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These Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are soft, chewy and satisfying. Made from oats and ripe bananas, they’re packed with nutrients and health benefits. This easy recipe has no eggs, no nut butter and no sugar. You will love that they store and freeze very well!
If you have no time to cook in the morning but want to eat healthy, then you will also love my microwave oatmeal, my oatmeal protein cookies and my 3 ingredient baked oatmeal.
I’ve been making these healthy breakfast bars for over 5 years. When I was a university student always in a rush, they used to save my mornings – especially when running late for class. Now that I work, they do a great job in keeping me full until lunchtime.
At home, we usually bake a batch on Sunday for the week. Since I work out early in the morning, I like scooping in some protein powder. My high protein breakfast bars are great also for pre-workout snacks, in fact. The oats provide a good dose of complex carbs, the natural sugars in bananas fuel my workouts, and Greek yogurt adds some quality protein.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Quick and simple – Making breakfast bars at home is a breeze. Whipped up in one bowl, they’re done in minutes with minimal cleaning involved.
- Healthy and nutritious – These may be the healthiest breakfast bars. They’re gluten-free, sugar-free, nut-free, eggless and vegan. You won’t find ridiculous amounts of peanut butter here, so they are also low calorie and great for weight loss. Last but not least, the fibers from oats make them filling and good for constipation.
- Soft and chewy – They taste exactly like the ones you buy, with the perfect chewy texture and a hearty, lightly sweet flavor. You will love experimenting with mix-ins, such as choc chips or raisins. Kids will love them!
- Meal prep friendly – Oatmeal bars store very well, so you can have breakfasts ready to eat for the entire week. Also with the most hectic schedule. Frozen, they will last even more, for up to 4 months!
- Versatile – These healthy squares are perfect for breakfasts on the go, morning snacks at school or work, and late-night desserts. You can also pack them in the lunch boxes of your kids as a healthier alternative to packaged snacks.
Ingredients and substitutes
This simple recipe requires only a handful of staples, you probably have everything in your pantry. But don’t worry if something is missing. In the following lines you will find plenty of replacement options. Precise measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Ripe bananas. Use spotty, speckled bananas with a brownish peel. The riper they are, the sweeter the bars. If you are not a fan, swap out bananas for 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree.
- Rolled oats. For a chewy texture, use old fashioned rolled oats – gluten-free if necessary. Quick instant oats can also work, but they will give your bars a mushy texture and fewer nutrients.
- Oat flour. I like pairing rolled oats with oat flour, this combo ensures the perfect texture. Oat flour can be replaced with more rolled oats or protein powder.
- Greek yogurt. To keep breakfast bars with no nut butter and no oil moist, this recipe uses Greek yogurt. The yogurt provides moisture and a punch of protein. As a vegan substitute you can choose plant based yogurt.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt. These are going to be our flavor enhancers. Vanilla and cinnamon pair so well with banana.
Recipe variations
- Choc chips – Stir in the dough 1/4 cup of your favorite chocolate chips, I recommend dark chocolate because it is lower in sugar.
- Nuts – Add more texture with 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts or a mix of nuts. My favorite combo is walnuts and raisins.
- Seeds – Include 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, or a combination of those.
- Dried fruit – To add sweetness and texture, fold through 1/4 cup of dried raisins, cranberries or dried apples. Dried fruit goes well with other mix ins, such as walnuts.
- Fresh fruit – Mix in the dough a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries, strawberries, diced apples or pears. I love mine with pear and dark chocolate.
- Double chocolate – Substitute 1/3 cup of oat flour with unsweetened cocoa powder and fold through a handful of your favorite chocolate chips.
- Protein powder – For a boost of protein, use protein powder as a replacement for oat flour. My suggestion is to prefer simple flavors, such as vanilla or chocolate.
How to make breakfast bars with oats
Step 1 – Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 7 x 7 inch (15 x15 cm) brownie pan with parchment paper. Or grease it with oil to prevent sticking.
Step 2 – Mix wet ingredients. In a large bowl mash the bananas and then combine with yogurt, vanilla extract, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. For sweetener bars, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey to taste. Stir until the batter reaches a smooth consistency.
Step 3 – Add dry ingredients. Add rolled oats and oat flour (or protein powder) to the wet mixture and stir until combined. You can add optional mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, walnuts or raisins.
Step 4 – Bake. Transfer the oat dough to your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake in hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have set in the center. Let cool to room temperature, then slice into bars.
Watch the video recipe!
Success tips
- Use ripe bananas – For sweet and soft oatmeal breakfast bars, make sure to pick ripe bananas. Besides tasting sweetener, ripe bananas add plenty of moisture and bind the dough without eggs.
- Use rolled oats – Instant quick oats can also work, but it won’t give the classic chewy and hearty texture that rolled oats provide. On the other hand, steel cut oats is not recommended.
- Sweeten to taste – I find that the natural sweetness from ripe bananas is already enough. But if you have the sweet tooth or if you prepare this recipe for kids, add a couple tablespoons of maple syrup.
- Customize to your likings – For the best breakfast bars, add extra ingredients such as chocolate chips, nuts and seeds, fresh berries or raisins. If you are into fitness like me, consider protein powder.
- Store in the fridge – Out of experience I can tell you that these squares taste better on day 2, after they have sit in the fridge overnight. As they cool, the flavors become more pronounced and the texture improves.
Meal prep and storage
Before storing or freezing, allow them to cool completely to room temperature. Once they have cooled, you can slice into bars or squares – I got six large pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for a maximum of 5 days.
For a longer storage, pack them into zipper bags and freeze for up to 4 months. To reheat, remove the desired amount from the freezer and warm it up in hot oven or in the microwave. There is no need to thaw them ahead, if you’re going to heat them up.
Frequently asked questions
No, this recipe doesn’t need eggs or egg whites. Instead, ripe bananas serve as a vegan substitute, helping to bind the ingredients and hold the dough together.
These bars are perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts, quick snacks and healthy desserts. For a more balanced meal, I recommend pairing them with a bowl of Greek yogurt and fresh fruit.
More easy healthy breakfasts
- Microwave oatmeal
- Oatmeal chocolate chip bars
- Strawberry oatmeal bars
- Banana oat bars
- Oatmeal protein cookies
- High protein oatmeal bars
Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas, about 7.5 oz (225 g) in total
- 1 ½ cups (150 g) rolled oats
- ½ cup (50 g) oat flour, replace with more oats or protein powder
- ⅓ cup (80 g) Greek yogurt , or dairy-free yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- 2 to 4 tbsp maple syrup, optional, to taste
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (180°C) and fold a 7 x 7 inch (15 x15 cm) brownie pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl mash the bananas and combine with yogurt, vanilla extract, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. For sweetener bars, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey to taste. Stir until smooth.
- Add rolled oats and oat flour (or protein powder) to the wet mixture and stir until combined. You can optionally add extra mix-ins, such as chocolate chips, walnuts or raisins.
- Transfer the dough to the prepared baking pan and spread it out evenly.
- Bake in hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have set in the center. Let cool to temperature, then slice into bars.
Notes
Ingredient notes
- Bananas: Replace with 1 cup (220 g) of unsweetened applesauce or 1 cup (220 g) of pumpkin puree.
- Sweetener: Bananas add plenty of natural sweetness. For sweeter squares, add a couple tablespoons of maple syrup or honey – taste the dough and adjust with sweetener if it is necessary.
- Dairy-free: Replace Greek yogurt with your favorite nondairy yogurt, I recommend soy yogurt.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats and oat flour.
- Protein powder: For high protein breakfast bars, replace oat flour with half a cup of protein powder. I recommend vanilla vegan protein powder, it provides a great taste and texture.
- Extras: Customize this breakfast bars recipe with additional chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, raisins or fresh berries.
Storage notes
- To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- To freeze: Place in zipper bags and freeze for up to 4 months.
- To reheat: Remove bars from the freezer, then warm up in hot oven or in the microwave.
Great idea for my breakfast this oatmeals bars. Tks
Hey this oatmeal breakfast bars are excellent. Oat lower my bad cholesterol without medication. Tks Matt.