Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars (Print version)

Soft, chewy bars with oats, cinnamon, and maple syrup—a wholesome, portable breakfast or snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

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

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil for dairy-free)
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Add-Ins

11 - 1/3 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, optional)
12 - 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine rolled oats, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well to blend.
03 - Whisk maple syrup, melted butter (or coconut oil), applesauce, egg, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
05 - Fold in chopped nuts and dried fruit if using.
06 - Evenly spread the batter in the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
07 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until edges are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
08 - Let bars cool completely in the pan, then lift out using the parchment paper. Cut into 12 portions.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're dense enough to grab on your way out the door, but soft enough that they taste like an actual treat, not a protein bar masquerading as breakfast.
  • The maple and cinnamon do something unexpected together—it's familiar but somehow still feels a little fancy.
  • One batch makes twelve bars, which means you're set for the whole week without thinking about it.
02 -
  • If you cut them while they're still warm, they'll fall apart—cooling completely is the difference between bars that hold their shape and a pile of crumbs.
  • The maple syrup makes these bars more than oatmeal—don't substitute it with honey or brown sugar expecting the same result, because that maple flavor is the whole story.
  • If your kitchen is cold, everything takes slightly longer to bake and might need an extra minute or two, so watch the color instead of just watching the clock.
03 -
  • Use parchment paper with a little overhang—it saves you from wrestling with a spatula and losing bars to the corners of the pan.
  • If you want them chewier, slightly underbake them by a minute or two, and if you want them cake-like, go the full 25 minutes and maybe even a bit beyond.
  • Melt your butter completely so it distributes evenly through the batter and keeps everything tender.
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