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.
Angela Smith 09.24.2018
Made these over the weekend. Delicious!
Cassie 09.23.2018
I made these today and they were such a hit! My husband and son were both a little sceptical, but then proceeded to devour a quarter of the pan. I doubled the amount of pumpkin spice because I like my baking extra flavorful. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Kristin 09.24.2018
I’m so glad you all loved them, Cassie! Thanks so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Lauren 09.23.2018
Made these today for breakfasts this week. Omitted the pecans bc my kids “hate” nuts, and used flax meal in place of the chia seeds. Yum!
jes 10.29.2020
How much flax meal did you use? I was hoping to sub this too.
Kristin 10.29.2020
For this particular recipe I usually use 2 heaping Tablespoons flaxseed meal + 3 Tablespoons water.
Hilary Frerich 09.20.2018
These look amazing and I love all things fall! Can’t wait to try! Thanks!
Kristi 09.20.2018
Good luck on vacation planning! You deserve it. Go somewhere not too far and consider taking a teenager that you trust with you to help with kids. That way you could leave the kids to go have dinner out etc and you get more of a break. The teen gets a free vacation! The bars look glorious but would they be okay to leave out the nuts?
dee 09.19.2018
could you recommend a substitute for coconut oil, or is the texture essential? could I use olive oil instead and have it turn out okay?
Jill 09.19.2018
I haven’t tried the pumpkin recipe yet, but I’ve tried all her other oat bar recipes using melted butter with good results.
Kristin 09.24.2018
I think you’d be able to taste the olive oil so I’d probably use a neutral oil like avocado or vegetable!
Manda 09.19.2018
I was literally looking for something JUST LIKE THIS this weekend! Thank you!! Can’t wait to try them out!
Holly R. 09.19.2018
Yesssss! I was just thinking I need to find a recipe for pumpkin oat bars to use up a can of pumpkin I have in the fridge. This is PERFECT! I love all of your oat bar recipes and this one looks equally amazing!
Nancy 09.19.2018
Can’t wait to make these, Kristin! I make the maple cinnamon ones all the time, and just tried the apple cinnamon ones, and made some with shredded carrots and fresh pears. Yum to all of them! Hope all is well with you and Ben and your growing family.
Camille Preciado 09.19.2018
I love this recipe and will try it
today, I’ve been in the kitchen all my life. Eating unhealthy crap growing up,now vegetarian
and wanabe vegan. My message to you is you don’t need the baking soda/powder it contains aluminum, really bad for us. Your muffins etc. will come out
fine, nort as fluffy, but the other flavors will be more distinct and yummy, that aluminum taste gone!!!!!
Teri 10.05.2018
Some baking powder does not contain aluminum.
Donna Pearce 10.09.2018
Look for Rumford Baking Powder. No aluminum and can be found in most grocery stores.
JenP 12.09.2018
Baking soda NEVER contains aluminum.
It’s easy to find baking powder without aluminum.
Baking soda and piwder are used for leavening; skipping them changes the texture for the worse.
Melony 09.19.2018
I just packed my last blueberry oatmeal breakfast bar from the freezer-looks like this version will be on my to-do list for tonight!
Terri G 09.18.2018
My colleague has four children under the age of 10 and she says vacation is just yelling at your children in a different place. Ha! My husband and I are thinking about flying to Texas between C-mas and NY if we can get cheap flights and ringing in 2019 with friends. We shall see.
Stephanie 09.18.2018
These look amazing, making them for sure. Love your blog..
Kelli at Hungry Hobby 09.18.2018
YUM! All things currently in my kitchen right now too ;)
Kristin 09.20.2018
Perfect! Hope you love them, Kelli!
Juli 09.18.2018
Are the chia seeds necessary in order for this to come together texture-wise, or can they be omitted? They’re the only thing I don’t already have in my pantry :).
Kristin 09.18.2018
You can leave them out though I might add a heaping 1 cup oats to the food processor when making the oat flour to ensure the bars don’t end up too liquidy (the chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid.)
The Many Thoughts of a Reader 09.18.2018
Oh man this looks delicious! If we don’t have gluten issues, would we just sub a cup of regular flour? Thanks!
Kristin 09.18.2018
Hmm, I’m not sure – I tend to think they might end up too dense. If you don’t regularly buy oats, you could scoop some up at your grocery store’s bulk bins!
Paula 09.18.2018
I had been planning on making your blueberry oatmeal breakfast bars to freeze for post-baby life in November, and now I think I will have to make these, too! Although I can’t be sure they’ll make it to the freezer. We went to Vail at the end of May in 2017 and it is still one of my favorite trips. Colorado is just so insanely beautiful and full of spectacular outdoor activities.
Kristin 09.18.2018
Ugh, I know! I always come home planning our next trip out there – always signs of a good vacation. ;) Congrats on baby, Paula!!
Anita 09.18.2018
These sound delicious! Would almond flour work?
Kristin 09.18.2018
I think they might end up too dense, but let me know if you give it a try!
Diane 11.30.2020
I used almond flour in place of the ground oat flour and they turned out great! These have such a wonderful flavor to them and are surprisingly sweet! My 1.5 y/o son loves them too!
Rachel {the avid appetite} 09.18.2018
These look soooo good! I cannot wait to start baking with pumpkin! I love the oat flour and almond milk use in these :)
Kristin 09.18.2018
Me too – it was so fun to get back into the fall baking spirit!
Sarah 09.18.2018
We just returned from a “vacation” or as we call it, a trip with our 1 and 3 year old. It is not for the faint of heart but definitely served the purpose of breaking up the routine for a bit. This recipe is so perfectly timed, I have a open can of pumpkin puree in my fridge taunting me to use it. I opened it for a pumpkin smoothie a day or so ago. Thank you for all you do!
Kristin 09.18.2018
Ah, it’s fate! I hope you love them! Where did you guys go for your vacation?
Sarah 09.19.2018
We went to Ohio to visit family. Three year old had constant melt downs from being out of normal environment and the one year old wanted to nurse all night long. It was a blast!
I made these bars last night and proceeded to eat 3…I told myself I was sharing with the kids (which I did in very small bites), but in reality I basically ate 3. Delicious!