These Strawberry Oatmeal Bars are made with healthier swaps like almond flour, coconut oil and less sugar! They make a great breakfast or healthy dessert. My kids went crazy for these!
If you love strawberry then you’ll love my Mini Strawberry Upside Down Cakes!
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Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
These bars are made with with fresh, juicy strawberries and a crispy, maple oat crumble. Using whole, fresh ingredients, these strawberry oatmeal bars come out so good! You wouldn’t even guess that they are vegan and gluten-free!
Not only are they absolutely delicious, but they are so easy to make! These are a no fuss, simple strawberry dessert that come together in no time. Lately, I have been totally streusel obsessed, so this sweet oat topping is streusel-like and soo good!
You would also never know that these are healthy! I made my own strawberry preserves to keep the sugar low and made the streusel gluten free. They make the perfect healthy breakfast or dessert!
If you love this recipe then you have to try my Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookies!
Ingredients Needed
For the strawberry filling:
- Strawberries: I used fresh strawberries in this recipe, but you can also use frozen if you have those on hand! This is the perfect recipe to use up summer berries!
- Maple Syrup: I used maple syrup to sweeten the filling and the crust. You could also use honey instead.
- Corn Starch: Corn starch is used to thicken up the strawberry mixture!
- Lemon: Lemon adds a hint of tang and acidity. I love the combination of lemon and strawberries. First zest the lemon and then juice it!
For the Oatmeal Crumb Crust & Topping:
- Old Fashioned Oats: Old fashioned oats or quick cooking oats work best!
- Almond Flour: Is used over regular flour for added nutrients and antioxidants. Plus, this is actually a gluten-free dessert if your oats are certified gluten-free!
- Coconut Oil: I swapped vegetable oil or butter for the coconut oil. It helps to bind everything together and adds a slight hint of coconut. Make sure it is not melted!
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is added for a hint of sweetness and will caramelize beautifully in the oven.
- Salt: A little bit of salt is needed to balance the sweet and fruity flavors. I promise this won’t make the dessert come out salty!
- Vanilla Extract: For extra flavor!
How to Make Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
- Preheat & Prep Strawberries: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add strawberries and maple syrup to a medium saucepan.
- Cook Strawberries: Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, add the lemon juice and cornstarch to a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and cook for another minute or two or until thickened. Stir in lemon zest.
- Mix Oat Crust: To a large bowl, add the oats, almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt and vanilla extract.
- Combine: Stir to combine and set aside.
- Assemble: Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with parchment paper. The nonstick spray helps the parchment paper to stick to the bottom. Add half of the crumb mixture to the prepared pan. Using your fingers, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake: Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully add in the strawberry mixture. Top with the remaining oat crumble and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the top looks set and golden brown.
- Allow to Cool & Serve: Allow these strawberry oatmeal bars to cool completely or they will make a huge mess! I like to pop them in the freezer to chill down faster. This also makes then a lot easier to slice. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Be patient! Don’t cut into these bars while they are still warm. Unfortunately you have to wait until they are fully cooled prior to diving in! If you don’t they make a huge mess (take it from me!)
- To most efficiently zest lemon, I recommend using a microplane.
- Substitute the coconut oil for room temperature butter! I used coconut oil since it is healthier, but you can also use room temperature butter if you prefer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze strawberry oatmeal bars?
Definitely! To freeze, allow the bars to cool and wrap them well in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Once you are ready to enjoy them, let them thaw in the fridge.
How to Store leftover strawberry oatmeal bars?
To store any leftover oatmeal bars, place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
More Sweet Recipes to Try
- Mini Cheesecake Cupcakes
- Easy Blueberry Bars
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Lemon Blueberry Bread
- Strawberry Trifle
- Mixed Berry Crisp
Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling
- 2 1/2 cups strawberries, diced
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
Oat Crumb Crust / Topping
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, solid not melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Add strawberries and maple syrup to a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. Meanwhile add the lemon juice and cornstarch to a small bowl and whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set mixture aside.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan and cook for another minute or two or until thickened. Stir in lemon zest.
- To a large bowl add the oats, almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt and vanilla extra.
- Stir to combine and set aside.
- Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with parchment paper. (The nonstick cooking spray helps the parchment to stick)Add half of the crumb mixture to the prepared pan. Using your fingers press the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully add in the strawberry mixture. Top with the remaining oat crumble and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the top looks set and golden brown.
- Allow these bars to cool completely or they will make a huge mess. I like to pop them in the freezer to chill down faster. This also makes them a lot easier to cut.Slice, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
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Richard Chamberlin
First-timer. Looks fantastic! Oats and strawberry, oh yeah.