Banana Oatmeal Bars – Healthy Breakfast Snack

Learn how to make delicious, healthy and vegan banana oatmeal chocolate chip bars using this simple recipe made with wholesome ingredients! The granola bars are perfect for breakfast or as a quick energy snack (gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free and nut-free possible).

Healthy granola bars with oatmeal and banana

Just like granola bars and nut clusters, oatmeal bars are always a great grab and go snack. You can take them with you anywhere at any time, as they fit quite practically in any bag thanks to their handy size. However, since store-bought granola or oat bars often contain refined sugar, unhealthy fats or undesirable additives, I prefer to make them myself. That way, I know what’s in them and I can always mix and match the flavor and combination of ingredients to suit my own mood.

Simple banana oat bars

These chocolate banana oatmeal bars are one of my favorite combinations, along with the fruity granola bars. They have a chewy texture, require no eggs and are sweetened only by the bananas and a bit of maple syrup, making them a healthy snack. Also, they contain other healthy ingredients like oatmeal, nuts, flaxseed, and nut butter, which provide plenty of energy and satisfy cravings.

Versatile recipe

Of course, you can vary the type of nuts and nut butter depending on what you have in your pantry. To make the chocolate banana granola bars nut-free, feel free to use any seeds instead of nuts, as well as sesame or sunflower butter instead of nut butter. For gluten-free oatmeal bars, just use gluten-free rolled oats, but other cereals like quinoa flakes are great too!

Ingredients for oatmeal bars with banana

• Rolled oats: I prefer quick oats but regular and gluten-free oats are fine too. However, you can also try other cereal flakes like spelt or quinoa.
• Nuts: I used a mix of almonds, cashews and walnuts, but you can use other nuts like hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia, etc.
• Flax seeds: or chia seeds
• Chocolate chips: or Chocolate Chunks or other bake-safe chocolate pieces.
• Bananas: preferably very ripe and spotty bananas.
• Nut butter: e.g. almond butter, cashew butter, hazelnut butter, peanut butter or tahini (sesame butter) as a nut-free alternative.
• Coconut oil: melted.
• Maple syrup: or date syrup, rice syrup, agave syrup or other liquid sweeteners,
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Salt

How to make chocolate banana oatmeal bars

As always, I recommend checking out the recipe video and these step-by-step instructions first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Make the banana oatmeal mix

First, mix together the rolled oats, chopped nuts, flax seeds, chocolate chips, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Ian another bowl combine mashed bananas with nut butter, liquid coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract. Then pour into the oat and nut mixture and stir to combine.

Step 2: Bake the mixture

Transfer the oatmeal mixture into a baking dish lined with parchment paper and press down evenly with a spatula or spoon. Bake in a preheated oven at 320 °F (160 °C ) for approx. 30-40 minutes.

Tip: if the top becomes too dark during baking, simply cover loosely with a piece of parchment paper.

Step 3: Cut into bars

Allow to cool to room temperature. Then lift the block out of the pan and place in the refrigerator for another 2 hours. Slice into squares or rectangle bars and decorate with melted chocolate as desired. Enjoy!

Note: You can either cut the bars before or after chilling, whichever is easier for you. They are harder when chilled.

Oatmeal bars recipe variations

• Nut-free: Instead of nuts, you can use you favorite seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hulled hemp seeds, sesame seeds, etc. as well as tahini (sesame seed paste) or sunflower butter instead of nut butter.
• Dried fruit: If you like, you can also use dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, cherries, figs, apricots, dates, plums, etc. Depending on the size, simply chop them finely with a sharp knife beforehand.
• Bananas: Instead of bananas you could use apple sauce or double the amount of coconut oil and syrup.
• Other add-ins: Feel free to add other typical granola bar ingredients like puffed quinoa, amaranth, rice pops, cornflakes or whatever you like.

How can I store banana oatmeal bars?

You can store the Chocolate Banana Granola Bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week in the refrigerator. However, you can also freeze the bars and store for up to 3 months in the freezer. If needed, let them thaw overnight in the refrigerator or pantry, or just pop them in the oven for 5-10 minutes.

This healthy breakfast bar recipe is:

• Vegan (eggless, dairy-free)
• Quick and easy to make
• Made with just a few ingredients
• Healthy
• Low in fat
• Low in sugar
• Rich in fiber
• Naturally sweetened
• Soft & chewy
• Delicious!
• The perfect portable on-the-go breakfast or energy snack for kids and adults alike!

More breakfast and snack recipes to try

• Granola Bars
• Apple Carrot Muffins
• Banana Muffins
• Chocolate Brioche Buns
• Blueberry Scones
• Banana bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Pumpkin Bread
• Croissants
• Brioche Croissants
• Breakfast Granola Cups
• Nut Clusters

If you try these chocolate chip banana oatmeal breakfast bars, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating on how you liked this recipe! And if you take a photo of your oat bars and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your creations! Have fun trying this simple recipe! 🙂

Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

Author: Bianca Zapatka

Learn how to make delicious, healthy and vegan chocolate banana oatmeal bars using this simple recipe made with wholesome ingredients! The granola bars are perfect for breakfast or as a quick energy snack (gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free and nut-free possible).

5 von 5 Bewertungen

Print Pin Review

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Chill Time 2 hrs

Total Time 15 mins

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, German

Servings 12 Bars

Calories 154 kcal

You do not have a fitting cake pan at hand right now? Try my Cake Pan Conversion Calculator!

Ingredients

• 2 cups (160 g) rolled oats
• ¾ cup (100 g) mixed nuts chopped (or seeds, if nut-free)
• 2 tbsp flaxseeds or chia seeds
• 3 tbsp chocolate chips
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 ripe bananas ⅔ cup (180 g) mashed
• 2 tbsp nut butter e.g. almond, cashew, hazelnut or peanut butter or tahini (sesame paste), if nut-free
• 2 tbsp coconut oil melted
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or date syrup, rice syrup or agave syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional to garnish

• 2 tbsp melted chocolate

Instructions 

*Note: Feel free to check out the recipe video + step-by-step photos above!

• Preheat the oven to 320 °F (160 °C). Line a 8x8-inch (20x20-cm) baking pan with parchment paper (as shown in the video).
• Combine oats, chopped nuts, flaxseeds, chocolate chips, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.
• Mash the bananas and add to a small mixing bowl. Add nut butter, melted coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and mix everything together. Then add to the oat-nut mixture and mix to combine.
• Transfer the granola mixture into the prepared baking pan and press it down evenly with a spatula or spoon.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes (if the top gets too dark while baking, cover loosely with a piece of parchment paper).
• Allow to cool to room temperature, then lift out of the pan using the overhanging parchment paper. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours and cut into bars with a sharp knife. (You can cut the bars either before or after chilling, whichever is easier for you. They are harder when chilled).
• Garnish the bars with a drizzle of melted chocolate as desired and enjoy immediately, or store as mentioned in the blog post above!

Notes

• Nuts: I used a mix of almonds, cashews and walnuts, but you can also use other nuts like hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia, etc.
• Nut-free: Instead of nuts, you can use you favorite seeds such as sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hulled hemp seeds, sesame seeds, etc. as well as tahini (sesame paste) or sunflower seed butter instead of nut butter.
• Dried fruit: Feel free to add dried fruits such as raisins, cranberries, cherries, figs, apricots, dates, plums, etc. Depending on the size, simply chop them finely with a sharp knife before adding to the oat nut mix.
• Bananas: Instead of bananas, you could use apple sauce or double the amount of coconut oil and syrup.
• Tip: If you want the bars crispier, you could bake them a 2nd time after cutting for about 15 minutes.
• More information and helpful tips are mentioned in the blog post above!

Nutritions

Serving: 1Bar | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 17.2g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Sodium: 36.4mg | Potassium: 183.3mg | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 3.6g | Calcium: 26.8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as estimate.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @biancazapatka or tag #biancazapatka!

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