With just 5 ingredients and a texture similar to a soft oatmeal cookie, these Apple Oatmeal Bars are a nutritious (and yummy!) make-ahead breakfast or snack.
Double apple flavor, plus the nutrition of a bowl of oatmeal makes these bars one of our favorites! They are similar to my Banana Oatmeal Bars, but with seriously yummy apple flavor.
These are a great way to serve a fiber-rich meal or snack to little kids and you can make them ahead of time and serve them all week long.
Plus, they rely mainly on inexpensive pantry staples including rolled oats and applesauce, so the recipe is affordable, too.
(You may also like my Apple Oatmeal Muffins and my Cinnamon Apples.)
Why this Recipe Works
Applesauce and shredded apple add ample flavor and moisture to hold this simple batter together. The resulting bars are a nutritious toddler breakfast or can be offered as a baby-led weaning food.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make Apple Oatmeal Bars so you know what to pick up from the store or have ready.
- Applesauce: Applesauce provides natural sweetness, along with flavor in these bars. You can use store bought or homemade applesauce.
- Apple: I add shredded apple to the batter for more flavor. You can use any type of firm cooking apple you like, such as Cosmic Crisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady.
- Instant oats (or rolled oats ground up in a blender or food processor): Using slightly ground oats helps the bars hold together a little more easily after baking and cooling.
- Eggs (or ½ cup peanut, almond, or sunflower seed butter): Any of these options add beneficial fats and help the bars hold together while baking and after cooling and slicing.
- Milk: I cook and bake with whole milk, though you can use nondairy milk or a lower fat milk as desired. It will all work similarly in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract and cinnamon: Adding vanilla extract, whether pure or artificial, and cinnamon adds flavor that pairs well with the apple.
- Baking powder: We use fresh active baking powder to help the bars rise a little so they are not dense, and to bake through properly.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make these Apple Oatmeal Bars so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Grate the apple and squeeze dry. Set aside the juice to enjoy separately.
Step 2. Add all the ingredients, including the squeezed shredded apple, to a medium bowl.
Step 3. Stir the batter well to combine using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Step 4. Pour into prepared pan and bake. Let cool fully in pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can serve them as a baby led weaning food from 6+ months or so. From that early age, cut into finger-size pieces so they are easy for baby to hold and self-feed. Then, around 9 months, dice them up into tiny pieces. They can be served as a finger food or as a food to eat with a fork after that.
My top varieties are Pink Lady, Cosmic Crisp, and Granny Smith, but it should work with almost any variety.
Apples vary in juiciness, so squeezing them lightly to release any juice ensures that the oatmeal bars bake through as intended—without being too wet. You can drink the juice as you would any other fresh juice.
How to Store
Store leftover Apple Oatmeal Bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Enjoy cold or warmed slightly.
Best Tips for Success
- Use rolled oats that have been ground in the blender, instant oats, or oat flour.
- Use certified gluten-free oats to make this gluten-free.
- Use sunflower seed butter to make this nut-free.
- Add ¼ cup brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to make this sweeter if your family prefers.
- Top with a drizzle of icing—I do 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and a few drops of milk, stirred together well—if desired.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degree F and line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. (I allow 2 inches to hang over the edges on either side so the bars are easy to lift out and slice.)
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Add the ingredients to a medium bowl. Stir well to combine thoroughly.
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Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing evenly.
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Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until firm to the touch and lightly golden around the edges. Let cool fully in the pan, then lift out onto a cutting board and slice.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Enjoy cold or warmed slightly.
- Use rolled oats that have been ground in the blender, instant oats, or oat flour.
- Use certified gluten-free oats to make this gluten-free.
- Use sunflower seed butter to make this nut-free.
- Add ¼ cup brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to the batter to make this sweeter if your family prefers.
- Top with a drizzle of icing—I do 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and a few drops of milk, stirred together well—if desired.
Serving: 1 bar, Calories: 96kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 83mg, Potassium: 101mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 65IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 1mg