Name: Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 17 min
Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter (can sub for any nut or seed butter of choice); 4 cups gluten free rolled oats (can sub for quinoa flakes or buckwheat flakes); 6-7 medium bananas (mashed); 1/2-1 cup chocolate chips of choice (Optional)

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An easy healthy breakfast bar recipe which tastes like banana bread and is quick and simple to prepare! Made rolled oats, banana, and peanut butter, you only need three ingredients and less than 15 minutes- Flourless, eggless and packed with protein!

Healthy Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

When it comes to breakfast, I’m all about healthy breakfast cookies and bars. Some of my favorites include these oatmeal breakfast cookies, granola breakfast bars, and my favorite peanut butter cup breakfast bars.

It’s time to give it the banana bread treatment.

Breakfast bars are portable baked oatmeal bars, filled with rolled oats, nut or seed butter and usually some fruit or chocolate. They are perfect for quick grab and go breakfasts and are completely eggless and without flour, making them perfect for those following a vegan diet.

Many people often assume that making your own breakfast bars is difficult, time-consuming or require a bunch of ingredients.

I’m here to prove to you that this is not the case with my healthy breakfast bar recipe! Homemade breakfast bars are ridiculously easy, require minimal prep, and can be made with just 3 ingredients!

These banana oatmeal bars are the perfect example- 3 healthy ingredients, 2 minutes preparation and less than 15 minutes in the oven.

In terms of texture, they are thick, hearty, and soft-baked in the center.

In terms of taste, they are naturally sweet, slightly salty and with an almost buttery flavor, thanks to the peanut butter.

Are breakfast bars healthy for you?

I often get asked if breakfast/cereal/granola bars are good or bad for you. This really is dependent on what ingredients are used, how big the portion size is and what sort of dietary lifestyle you follow.

Breakfast bars, depending on their ingredients, can be incredibly healthy for you. When made with whole grain cereal and sweetened naturally, they can be a delicious, filling and nutritious breakfast.

How to make healthy breakfast bars

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 175C/350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine your mashed banana, peanut butter, and old fashioned (rolled) oats and mix until a thick dough remains. If the batter is too thin, add some extra oats. If using chocolate chips, fold them in, using a rubber spatula.

Step 3: Pour the batter in the lined pan and spread out on an even layer. Top with some extra chocolate chips and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a skewer comes out clean.

Step 4: Remove from the oven and allow the breakfast bars to sit in the pan for 10 minutes, or until loose enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to store oatmeal breakfast bars

These breakfast bars can keep at room temperature, in a sealed container, for up to 3 days.

How long can you keep oatmeal breakfast bars

Breakfast bars will keep for at least one week refrigerated, and up to two months in the freezer.

If you freeze these banana breakfast bars, ensure you thaw them overnight before enjoying them. You can even reheat them in the oven or microwave.

If you refrigerate the bars, ensure they are in a sealed container. Allow bars to sit at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes, before consuming.

Tips and Tricks for perfect Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Ensure you use rolled/old fashioned oats, and not quick oats. This will ensure the bars hold up better and provide a chewy and thick texture.

If you want to substitute the oats for another grain, quinoa flakes or buckwheat flakes are fantastic, but add an extra tablespoon to compensate.

Keep these breakfast bars peanut free, by using almond butter or cashew butter.

To keep these bars nut-free, you can use sunflower seed butter, wow butter or tahini.

Subbing out the banana isn’t recommended, as it provides a thicker texture and natural sweetness. If you must sub it out, use mashed pumpkin or mashed sweet potato. Also be sure to add some liquid stevia to it, for sweetness.

These breakfast bars are not overly sweet and rely on the banana for a sweet flavor. For those with a sweet tooth, add several drops of liquid stevia to the batter.

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