Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bars (Print Version)

Chewy bars packed with blueberries, bananas, oats, and a protein boost for a nutritious start.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - 1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter

→ Mix-Ins

12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk rolled oats, protein powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, mash bananas. Add honey or maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil; whisk until smooth.
04 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
05 - Carefully fold in blueberries, avoiding overmixing to maintain texture.
06 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment overhang and cut into 12 equal bars.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They taste like blueberry muffins but keep you full for hours without the sugar crash.
  • You can make a whole batch in less time than it takes to wait in line at a coffee shop.
  • They freeze beautifully, so you can grab one straight from the freezer on chaotic mornings.
  • The texture is chewy and satisfying, not dry or crumbly like so many homemade bars turn out.
02 -
  • If you try to cut these bars while they're still warm, they will fall apart no matter how careful you are.
  • Using very ripe bananas makes all the difference in sweetness, underripe ones won't mash well and the bars will taste bland.
  • Frozen blueberries work better than fresh in some ways because they hold their shape and don't sink to the bottom.
03 -
  • Press the batter firmly into the pan so the bars hold together when you slice them later.
  • Let the bars cool completely before cutting, patience here is the difference between clean slices and crumbly pieces.
  • Use parchment paper with long overhang so you can lift the whole block out in one piece, it makes cutting so much easier.
Go Back