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These soft-baked oatmeal raisin bars are thick, chewy, and bursting with juicy raisins in every bite. Made with just five ingredients, they make a wholesome snack, dessert, or even breakfast.
★★★★★ REVIEW
“These bars are such a hit in my household. The kids love them with chocolate chips added, too, but we usually make them as is. Topped with peanut butter, they are SO good.” – Eloise
Table of Contents
My healthy oatmeal raisin cookies inspired these oatmeal raisin bars. They are more portable, thicker, and chewier, but just as delicious.
The base features oats (of course) but uses almond butter instead of butter. It’s also naturally sweetened with banana and maple syrup and comes together in just one bowl. My family loves them for an afternoon or mid-morning snack, but they also work well for a quick breakfast (similar to my oatmeal breakfast bars!). Bonus? They are GREAT for lunch boxes and store well, so add them to your weekly meal prep.
Key Ingredients
- Rolled Oats. Old-fashioned oats yield a more chewy and satisfying texture than quick-cooking oats. If you want your bars to be more like a ‘cookie bar,’ use quick oats.
- Maple syrup. Sweetens the bars and keeps them soft in the middle. Honey or agave also works.
- Almond butter. Or any nut or seed butter. I’ve had success with peanut butter, cashew butter, and even tahini (great if you need these to be nut-free!).
- Banana. Mashed, overripe banana. This not only holds the bars together but also gives extra sweetness.
- Raisins. I recommend soaking your raisins in boiling water for an hour before preparing this recipe so that your raisins are extra plump and juicy.
How to make oatmeal raisin bars
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1- In a large mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients.
Step 2- Transfer the cookie dough mixture to a prepared pan. Top with extra raisins.
Step 3- Bake until the tops are golden.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Leave parchment paper sticking out. I find that leaving 1-2 inches sticking out from the pan makes for easier removal.
- Know when they’re done baking. These bars are not thick and dense but relatively soft and chewy. Once the tops are lightly golden brown and the raisins glisten, it’s time to pull them out of the oven.
- Let them cool before slicing. Otherwise, you risk making a mess when you go to cut them.
Storing instructions
To store: Leftover bars can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to one week. I recommend letting the raisin bars sitting at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying.
To freeze: Place bars in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More oat-based bars
If you tried this Oatmeal Raisin Bars recipe or any other recipe on The Big Man’s World, please rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below. It really helps others thinking of making the recipe.
Oatmeal Raisin Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup maple syrup optional
- 1 cup almond butter * See notes
- 6-7 medium bananas mashed ** See notes
- 1 cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add the mashed banana, oats, almond butter, and maple syrup and mix well. Fold in the raisins, reserving a few to top the bars with.
- Transfer the batter into the lined pan and top with extra raisins.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing into bars
Notes
- Gluten-free. Use gluten-free oats.
- Switch up the fruit. Try dried blueberries or dried cranberries.
- Add mix-ins. Like unsweetened coconut chips, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips.
- Enhance the flavor. Fold in one teaspoon of vanilla extract or a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Top with a cinnamon sugar crumble. Combine cinnamon, light brown sugar, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, then sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the bars before baking. You can thank me later!
Nutrition
Originally published September 2020, updated and republished May 2025
I just make this banana bread and it was delicious.thanks again for the recipe ❤️😋
Delicious, Easy … thank you.
Thank you!
So yummy! I added chia seeds, cinnamon, sea salt and a little honey.
So glad to hear that!
Not crazy about baked banana. Can the banana be replaced with apple sauce or something else?
Thank you!
Yes, see the post.
For those who find this not quite sweet enough the spreading of a thin layer of home made marmalade adds a little bitter sweetness that is both delicious and entirely appropriate for breakfast.