Homemade Oatmeal Bars

Why buy when you can make your own natural granola bars from whole food ingredients? These are just as handy to grab on the go as the commercially prepared bars, but you know exactly what ingredients are in the ones you make yourself. You can easily double or even triple the batch and freeze the extra. Defrost in the refrigerator or eat straight from the freezer!

The recipe below has no added sugar, but if you like your bars a little sweeter, you can add 1/4 cup brown sugar to the oat mixture.

Homemade Oatmeal Bars

What You Need:

• 1 1/2 cup steel cut oats — the texture is better if you soak them in 1 cup of water overnight and then drain completely
• 1/3 cup dried fruit – you can use raisins, craisins, or any dried fruit you have. Experiment with different kinds for different flavor combinations. I used dates in the picture above.
• 1/3 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup nut butter
• 1 mashed ripe banana

What to do:

Mash the banana together with the nut butter in a small bowl. Set aside.
Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the banana mixture to the large bowl with the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly.
Press into a greased glass 8″x8″ pan.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
These will keep best in the refrigerator for a week or in an airtight container on the counter for several days.
This recipe is SO customizable. Choose your own add-ins to personalize these oat bars to your taste. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Add-ins:

• 2 tsp chia, flax, or wheat germ
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup brown sugar to sprinkle on top

Make a double batch and freeze these! They’ll taste great right from the freezer, and they pack well in lunchboxes. Just make sure to cut them up first, and freeze in an airtight container with some wax paper in between layers.

Want something a little healthier? Try our Healthy Homemade Granola Bars!

Do you like to make homemade oatmeal bars? What is your favorite add in?