Apple Oatmeal Bars {Vegan + Gluten Free}

Lately, I’ve been trying to mix up my breakfasts a bit more.  While I used to be a creature of habit when it comes to meal choices, over the last few years I’ve become the kind of person that wants variety more frequently.  I’ve been experimenting with homemade granolas, breakfast salads (yes, these are a thing and they are SO good!), and different egg combos in breakfast burritos.  But these apple oatmeal bars are a personal favorite for a sweet breakfast treat!

I found some inspiration for these in the blueberry breakfast bars from The Glowing Fridge which looked fabulous.  I decided to change up that recipe a bit and feature some apples, since they’re still in season and are so inexpensive right now.  And that’s how these apple oatmeal bars were born.

Why I love these apple oatmeal bars

My fav part about this breakfast is that it’s truly made from whole food ingredients.  Nothing crazy or artificial, just tasty real food. 

They also come together pretty quickly – in about a half hour.  They’re perfect to make on a Sunday afternoon because you can keep them in the fridge and pull them out to go with breakfast during the week. 

For my fellow running buddies out there, these apple oatmeal bars are a nice option to include as part of your breakfast or for a snack, especially during heavy training days.  They’ve got healthy carbohydrates to fuel your muscles and quality ingredients that provide a whole host of other benefits.

How to eat your apple oatmeal bars

While you can eat them warm or cold, I definitely prefer them popped in the microwave for about 15 seconds. 

And my very favorite way to eat them is to top them with a small container of vanilla greek yogurt.  Together it is very reminiscent of the apple pie and ice cream combo, but in a much healthier way.  {My husband likes to top his with cool whip, though I’m not sure I like that as a breakfast choice. 😉 }

I love to top it with Siggi’s since the yogurt is flavored, but minimally sweetened.  And if you have that for breakfast, you’ll get a nice source of protein in the greek yogurt to go along with those carbs in the bars.  

Of course, if you’re make these as vegan breakfast bars, then topping with yogurt isn’t an option – but you could try a coconut milk yogurt or cashew milk yogurt on top instead! 

Breakfast Bar Ingredients

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You’ll probably already have most of these ingredients in your kitchen, but if not – they’re simple to find at any grocery store. 

I use powdered peanut butter because I think the base cooks better with it compared to regular peanut butter, but you could certainly experiment with regular if you’d like.  Powdered peanut butter is located in the peanut butter aisle in store (it’s so awesome for smoothies and baking!).  You can also find it on Amazon – I’m partial to this product called Mighty Nut peanut butter but there are plenty of options out there.

The only one people sometimes struggle with is chia seeds, but these days most grocery stores carry them in their natural section.  If you can’t find them there, it’s simple to order some chia seeds from Amazon, or you can just skip them.

Be sure to give them a try, and then pop back on over and let me know how you like them. 🙂

Print

Apple Oatmeal Bars

These healthy apple oatmeal bars are the perfect healthy sweet treat for breakfast! Top 'em with a litle yogurt (regular or coconut milk) and it's reminiscent of apple pie and ice cream!

Servings: 9

Calories: 185 kcal

Author: Snacking in Sneakers

Ingredients

Base

• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp applesauce
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 tbsp powdered peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 sliced apples
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all ingredients for base thoroughly.
3. Lightly grease a square baking dish (either 8x8 or 9x9) with either cooking spray or a little coconut oil. Press ingredients for the base into the dish and bake for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, mix ingredients for the topping. When base is done, add topping and press down into base. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool, and cut into 9 squares. Store in a container in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition analysis (approximate per bar):

185 calories, 4 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 79 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 4 g protein, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 10%, Calcium: 5%, Iron: 7%

Share with me:  What’s your favorite breakfast?  Do you eat the same thing daily, or do you mix it up like me?  Have you ever made these apple oatmeal bars before?

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Chrissy Carroll

Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.

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