These soft, chewy oatmeal chocolate chip breakfast bars are a perfect make-ahead option when you need a quick breakfast or a snack on the go. Keep a batch in the fridge or freezer for easy meal prep the whole family will love! {Gluten-free, dairy-free & vegetarian}
Soft Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Bars – Perfect for Breakfast or Snack!
If you’re on the hunt for nutritious and easy breakfasts or snacks to go, you’ll love these Healthy Oatmeal Bars! They’re soft, baked to perfection and loaded with gooey chocolate chips and banana for the ultimate breakfast treat.
Not to mention, they are also super easy to prepare and contain wholesome ingredients, so they’re the perfect way to get the energy you need to face the day!
Eat them for breakfast on busy mornings, as a healthy snack, or add them to lunch boxes. Either way, you can’t go wrong with these delicious bars!
For more easy oatmeal bars, be sure to check out these 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Bars, Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars and Peanut Butter Protein Bars!
Featured Comment
“This is a great breakfast, snack or dessert! My whole family loved it!” – Jo
Are oatmeal bars good for you?
Oatmeal bars can be a great healthier option, especially when they’re homemade since you can control the ingredients going into them. But really, it all depends on the ingredients you choose!
Oats
The base of these bars is made up of quick oats and oat flour which is incredibly nutrient-dense, offering soluble fiber, and vitamins and minerals, such as iron, calcium, and magnesium.
Bananas
Bananas are rich in B6 and folate. The B vitamins play an important role in energy metabolism and are involved in many enzyme processes. Bananas can also improve gut health since they are a source of prebiotic fiber, which essentially feeds probiotics, the healthy bacteria found in our gut. Additionally, the fiber found in bananas can help keep you regular and prevent constipation.
Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate offers compounds known as flavonoids. Flavonoids are antioxidants that help repair damaged cells in the body, which may reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases (source).
Plus, each bar contains 2 grams of fiber which can help manage blood sugar levels and keep you feeling full for longer and energized throughout the day! They also contain no refined sugar since they’re sweetened naturally with bananas and maple syrup. But don’t worry, they’re plenty sweet!
Ingredient Notes
- Oats: I used quick cooking oats, but you can use old fashioned oats as well. If there are any gluten intolerances, use certified gluten-free oats.
- Oat flour: Make your own homemade oat flour or purchase it at the grocery store. You can also sub in whole wheat flour if you don’t have oat flour.
- Almond milk: Use regular or vanilla unsweetened almond milk. You can also sub in regular cow’s milk or another non-dairy milk, like soy milk, rice milk, coconut milk or oat milk if desired.
- Bananas: Use overripe bananas for best results. If you don’t like bananas or don’t have any on hand, you can try subbing in unsweetened applesauce.
- Maple syrup: Use 100% pure maple syrup. You can also sub in another liquid sweetener, like honey, agave or brown rice syrup.
- Eggs: if you want to make it a vegan option, try replacing regular eggs with flax or chia eggs.
- Chocolate chips: I typically like to use dark chocolate chips for extra antioxidants. Sub in your favorite chocolate chips, using ones that are dairy-free if necessary.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars – Step-by-Step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together oats, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the mashed the bananas and whisk in the eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla, stirring until well-combined.
- Add the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer baked oatmeal batter to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the pan sit for 5 minutes to cool, then remove the parchment paper with the bars from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice into 16 square bars (or 9 larger bars).
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- You can purchase oat flour at many grocery stores, or make it yourself at home. Simply add oats to a blender and blend until a flour consistency is achieved.
- For best results, use overripe bananas as they will help to enhance the sweetness and flavor of the bars.
- I recommend lining the baking dish with parchment paper and letting some of the paper hang over the sides of the pan. It will make it much easier to remove the bars from the pan and cut them into pieces.
- If making for a crowd, double the recipe and bake in a larger baking dish. You may need to add an extra 10 minutes or so of cooking time. Alternatively, you can bake the bars in two square baking dishes.
- Allow the baked oatmeal mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into bars to allow them to firm up slightly.
- Reserve some chocolate chips to sprinkle on the bars right before baking.
Storage Guidelines
Refrigerate: Once the bars have cooled and have been cut into squares, place them in an airtight container. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days.
To freeze: Freeze these bars for up to three months in a large ziploc bag individually wrapped or stacked in an air-tight container separated by a piece of parchment paper or wax paper so they don’t stick together. Allow them to thaw out in the refrigerator before serving.
To reheat: Warm the bars up in the microwave for 30 seconds or so, if desired.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! If you choose to use rolled or old-fashioned oats, the bars will be a little chewier, similar to a traditional baked oatmeal (like this Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal).
With the quick oats, they’ll be less textured and chewy and will have a more cake-like consistency, especially when combined with the oat flour.
Not necessarily; the nutritional breakdown of both of these options really depends on which other ingredients are mixed in with the oats.
Since oats form the base of both, they are nutritionally comparable, and both are great sources of soluble fiber, which can help decrease LDL cholesterol and manage blood sugar levels.
Whether preparing baked oats or a bowl of oatmeal, for the healthiest option, limit added sugar and try including healthy add-ins such as chia seeds or flaxseeds.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these healthy breakfast bars warm or at room temperature. They also taste delicious topped with a drizzle of nut butter or seed butter. Our favorites are peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter!
To make more of a complete breakfast, serve these bars with any of the following recipes:
- Cottage Cheese Protein Pudding
- Strawberry Banana Smoothie with Yogurt
- Turmeric Latte with Almond Milk
- Fruit-on-the-Bottom Yogurt
- Scrambled Eggs without Milk
- Oven Baked Eggs
Recipe Variations
This healthy oatmeal breakfast bars recipe can be easily adapted to enhance the nutritional profile or switch up the flavor.
Try any of the following add ins:
- Add fruit: Try adding fresh fruit such as banana slices, fresh blueberries, raspberries or strawberries, or dried fruit such as dried cranberries, raisins, chopped dates or shredded coconut.
- Increase protein: Add a scoop of protein powder or some hemp hearts.
- Make vegan/egg-free: Replace the eggs with chia or flax eggs.
- Without chocolate: If you’re not a chocolate lover, you can make these bars without the chocolate chips.
- Add nuts or seeds: Try chopped walnuts, cashews, or pecans, sunflower seeds, chia seeds or ground flax seed for some extra healthy fats.
- Add veggies: Try adding shredded zucchini into the oatmeal bar mixture.
- Replace the banana: You can sub in unsweetened applesauce or pumpkin puree for the banana to switch up the flavor.
More Healthy Bar Recipes
- Healthy Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars
- Homemade Larabars
- Lemon Larabars
- Key Lime Protein Bars
- Sweet Potato Bars
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Bars Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients:
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together oats, oat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the mashed the bananas and whisk in the eggs, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla, stirring until well-combined.
- Add the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the pan sit for 5 minutes to cool, then remove the parchment paper with the bars from the pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Slice into 16 square bars (or 9 larger bars).
Notes
- You can purchase oat flour at many grocery stores, or make it yourself at home. Simply add oats to a blender and blend until a flour consistency is achieved.
- For best results, use overripe bananas as they will help to enhance the sweetness and flavour of the bars.
- I recommend lining the baking dish with parchment paper and letting some of the paper hang over the sides of the pan. It will make it much easier to remove the bars from the pan and cut them into pieces.
- Allow the baked oatmeal mixture to cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing into bars to allow them to firm up slightly.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted September 2020 and was updated November 2023 with more helpful tips and photos. The text and formatting were updated again in October 2025.
Hello, what could be used instead of the banana?
Thanks
Camilla
You could try unsweetened applesauce instead!
Can you use old fashioned oats for this recipe
Sure! It might just have a chewier texture. Keep me posted on how it goes if you try it out!
are the calories for one piece when they are cut into 16?
Yes, that’s correct!
Very flexible recipe! I don’t think I’ve ever followed it to the letter (usually less/different sweeteners) but it has come out great every time. I make heaps for breastfeeding snacks but my husband keeps digging into them too! Awesome recipe.
I appreciate the feedback! That’s great that the recipe has been working out even with modifications! Can never have too many breastfeeding snacks…be sure to hide a stash so hubby doesn’t eat them all ;)
Subbed in a cup of unsweetened applesauce for the 2 bananas and it turned out great! Might add some protein powder next time for the extra protein like you suggested in the variations, do you have recommendations for brands/types? Thanks for the recipe :)
That’s great that it turned out with the applesauce! As for protein powder, I typically use the Genuine Health Fermented Vanilla protein powder, but I think most whey or vegan protein powders would probably work. Keep me posted if you try it out with the protein powder!
where the crap is the crapping recipe?!?!
It’s in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. There’s a “jump to recipe” button and “table of contents” at the top of each post to help you better find the recipe.
This is a great breakfast, snack or dessert! My whole family loved it!
Yes!! They can definitely be eaten anytime of day! So happy you and your family enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for leaving a rating and review :)
Love this recipe! Was looking for something nutritious, yummy, and easy to make for my pregnant self and toddler. We both loved it! Had to swap a few ingredients that I didn’t have, (milk instead of almond milk, regular flour instead of oat flour) and they still turned out great!
Yay!! Glad it was a winner and happy to hear the recipe still worked out well with the ingredient swaps! Thanks for stopping by to leave a review and congrats on your pregnancy! :)
Mine came out like a loaf of bread, any idea where I messed up? It is some delicious bread though!
Hmm…well they’re supposed to have a pretty dense consistency, almost like an oatmeal cake so that they’re firm enough that you can cut them into bars and take them on the go. Perhaps you were expecting a different type of consistency? Or the only other thing that I can think of is that maybe more oat flour was added than what was called for in the recipe? Glad you still enjoyed them though!
Love these! Just made them today!
Yay!! Aren’t they delish?! So glad you love them!! Thanks for stopping by to comment!