Description
These Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are a wholesome and delicious way to start your day. Made with instant oats, whole wheat flour, warming spices, and natural sweeteners like pure maple syrup, they offer a soft, chewy texture with a subtle hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect for a quick breakfast or snack, these bars are easy to make and customizable with optional mix-ins like nuts, seeds, or dried fruit.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary)
- 3/4 cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 large egg white (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- 6 tbsp (90mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk (room temperature)
Optional Mix-ins
- Chopped nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds)
- Dried fruit (e.g., raisins, cranberries)
- Dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray to ensure the bars won’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant oats, whole wheat or gluten-free flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt until fully combined and evenly distributed.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the melted and slightly cooled butter or coconut oil with the egg white and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the pure maple syrup and continue whisking until the mixture is well incorporated. Then stir in the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the oat flour mixture into the wet ingredients and gently stir just until everything is combined and no large dry spots remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the bars tender.
- Add Optional Mix-ins: If desired, carefully fold in any optional mix-ins such as nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips to add extra texture and flavor.
- Spread Batter in Pan: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared 8-inch square pan, smoothing the top with a spatula to create an even layer.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 9-12 minutes until the edges start to firm and the top looks set but still soft. Avoid overbaking to keep the bars chewy.
- Cool and Rest: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely to room temperature in the pan. For best texture, let the bars rest at room temperature for an additional 6 or more hours to become soft and chewy.
- Slice and Serve: Once rested, slice the bars into 16 even squares and enjoy as a healthy breakfast or snack option.
Notes
- Use gluten-free oats and flour if you need a gluten-free version.
- Cinnamon adds warmth and depth; you can adjust the amount to taste but don’t omit for best flavor.
- Optional mix-ins like nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips enhance flavor and texture but are not necessary.
- Resting the bars after baking is key for achieving the best soft and chewy consistency.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 3.5g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
