These Soft Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are soooooft and oooh so gooooewy. Healthy enough for a breakfast bar or enjoy as snack or dessert any time of day. Love the chocolate chunks in every bite! Vegan and Gluten Free.
Oh my, it’s been one of those days where you just want to plant your face into the pillow and not have to answer to no body.
The baby isn’t letting up. It’s a good thing he is cute and my little sweet man. This guy is full throttle and always on the go, and when he’s tired he get’s mad. It’s like kid, why can’t you just close your eyes and go to sleep? Why do you feel the need to SCREAMMMMM yourself there? Too bad you can’t reason with a baby.
Today was going to be super productive. I had my planner ready and to do list and everything together. I felt like I rocked the morning, cleaned every speck of the house, well sorta– dusted, vacuumed, mopped the floors so things smell nice. Parker was pleasant, and took a 1.5 hour nap. As soon as he woke up, it was errand time (read: Target run).
And then splat.
My iPhone was face down in the Target parking lot. Cracked screen… check. Let’s chalk it up to doing too many things at once. Talking on the phone, caring a big diaper bag, and trying to range a squirmy 5 month old. We think we can do all the things but seriously can’t. So my afternoon was spent at AT&T store.
Yes, so that face in the pillow is real. really real. and just saying my prayers that baby will decide it’s time to sleep too. #momlife
I adapted these Soft Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Bars from my Almond Butter Blondies. I’ve really been into almond butter lately. You’ve got to make these bars– they are so good!
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Soft Baked Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
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Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 3/4 cup natural almond butter
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 banana, ripened and smashed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup old fashioned oats, ground
- 1/2 cup semi-sweetened chocolate chips, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped pecan
- 1/4 cup dried tart cherries
- 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 8 inch square pan with small amount of coconut oil or cooking spray.
- In large bowl, mix together coconut oil, almond butter, flaxseed, banana, and honey.
- Stir in baking powder, salt, oats, and 1/4 cup chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into pan and spread evenly.
- Top with 1/4 cup chocolate chips, pecans, tart cherries, and coconut flakes.
- Bake for 25 minutes and allow to cool for 45 minutes before slicing. Slice into 16 bars
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 recipe)
- Calories: 191
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 46mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, registered dietitian and millennial mom of two active and hungry boys. Here on Love & Zest, you’ll find (mostly) healthy recipes to fuel the whole family and real life stories of modern motherhood. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.
Did you make one of my recipes?? Leave a review in the comments and tag @loveandzest #loveandzest on Instagram!
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SO, I made this almost exactly – I made two substitutions: 1. I used creamy peanut butter instead of almond butter because I’m allergic to almonds, but I made sure that I use a thinner peanut butter that matched the consistency of every almond butter I’ve ever used. 2. I reduced the honey to 2 tablespoons and added 2 tablespoons of grade a maple syrup since honey tends to have an overwhelming flavor and sweetness for me.
And they came out SO moist, that it’s a pain in the butt to eat them! They just mush down every time you try to take it from the pan. And LORD ALMIGHTY they are tooth-achingly sweet. I think if I ever tried these again, I’d substitute an egg for the banana, to give these more substance as well as reduce the overwhelming sweetness. I’d probably omit the honey altogether as well, and just sweeten it with the 2 tbsp of maple syrup, and add another 1/4 cup of oats, to give these more of a cake-like texture instead of a pudding-like texture.
Hey Valerie– thanks for your review!! Quick question for you. Did you allow them to cool? Vegan and gluten free desserts do a lot better when they’ve had time to cool first. I do have a lower sugar version of these on my site that sound like what you’d be looking for– it’s made with bananas and maple syrup, and of course you can sub PB or cashew instead of AB! The Soft Baked Almond Butter Banana Oat Bars can be found here: https://www.loveandzest.com/soft-baked-almond-butter-banana-oat-bars/
Hi. These look really good. I do have a question though. Is there a substitute for the bananas? I’m allergic to bananas. Would applesauce work?
Thanks
Oh that’s a good question. I haven’t tested this recipe with apple sauce but it might work? I think mashed sweet potato would actually be a better substitute because it’s thicker like a banana.
These are my family’s go-to oatmeal bar. They are delicious! We sub Enjoy Chips for a dairy-free version of these! Amazing!! Great recipe!
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Can I use egg in place of the flax seed? Thanks 🙂 these look amazing!
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That could work… but if it’s too moist you may need to add a little more oats!
These are flippin AHHHH-MAAAAAAY-ZIN!!! My hubby devoured them, asking, “but what’s the yummy cake part inside?!” I laughed sinisterly. I’ve made this heaven or hell-sent marvel 4 times in last 2 months, & am warming the oven again now. However, a majorly important tweak to the recipe– YOU MUST ADD the cherries AFTER removing from oven!!!!! VERY VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT!! I’ve had to pick off & toss out cherries burnt black to a crisp twice. 1st time, following directions to a tee, 2nd time, adding cherries @ 15 min point. The recipe photo used is what it looks like PRIOR to baking. I recommend to add all the toppings sans chips (coconut, pecans & cherries) immediately after removing from oven, too avoid over browning/burning. The 25 minutes cook time is too much for them, but will give you a nice brown crust around edge, anything less will be too mushy. Also, the firmness will be highly dependent on the firmness of your almond butter. Use a firmer almond nut butter for best results. The last batch was least firm & hung around the longest. I like Maranatha nut butters.
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Thanks for your comment Brooke! I’m thrilled your fam is enjoying the recipe… makes me so happy!! 🙂
Just recently made this again & discovered the previous issue was my oven! I now add toppings (except chocolate chips which I’ve been subbing dark chocolate chips sweetened with stevia) at last 10 minutes.
How do I get these; is there a shop or an online store. I may have a bit of challenge making them
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These were delicious! Love this easy, healthy and yummy recipe. Thanks Kristina!
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What can I substitute the coconut oil for? I despise coconut in all shapes and forms? Can I use canola oil?
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You can definitely use butter! 🙂 Not sure how other oils would do because they aren’t solid at room temp like coconut oil.
Thank you so much!!
HOLY YUM! You might as well call these “turn your day around for the better” bars!
lol! yes mam!
These look super delicious! I can’t seem to find the directions though, are they on another page?
Sorry! Made that update to the directions, mom brain is a real thing.
Both of my boys were scream their self to sleep babies. I know the feeling. It does get easier now they both go to sleep no problems now! It’s all just a phase!
Just pray this phase passes quickly.
These look like the perfect way to turn around a not-so-awesome day!
Thanks Megan!