Breakfast Oat Bars (One Bowl, 20 Minutes!)
These Breakfast Oat Bars are soft, chewy oatmeal bars made with wholesome ingredients like oats, banana, and ground flax. They come together in one bowl, bake in just 20 minutes, and are perfect for busy mornings or easy meal prep.

A breakfast that everyone will love
These oatmeal breakfast bars are basically oatmeal in bar form — perfect for on-the-go mornings or a quick snack when you need something prepped and ready. They use simple pantry staples, come together in one bowl, and can be customized just like my Oatmeal Cups, Cottage Cheese Oatmeal Bars, Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats, or Cinnamon Roll Overnights Oats.
Featured Recipe Review
I make these healthy breakfast oat bars weekly now for breakfast for my boyfriend and I to grab on the go on the way to work. They are incredibly addicting and delicious. I feel better about eating these knowing what whole ingredients I’ve put into making them verse store bough oat/granola bars with processed products (which I was buying before). Overall I rate these a 10/10. It’s a must try!
Jenn

Flavor Variations
- Berry Almond: Fold in fresh or frozen blueberries or raspberries and top with sliced almonds before baking.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip: Swirl in a few tablespoons of peanut butter and add chocolate chips for a cookie-bar vibe.
- Apple Cinnamon: Add finely diced apples, extra cinnamon, and a splash of vanilla for a cozy fall version.
- Banana Walnut: Mix in chopped walnuts and an extra mashed half-banana for a more banana-bread style bar.
- Cranberry Orange: Add dried cranberries, orange zest, and a drizzle of honey — bright and perfect for winter.
- Plain + Simple: Skip the mix-ins entirely for a clean, classic oatmeal bar that works with any topping.

Tips & Tricks
- Use very ripe bananas. The spottier and softer your bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful your snack cake will be without needing any extra sweetener.
- Measure the mashed banana, not the whole fruit. For best texture, stick close to 1½ cups mashed banana so the bars bake up soft but not overly wet.
- Stir just until combined. Over-mixing after adding the oats and oat flour can make the texture dense instead of tender.
- Let it cool completely before slicing. This recipe sets up as it cools, and cutting too early can cause the bars to fall apart.
- PRO TIP: Spray a small amount of non-stick spray before adding in the parchment paper to prevent the parchment paper from slipping.

How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store the bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I recommend placing parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freezer: Freeze individually wrapped bars (or place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or warm in the microwave for 20–30 seconds.
- On the Counter: If your kitchen is cool, they can sit at room temperature for 1–2 days, but they stay fresher longer in the fridge.
If you make this Breakfast Oat Bars, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, Tiktok, or Pinterest!
Breakfast Oat Bars (One Bowl, 20 Minutes!)
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups mashed over-ripe banana (about 3 large bananas)
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup ground flax
- 1.5 cups oats
- 3/4 cup oat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare your baking dish by lining an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. PRO TIP: Spray a small amount of non-stick spray before adding in the parchment paper to prevent the parchment paper from slipping.
- In a large bowl, add in bananas and mash really well. I use a fork for this, but you can use a potato masher if you have one.
- Add in the almond butter, ground flax and cinnamon next and mix once more.
- Then, add in the oats, oat flour and baking powder. Using a spatula, mix until ingredients are well incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips last.
- Pour this mixture into the prepared 8×8 dish and bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely before cutting into.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container up to 4-5 days.



I make these healthy breakfast oat bars weekly now for breakfast for my boyfriend and I to grab on the go on the way to work. They are incredibly addicting and delicious. I feel better about eating these knowing what whole ingredients I’ve put into making them verse store bough oat/granola bars with processed products (which I was buying before). Overall I rate these a 10/10. It’s a must try!
Thank you so much for your comment, Jenn! I’m so glad this recipe has been working for you.
Hi, love the look of these! What can I substitute for the flax seed? Any suggestions? Many thanks! X
Hi there! You can add in more oats, chia seeds or just omit it all together! It won’t change the texture, it’s more for added nutrition!
These are absolutely delicious! Thank you for creating such a satisfying, yet healthy recipe.
Hi Ruthie! I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for your rating and comment!
The print link is broken, doesn’t print just the recipe, prints 19 pages.
Hi Beth! so sorry about that, just sent this over to my developers to get it fixed. thanks for letting me know.
Delicious taste! I didn’t have time to make oat flour so just used regular.
It’s delicious and I added some honey to the top after I baked it and it was delicious 😋
Can I substitute oat flour with almond flour?