Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are naturally sweetened and gluten free. Enjoy as a healthy snack or easy, on-the-go breakfast!
We’re in serious “April showers bring May flowers” mode over here. I was waiting to pick up my kids at school the other day and a fellow Mom, who is new to the state, asked me — “is it always like this here??” That said, soggy, grey, and blustery has been the weather du jour for the better part of the month and we’re all not so patiently waiting for the sun to start shining again!
Until that day comes, we’ve been keeping busy with indoor projects like building pillow towers plus lots of baking, including Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. If you like my Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, you’ll want to make this ultra cozy version pronto — we polished off an entire pan in less than 24 hours!
Watch How to Make Them!
Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
A few weeks ago my oldest decided he no longer likes blueberries – mmkay! – so instead of watching him pick each individual berry out of the bars during breakfast or snack time, I made a version that swapped berries for chopped pecans, and honey for real maple syrup.
Add a heavy dose of warming cinnamon, and I could have sworn it was fall inside my kitchen while these super soft oatmeal bars were baking. The scent wafting from the oven was heavenly!
The result is a perfectly sweet, refined-sugar-free breakfast or snack bar that’s chock full of healthy ingredients like oats, banana, coconut oil, and pecans, but so decadent tasting that it feels like you’re eating cake. It’s basically a bowl of oatmeal in bar form.
You know what we call that? An UPGRADE!
Keep these bars in the refrigerator all week for quick and easy breakfasts or snacks, or wrap them individually in saran wrap and freeze. Who’s ready to bake?!
How to Make Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
To a large bowl add gluten free old fashioned oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. I love the purity protocol oats from GF Harvest, though if you don’t need to eat GF you can use your favorite brand of old fashioned oats.
To make homemade oat flour, add old fashioned oats to a food processor then process until fine. Alternatively you could use store bought oat flour.
Next pour in a mixture of milk, egg, melted coconut oil, mashed banana, vanilla, and pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup,) then stir to combine.
Last step is to fold in roughly chopped pecans. I make this recipe both with and without the pecans so if you have an aversion to nuts, or are allergic, feel free to leave them out. I add them for texture and a little boost of protein and fat.
Pour the mixture into an 8×8″ baking dish then bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Slice then enjoy, or cool and refrigerate for later – but don’t forget to warm them in the microwave first!
Pair the bars with yogurt or fruit for a well rounded breakfast, or slather with flavored peanut, almond butter, or coconut butter for a real treat. However you serve them – enjoy!
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Mini Egg Bites
- High Protein Overnight Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups certified gluten free old fashioned oats, divided
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk, any kind
- 1/2 cup mashed banana, ~1 large banana
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup pecan halves, chopped, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8x8" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add 1 cup old fashioned oats to a food processor or high powered blender then process until oats have turned into flour. Set aside. Alternatively you could use a scant cup store-bought oat flour.
- Add milk, mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. It's ok if your coconut oil slightly clumps up - it will melt in the oven. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt then stir to combine. Fold in chopped pecans then pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center has set. Check on the bars at the 25 minute mark - if the edges are browning too quickly, place a piece of foil on top of the baking pan. Cool before slicing into bars then store in the refrigerator, or individually wrap bars in saran wrap and freeze.
Notes
- I like warming the bars up in the microwave for 15 seconds or so before eating.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Love to make these when I meal prep on Sunday’s so I have a grab and go breakfast during the week. So much better than the breakfast bars you find at the store.
Hi there
I bought rolled oats by mistake.
Will this still work?
I made these for my husband as he stopped eating store bought bars due to the extra sugars and these came out so really good and filling. I did cut back the milk to 2/3 cup so the bars weren’t too moist and added 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar as my husband is adjusting to “natural sugars”. I also drizzled some maple syrup on the top after baking and put back in under broil for a minute to harden. So good!!! Will make again! Perfect breakfast and snack. ?
Hi! Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?? Also can I use extra virgin olive oil instead of coconut?
I would like to sub out the banana and the oil. What could I replace them with?
late to the party, but I just made these and had to immediately come leave a comment! The texture is just as perfect as the taste!! These will be made often!!
Wohoo! Better late than never, right?! ;) So glad you enjoyed, Beth!
These are the best!!
This is really too much good for everyone
could a person who may not want to clean a food processor use regular flour instead of the oat flour? and if so would it be a 1:1 substitution?
Hi Lisa! I can’t eat all-purpose flour and haven’t tested these bars with that swap, so I can’t say for sure!
Could you please provide the nutrition info on these? I’m going on a maintenance plan next week after a six week challenge, and I need to know nutritional info on all foods. These sound so good!
Just discovered this recipe and wanted to let you know I LOVE it. This is the perfect breakfast – better than plain oatmeal, but less work than lots of other options. I love that I can bake them on Sunday and then we can enjoy them for (almost) the entire rest of the week for breakfast. I’ve been adding berries in with the nuts… great that you can play around with them, adding whatever is in the house. Thank you!
Sooo I just made these delish bars and they were amazzzzizng!! I did however have to change 3 small things as I didnt have walnuts or coconut oil but they turned out awesome. I read the previous comments and saw someone asked about substituting butter for the oil so I did keeping the same measurements and instead of the walnuts I used unsweetened coconut and a few dark chocolate chips but with the measurements of the walnuts. I will definitely make them again :). Thank you for the great recipe!! Cheers :)
I have made this few times and I liked it, but I was wandering if I omit maple syrup(I know it’s maple oatmeal bar) and double the quantity of banana or use the same amount of banana of maple syrup.
Thanks