Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are a delectable gluten free breakfast or snack recipe that's healthy, filling, and delicious!
Recently I decided to give my ultra-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 most perfect breakfast or snack:
They’re healthy, easy to make, and taste like lightly sweetened spiced pumpkin cake.
We typically eat an entire pan in less than 48 hours!
Watch How to Make Them
Healthy Make-Ahead Breakfast Option
I can’t tell you how much smoother our mornings go when I have a pre-made breakfast like oatmeal breakfast bars ready to go.
Like a bowl of oatmeal in bar form, these fall-inspired bars are healthy, filling, and oh-so satisfying. I love that I can simply pop one on a plate and put it in front of my kids for breakfast before school. It’s quick and easy during a time that can feel the exact opposite!
These oatmeal bars are incredible warm out of the oven but keep perfectly in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can even individually wrap the bars in saran wrap and freeze them.
Pick a weekend day to bake a batch or two then enjoy less-stress mornings all week long.
Let’s bake
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.
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.
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
- Gluten Free Breakfast Bombs
- Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Mini Egg Bites
- High Protein Overnight Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 cups gluten free old fashioned oats, divided
- 1 cup milk, any kind, I use 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, 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.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Can I use another oil if I don’t have coconut oil?
Hi Nancy! Butter should be just fine (either regular or vegan/plant-based).
Me again, back after baking my first batch.
First I had to roast off a butternut squash.
Then I put the milk, coconut oil, egg, squash, and vanilla into a quart
Mason jar. Then I blitzed everything with my immersion blender.
I put all the dry ingredients into a bowl and poured in the wet ingredients.
I didn’t have any pumpkin pie spice in the house, so, I improvised. I put in a 1/2 tsp of ground cloves, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, and 1 tsp of ground ginger. I lined a baking dish with baking paper and put the pan in the 177C/350F preheated air fryer for 40 minutes.
They taste PHENOMENAL!!
Fantastic!! So glad you were able to make this your own, Wayne!!
Hello from Illinois Neighbour,
I may give this a try, with some tweaks.
However, I may substitute in homemade butternut squash puree for the pumpkin as I have a squash on hand and pumpkin puree in the store costs dear. I’ll also substitute homemade rich simple syrup for the Maple syrup.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Yours, Very Sincerely And Respectfully,
Wayne
I can’t wait to make these!
I hope you love them, Teresa!
Needed a healthier alternative to Pumpkin spice cake and for 222 calories a bar can’t go wrong with this. I did swap coconut oil for butter as I wasn’t sure on having a coconutty taste to these. I love them, they came out perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
(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.
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. :)
Would it be a problem if i substitute pumpkin pie filling for the puree
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.
These are so yummy! My 2yo grandson loves them and we even forgot the vanilla the first time making them.
Oh I’m so glad to hear they were a hit, Anita! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
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.
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!
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!
That’s fantastic, Kim! Thrilled this recipe works so well for you and your needs!
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.
Hi Karry! I haven’t tried swapping the maple syrup with any other type of sweetener so unfortunately I can’t say for sure.
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.
That sounds awesome, Joan! Glad you were able to make it work with what you had on hand. :)
Hi! If I wanted to make these as muffins, or in ramekins, how long would they cook?
Hi Cecilia! Try 350 for 25-30 minutes, as outlined in this recipe! https://iowagirleats.com/baked-oatmeal-cups/#recipe-card