Description

Delicious and wholesome strawberry oatmeal bars featuring a buttery oat crust and a sweet, tangy strawberry filling. Perfect as a healthy snack or dessert, these bars combine simple ingredients like oats, flour, and fresh strawberries baked to golden perfection and chilled for a firm, satisfying texture.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

1 1/2 cups quick oats or rolled oats (150g)
2/3 cup flour (spelt, white, or oat) (80g)
1/2 cup sugar or xylitol (100g)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

1/2 cup oil or melted butter (100g)
2 1/2 cups diced strawberries (300g)
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (7g)
1 tbsp pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice (15g)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch baking pan or line the bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir these together so they are evenly mixed.
Add Wet Ingredients to Dough: Stir in the oil or melted butter into the dry ingredients until a crumbly dough forms. Reserve about one-third of this dough for the topping.
Press Dough Base: Firmly press two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust layer.
Prepare Strawberry Filling: In a separate medium bowl, mix the diced strawberries with cornstarch and maple syrup. The cornstarch will help thicken the filling while baking.
Assemble Bars: Spread the strawberry filling evenly over the crust layer in the pan. Then sprinkle the reserved dough over the filling and press down firmly to form the top layer.
Bake: Place the pan on the center rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly.
Cool and Chill: Let the bars cool completely in the pan. Then refrigerate them until well chilled and firm, which helps the bars set properly.
Serve: Cut into bars and enjoy plain, or optionally drizzle with peanut butter or dust with powdered sugar for extra flavor.

Notes

You can substitute xylitol for sugar to reduce the glycemic index.
Using melted butter instead of oil will give a richer flavor but add some saturated fat.
Chilling the bars before serving is essential for the best texture and easier slicing.
For gluten-free option, use gluten-free oats and flour such as oat or rice flour.
These bars keep well refrigerated for up to 5 days and can be frozen for longer storage.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: strawberry oatmeal bars, healthy dessert, baked oatmeal bars, fruit bars, quick oats recipe, vegan dessert option