You can quickly stir together this Healthy Pumpkin Bars recipe (with oatmeal and low added sugar) for breakfast, snack time, or even dessert. The method is so quick and easy and the result is moist and full of pumpkin goodness. Win, win!
I love baking with pumpkin in the fall and winter (or anytime I just need a house full of happy smells!) and this recipe is a great way transform a can of pumpkin puree into a delicious breakfast or snack. The bars are super moist, so are easy for little ones to chew, and they are flavorful enough for us grownups too.
These healthy pumpkin bars have more oats than flour for lots of whole grain goodness (and fiber!), a whole cup of pumpkin puree for flavor and Vitamin A, and low added sugar so they aren’t overly sweet.
Because of the nutrition profile, we have them for breakfast, snack, or dessert depending on your preference. But the overall result is moist pumpkin bars that totally satisfy.
The rolled oats in this recipe add a nice dose of complex carbohydrates, which we all need for energy, and they help to keep the batter moist and almost impossible to over-bake.
Rolled oats take longer to digest than processed flour, which makes these bars a good source of balanced energy.
(You may also like Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, Banana Oatmeal Bars, and Healthy Pumpkin Cookies.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at what you need to make these healthy pumpkin bars so you know what to have on hand and ready to go.
- Rolled oats: I like to add oatmeal to this recipe for a dose of whole grains and fiber. They soften as the bars bake.
- Whole wheat flour: I use whole wheat flour to add to the whole grain base and it works really nicely in combination with the moisture in the pumpkin to create tender and nutritious bars.
- Cinnamon, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice: A combination of these two ensure that the bars have plenty of flavor.
- Ground flaxseed: I add a small amount of flaxseed for nutrition and also to aid in the structure of the bars. You can swap in chia seeds or just omit this ingredient if you don’t have it though.
- Baking powder and baking soda: We use both of these to ensure that the cake rises nicely and bakes through properly.
- Eggs: I use large eggs in my baking, so plan to use that so the volume is correct in the mix with the other ingredients.
- Pumpkin puree: You can use canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree. Or even pumpkin baby food according to your preference.
- Maple syrup: I like to add a small amount of maple syrup to ensure the bars are sweet enough. You can use honey for kids over age 1.
- Coconut oil (or another neutral oil or melted butter)
- Mini chocolate chips, raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped walnuts
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making this healthy pumpkin bars recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl. (photo 1)
- Stir together. (photo 2)
- Place batter into prepared and smooth with a spatula. (photo 3)
- Bake until lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly. (photo 4)
TIP: You’ll want to let the pan cool completely before you slice the bars as the bars are tender when warm out of the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Just let cool and slice, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Serve cold or warm briefly in the microwave. You can also store in the freezer for up 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Choose canned pumpkin puree, either canned or regular, from the baking aisle of your supermarket. If you happened to have homemade pumpkin puree that was the same thickness and consistency to canned, that would work too.
How to Store
Let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Serve cold or warm briefly in the microwave. You can also store in the freezer for up 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free oats and a gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-free: Use diary-free chocolate chips.
- Egg-free: Grind the oats in a food processor or blender before you add them to the batter to create more of a flour-like consistency or use purchased oat flour. And omit the eggs and add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds and ¼ cup milk.
- You can omit the flaxseed if you don’t have it. Just be sure to let it cool fully as it will be a little more tender.
- Allow to cool fully before slicing.
- Cut into smaller pieces for your child if needed.
- To make these with less added sugar for younger toddlers, use unsweetened dried fruit (such as raisins) instead of chocolate chips.
- Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or apple butter if desired.
- You may also like Breakfast Bars with Jam, 3-Ingredient Cereal Bars, and Soft-Baked Granola Bars.
Related Recipes
I’d love to know what you think about this recipe, so please comment below to share!
Healthy Pumpkin Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup whole wheat flour (or gluten free flour blend)
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil (slightly cooled)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips (or raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped walnuts)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray.
- Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and stir together to combine thoroughly, but gently.
- Place batter into prepared and smooth with a spatula so the batter is evenly distributed in the pan.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out cleanly.
- Remove from oven, place pan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.
- Serve warm, at room temp, or chilled.
Video
Notes
- Let cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5. Serve cold or warm briefly in the microwave. You can also store in the freezer for up 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free oats and a gluten-free flour blend.
- Dairy-free: Use diary-free chocolate chips.
- Egg-free: Grind the oats in a food processor or blender before you add them to the batter to create more of a flour-like consistency or use purchased oat flour. And omit the eggs and add 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds and ¼ cup milk.
- You can omit the flaxseed if you don’t have it. Just be sure to let it cool fully as it will be a little more tender.
- To make these with less added sugar: Use unsweetened dried fruit (such as raisins) instead of chocolate chips.
- Cut into smaller pieces for your child if needed.
- Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or apple butter if desired.
Nutrition
This post was first published September 2020.
I accidentally forgot the flour. Used butter instead of coconut oil. Added a little flax seed powder. Mixed in just a few chocolate chips, pecans, and like 8 dried cranberries we had. They were sooooo good, I can’t stop eating them and my kids will be lucky if they get any!!
I’m glad they turned out!
I accidentally forgot the flour. Used butter instead of coconut oil. Added a little flax seed powder. Mixed in just a few chocolate chips, pecans, and like 8 dried cranberries we had. They were sooooo good, I can’t stop eating them and my kids will be lucky if they get any!!
These were so good!!! I mixed in cranberries, pecans, and chocolate chips. My toddler and I devoured 6 straight out of the oven. I hope there’s any left when my 5yo gets home from school!!
I’m so glad to hear this!
I love that your recipes have so many modifications included so I can almost always make it with what I have!
I’m so glad to hear that’s useful!
Love as a breakfast option. My 4 year old loves them. It’s a very light amount of sweetness.
My daughter loves this recipe! And pretty much all of your recipes, thanks for creating these for us!!
My toddler is so picky I have a hard time getting him to eat whole grains or any kind of fruit/vegetable. I used dark chocolate chips for less sugar. He DEVOURED these!
What is a good coconut oil substitute?
Melted butter!
You can do melted butter
Hi! Can I substitute all purpose flour or almond flour if I don’t have whole wheat? Thank you!!
All purpose flour should be fine, enjoy
Hi – will these taste good if I skip the pumpkin spice since I don’t have any?
Sure, that will be fine!
SO GOOD and SO EASY. I swapped in 1/2 butterscotch chips for chocolate and it was delicious!
Hi! Can you tell me the measurement for your can of pumpkin puree? The ones we have here are definitely bigger than the one in your photo but I’m not sure by how much (maybe huge cans are a Canadian thing lol)
It’s 14.5 ounces but just use the amount listed in the recipe!
Ah, yes I see now that my tired baby brain read “1 can pumpkin puree” which is why I was confused, but it says 1 cup. Sorry about that.
Can you use coconut butter instead of coconut oil?
I haven’t tried that but it might work.
Hi there, I’d love to make healthy bars for my toddler but my son can’t have oats – any substitute?
Absolutely love how easy this was to cook and modify! My kindergartener asked to have a ZBar instead of his trail mix for school snack but I didn’t want to commit to the extra cost and sugar every.single.day. I found this recipe and let him help make them to improve the appeal. (What’s better to a kindergartener than a store bought, brightly prepackaged candy bar? Something you cooked yourself!) Both kids, my husband, and I loved the first double batch I made! I made a triple batch the next week so we had enough for school and home snacks. I’m looking forward to trying the chocolate chip oatmeal bars.
The major flavor modification my family loved: I eliminated the spices and opted for cherry extract with 50% less sugar craisins and some semi sweet chocolate chips.
These are so good! I have to avoid dairy and eggs because I am breastfeeding and my baby is allergic. I followed the recommended modifications to make the recipe egg free and used almond milk and it turned out great. I also used avocado oil instead of coconut oil. My toddler and I ate half the pan in one sitting!
Hooray! So glad to hear it!
Hello. This was lovely but ours felt a little soggy underneath. We baked in a glass dish. The mixture felt quite wet. I used steamed purée pumpkins made at home – maybe too high water content? Any suggestions?
I would guess it was due to both the glass dish and possibly more water content in the homemade puree. If you have a metal pan, I would use that next time and possibly strain the pumpkin (put it in a colander and press it slightly) before pureeing. Hope that helps!
This made a good snack. I used sunflower seed flour, because that’s what I had at hand. Also supplemented the last bit of maple syrup with coconut sugar.
Love this recipe. So easy to make and tastes so good.
Love this recipe. First time I made it with oil, second time I subbed apple sauce for oil to lower the fat content and 100% worked. Highly recommend. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely love these. Easy and fast to prepare. I often add some applesauce too. Craisins and chocolate chips are delish. Full of fiber, vitamins, and complex carbs, and delicious. Made them three times this week.
I forgot to leave a rating along with my comment. 5 stars for sure. This recipe is a winner.
These are absolutely delicious! I made them without chocolate chips or dried fruit (may try adding something next time) and they are a hit with my 4 and 2-year-old, my husband, and me! These will be a regular in our household. 🙂
These are delicious. My picky grandson loved them and my DIL asked for recipe after having a slice after work. Really great recipe. I used almond meal for flour and avocado oil for coconut bc I was out.
Also added walnuts. Yum !
I’m so glad!
I made these tonight with my toddler and they were so delicious and so easy!
We added dried cranberries & dates on top.
Will be making these again!
Thanks for an easy, healthy, delicious recipe!
The absolute best pumpkin recipe. So yum, enjoyed by my son, husband and me ofcourse! Looks like it will be gone in a couple of days. Perfect recipe! I left out the flax seeds, as I didn’t have any. Thank you for the recipe.
Delish! The only real change I made was using about 1/4 cup of sugar in place of maple syrup. I didn’t have enough maple syrup in the house. And I included dried cranberries in the batter SO GOOD! my kids loved them! And I really like them too. Just a hint of sweetness. The only thing is they took way longer to cook. Maybe a temperature issue with my oven..but anyways I kept cooking them for about another 15 minutes and they turned out perfect!! I am regretting not making a double batch.
Loved it! I was wondering if you could double the recipe if using a bigger pan?
Yes, sure. You just may need a few more minutes to set the center.
I was wanting to make in a jelly roll size pan, for daycare. Did you try this? Double or triple?
I have doubled the recipe and made it in a 9×13 inch pan. A jelly roll pan usually has much shorter sides. It may be okay, but I haven’t made it that way so I can’t say for sure since the dimensions are slightly different.
Omg these are so good. My son was double fisting them. I low key want to make a batch just for myself lol
SOOO DELICIOUS! Next time adding a bit more pumpkin spice!
Yes I agree! Adding about twice as much pumpkin spice and a quarter to a half a teaspoon of salt. Other than that it’s perfect!
Making these for the second time in one week! SO good and simple. Toddler approved! I added 1/4 cup mashed sweet potato so I could double the recipe. 1 can of pumpkin didn’t quite get me there. I don’t have 2 8×8 pans so put all in a 9×13, not sure how long to cook it. Any suggestions? It’s in the oven now so will see how it goes.
These are so delicious!! I love the texture of the oats in these bars!
Hi! What would another neutral oil be?
Avocado oil would work too
Can you use a muffin pan to remove the slicing step?
Sure, they just may bake through faster as individual muffins
My subs: Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer, avocado oil instead of coconut oil, more pumpkin spice and a bit more chocolate chips! I do like the texture and flavor of these but I think I will add some salt next time! If I wanted a sweeter version should I add more maple syrup or just add sugar?
Delicious. My 1 yr old and I both have had a gnarly cold and, because her throat hurts, she hasn’t eaten much the last couple of days. I cut the pan into 8 bars and she demolished 3 of them! I’d say they’re a hit!
These are amazing!! I scaled the recipe up by 1.5 so I could use the whole can of pumpkin and baked in a mini muffin pan to make fun little pumpkin oat bites. My son is enjoying them for breakfast or snacks.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Hi- I cannot find “pumpkin pie spice”- do you know how to DIY? I have cloves, all spice, etc but cannot easily find them pre-mixed
Hi- per the Pioneer Woman, this is how she makes it:
3 tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
Made these with a few substitutions: I used Trader Joe’s Rolled Oats with Ancient Grains and Seeds plus added another tablespoon of chia seeds in place of the plain rolled oats and flaxseed. Because I had a couple leftover jars of butternut squash and sweet potato baby food, I used those in place of the pumpkin puree. Lastly, I subbed applesauce out for the coconut oil. Poured the batter in a mini donut tray because my little one will eat anything he can stick his finger through, and he loved them. Great recipe!
Looking for a serving size before I make them. How many bars from an 8×8 pan? Thanks!
It makes 16 bars for the nutrition information, so the squares you see throughout the post. Enjoy!
Definitely a huge success! Found recipe and made them this afternoon with very few changes. Had no chocolate chips or coconut oil, so opted to skip chocolate chips and sub olive oil instead. Didn’t have the flaxseed, but it said was optional, so just waited for them to cool fully before slicing. Did take a few extra minutes cooking time to get a clean toothpick. They turned out beautifully, and both husband and son really liked them. Think that adding chopped walnuts next time would be a great flavor pairing and nutrition boost, without adding sugar. Will be making again!
These are a favorite in my house! Loved by everyone and if you consistently find the coconut oil still in the microwave hours after pulling the bars out of the oven because you forgot it…these are still fabulous! Now that’s a family friendly recipe.
Thank you Amy, this is such a great recipe. I make it often.
I do not use egg. Will you please clarify if I making them correctly?
In addition to the one tablespoon ground flaxseed listed in original ingredients should I also add another one tablespoon ground flaxseed and 1/4 milk?
Yum these are so good. I used oat flour instead of gluten free, and honey instead of maple syrup only because that’s just what I had in the kitchen. I also soaked and finely chopped the walnuts and didn’t add any dried fruit for my 15 month old. She approves!
Can I use bananas instead of pumpkin? If so how many bananas should I use?
Yes, just measure out 1 cup mashed ripe banana, which is likely 2 medium bananas.
Doubled the recipe and made it in a 9×13, so ended up baking probably 35ish minutes, but it was a huge hit at breakfast this morning! I microwaved it with kerrygold butter on top, and my kids loved it. I loved how easy it was to make and feel good about it being way higher nutrition than their normal bowl of cheerios. My pickiest kid ate a slice, and then on her second, picked out all the chocolate chips and left the pumpkin, but even that to me feels like a win—she ate oats, a little egg, and some pumpkin!
What can you use instead of coconut oil?
melted butter works too.
I have been struggling finding a food my 15 month old will eat and like lately! These bars were a hit! I didn’t put many chocolate chips so they were like a treasure hunt for him to find them! Thanks for the recipe!
Super yummy! These were a big hit with my kids. Will be making again for sure.
Love this recipe! Will definitely be making again. Left out the chocolate chips for my 19m old and he loves them. I was wondering if you measure the coconut oil solid then melt and use the full melted amount or do you melt then measure out the liquid?
Great! I measure it solid, since it’s easier, and then melt it and add it to the batter melted.
I’ve made these twice now and our whole family enjoys them! Fall has me in the mood for all things pumpkin and this was perfect. It’s not overly sweet. The maple syrup and the dark chocolate chips (60% cacao) I used adds just enough sweetness. My 11 mo. old eats it without the chocolate and asks for more! Thank you for another awesome recipe!
Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Sure
Has anyone tried this in a muffin tin? My kids love anything “muffin” so I might experiment with it!
Hi- It should work fine I’d think. In a mini muffin pan I’d do 375 F for 10-12 minutes (with about 1 heaping tablespoon batter) and full size (with about 1/4 cup batter in each) I’d do about 16-18 minutes. Enjoy!
Sooooo goooood! Used butternut squash, craisins, walnuts, butter for coconut oil, and 1/2 c brown sugar. Topped with a crumble. Drizzled cream cheese frosting for oomph. So, sorta mostly healthy bars.
My 16mo loves these! Easy to make and delicious!
I’m so glad to hear that!
These were pretty good. I would increase the spices and add salt. I almost always add salt when a baking recipe doesn’t include it but forgot this time. I can always tell – it tastes flat. That being said, my 15 month loves them, but 6-year old does not (she’s much pickier 🙂
Tastes better toasted with butter and salt!
These were amazing!! I added chopped chocolate chips on top of half of them since I have one kid who likes chocolate and one who doesn’t. Worked out perfectly!
Thanks so much for this recipe – I want to see if I can make it today.
Enjoy!
I’m loving this! I made it twice in 3 days. I took it to my in laws for brunch on [Canadian] Thanksgiving, and they kept the rest of it so I had to make another batch! The first time I made it I found the rolled oats too chewy, so the second time I used buckwheat flakes. I also swapped the flax for ground chia, and eliminated the eggs. I used a gluten free flour mix (it contains millet and sorghum flours), and accidentally doubled the pumpkin spice. I also used just one tbsp of avocado oil, and also swapped the maple syrup for coconut sugar! I’m totally obsessed! I’m wondering if you have any suggestions for variations, like if I could try replacing the pumpkin with banana and carrot, or zucchini? Thanks!!
Made these twice last week and plan to make another batch this week! My 3 year old ate 4 in one day lol!! Seriously irresistible. This will definitely be a fall staple for us!
I’m so glad to hear that!
I’m not a big fan of maple syrup. Can I substitute with something else?
You can use honey or regular sugar if you prefer.
Flavor is great and my 2yo picky eater even enjoyed them! Couldn’t decide between the add ins so split the 1/3 cup into a couple tablespoons each of chopped up golden berry mix raisins, pistachios and chocolate chips. So yummy! The only thing I would do differently is mix the wet and dry ingredients separately before adding them together. The batter looked well combined but found some spots of unmixed flour and flax when I cut them up.
Thinking of making these this weekend. Would Chia seeds be an acceptable substitute for the flax seeds?
Yes, enjoy
My kids all loved these and we are all of them in 24 hours!
This is somewhat random, but what is the white substance with sprinkles in the picture above?
It’s cottage cheese with sprinkles!
How would the baking time change if you made these with a cookie scoop instead of bars?
Very good. I made these as healthy breakfast for me- not a toddler. I followed the recipe pretty closely except I did not add the flax seeds. I did add some wheat germ and chopped pecans instead of chocolate chips. Excellent texture and not too sweet.
These are soo delish! I wish my toddler liked them, but I def did! Moist and healthy and yummy. Thanks for the great recipes.
So easy to make and turned out great! I added a banana that was on its way out so had to cook closer to 35 minutes. So delicious!
My 3 and 5 year old both loved these! I used gluten free flour and gluten free oats and they came out perfectly!
These are delicious! I love how easy they are to mix up! Can’t wait to eat one topped with frozen yogurt tonight for dessert. Thanks for the recipe! 😍
These were a hit with both of my girls! I subbed pecans for half of the oats and just ground them with the oats to avoid chunks and swapped unsweetened applesauce for the butter – so nice to have an easy breakfast or snack with great fall flavors. Thanks for another great recipe!
If I could give these 10 stars I would!!
I doubled the recipe and needed to cook the bars longer because they weren’t completely cooked in the middle.
Love love love!! I can eat the whole pan in one sitting haha. So moist and flavorful!
We enjoyed these very much. They lasted two days! Thank you! Will be making these again. They are lightly sweet but the chocolate chips really help add more yum.
I sadly haven’t had any luck with your baked goods. Aside for the chocolate chips, these were very bland.
Can I omit the maple syrup or is there an alternative to that? I want to make these for my baby.
You can omit it and use applesauce or mashed ripe banana instead.
Can I use almond flour instead of gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried it that way—I think if you wanted to, I would recommend that you grind up the oats or use oat flour to help everything hold together a little more. Report back if you try it!
What’s another good neutral oil as an alternative to the coconut oil?
You could use melted and slightly cooled butter or avocado oil or vegetable oil
Hi! These bars look so yummy! Any suggestions what I could substitute for the maple syrup and how much to use? Thanks!
Hi! You can sub an equal amount of honey or use an equal amount of sugar and add 2 tablespoons of milk to the batter. Enjoy!
This turned out to be so delicious!! They’re just sweet enough to satisfy your taste buds while also being so nutritious. This is the first time I baked with pumpkin and I’ll surely try the other recipes. I was looking to make some munchies to carry on a long car ride, and my 18mo loved it (so glad)! I completely forgot to add the eggs and didn’t have baking powder, so used 3/4 tsp baking soda instead. Added nut butter and chia seeds. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this. I used some chickpea flour for a portion of the flour b/c I have to watch blood sugar. Chopped up dried prunes and everyone thought they were raisins. Will make again for sure.
Do I need the pumpkin pie spice? I’m in Australia and I couldn’t find a spice like this 😩
You can use cinnamon instead!
Could I use chia seed instead of ground flax? It is what I have on hand.
Sure!
Hi, I will be trying this for first time fot my 13m old, can I half the qty since I don’t like pumpkin but want my baby to eat it 🙂
I think you could do that—though in order to keep the same thickness and baking time, you’d need to try to keep the batter on one side of your pan. Maybe fold the foil up to do that? (OR try something like pumpkin oatmeal which might be easier to make in a smaller quantity)
My son loves these! Thanks for creating such simple, delicious, and healthy recipes, we’ve loved every one we’ve tried!
Fabulous! 2 yo loves them. I’ve made these several times the last few times I used half pumpkin pureee and half sweet potato / butter nut squash (was trying to use up some leftover baby food). / added hemp seeds for extra protein, topped with blueberries once. And they always turn out amazing. Super versatile and packed with nutrition
We try to keep sugar to a minimum so I actually used half of the suggested maple syrup and they still turned out good. .. I have served for lunch and snack.. love love this recipe
I just made these and my toddler LOVED them! She asked for another serving! I especially loved that it mixes all in one bowl. Thanks for the easy and delicious recipe!
Yet another staple from you that’s a constant in our freezer stash! The egg sub works great and everyone from my picky husband to my toddler devour these.
Sadly this is one of the first recipes on the site that really didn’t hit the mark for me. I get that this is low sugar so that it is suitable for kids/babies but if I’m going to bother to bake some thing, I’d like to also think it’s yummy too. I would probably add about twice as much maple syrup or some other sweetener. It’s very bland/bitter as is.
So easy to make and absolutely delicious! I love the texture, sort of a cross between pumpkin bread and baked oatmeal. Thank you again for a great easy recipe my whole family loves.
I’m so glad!
This recipe is fantastic. Nutritious, tasty, and actually easy to make. I used butter and raw sugar and added a pinch of salt
LOVE these! Do you think they would freeze well or have any suggestions on how to freeze them?
You can wrap them in plastic wrap or foil and place into an airtight zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You could even wrap each one individually so you can pull them out one at a time for easy snacking!
My kids absolutely loved this ! They loved to eat the dough before baking it too ?. Thanks so much ❤️.
I used mini dark chocolate stevia chips, a little xanthan gum with my gluten-free flour blend, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom and cloves because I didn’t have any pumpkin pie spice. Also a little less than 1/4 c cane sugar instead of syrup because I didn’t have any. A little salt and baked in a 9×12 pan because my 8×8 has disappeared. Oh and chopped walnuts. Also steel cut type oats I often use for baking. Sorry I had to change so much but these are yummy.
This is my go to website when I want to find a reliable healthy and tasty recipe to feed my 3 and 1.5 year old! These pumpkin bars are AMAZING. They’re healthy and just the perfect amount of sweet, I used mini dark chocolate chips in mine and after tasting them I wound up making a second pan just for myself!
I’m so glad to hear that!
I love your recipes! We made your healthy chocolate chip cookies and they were a bit. My 3.5 year old also loved these bars! Will definitely make again – thank you ?
I’m so glad!
Can I increase the quantity of Flaxseed powder in this recipe? It seems very less per serving.TIA
Sure. I’m not sure I’d go over 1/4 cup though since I think that you might start to be able to taste it and/or the texture may be impacted a lot. Let me know if you try it!
I made these bars for the second time today and love them. They are easy, and a great mix of healthy and yummy!
I made this with my 2.5 year old grandson. So easy and they came out great. I want sure if he’d like the texture of the oats, but they were soft and smooth in texture and he loved them! We’ll be making these again, thanks!
Do you think the recipe would work with spelt flour? ? Can anyone confirme this? Thanks in advance. ?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but I think it would work. Be sure to let the bars fully cool before slicing since they may be a little more tender.
Hi! I saw you say you can replace chia seeds with the ground flaxseed. I was wondering if that means you can replace the ground flax for whole chia seeds? Or would you have to ground the chia seeds in a blender first?
These look great!
You can add them whole!
Hello Amy. This looks great! Do you think it might work with leftover roasted acorn squash instead of pumpkin?
Yes, if it’s mashed very smooth and it’s not too watery. So if the pureed squash looks the same as canned pumpkin, it should be okay!
Is flaxseed used in the recipe to increase the nutritional value or influence the consistency of the bars?
Would substituting flax ‘eggs’ for regular eggs, in addition to the Tbsp of ground flaxseed, change the outcome?
If you want to make them egg-free, I’d recommend the egg-free option I have listed in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe since I know that works well. The flaxseed helps with the texture a bit.
In your recipe there are no eggs, so how can your note be about egg free?
There are two eggs in the ingredient list.
I want to try this recipe but was wondering if I could use oat flour instead of whole wheat? Looks amazing thank you!
I think oat flour would work though I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. If you try it, be sure to let the bars cool totally before you cut them to ensure that they firm up. Let me know if you try it!
After following the recipe I decided to change the ratio of flour and oats hoping my daughter would like the texture better (1st attempt was rejected by her). I used 1 cup oat flour and 1/2 cup oats and my daughter and husband loved them. Bonus that this made it gluten free for my parents visiting. I cooked it for about 10 minutes longer in my glass pan.
Awesome, thanks for sharing that!
These turned out soo good! I think I’ll definitely be making them a few more times this season.
These were delicious! My five year old, three year old, and 11 month old really enjoyed them. Thank you for a one bowl super easy recipe!
I’m so glad!
These turned out amazing! My 2 year old helped make and eat them. Husband enjoyed them too. We love all your recipes!
I’m so glad!
Thanks for this recipe! Do you think using chia seeds would be a good alternative to the flax seed? Just because it’s what I already have on hand. Also, what’s your take on giving this to an 18 month old? I know added sugars are not recommended for kids under 2, but I’m trying to make something palatable ?
Yes, I think chia seeds would be okay. And I’d be fine offering this to an 18 month old (I try to limit them but baking without any added sugars can be a challenge so I am comfortable with foods like this in the mix). You can reduce the chocolate or use dried fruit if you prefer. Let me know how the chia seed goes if you use it!
I have used chia and it’s been totally fine! My boys love this recipe.
It’s currently in the oven in a muffin tin for easier portions ?
In the photo, is that cottage cheese with sprinkles? ?
It is! Sprinkles are pretty enticing:)
What is the oven temp for this?
All of the information is at the bottom of the post in the recipe.
Hi Amy, my daughter is allergic to oats. Is there anything else I could use instead of oats in this recipe ?
I haven’t tried them with anything else but quinoa flakes should work and it’s possible all flour would work too.
My 23 month old toddler and I love this and made it together today. I also love your meal prep for family dinners article.
Thank you for your website. I struggle with making sure my son gets all he needs in meals but also feeding myself and my husband healthy well-rounded meals with sides. You have so many amazing recipes that I can’t wait to make ♥️
I’m so glad to hear that—thank you for sharing!
My toddlers love these bars! We make them at least once a month, it last me 3 days. Thanks Amy!!!!
I am so glad to hear that, thanks so much for letting me know!
These were SO good and moist. My 16 month old loved them and so did my husband and I.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Would I have to adjust the cooking time or oven temp if I used a glass pan?
From King Arthur Flour experts on the subject: “The standard advice for baking in glass is to lower the oven temperature by 25°F from what the recipe calls for, and bake up to 10 minutes longer.” I haven’t tested it so I can’t say for sue but I trust their advice!
What other type of oil would you recommend using in these? Thanks!
Canola or another neutral oil or melted butter would work too.
Made the vegan version tonight – so good! Not too sweet and really easy to whip up!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Yum! I made this tonight to have for dessert and they were amazing. I didn’t have any chocolate chips, raisins, cranberries or walnuts on hand, so I just made them plain … but they were still delicious! Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that!