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Updated: February 27, 2022/ First Posted: February 27, 2022Amy Palanjian 106 Comments

With wholesome ingredients and not a lot of added sugar, you can quickly bake up Healthy Breakfast Bars to serve for breakfasts or snacks throughout the week. And they are SO good!

Healthy Breakfast Bars

Having easy breakfast options on hand can make mornings with kids so much easier. We love this healthy recipe for kids to make ahead of time and have them ready and waiting in the mornings. I like to pair these healthy with a simple smoothie or a glass of milk for an easy and yummy breakfast to share with the kids.

This recipe is naturally egg-free and can be made nut- and gluten-free so they are great for families with allergies in the mix.

Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

The base of this breakfast bars recipe is oats, which makes it a great source of complex carbohydrates and fiber. It also has some protein from nut or seed butter. The sweetness comes from a little honey and the jam layer, but otherwise the ingredients are simple.

Ingredients You Need

To make this breakfast bars recipe, you’ll need:

• Rolled oats: These are sometimes called “old-fashioned” oats at the store.
• Nut or seed butter: I usually use peanut butter, but almond or sunflower seed butter can work, too.
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder
• Honey: This helps the batter hold together well. You can use maple syrup if preferred.
• Jam: I usually use jam labeled “all-fruit”, but any kind you like will work, even this homemade Chia Jam.

TIP: I can almost always make this recipe from ingredients I already have in my pantry and my kids love to help mix up the batter.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at how to make this breakfast bars recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information.

1. Stir together the wet ingredients.
2. Mix together the batter for the base of the bars.
3. Make sure it holds together easily when you press a little between your fingers.
4. Set aside ¾ cup of the dough. Press the rest into the bottom of the pan.
5. Spread the jam on top of the base dough. Crumble the remaining dough over the jam.
6. Bake and let cool.

TIP: We love the flavors of peanut butter and jelly, and they come through in this recipe. You can use Sunbutter if you need the bars to be nut-free. I highly recommend serving these with milk—or your own tea or coffee!

Can I make these without a food processor?

You can! Just use instant oats instead of rolled oats and stir the batter together in a bowl. It works really well this way!

What’s the best way to store these bars?

I tend to like these bars chilled so I recommend storing them in the fridge for 3-5 days, though there’s no reason that room temperature in an airtight container wouldn’t work just as well. You can also freeze them, once fully cooled, in a zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Let thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature before eating.

Can I make these breakfast bars nut-free?

Yes! See the recipe and use Sunbutter instead of the peanut butter. It works pretty much the same, though it will taste more like Sunbutter than peanut butter, of course.

What kind of jam is best for these bars?

I’ve made these with natural strawberry preserves, raspberry preserves, leftover cranberry sauce, fig jam, and lower sugar Chia Jam and they all work. As long as the jam or preserves aren’t too runny or liquidy, it should work well.

I suggest using a “natural” jam “fruit-juice sweetened” or “honey sweetened” (or something along those lines!), rather than a conventional one if you’d rather these not be super sweet.

What’s the texture like in these bars?

They are soft and easy to chew, so not crunchy. You may want to cut them into bite-size pieces for a 1 year old to make sure they don’t get too much into their mouths, but a 2 year old should be able to bite and chew a bar—served with a drink on all accounts!

Tips for Making the Best Breakfast Bars

• If you want them a little softer, serve them at room temperature rather than chilled.
• Use “natural” or honey sweetened jam or preserves for mellow sweetness. You can also use Blueberry Chia Jam if you prefer.
• Line the pan with parchment paper so the bars are easy to lift out of the pan and slice.
• Store in an airtight container or freeze them for future eating. They freeze really well!
• To make these nut-free, use Sunbutter.
• To make without a food processor, use instant oats instead of rolled oats and stir the batter together in a bowl. You may need to really press it to get it evenly mixed.
• If the mixture seems crumbly and isn’t holding together well, add a tablespoon or two of water and that should take care of it!
• You may also like Oatmeal Bars, Soft-Baked Granola Bars, After School Snacks, and Favorite Preschool Snacks.

I’d love to hear what you think of this recipe if you try it, so please comment below with feedback!

The post was first published April 2018.

Filder Under:1 Year Old, Breakfast, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Recipes, Snacks