These berry oat bars have become my family's favorite new grab-and-go breakfast or after-dinner treat. They come together really fast and have no refined sugar. Sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar so we can skip the refined sugar! The entire family will love this recipe!
Ingredients for berry oat bars
- Coconut Oil — Melted and cooled. Butter can be replaced if you prefer butter to coconut oil.
- All-Purpose Flour — Or to make gluten free, simply swap for our favorite gluten free 1:1 flour substitute; King Arthur Measure for Measure. (See notes below for more on this.)
- Quick Oats — Rolled oats can be used as well, however, the texture of quick oats is more subtle and preferred for this recipe.
- Maple Syrup — This lends the best flavor to these berry bars, however, honey or agave nectar can be used as well.
- Granulated Coconut Sugar — This adds another layer of sweetness, but can be omitted or simply replaced with granulated white sugar if preferred.
- Raspberry Preserves — Use your favorite flavor jam of any berry you like. Jelly does not work, so stick with preserves or nice jam.
How to make berry oat bars
- Ok, now get ready, this recipe might take a whole 10 minutes to throw together. I love that all ingredients get mixed up in one bowl and you're done! No special equipment or extra dishes to wash. I'm in love with this baking pan from Nordic Ware because it comes with a lid!
- Melt your coconut oil in the same bowl you're using to mix everything together (less dishes!). Once melted, throw all other ingredients in, except for the raspberry preserves, and mix until combined. You'll have a slightly crumb-y mixture that holds together when you squeeze. Perfect!
- Now, just press about ⅔ of the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Spread the raspberry preserves, but careful not to go all the way to the edge. Leave a ½" border around the outside, so the preserves don't burn on the side of the pan.
- Lastly, crumble the remaining ⅓ of the mixture over the preserves and lightly press so the crumbs hold on and don't fall off when sliced and served.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the edges are set. Allow to cool completely, then slice into 9 equal squares and enjoy!
According to an article on the Under Armor Blog, Kate Chynoweth says this about maple syrup:
With a rich taste, lower glycemic index than white sugar and a low-fructose content, maple syrup has a well-deserved good rep as a sweetener. It contains small amounts of antioxidants, calcium, potassium and iron, and the mineral manganese, which contributes to healthy bone structure. Does this mean it’s healthy to eat syrup? Sadly, no. But there’s a good argument for choosing it over refined white sugar or agave.
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/examination-healthier-sugar-alternatives/
Berry Oat Bars - sweet enough without the refined sugar
My favorite way to sweeten breakfast treats is with maple syrup. It's basically asking to be in all our morning food, right? The truth is that sugar is sugar. It's empty carbs and should always be eaten in moderation. Maple syrup, though, is my favorite because of it's lower amount of fructose.
I love this article about the benefits of maple syrup! Not only does it taste amazing, but there's actual benefits to adding it to your favorite breakfast!
- Maple Syrup is good for Men's health! It's loaded with zinc, which plays a significant role in men's reproductive health. Who knew??
- Maple Syrup helps boost energy! ¼ Cup of maple syrup can provide you with up to 100% of your daily manganese needs.
- Maple Syrup helps regulate blood sugar levels. Moderation is always key when consuming sugars, but maple syrup is preferable to refined sugar and can actually help regulate insulin.
- Maple Syrup is loaded with antioxidants that can have strong anticancer properties.
How to store berry oat bars
To keep oat bars fresh, add sliced bars to a ziploc bag lined with paper towels. The paper towels will keep the bars from getting soggy and will soak up any excess moisture.
The bars can be stored this way at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the refrigerator for up to 8 days.
Recipe modifications
Add Peanut Butter — You asked and we listened! Many asked if you could add a nut butter to this recipe and we developed it for you! Check out our new Peanut Butter and Jelly Oat Bars Recipe and try this variation next time you need that delicious and quick breakfast for the whole family! Tastes great with classic peanut butter, but feel free to use your favorite nut butter (almond, cashew, sunflower, etc) and enjoy!
Add Flaxseed — Another easy way to add sneaky protein to this recipe is to add one tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the oat dough. No one will ever know its there!
Add Fresh Berries or Other Preserves — We make these berry oat bars with raspberry preserves, but feel free to use whichever preserves you have on hand. OR even fresh berries. It will add a good amount of moisture, but if the berries are chopped or smashed, it's another way to avoid extra sugar and get that fresh berry taste.
Make these bars gluten free
The Best Gluten Free Flour
To make this recipe gluten free, simply swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. Also be sure to purchase gluten free oats.
Oats are naturally gluten free, however there is cross contamination in the processing, so gluten free oats need to be used. I like Trader Joe's bag of clearly marked gluten free rolled oats.
I've tried and tested many different gluten free flour blends and the clear winner is King Arthur Measure for Measure (always cheapest on Amazon). It can be used as a direct replacement in almost any recipe and it will taste just as good as the original. You can read about my gluten free flour blends experiment here.
Berry Oat Bars
Ingredients
- ½ C coconut oil melted
- 1 ½ C all-purpose flour or gluten free substitute
- 1 ½ C quick oats
- ⅓ C maple syrup
- ⅓ C coconut sugar or granulated
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ C raspberry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8 baking pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, except for preserves.
- Using your hands press ⅔ of the mixture into the bottom of your pan until it's even and relatively flat.
- Gently spread preserves, leaving ½" around the outside. (The preserves will scald if up against the edge of the pan.)
- Using your hands, evenly crumble the remaining ⅓ of the mixture over the top of the preserves and lightly press so the crumbles stay in place after baking.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes on a center rack until lightly browned on top.
- Let cool in pan on top of a cooling rack. Cut and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Gayle
Just wondering about the preserves - don't they have refined sugar in them? Also wanted to see nutritional info, like fat gms, etc. Thanks!
Amy
Hi Gayle! Yes, most jam or preserves has added sugar. To make this recipe sugar free, use preserves with no added sugar. I haven't found a reliable system for giving the correct fat, carbs, sugars, etc., but I'm working on it! As soon as I find the right solution I'll post it!
Anonymous
I'm making them now -- I just crushed up frozen fruit.
Jean K
These are easy and so yummy! Use whatever preserves you have. I had some low sugar organic plum jam (made from the plums off our tree!) and it was amazing!
Amy
Sounds so good!
Kathryn
I don’t have coconut oil, would avocado oil work in its place?
Amy
Good question. Typically, you'd want to use an oil that is solid at room temp, otherwise it will likely still fall apart when cooled. You can use butter or shortening too.
Krystal K
Would it work with peanut butter instead of raspberry jam?
Amy
Great question! It should work just fine, however, it would probably stick in your mouth and feel glue-y without the help of some jam. Let me know how it goes!
Lindsay
Can you make this with rolled oats instead of quick oats,
Amy
Yes! I often used rolled oats and they work just as well.
Brittany
Storage? Fridge? Counter?
Amy
These keep for up to a week in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Barbara White
I made this recipe and greatly anticipated eating it for breakfasts and dessert. It had such a chemical taste that we could not eat it at all. We didn't finish even one bar. We had to throw it out. I suspect it is the coconut sugar. The recipe calls for 1/3 c. Is that correct? I checked the coconut sugar package for expiration date and it doesn't expire until 2022. What can you suggest I do if I want to try this recipe again?
Amy
Hi Barbara, I'm so sorry it didn't turn out great. The coconut sugar shouldn't give you a chemical taste. I would assume it's the baking powder. Be sure it's just 1 tsp, or reduce to 1/2 tsp. I know the taste you're talking about and it's terrible! I hope this helps.
Cynthia Cox
I use organic oats. If I buy regular oats I can really taste the difference.
LaDonna Robbins
Hi Amy,
Hey I saw where someone asked if this recipe would work with peanut butter? You said it might make it
gluey. So I was thinking how about if you added the peanut butter and the jam? Kinda put a pb and Jelly
spin on it?
Amy
I love this idea! In fact, I love it so much, I just might have to try it and post it here. Stay tuned!
Lisa
Could this be made in a cupcake tray? Would the cooking time change?
Amy
Hi Lisa,
I haven't tried it in a cupcake tray, but I think that's a great idea! The trick would be to make sure the jam doesn't touch the side of the muffin tin since it will scorch, but I think it can be done, especially if you have an XL muffin tin. I would reduce the bake time by about 5 minutes, but you'd want to keep an eye on them. Let me know how it goes!
Amy
sophie graham
ive made these twice and they turn out so crumbly! any suggestions?
Amy
Hi Sophie! I'm sorry they're so crumbly for you. You'll want to ensure you're pushing it down hard in the pan before layering the jam and the crumb topping. You can also add more maple syrup, 1 Tbsp at a time until it comes together when you squeeze it in your hand. I hope that helps!
Amy Jean
Thank you Amy!! My husband started wanting more oatmeal in his diet, so I went searching! I am so glad I found you & Rachel! These delicious bars were fantastic! It's really important, as you have said to press down the 2/3 rd's into the 8x8 pan. I used Polaner All Fruit strawberry! I also used grapeseed oil & 1/2 tea of baking powder. The bars were just perfect! I am looking forward to making more of your recipes! 🤗
Amy
Hi Amy! Thank you for your kind comment, and I'm so glad you and your husband enjoyed these so much! They're such a hit in our house too. I hope you enjoy our other oatmeal recipes just as much. I'd recommend trying our many different granola recipes, they're delicious!
Laurie
They are delicious but my family would like them a bit more chewy? Any suggestions? Should I shave some of the baking time off?
Amy
Hi Laurie! Thank you for your comment. To make these less crumbly, try adding a little more maple syrup to add more moisture and a bit more "chew". Let me know how it goes!
Sylvia
This was so good! Made this a few times already! I think I’m going to use this as a breakfast dish to bring to new moms when I bring them a meal—super easy thanks for the recipe!
Amy
So glad you love this recipe! I know I would have loved that when I had my kiddos!
Allison C Watkins
Do you know how many calories are in these?
Amy
Hi Allison, thank you for your question! I've just updated the recipe to include the nutrition facts. Enjoy!
Alexandra
Is this info for 100gr or each bar? Thanks!
Amy
The nutrition is approximately one bar (or 1/9th). Enjoy!
Judy
I thought these very good. I did change them up a bit I used fig jam and a handful of chopped walnuts. Not sure if it was the jam but I thought them a bit sweet for my taste. I will work on that because I do like this recipe.
Stephanie
I need to make these.
Amy
You'll love 'em!