn’t get very golden – I cooked it a bit longer, probably closer to 40 min. Thanks for the recipe.
That sounds like a great twist to it! You’re so welcome!
I’ve been looking for a good oatmeal bar recipe and this is the best one I’ve come across. Definitely a keeper. Thanks so much!
That makes me so happy to hear! Thank you!
I’m not such a huge fan of oatmeal bars, but my husband likes to have them on hand for a convenient, healthy snack. And this recipe certainly fits that bill. Super easy to make with so many options for additional add-ins. I automatically reduce by at least half the amount of sugar called for in any recipe. So I used slightly less than 1/4 cup of sugar, and they were fine and sweet enough. I also have to eliminate salt from baking recipes (of course, that can’t be done entirely when working with yeast) because of health issues. This was a perfect recipe for everything that I have to do. I will be using this as my quick, go-to recipe for oatmeal bars. No need to search for other oatmeal bars. Thank you for sharing!!!
I’m so glad to hear that! You’re so welcome!
Can I used instant oats instead of old fashioned?
I believe so! I haven’t tried it yet, so let me know how it turns out!
I used instant oats as well as half the sugar and they were perfect
Yay! Thank you!!
So I cooked the oats in boiled date water (pitted dates in the water brought to a boil for several minutes). Then I mixed the remaining wet and remaining dry separately then mixed per instructions (except used flax eggs: coconut milk: and oil instead of egg almond and applesauce). I didn’t really let it sit for long. Used foil instead of parchment and buttered the foil. Lol so essentially whole new recipe full of your substitutes lol. So surprisingly it worked!
I’m glad it still worked out!
Excellent recipe! I followed the instructions, omitting the sugar and using two flax eggs. I used raisins and vegan chocolate chips as stir ins. Cut into 10 bars for a healthy replacement for store-bought granola bars. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay! Thank you so much!
made this oatmeal bars but all I could taste was egg;-(
Hmm, that shouldn’t be the case. You could switch out the add-ins based on your taste preferences and available ingredients!
Hi. I tried making these with this recipe and they came out soggy and chewy tasting. What went wrong ?!
Can you tell me if you changed anything in the recipe? What type of oats did you use?
These are wonderful! How can I increase the protein? I I’m thinking of replacing the milk with peanut butter, but I don’t want to ruin the texture. What are your thoughts?
Thank you! I would recommend adding some flaxseeds in addition to the walnuts and cranberries. If you choose to add peanut butter, I would still keep the milk or else it may turn out too dry. If you decide to play around with the recipe to increase the protein, let me know how it goes!
My first try at a breakfast bar, great recipe! I had a bag of Member Mark Triple Berry Nut Mix, has several nuts, cranberries, and some chocolate chunks for fun. I do want to try the recipe with just cranberries and walnuts but the mix did work! Have fun throwing different things into the bar!
Thank you for sharing!
The versatility of this recipe is one of the reasons I love it! Most welcome!!
This recipe is exactly what I was looking for! I made it with ground up oats for my toddler, as another toddler mom suggested. Both toddler and six-year-old love them! I didn’t have applesauce on hand, so I boiled some apple pieces and puréed them and used that and it worked just fine.
Aww that makes me so happy to hear! And I’m glad the pureed apples worked for you!!
Fantastic really nice , first time any oat bars have stayed together for me ! I just put all the nuts and berries into them that we like ! Will definitely make theses again
That’s awesome! So glad to hear it 🙂
Making these. They are in the oven now. No cranberries so I substituted chopped cherries. I also added a 1/4 cup chocolate chips so I won’t be adding any icing. I’m sure they’ll be delish!
Yay! Hope you enjoy them!!
Looking forward to these! I never have applesauce in my pantry. What can I substitute it with? Thanks !
You can use butter or oil
This came out great. I ground up the rolled oats because that’s how my toddler likes it, and instead of cranberries and walnuts I added frozen mixed berries. Not too sweet and a great consistency!
That sounds perfect! So glad your toddler enjoys this!
Love this recipe. I wasted a lot of time looking in the store for something like this. I had no luck so thank so much. It’s easy to make. I do switch out the sugar and use Wisconsin maple syrup and add a extra 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder.
Love those substitutes you make and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I just made these bars for the first time and absolutely love them! I followed the recipe above without the walnuts and cranberries. I enjoy the cinnamon oat flavor that only has a hint of sweet. I baked them for 35 minutes. The outside has a slightly crunchy texture, while the inside is soft and delicious. So good!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for taking time to leave a review 🙂
They completely fell apart and was mushy
Did you change something in the recipe? Ive never had theme out out mushy before.
Hello,
Looks like a wonderful recipe, I look forward to trying it. I was wondering if I could substitute honey for sugar and if so, what measurement would you recommend? Please forgive me if this is listed somewhere above. I read everything along with the previous comments to see if someone else had asked already, but I didn’t see anything.
Thanks, Jenna
Aww no worries, yes you can substitute and the same amount will work!
Hi
can I replace apple sauce with banana purée?
Thanks
Yes, that works!
I’m making these now – they sound fabulous – but just wondering if there’s any suggestions for replacing the nuta due to allergy concerns. I’m thinking more and different dried fruits? I thought about chocolate chips but was afraid they would add liquid as they melt.
I hope you liked them! Yes, I would add seeds like sunflower seeds, flaxseeds or pumpkin seeds instead. You could also add more dried fruit like raisins or chopped dates!
My family loves these bars! I have made them 3 times in the last month. I added 1/4 cup chocolate chips to it and we like to heat it up and drizzle some almond butter on top. So nummie!!
That’s so awesome!! Glad to hear it!
I followed the recipe, using regular milk rather than almond milk as my only change. These were great! My only questions is should the bars be soft and chewy or should they be more crunchy? I jsut want to make sure I baked them long enough, but not too long. We live at high altitude (just over 6000 ft) and so I also wondered if there was any need to make any adjustments to it to account for that.
I’m glad you enjoyed them! They should actually be chewy. I don’t know too much about high altitude baking unfortunately, but I’ve heard it’s a good idea to increase them temp by 25 degrees, so try that next time 🙂
Could I use brown sugar in this recipe instead of cane sugar?
Yup! That works!
I used maple syrup instead of the cane sugar, and I followed the recipe with everything else. It taste delicious but it was crumbly! I baked it according to the instructions and even put it back in for an additional 15 minutes…..but it still didn’t stick together! Where did I go wrong?
The maple syrup I think weighed it down too much and didn’t help it bind. Also, is it possible the walnuts were too chunky and what type of oats did you use?
You really need to let it sit before baking. The first time I let it set for 30 minutes. Next time a couple of hours before baking. Never crumbled. Came out delicious!Tina Lane
If these came out a little chewy is that normal or did I not bake them long enough? Regardless, very easy and love them thanks!
I think that’s fine, but it may have been the type of oats you used or the length of time you baked them. Make sure to use rolled oats and let them sit a little first to set. Glad you still enjoyed them.
I made these today with my kids. We loved them as is. I also took a few and experimented by putting them back in the oven for a second bake for 20 minutes or so after cutting them (kind of like biscotti). I like the way that turned out as well. The outside had a crunch while the inside was still soft.
I love that idea for getting a nice crunch on them! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for this recipe! I am trying to get in more calories and was thinking of adding some butter. How would this change the texture and the taste? Would it work?
Oh yes, that would absolutely work. I actually recommend just replacing the applesauce with the butter. So use 1/4 cup butter instead.
These are very good. I add in ~3 Tbl of açacai Senegal fiber and same amount of flax, hemp and chia seeds Freeze them individually after baking for a grab and go.
Love all the great things you added! Thank you!!
Can I use quick oats instead of the old-fashioned rolled oats? Thanks!
You can, but it will come out kinda dry that way.
Can I use regular 2% milk instead of almond milk? Thank you!
Yup, that works!
Brilliant recipe for the kids!
They will happily eat these all week.
I left out the nuts etc. added a bit of mixed spice and used rice bran oil and milk as that was what was in the cupboard.
I also melted dark choc and drizzle or spread over the top, not too much, just enough to make them feel like its special.
This makes my morning school run a whole lot easier. Thank you!
So glad to hear that! And I love the chocolate drizzle on top!
Hiiiii…
Please how can I substitute applesauce
You can use oil instead – same amount.
My husband is allergic to eggs, are eggs absolutely necessary for this recipe? Anything I could use to substitute? Thanks
No, you can use a flax egg for every egg in the recipe. Mix 2 tablespoons egg with 5 tablespoons water and let it set. It will bind similar to eggs, but it’s just not as strong as eggs.
Made these to eat on the side with my eggs in the morning and some fruit- so delicious and very easy to make! I feel good knowing I’m eating this instead of a store bought granola bar. I didn’t have walnuts and it’s chewy and very flavorful. Thank you!! 🙂
So glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Thank you so much!
I love oats for breakfast but never know how to make anything other than porridge out of them. This recipe is perfect for breakfast or a snack. Tastes so good! I added choc chips on top of mine as something extra. Will be making this again when I run out.
I’m so glad to hear you tried something new with oats and enjoyed it. Thanks so much!!
It so great and easy enough to make at home ! Thank you for the recipe !!
Keep it up
Awesome! So glad you liked them!
I just made these bars and they came out fabulous! I added shredded coconut , pecans, chocolate chips, and chia seeds.
Will make these over and over! Next time I will try adding some chopped apples.
Thank you for this wholesome snack!
So glad to hear it. Thank you so much!
I made these with extra dried cranberries (based on the recommendations here) and added in shredded coconut. I swapped out the granulated sugar for brown sugar and cut back since my add-ins were plenty sweet. Also the 20-minute hydration is really important for the texture’s end result. The bars cut very nicely. I warmed slightly in the microwave. Very easy to make.
Hi Rachel – thanks so much for taking the time to share how you made the breakfast bars and emphasizing the time for the mixture to set and hydrate. So glad you enjoyed them!
I would like to make these a bit thinner and less cake-like for my toddlers. Can I do this same recipe in a larger pan?
Yes you can, and make sure to decrease the time for baking it. It might take 10 minutes less.
This recipe is now a staple in our home. The first time I made it I followed all of the directions as written and it was fabulous. The second time around I had to improvise using what ingredients I had on hand. I omitted the sugar. I substituted the egg for 1/2 cup of applesauce. Also, I added 1/4 cup coconut flakes and 1/4 raisins. It was delicious with a bit of a sweet and salty taste.
I love how you improvised and switching things up. Sounds so good with coconut flakes!
Easy to make. Could use more cranberries but that’s an easy fix, I can just add more. Does come out cake like. I heated some in the microwave and put almond milk over it which made a yummy hot cereal for me.
Yes, they are pretty chewy! That’s funny it made a hot cereal 🙂
Hi. Thank you for the recipe. I tried it yesterday but it came out as a cake rather than bars. I used honey instead of sugar and oil instead of applesauce. The mixture was very watery to be honest so probably i did something wrong with the measurements of these substitutes. Can you please tell me how much oil and honey i can use as substitutes? Also how do you convert the 2 cups of oats into grams? Many thanks.
Hi Elena – unfortunately the honey makes it too liquidy…so if you’re using honey, you’ll have to decrease the milk. You can substitute the applesauce 1:1 ratio with the canola oil. Did you also allow the mixture to settle so the oats absorb all the liquid. That’s a very important step. As for the 2 cups of oats…it equals about 90 grams. I hope that helps!
Thanks for the recipe. However the eggs taste was a bit too strong, so next time will lessen the eggs in my mixture..
Also I added few seeds in them like pumpkin, sunflower, chia etc.. it was good.
You can use only egg whites in the future if you’d like. I find that once I throw in the add-ins I can’t really taste the eggs. Glad you enjoyed it still though!
These are so easy and yummy! I added chocolate chips to mine 🙂 Since I’m a college student these are perfect to take on the go to my classes (especially the early morning ones). I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks so much for sharing. Love that they work for your schedule as college student!
We can finally say goodbye to store bought bars. This is perfectly perfect. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Tried it yesterday and it’s easy and delicious! Thank you for the recipe!!
So happy to hear it! Thank for for sharing 🙂
Can I replace the sugar with honey ?! Also can I omit the applesauce?
Yes, you can replace the sugar with honey, but I would recommend decrease the milk by a couple tablespoons then. If you leave out the applesauce, I recommend replacing it with oil. Hope that helps!
Omg!!! Best bars ever!!! I used dried cherries and brown sugar w a little maple syrup… amazing recipe!
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you so much for the feedback!
I made these this weekend, and they turned out great. Thanks for the helpful tips.
Yay! so glad to hear that. Thanks for sharing 🙂