Recently I decided to give my uber popular Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars a fall spin and ended up with Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars. Here’s what you need to know about these soft and dense oatmeal bars that make the perfect breakfast or snack: they’re healthy, easy to make, and taste like sweet, spiced pumpkin cake.
We ate an entire pan in 24 hours.
SO INTO IT!
Watch How to Make Them!
We’ve finally gotten into a good rhythm with getting the boys up and ready in the morning and, long story short, Ben is in charge of breakfast…which commences at 6:45am. Woof. Even longer story short, nobody hates mornings more then Ben. NOBODY. That said, he really appreciates when I have breakfast bars sliced and waiting in the fridge so he can slap a couple onto plates then stand sleep while the boys have at ’em.
Now fall officially kicks off next weekend and, although it was a sweltering 90 degrees here today, these bars were a great way to kick off the new season. Syrup, spice, and everything nice!? Ahem. It’s definitely too hot for Easy Pumpkin Spice Lattes but it’s never the wrong time for these bars which you can prep on the weekend and enjoy all week long. They’re INSANE warm from the oven but again, keep perfectly in the fridge. You can even individually wrap the bars in saran wrap and freeze.
Onward!
How to Make This Recipe
This is a 1-bowl recipe so start by whisking up the wet ingredients in a large one. That includes pumpkin puree, an egg, milk (any kind – I use unsweetened almond milk,) coconut oil, vanilla, and pure maple syrup. None of that pancake syrup, ya’ hear?! I buy organic maple syrup at Costco and it’s just fab.
Next stir in the dry ingredients including gluten-free oats, oat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, chia seeds, and pumpkin pie spice.
I make oat flour from gluten-free oats in my food processor – just process for a minute or two until the oats are finely ground. If you already have oat flour on hand, you can use a scant cup in the recipe instead.
Pour the mixture into a nonstick sprayed 8×8 baking pan then bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Check on the bars at the 25 minute mark – if the edges are already turning golden brown, place a piece of foil on top which will allow the center to bake through before the sides brown too much.
As I mentioned, these bars are killerrrr warm but also keep super well in the fridge to slice and eat all week long. Hey, warm, cold – it doesn’t matter, you are going to LOVE these perfectly sweet and spiced pumpkin oatmeal bars! Enjoy!
More Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Mini Egg Bites
- High Protein Overnight Oats
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Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Description
Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are a delectable gluten-free breakfast or snack recipe that's flavored with pumpkin pie spice and pure maple syrup. Healthy, easy, and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats, divided
- 1 cup milk, any kind (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup pecan halves, roughly 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 blender then process until oats have turned into flour. Set aside. (Alternatively you could use a scant cup oat flour.)
- Add milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups oats, oat flour, chia seeds, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, 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.
- Leave a comment and star rating if you loved the recipe! Thank you for considering!
Notes
- I recommend GF Harvest gluten-free oats >
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Mike 04.19.2024
(I accidentally replied to someone else’s response instead of directly, sorry about that. So I’m reposting my question here.)
I soaked 1 1/2 oats in a cup of kefir overnight. Because of that I didn’t need the milk and I subbed the 1 cup of ground up oats with almond flour. I also removed the chia seeds. I subbed the pumpkin spice with ceylon cinnamon and the coconut oil with pure Irish butter. Turned out great.I was wondering, because I bake these to save time on breakfast, how long do they store in the fridge for? I’d like to make enough to only have to bake once a week.
Kristin 04.22.2024
So glad you were able to make these work with what you had on hand, Mike! These will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. :)
Kevin 03.18.2024
Would it be a problem if i substitute pumpkin pie filling for the puree
Kristin 03.19.2024
Hi Kevin! You’d need to reduce the maple syrup, and possibly the pumpkin pie spice, as pumpkin pie filling comes sweetened and spiced already.
Anita 03.18.2024
These are so yummy! My 2yo grandson loves them and we even forgot the vanilla the first time making them.
Kristin 03.18.2024
Oh I’m so glad to hear they were a hit, Anita! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Krystal Lee 03.12.2024
A really great recipe for a quick snack or breakfast on-the-go. I added raisins to make it a little more appealing for kiddos (3 & 5). They were a hit for all my family.
Kristin 03.15.2024
Wohoo! So glad these were a hit, Krystal, and I’m so glad you were able to make them your own! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Kim 03.11.2024
This recipe has become my “go-to!” I wrap the bars individually & freeze. Really a satisfying breakfast or midday snack. Fits into my low FODMAP diet too!
Kristin 03.15.2024
That’s fantastic, Kim! Thrilled this recipe works so well for you and your needs!
Karry Lewis 02.28.2024
Hello. I didn’t read all the comments to see if anyone asked this yet, 266 was far too many. I’m sugar free and was wondering if I could substitute the maple syrup. I can eat all the other ingredients. In fact I eat oatmeal in some fashion daily.
Kristin 02.29.2024
Hi Karry! I haven’t tried swapping the maple syrup with any other type of sweetener so unfortunately I can’t say for sure.
Joan Cowand 02.09.2024
I made them! very good!
I didn’t have real maple syrup so I used molasses which is also gf and a half tsp of maple flavor. Thanks for sharing.
Kristin 02.10.2024
That sounds awesome, Joan! Glad you were able to make it work with what you had on hand. :)
Cecilia 02.08.2024
Hi! If I wanted to make these as muffins, or in ramekins, how long would they cook?
Kristin 02.10.2024
Hi Cecilia! Try 350 for 25-30 minutes, as outlined in this recipe! https://iowagirleats.com/baked-oatmeal-cups/#recipe-card
Euphemia 01.26.2024
I make the recipe fast enough to bake it, so I put it to rest in tge my batter is in refridgerator for now as I ran out of time to bake it (cuz work), and oh, i added roasted chicory powder to my batter to give it a pumpkin spice coffee taste. Will see how it goes?
Euphemia 01.26.2024
I finally baked it, but not before finding out that my pan was too long for squares. Otherwise they are delish and pair very well with vanilla bean ice cream. Instead of allspice, I used 1 tsp mace and 1/2 tsp roasted chicory powder.
Kristin 01.29.2024
I’m so glad they worked out, Euphemia!
Eka 01.13.2024
Hi, I just came across your recipe, if I substitute ground flex seed for chia seeds, how much ground flex seed should I use? Thanks!
Kristin 01.16.2024
I’d use 1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal and be prepared to bake for up to an extra 10 minutes!
Angel 11.13.2023
Fabulous texture and flavor!! The only change I made was to sub a second egg for the chia seeds.
Kristin 11.14.2023
Awesome! I’m so glad you loved this recipe, Angel!!
Judy 10.30.2023
made these today and they are perfect! I think I will be making these once a week! thank you for sharing the recipe
Kristin 10.31.2023
Love that, Judy! So glad that you enjoyed. :)
Christie 10.27.2023
These bars are great! I may cut the sugar in half next time since I don’t consume many sweets they were plenty sweet for me. Thanks for the recipe.
Kristin 10.31.2023
I’m so glad to hear it, Christie! It’s funny because I’ve had feedback over the years that these bars are too sweet, but then others say that they aren’t sweet enough. All that to say, it’s easy to dial the sweetness up or down on this recipe!
Molly 10.26.2023
Delicious!! I used 2c old fashioned oats (as is, whole) and 1/2c quick oats since I was mixing it up while half my house slept. The consistency was just like baked oatmeal. I may add a little glaze for my kiddos that don’t prefer oatmeal, but for me it was delightful alone. Everything I’ve made from your site turns out great ????
Kristin 10.31.2023
That sounds deeelightful, Molly! Love the idea of adding a glaze too — makes it a little more dessert-esque. Thank you so much for the note, too, I’m SO glad you are enjoying the recipes!
Natalie 10.21.2023
Made these twice now, pretty forgiving recipe. First time I made it exactly like the recipe (which is already lower in histamine), and it was great. Second time I made it even lower histamine by eliminating the vanilla, subbing pumpkin seeds and macadamia nuts for the pecans, and subbing ground ginger and coriander for the pumpkin pie spice. I also subbed hemp seeds for the chia seeds and used steelcut oats to make the oat flour. I also doubled the recipe and used a 9×13 pan. I had to adjust the time to cook it a little longer. Everybody loved it both times. Thank you!
Kristin 10.23.2023
Fantastic! I’m so glad you were able to make this recipe work for you, Natalie!
Mike 04.19.2024
I soaked 1 1/2 oats in a cup of kefir overnight. Because of that I didn’t need the milk and I subbed the 1 cup of ground up oats with almond flour. I also removed the chia seeds. I subbed the pumpkin spice with ceylon cinnamon and the coconut oil with pure Irish butter. Turned out great.I was wondering, because I bake these to save time on breakfast, how long do they store in the fridge for? I’d like to make enough to only have to bake once a week.
Sam 10.20.2023
I made these, and the recipe looks far more liquidy than in the video. So I added maybe 1/2-2/3 cup extra crushed oats and it is still super liquidy. About to bake. Finished baking. Ew, these are gross. There is not enough sugar. Add brown sugar is my suggestion, probably 1/4-1/2 cup. Maybe a frosting or powder sugar shake on top. The bottom is nice, but a bit on the moist side. Not a fan. I measured correctly.
Kristin 10.20.2023
Hey Sam! If you added more oats then the recipe called for the sweetness level will be off and as, you said, not sweet enough.
MidwestMom 10.19.2023
I made these today and they turned out perfect. Especially if you don’t like overly sweet things. I did add a bit of lightly sweetend cream cheese frosting with a hint of cinnamon over the top.
Kristin 10.20.2023
That sounds incredible! Perfect blend of health and decadence.
Patricia Morrison 10.09.2023
Love your recipes. I subscribe and use them constantly. What can I use as a substitute for the coconut oil in the “Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars’. Thanks.
Kristin 10.09.2023
Oh I’m so glad to hear that, Patricia! You could use melted/cooled butter, or vegetable oil (or another neutral-tasting oil like canola, avocado, grapeseed, etc.).