Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and perfect for breakfast or as a wholesome snack. Stock the freezer with these delicious and healthy bars!
My go-to recipe for healthy breakfasts and snacks.
With three kids who are almost always hungry, I’m constantly looking for healthy, make-ahead breakfasts and snacks to have on hand. Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars fit the bill. These soft and delicious bars are gluten-free, and naturally sweetened with mashed banana and pure maple syrup. My kids feel like they’re eating a sweet treat, and I love that they’re totally wholesome. Since the bars freeze well, I almost always make a double batch then freeze half for later.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Soft texture: Although these bars are packed with whole grains, they’re soft, dense, and incredibly satisfying.
- Great for meal prep: Bake a double batch to have on hand for easy breakfasts and snacks all week long. A single batch never lasts longer than 24 hours at my house!
- Foolproof: This recipe is incredibly forgiving. Swap the pecans for another nut, replace the egg with a flax egg, or add mix-ins like chocolate chips. It’s just always works!
- Freezer-friendly: Wrap sliced, cooled bars in plastic wrap then stash in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Watch How to Make Them
Main Ingredients Needed
These simple oatmeal snack bars are made with fridge and pantry staples. Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:
- Old-fashioned oats: Certified gluten-free, please! A portion of the oats get processed into flour, while the rest stay whole to give the bars their tender texture, with a little chew.
- Cinnamon and vanilla extract: For cozy flavor.
- Sweeteners: Both mashed ripe banana and pure maple syrup sweeten the bars just enough.
- Melted coconut oil: Adds moisture to the oatmeal bars.
- Egg: Swap the egg for a flax egg to keep the recipe vegan.
- Chopped pecans: For a nice crunch and boost of protein. Feel free to omit, or swap in a different chopped nut.
How to Store and Freeze
- To store: Cool the oatmeal bars completely then cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. They’re easier to slice after they’ve been chilled, FYI!
- To freeze: Cool the oatmeal bars completely then slice into bars. Wrap each bar in plastic wrap, then freeze them in a Ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars FAQ
Iowa Girl Eats readers have been making and devouring these healthy bars for years and years. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions!
Can I substitute applesauce for the banana?
Yes! Use the same amount of unsweetened applesauce in place of the mashed banana. (Then, check out my Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars which are banana-free!)
Can I make these oatmeal bars without eggs?
Yes. Swap the egg for a flax egg, and plan on baking for a few extra minutes, until the center is completely set. Just keep baking!
Help, the coconut oil clumped! Is that supposed to happen?
Coconut oil is semi-solid at room temperature, so when you mix warm, melted coconut oil with the cold ingredients, it can clump a little. It’s totally fine, and will melt back down in the oven.
Can I use non-dairy milk?
Any unsweetened milk you have on hand will work – cow’s milk, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, etc.
Are these supposed to be soft, like cake, or chewy like granola bars?
These are soft oatmeal breakfast bars, not crunchy or chewy granola bars. Bake until the center is fully set, as underbaking can leave them gummy.
Can I use quick oats?
I highly recommend using rolled, old-fashioned oats. Quick oats can result in a gummy bar texture.
How to Make Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
Step 1: Make homemade oat flour.
Start by adding a portion of the old-fashioned oats to a food processor or high-powered blender, then blend until the oats turn into flour.
Don’t Swap the Flour
This recipe has been specifically formulated to use oat flour. Don’t swap it for all-purpose flour, or a different gluten-free flour such as almond flour, as they have different moisture needs.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients.
To a large mixing bowl, add the oat flour, whole oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt then mix to combine.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients.
To another mixing bowl, add the milk, egg, melted coconut oil, mashed banana, vanilla extract, and pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup), then stir to combine.
Step 4: Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together then fold in chopped pecans. Feel free to swap the pecans with a different chopped nut or omit them.
Batter Texture
At this point the batter might look too soupy. It’s supposed to look that way! The batter will thicken and bake up nicely in the oven.
Step 5: Bake the oatmeal bars.
Pour the mixture into an 8×8″ baking dish, then bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until the bars are completely set in the center.
Let the bars cool slightly before slicing and devouring, or follow the directions on the recipe card below for storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
Whether you’re making these bars for breakfast, a wholesome snack, or satisfying nibble anytime of day, I hope you love every single bite. Enjoy!
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Gluten-Free Banana Bread
- Mini Egg Bites
- High-Protein Overnight Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups 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 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pecan halves, chopped, optional
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8×8" baking pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Add 1 cup old fashioned oats to a food processor or high powered blender then process until the oats have turned into flour. Set aside. Alternatively you can use a scant cup of store-bought oat flour.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the milk, mashed banana, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, egg, and vanilla extract then whisk to combine. Note: the coconut oil might solidify a bit as it's whisked with the cold ingredients. That's ok – it'll melt in the oven.
- To the bowl, add the oat flour, remaining 1-1/2 cups oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt then stir with a spatula to combine. Fold in the chopped pecans then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges of the bars are golden brown and the center has completely set. Check on the bars at the 25 minute mark – if the edges are browning too quickly, gently a piece of foil on top of the baking pan and continue baking.
- Cool then slice the bars and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Or, individually wrap cooled bars in saran wrap then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Notes
- You can swap the egg for a flax egg – just plan on tacking on extra baking time to get to a point where the center has completely set.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
This turned out tasty but very soft and mushy even when baking an extra 20 minutes. Should the pan size be 8×12″ instead of 8×8″?
Hi Tannis! The pan size in the post is correct (though I have baked these bars in all different sizes of pans – it’s a super flexible recipe.) Just keep baking until they’re set!
So I found this recepie to make for my son who loves those oatmeal squares in the box that sell in the grocery store. I use recipes as suggestions and go with what feels right and what I have on hand. I don’t recommend this if your not an experienced baker. I substituted the banana for avocado because that was what I had. applesauce would be fine but I would use unsweetened or even a cooked mashed sweet potato would sub fine. I wouldn’t sub oil for the banana it would be dense and why would you want extra oil? I substituted some of the coconut oil with unsweetened applesauce because I only had a small amount left. Also I added ground flax, nutritional yeast and chia seeds because why not. With the texture of the nuts and oatmeal it’s won’t be noticed by my kids and I slip healthy stuff in where I can.
The bars turned out really good, they were light and fluffy with a nice texture. I did a little powder sugar and cinnamon sprinkle on the top of the cooled bars.
So glad you were able to make these bars work with what you had on hand, Sam!
Pretty good. The coconut and banana are a bit strong (they really don’t taste like maple or cinnamon) but I still like them! I used a scant cup of AP flour instead of grinding the oats (mostly because the blender was dirty and I didn’t feel like washing it ?) and they still turned out ok. Make sure to pay attention to the part where it says to melt the coconut oil though! I missed that until too late and ended up with a blob of coconut oil on the bottom of the bowl I had to try to stir in. Which didn’t work too well and I had some melted coconut oil on the top when I pulled them out of the oven ?). So read the directions carefully! I also mixed in some dried blueberries (same amount as the pecans) and that turned out ok as well. And yes, it will be a loose batter – that’s ok! It’s what gives them their cake-like texture ?
What can I use in place of banana in recipes such as the maple cinnamon breakfast bars.
Can you substitute the banana with more oil? looking to avoid all the added sugar of applesauce. or something else?
Maybe shred an apple and use that? I’ve substituted shredded apple for applesauce before with decent results
Where is the nutrition information on this recipe ?
250 calories per bar. I imported the recipe into My Fitness Pal
Can’t even browse your site because of all of the OBNOXIOUS ads and pop-up commercials everywhere. I actually love your recipe for Baked Oatmeal but I copy and paste it into an email to myself so I can read it in peace. Monetizing is one thing, driving away traffic is the exact opposite of what you’re hoping to accomplish. The recipe is a 5 star, the website is a half a star.
I’m sorry to hear you are unhappy with the site, Andrea. Monetizing the site is the only way I can keep creating free content for you and other readers. Are you viewing the site on mobile, desktop, tablet, etc? Happy to receive specific examples of what exactly is most troubling. Thanks for your feedback.
I agree with the frustration of all these pop up ads. I’m using my phone, which tends to cause the add to block the recipe info and sometimes even forces me to close everything and go back in. When I view your recipes on a laptop or tablet, I don’t have this problem.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Stephanie! I am constantly working to ensure that my readers have the best possible experience on the site while also balancing ads which allow me to keep my content completely free. I appreciate your feedback – that is helpful!
Yes the ads and requests for signing a little vexing, but you are offering complimentary recipes that take time and curation. I’m thankful for these and understand you the ads.
Thank you so much for understanding, Kimmie! I really appreciate it!
I have to agree with the amount of advertisements, they are over abundant. But I like the suggestion of copying and pasting.
Could I substitute applesauce for the coconut oil??
These bars are great! Any idea of the calories?
Wow! Quick, easy and so delicious!
These are great! So soft with a hearty flavor.
Do you have the nutrition information for these? Would like to try them but on a special diet so need to know how it adds up.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Are these supposed to be so wet? I just made this (I haven’t baked it yet).
I am sure I measured correctly, but it is so wet! I am afraid it won’t set up.
Plus I just ate some that someone else made and they gave this recipe. But they had baked them like cookies and wrapped individually for a bake sale.
These I just mixed would never hold up like a cookie. So I can only assume they didn’t make the same recipe as yours after all?
I guess I won’t get a reply in time, since my oven is hot. So I may add more oat flour…. or Xantham gum.
Hi Susan! Yes, the batter will be wet/soupy – it will bake up just like the photos! :)