Description
These Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars combine wholesome rolled oats, sweet fresh strawberries, and natural sweeteners to create a soft, fruity filling topped with a crisp oat crumble. Perfect for a nutritious breakfast, snack, or light dessert, these bars are easy to prepare and ideal for meal prepping.
Ingredients
For the Oat Crust & Crumble
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar or light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup melted coconut oil or unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Strawberry Filling
- 2½ cups fresh strawberries, diced
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the oat mixture: In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats, whole wheat flour, almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
- Add wet ingredients: Stir in the melted coconut oil and vanilla extract until the mixture holds together in a crumbly texture.
- Form the crust: Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to create the crust layer.
- Make the strawberry filling: In a separate bowl, combine diced strawberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Mix until all the berries are coated and the filling is well blended.
- Assemble the bars: Spread the strawberry filling evenly over the oat crust in the pan, then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture uniformly over the top to form the crumble layer.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the strawberry filling is bubbling.
- Cool and slice: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to set. Once cooled, lift out using the parchment paper and cut into 9 squares.
Notes
- Allow bars to cool fully before cutting to ensure clean slices without crumbling.
- Frozen strawberries work well; just thaw and drain excess liquid before use to avoid soggy filling.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Freeze individual bars for longer storage, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
