With just five ingredients and a texture and flavor that’s similar to a soft oatmeal cookie, these Banana Oatmeal Bars are a nutritious (and yummy!) make-ahead breakfast or snack.
Banana Oatmeal Bars
I am so happy to share this recipe today because it has become a new staple weekday breakfast in our house. It’s been amazing to have this option to make ahead breakfast for kids and stash in the fridge to grab on mornings when the kids need a little more time to sleep…and still need a substantial breakfast.
These are easy to take on the go, you can cut them into sticks or squares, and they can be eaten chilled out of the fridge or warmed up slightly.
It’s basically like eating a bowl of oatmeal, but in bar form!
You can pair this easy breakfast recipe with Flavored Milk, Yogurt Drinks, or a Toddler Protein Shake.
(You may also like my Healthy Breakfast Bars, Blueberry Date Bars, Peach Crumb Bars, and Homemade Granola Bars.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make this recipe so you know what to grab from the pantry or store.
- Bananas: Very ripe bananas are key to the sweetness and flavor in this recipe. They should have lots of brown spots, which indicates natural sugars.
- Instant oats: You can use store-bought instant oats or quickly grind up rolled oats in a blender or food processor. You can also use oat flour. All work to make an oatmeal bar with a nicely uniform consistency.
- Peanut butter: Peanut butter adds protein and beneficial fats to help the bars keep us satisfied. It also helps the bars hold together easily without using egg. To make these nut-free, use sunflower seed butter. (You can also use almond butter if you prefer.)
- Milk: I usually use whole milk in my baking, but any kind of plain unsweetened milk will work here.
- Chocolate chips (or dried fruit): We love these topped with chocolate chips, but you could also use dried fruit or fresh or frozen blueberries if you prefer.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is an overview of the process involved in making this Banana Oatmeal Bars recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full amounts and timing.
- Preheat the oven 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.) Add the ingredients to a medium bowl.
- Stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing evenly. Add chocolate chips.
- Bake until firm to the touch and lightly golden around the edges.
How to Store
Store leftover Banana 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 according to how you prefer to eat them. (We like them both ways!)
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe for Banana Oatmeal Bars contains whole grains, beneficial fats, and protein from the inclusion of nut or seed butters. They are a nutritious toddler breakfast idea (or breakfast for any age).
These bars last in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week.
This can be a great baby snack or baby breakfast idea. I would omit the chocolate chips and let the natural sweetness of the fruit be the main flavor.
Best Tips for Success
- Use rolled oats that have been ground up in the blender, instant oats, or oat flour.
- Leave out the chocolate chips or add dried fruit instead if you prefer.
- Use gluten-free oats to make this gluten-free.
- Use sunflower seed butter to make this nut-free.
- Add ¼ cup honey or maple syrup to make this sweeter if your family prefers.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
Banana Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (from about 3 medium bananas)
- 2 cups instant oats (or rolled oats ground up in a blender or food processor)
- ½ cup peanut butter (or sunflower seed or almond butter or 2 eggs)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (or blueberries or dried fruit, optional)
Instructions
- 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.)
- Add the ingredients to a medium bowl. Stir well to combine thoroughly.
- Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing evenly.
- 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.
Equipment
Notes
- 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 up in the blender, instant oats, or oat flour.
- Leave out the chocolate chips or add dried fruit instead if you prefer.
- Use gluten-free oats to make this gluten-free.
- Use sunflower seed butter to make this nut-free.
- Add ¼ cup honey or maple syrup to make this sweeter if your family prefers.
Nutrition
This post was first published August 2023.
Can I use frozen blueberries? I saw another of your recipes which used the same size pan but called for two cups of frozen berries, less banana and more milk. Would frozen work, and could I increase the amount without changing any other ingredients?
You can use frozen blueberries and you can use more blueberries if you want, but this is meant to be picked up and eaten (the other recipe you saw, I think, is for baked oatmeal which is typically eaten with a fork or a spoon). It may make them a little harder to pick up and eat due to the added moisture.
Hello!
My toddler is in love with these!!
So next time I’m going to make a bigger batch!
Is it really the same amount of baking time?
If you double the recipe and use a larger pan, you will need to bake longer to get it to set in the middle Enjoy!
Does the recipe call for 2 cups of ground oats or 2 cups of oats to then grind?
2 cups, then grind.
Could you sub pumpkin for the bananas? I’m not sure if that would mess with the consistency too much.
It would work the same, the main difference is that you lose some of the sweetness so you may want to add a little more maple syrup.
These are a huge hit! I love making these with my 4-year-old because I don’t have to worry about him sneaking a lick while we work, and they’re a great way to use up some of the odds and ends we have. I’ve used different types of oats (old-fashioned, quick cook, and steel cut) as well as different combinations of peanut and almond butter. They turn out great every time!
Does this recipe need the baking powder or can I skip?
You can skip it, they will just be a little denser.
These are awesome! I used rolled oats and put everything in my food processor (added the oats first and processed them alone a bit before adding the rest) and it came together so easily. Hardly any clean-up! And they’re so yummy. 🙂
So glad to hear that!
This was easy to make and enjoyed by me, my husband, and our one year old. He doesn’t like a bowl of oatmeal with rolled oats, but he happily devoured two of these for breakfast. I really appreciate how this and all your recipes use pantry staples. Thank you for all your hard work!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Can you use frozen bananas if you thaw and strain them?
Sure thing!
These were such an easy and delicious treat! 2 and 4 year old love them (as do I!) and we can have for breakfast, lunch or after dinner snack! Thanks!
This is delish! We made it for the first time tonight with some insanely ripe bananas and we are eating it by the spoonful warm as it’s supposed to be cooling fully in the pan. Definitely making again!!
Wow! Such a quick and easy way to use up those spotted bananas. It is so delicious and filling too! My 2 year old even approves, so will be keeping this one on rotation as a quick/healthy option for us. Thank you for the continued inspiration.
Love this! Will the recipe work with frozen ripe bananas? Maybe I could thaw them first?
Yes, thaw and drain off any liquid (if there is any) and go ahead with the recipe. Enjoy!
Awesome!! My 2 year old loved it.
These have a unexpected texture (thick and heavy), but they’re very tasty. Easier than my usual banana/oat/peanut butter muffins. I might experiment adding some leavening next time.