These 100% whole grain Blueberry Oatmeal Bars make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Vegan and gluten-free!
I have so many emotions about these, just like my strawberry oatmeal bars and raspberry oatmeal bars! But first. Can we agree that you really can only have so many muffins?
I think I've made them every week for the past forty million weeks. I love 'em to death but I can't lie; I was in need of a change. A sprucing up of my snack routine, if you will.
Way back when I whipped up these Apple Oatmeal Bars, which screamed Autumn and caramel apples and crispy leaves and weather just cold enough to wear my cute new brown jacket. Now it's so hot outside that we're all nearly melting. Apple thangs have been swapped out for berry thangs.
The berries this season have been reeeeeal good. Sweet, plump, juicy, bloob and strawb perfection. I've been adding them to toast with almond butter and cinnamon like it's my job.
LOADED toast. It's a thing. My current fave is local heritage grain sourdough toasted up, slathered with almond butter (seriously the creamiest and drippiest) and topped with blueberries, strawberries, banana, cinnamon, and cacao nibs for crunch. It's one heavy piece of toast.
Now if you're not in the mood for said toast, these vegan and gluten-free blueberry oatmeal bars make a fabulous healthy breakfast or snack. They're just sweet enough to pass as dessert with the kiddos but healthy enough to double as breakfast. They'd be pretty unreal topped with melty vanilla bean ice cream. Not like I've tried it or anything.
If you want to make these for the Fourth of July, feel free to use some strawberries in place of a portion of the bloobs and sprinkle with coconut. I can't even with this patriotism.
Red, white, and blueberry!
Print
Healthy Blueberry Snack Bars
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Snack, Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These 100% whole grain Blueberry Oatmeal Snack Bars make the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Vegan and gluten-free!
Ingredients
For the blueberry chia jam:
- 1 ½ cups blueberries (I used frozen)
- 1 ½ tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
For the bars:
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Grease an 8x8in baking dish with coconut oil or cooking spray.
- Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add blueberries, chia seeds and maple syrup. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often. Use a potato masher to smash blueberries for the "jam" layer. Set aside.
- Combine oats, oat flour, sugar, cinnamon salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
- Add applesauce, maple syrup and coconut oil, stirring to combine.
- Set aside a heaping half cup of the oat mixture and then spoon the rest evenly into the prepared pan. Top with blueberry chia jam, spreading evenly with a spoon or spatula. Drop the rest of the oat mixture on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into 12 bars. Store bars in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Rebecca says
These look like a great addition to school snack time! Do you think I could grind up the oatmeal to make my own oat flour with good results? Thanks!
Alexis says
Yes, you can totally make your own oat flour! Just be sure to grind it really fine. Enjoy!
Nancy W says
Really tasty. Easy. Subbed honey for syrup bc we were out and they turned out great. Thanks Alexis!
★★★★★
Alexis says
Perfect, I'm thrilled you loved these Nancy!
Erika says
I made these as a breakfast treat on a Saturday morning - I must say they are easy to make and taste amazing! My boyfriend came downstairs and was amazed by the smell coming from the oven - we both had two pieces and can't wait to eat the leftovers. Delicious and perfectly sweet!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Isn't the smell something else? So glad you and your man loved them. Thanks for taking the time to review them, Erika!
Jessie says
So so good! A quick bar that’s nutritious and yummy to grab On the go which is exactly what I needed. My 1 year old loved as well!!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Heck yes!! How cute that your 1 year old enjoyed them, too 🙂 Thank you for coming back and rating the recipe!
Liz says
Very unique oatmeal bars that are delicious and super and super easy to make!
★★★★★
Arcilia Carrasco says
Do you have nutritional value for your recipes?
hummusapien says
I don't! Feel free to enter it into an online nutrition calculator like Spark Recipes.
Shelly Schwartz says
Love these! Since trying the recipe I have already made them three weekends in a row. I even brought them as a dessert to a friends get together and even their kiddos loved them!
★★★★★
Alexis says
Awww thanks so much for letting me know, Shelly!
Diana says
Mine looks great but did not stick together. It’s just crumble
★★★
Alexis says
I'm sorry to hear these didn't work out for you, Diana. Did you change anything about the recipe? I'd love to help you troubleshoot.
Nyree says
I found this the perfect mid morning snack 5 days a week. I even froze some of them individually taking them out the freezer the night before, still tasted really good. I did switch the maple syrup for agave syrup.
★★★★★
Alexis says
Mmmm such a good idea to freeze!
Jessika L says
Our family loves these and we've tried making them with a few different flavors-delicious every time!
Alexis says
Best news! Thanks for letting me know.
Heather D says
Love this recipe! Use it as a subsititue for thoss sugary cereal bars for my kids and they gobble them up. I added lemon zest to the jam the last time I made it and OMG!! I highly reccomend it
★★★★★
Jack Smith | BBQRecipez.com says
These remind me of a blueberry snack cake my mom use to make us as kids! Love it!
★★★★★
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Emilie says
These turned out so well! I think next time I will add some extra blueberries 🙂
★★★★★
Me says
Why would you not put the nutrition facts!!!
This is a project for school and now i can get a bad mark 'cause I don't know the nutrition facts!!
★
Alexis says
I don’t put nutrition facts because it’s my personal preference as a blogger and dietitian to not include nutrition information with my recipes. It’s extra time and effort for me than I don’t feel is necessary for my content. Having lots of clients and readers with eating disorders, I purposely choose not to have caloric information below my recipes to encourage eating intuitively. You can go to a site like My Fitness Pal to calculate on your own if you wish.
betty says
How can I subsitute the applesauce? Thanks!
★★★★★
Beth says
I don't have much experience baking with chia seeds...do you use whole chia seeds or ground chia seeds? Looks delicious. Cannot wait to try it! Thanks.
Kathy Ingallinera says
I added some small walnut pieces on top and will have to wait until tomorrow to have them since I want them to cool. They look fabulous!
Alexis says
Mmmmm walnuts are always an excellent decision 🙂
Courtney says
Just made these for breakfast this morning with some eggs on. The side. So yummy and so easy!! It was like eating a slightly healthier morning pastry. Will definitely be making again!!
Lisa says
I have to agree with everyone else that the batter was really wet. I couldn't sprinkle the topping , just drop it in blobs. It tastes very good but I am really missing the crispy oat cluster topping that I see in the picture. Can you double check the ratios of the wet ingredients and make sure there are no typos?
Alexis says
Hey Lisa, so sorry about this! I just made them again and I agree--a bit too wet. I added another half cup of oats and am adjusting the recipe accordingly. Thanks for your comment!
Christine says
Wondering where I went wrong...... I'm trying to figure out how I'll sprinkle a half cup of the oat mixture as mine is very wet (consistency of a cake batter). Please advise! Cheers!
Jessica Wurster says
This is a great recipe! We omit the brown sugar and only use half of the maple syrup in the oat part-they are still a delicious treat and our toddler loves them. Thank you!
Alexis says
So happy you made swaps that are delish for you! Keep baking 🙂
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Emily says
Ok, I raved about them on social media and have to rave here, I love these!! I made them today; had them in the fridge; wasn't going to eat them since I was too full from dinner but needed to cut them up to give one to the hubs for his work lunch... a tiny sliver fell off of his, I nibbled, and I saw fireworks. Next thing you know, I'm eating my own bar and thinking of a second.
The flavors are so so great!! It was the first time I made my own oat flour (half rolled/half steal cut blended), and they seriously turned out perfect. I could go on but will end with, these will be in rotation in this house. 🙂 Thank you. Thank you.
★★★★★
Alexis says
Awww I loved reading this, Emily! Crying that you saw fireworks....amazing 🙂 You'll have to try the cookies I'm posting Monday that are made with oat flour as well.
Alta says
can you make oat flour by grinding up raw oatmeal?
Terra says
Did you then add some fresh blueberries on top? That's what it looks like in the photos.
RunnerGirl says
These are in the oven now...the crust & topping was way 'wetter' than yours looks. It wasn't dry enough to press into the pan or crumble on top...more like batter. I think the problem may be that I used gluten free oats from Trader Joe's and they are a little less 'hardy' than old fashioned oats. I think they'll taste good, but the don't look as pretty as yours 🙂
Christine says
I'm just looking at my batter and trying to figure out how I'm going to "sprinkle" 1/2 cup of the oat mixture. It's very wet and the consistency of a cake batter..... How did yours turn out????
Alexis says
Hmmm it should be sticky but able to be dropped in clumps. Hope it worked out ok!
Jackie Chlebeck says
I want to take these to a 4th of July get-together. Could I just double recipe for a 9x13 pan? Could I also use half almond/half oat flour? Thank you!
Stacy says
Looks delicious!
Question: Do you happen to know of a non-fat substitute for coconut oil?
Thank you very much 🙂
Alexis says
Hi Stacy, I think they'd be pretty dry without the fat source. Applesauce may work but I haven't tried it!
masala girl says
these are the answer to my prayers! i've been wanting to make some sort of blueberry bars 🙂 too bad i'm leaving now D:
Jeff? says
Tried them! Love them!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicioua says
These look so good! I love baked oatmeal with fruit and this could double as granola bars.
Lauren @ The Bikini Experiment says
I agree. Time for a change. It is hot out there. Time for the berries.
Alexis says
AMEN! Cherry time, baby 🙂
Hannah says
These look beyond delicious!!! xx
Julia says
I'm fantasizing about eating that entire dish of "snack" bars for dinner. SO healthy, so tasty! I need to bejewel some oats with bluebs as soon as humanly possible!
Alexis says
Yasss! Bejewel away, my love! I'm already thinking about making another batch with cherries. Or strawbs. DROOL!
rachel @ athletic avocado says
I can't wait until july when my Mom buys over 50 pounds of blueberries to make blueberry pies and there are always so many left! I would love to make these with the extras! YUM 🙂
Alexis says
Omg your mom sounds like the BOMB
Monica says
Such a good idea for a snack, love it!
dixya | food, pleasure, and health says
i need a scoop of vanilla ice cream with these 🙂 #balancedeating
Sara @ Oats & Rows says
These are happening TODAY
Khushboo says
Oh damn son these look amazing- you can just see the plumpness of the berries...not that I'm jealous or anything given berry season in Mumbai is long gone. As for topping these with vanilla ice cream- girl, you are speaking my language ;)!
Alexis says
Allll the ice cream, gurl!