Name: Oatmeal Breakfast Bars from the Pot
Yield: 12

These gluten-free Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are ultra chewy and loaded with flavor. They’re packed with oats, nut butter, and dark chocolate–plus they’re made with better-for-you, wholesome ingredients — reliable for a grab-and-go breakfast on a busy morning.

A satisfying On-The-Go Breakfast

My family loves Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars–they’re the best for grab-and-go breakfast or snacks. They’ve got great ingredients, and are filling, tender, soft, and ultra chewy. These bars taste like a mash-up of soft granola bars and a bowl of oatmeal. You’ll get wholesome-tasting, surprisingly-filling oat-filled bars.

Thanks to the nut butter and plenty of oats, these bars have substantial protein and fiber, and that helps your body feel fuller for longer.

All the ingredients prepped for straightforward assembly—sugar, oats, honey, cinnamon, eggs, peanut butter, oil, vanilla, and chocolate.

How To Make Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

These bars are one of the easiest recipes ever. You can make it in one bowl and whip it together in minutes.

Combine all the ingredients (except the dark chocolate) in a large bowl and mix to combine.
Coarsely chop the dark chocolate (you want some in every bite!) and add to the batter.
Mix the batter and then move to a lined 8×8-inch pan.
Bake until lightly browned at the edges and firm in the center.

All the ingredients mixed in one bowl, spread into a pan, and baked into satisfying oatmeal breakfast bars.

Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bar Ingredients

Old-fashioned oats: The oats make up the base of these bars and give them that soft chewiness. Make sure to use old-fashioned oats — quick oats are too processed and will make the bars overly dry. Steel-cut oats won’t soften enough.
Oat flour: No need to buy specialty flour. You can make oat flour with quick or old-fashioned oats; read more on this below.
Cinnamon: This spice adds a really nice complementary flavor to the oats, but it’s completely skippable. If you aren’t a cinnamon fan, leave it out!
Salt: Salt helps balance all the flavors in these Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars.
Peanut butter: Peanut butter contributes structure and stability (as well as protein).
Coconut oil: The coconut oil gives the bars a nice flavor and moistness.
Honey: I sweeten these primarily with honey, and natural sweeteners are always a great choice.
Light brown sugar: The bars needed a bit more sweetness, and using only honey made them too wet. So, I added 1/3 cup of brown sugar.
Vanilla extract: Adds a nice subtle flavor.
Egg + egg yolk: The egg provides stability to the batter and adds flavor and protein. The second egg yolk adds additional structure and flavor. Use the leftover egg whites in this egg wrap!
Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate has antioxidants in it, among other benefits. If you aren’t a fan of dark chocolate, you can use milk or semi-sweet chocolate, but it will make the bars a bit less healthy. Alternatively, you can add chopped nuts instead (or in addition).

How To Make Oat “Flour”

If you have quick oats or old-fashioned oats, you can have oat flour ready for in flash.

Place the oats (old-fashioned or quick oats–not instant or steel-cut ones) into the bowl of a food processor or a small blender.
Pulse the oats until ground into a powder-like consistency that resembles regular flour.
Stir the oats around if needed to be sure all the oats are finely ground.
Make sure to measure your oat flour after you blend it into flour.

Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bar Tips

Line the pan with parchment paper and leave an overhang for straightforward removal. This batter is sticky and hard to remove without it. If you don’t have parchment, grease the pan really well.
Let the bars cool. You may be tempted to eat one straight out of the oven (and hey, you do you!), but these bars are crumbly and a bit gooey while hot. As they cool, they firm up and are much easier to cut and serve.
Don’t overbake. Take the bars out when the edges look a little brown. The middle and top of the bars may look a bit wet or gooey, but as long as the bars don’t jiggle when slightly shaken in the pan, they’re done. If you bake them too long, they’ll turn out dry and not very soft or tasty.

Quick Tip

Make sure the ingredients are gluten free. If you are gluten intolerant, make sure to check all the products to be sure they are gluten free. The ingredients are naturally gluten free, but some brands don’t process them in gluten-free facilities. Check the label to be sure.

The reliable snack, fresh from the oven and ready to enjoy.

Storage

Leftovers?

Store Soft-Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy them within 2-3 days for best results. Feel free to warm individual bars for 5-10 seconds in the microwave if you like them warm.

To freeze: Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight freezer-safe container. Thaw individual bars at room temp, and if desired, warm through for 5-10 seconds in the microwave.