These freezer friendly banana baked oatmeal bars are perfect for taking as a super wholesome on-the-go breakfast or healthy snack!
It’s like eating a giant homemade banana oatmeal chocolate chip cookie for breakfast, delicious and hot from the oven.
The wholesome recipe can be vegan, gluten free, egg free, dairy free, low fat, low sugar and refined sugar free, with protein, iron, and fiber in each filling bite.
Make up a batch for the entire family. Or freeze some of the bars right away, so you can always have a healthy breakfast on hand any time you want one!
Also make these Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Banana oatmeal bar ingredients
The recipe calls for oats, banana, sweetener, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
For sugar free oatmeal bars, simply use liquid or powdered stevia to equal the sweetness amount of three tablespoons sugar.
Change up the flavor by using peanut butter, almond butter, or coconut butter or oil for the fat. Peanut butter oatmeal breakfast bars are one of my favorite versions.
Or turn it into a fat free breakfast recipe by substituting water instead.
There’s a banana free option listed in the recipe box below. Roasted sweet potato can also be mashed and used instead of the banana if you prefer.
Making the oatmeal breakfast bars
Preheat your oven to 350 degees Fahrenheit, and line an eight inch baking pan with parchment paper, or grease the pan well.
Stir all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make sure everything is evenly stirred, then smooth the batter into the prepared pan.
You can sprinkle a handful of chocolate chips on top if you want chocolate baked oatmeal bars. Then bake the recipe 20 minutes on the oven’s center rack.
Do not open the oven door. Turn off the heat completely, and let the pan sit in the closed oven for an additional five minutes so the bars will firm up while maintaining their soft and moist texture.
Slice into bars. If desired, top the healthy banana oat bars with Vegan Cream Cheese.
How to store baked oatmeal bars
Cover and refrigerate leftovers in the pan for three to four days.
Or slice the baked oatmeal into bars or squares. Layer them into an airtight container, with a piece of parchment paper or wax paper in between each layer so the bars do not stick to each other.
Once they are packed into the container, leftover bars can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. To defrost when ready to eat, simply thaw the banana oatmeal bars in the microwave or a warm oven, or heat in a pan on the stovetop.
Other healthy breakfast ideas
Watch the oatmeal bar recipe video above
Baked Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/3 cup mashed banana (for banana-free, try these Baked Oats)
- 6 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup, agave, or honey OR stevia equivalent
- 3 tbsp oil, nut butter, or additional water
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- optional handful chocolate chips, chopped nuts, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch pan with parchment, or grease well. Stir all ingredients, then smooth into the pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top if desired. Bake 20 minutes, then do not open the oven door but turn off the heat and let sit in the closed oven an additional 5 minutes. Slice into bars. Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen for a few months.View Nutrition Facts
Notes
Have you made this recipe?
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Healthy Banana Recipes
Healthy Banana Bread – OIL FREE Option
Jan says
Hi Katie. I love the portability of these bars but I don’t like banana. I notice in your Baked Oats recipe that you can use either banana or applesauce. Could I substitute an equal amount of applesauce for the banana in this recipe? If I used baked squash, would it be an equal amount to the banana? Thanks. Love your recipes!
CCK Media Team says
Hi, we haven’t tried it here so don’t want to recommend anything we haven’t tried (for taste purposes – texture should be fine).
Bethy says
This recipe looks fantastic–right up my alley!
How would I substitute xylitol for the liquid sweeteners?
Thank you for all your healthy recipes, Katie!
CCK Media Team says
We haven’t ever tried a granulated sweetener here and don’t know if it would work, texture-wise. You might be better off going with powdered erythritol or blending xylitol in the blender until powdered then using that. If you try, be sure to report back.
Jessica says
Has anyone tried this with added protein powder?
Nina says
Looks Fabulous👏👏👏 thank you for the video and recipe. Do you know how much the 2 cups of oats and the 1 & 1/3 rd cups of mashed banana weigh in grams please. Thanks. Stay safe…
Julie says
I prefer everything in grams as well
Rebecca says
~200g oats and ~300g banana
I also prefer grams so I weighed it out as I measured volumetrically. Hope this helps xx
leigh says
do you cook the oats first ? it doesn’t sa
Nina says
Thank you Rebecca very helpful. I wish there was a metric slide option on the recipes.
Aroma says
These are fantastic!
Eleanor says
How do you get 90 calories per serving? I calculated the calories using oil and sugar free maple syrup and got 142 calories per serving. Is water used instead of the oil?
Iran Loomis says
I have never tried a recipe that you’ve provided that I didn’t like. Your site is my go-to site for almost anything. I may be 77 yrs old (and follow a vegan/plant-based diet) but I enjoy trying new recipes. Your recipes are easy, with ingredients found in most pantries, and delicious. Thank you!
CCK Media Team says
This made us so happy to read. Thank YOU for trying the recipes 🙂
Kathy says
DO not even try to slice these until cool. They fall apart.
Avra says
Have you tested this with quick cooking oats?
CCK Media Team says
Hi sorry we have not!
Hilary Luckett says
Did you try the instant oats?
She who must not be named says
Instant oats are the same thing as quick cook
Katrina L Werthmann says
We did it with the instant oats last time we made these and they were very…very…very dense/mushy. Taste wise they tasted wonderful but if your a texture person you probably wouldn’t like it. We are making it with the old fashion oats tonight!
S says
Very good!
Lisa says
These were SO good and incredibly easy! I’m a new mom so was looking for some quick and healthy breakfast/snack ideas, and these are totally it! Life that they are full of breastfeeding-friendly ingredients too. Can’t wait to make again!
CCK Media Team says
Thank you so much for trying them 🙂
Michael says
Tried this today and really liked this recipe. If it was any indicator that I cut my batch into 12 pieces, and left it after taking it out of the oven, and when I returned 5 pieces were missing. 🙂
CCK Media Team says
This makes us so happy, thank you for trying them!
Sferd says
I’m curious if anyone has used almond milk instead of water? It seems that would give a slightly better flavor?
CCK Media Team says
We don’t find almond milk to have much of a flavor, but you can definitely use it here!
Shrimp says
I used almond milk. It was good, it made it slightly more creamy than when I only used water (:
Cloey says
These are delicious! I ran out of fresh, spotted bananas so I had to improvise and use 1/3 cup of applesauce. You can’t taste it. I used coconut oil for the oil option. I topped half of them with semi sweet chocolate chips, and the other half with dried blueberries. These bars are very versatile and delicious warmed up in the microwave for 15 seconds! I had to cook them for a few minutes longer, too.
CCK Media Team says
This makes us so happy 🙂
vivian says
can these be baked as muffins?
Emily says
Just made these and they turned out great! I used plain peanut butter with no sugar added and completely cut out the added sugar (except for the chocolate chips on top) and relied primarily on the banana for sweetness. It was perfect! It might not be sweet enough for some, but it was just right for me, especially with the chocolate chips.
I also had an idea to add pumpkin spice and use pumpkin puree instead of banana next time for a pumpkin pie flavor.
Jenny says
Can I use frozen bananas?
MONICA GORDON says
what can i add to get more fiber
James says
Flax seeds (ground up or whole)!
Heidi Stair says
Do these bars have to be refrigerated or frozen?
Rita says
My rule of thumb for all baked goods is 3 days on the counter, fridge after that.
Heidi says
Thank you!
Rita says
I just made these but copied the amount of banana incorrectly and put in 2 cups instead of 1-1/3 lol! I also forgot the water, and added no sweetener and they came out perfect anyway! I did add flax seeds, walnuts and raisins because all my sweet breads must have those 😀 Thanks again Katie!
Chelaina says
This came out really sticky for me. Not sure if that’s how it’s supposed to be. The kids liked it anyways. I did add 2 tbsp of peanut butter, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds, and put some raspberries as a middle layer. Maybe if I let it sit longer or froze them they’d not be as sticky.
CCK Media Team says
So glad your kids liked them! Most likely, adding a layer of raspberries would add extra moisture to the recipe, as raspberries have a high water content.
LeaAnn Ross says
OMG! I made these because I wanted to get rid of bananas and didn’t want to make bread!! I will have these on hand ALWAYS!! I added flax seed to too! They are a delightfully, tasty snack that is healthy! I threw them in the freezer but they won’t be lasting long!! They are so good!
Gigi says
We always have over ripe bananas at our house and get tired of banana bread. This recipe will be my go to from now on to use up all those bananas! It was quick, easy and very delicious!
Dee says
Taste great. Using the recipe above without adding choocolate chips or nuts and using almond butter is double the calories states. The rolled oats alone account for almost 90cal per serving (9)
Nina says
Hi can these be made with traditional oats? Has anyone reading this tried traditional oats. It’s all I’ve got in my pantry at the moment. Thanks.
JB says
Can you make these in a 9 inch pan instead of an 8 inch pan?
Jen says
Hi there!
Good recipe! I chose to put the mix into a silicone bar mould (with 12 spots), baked it for 12 minutes, let sit for 5 and they were great! Thanks!
Suzanne says
These are our go-to now. Delicious.
Shaina says
These are so good! I’ve made these a few times, and this is my favorite version—no honey, 1 tbsp peanut butter, and cranberries, chocolate chips, and almonds. Perfect breakfast/snack bars. Yum!
Jen says
I literally NEVER leave reviews but wanted to get in here and say that this recipe is amazing. Healthy, quick, and delicious! Thank you! I’ve made it soooo many times.
Sophie says
I’m not vegan and was looking to add more protein so I added in some plain yogurt to sub for some of the banana and all the water and they turned out great!