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I love making these apple oatmeal bars for my kids. They are easy to make with a handful of ingredients and just so tasty. My kids love them and they make for a perfect treat in their lunch boxes.

You may also like these apple oatmeal cookies or this apple walnut raisin bread.

baked oatmeal with apples cut into 9 equal square bars.
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It is that time of year here in Michigan when freshly harvested apples are abundant from all the amazing apple orchards around us. Michigan apples are seriously the best and this is the time to go out and pick them apples if you can’t get to the orchards most stores will carry fresh harvest apples. They are so good!

I love these apple oatmeal bars with some added peanut butter to add in those healthy fats. My kids love snacking on peanut butter and sliced apples so they really liked these bars. It is super easy to make and is great to enjoy for breakfast or as a treat. Yummy!

Recipe Highlight

  • These are so tasty and good for you.
  • Made with pantry staple ingredients and super easy to make. Not even 10 minutes of prep time.
  • Perfect to enjoy on the go, in lunch boxes, as desserts, or for breakfast.

Ingredients you will need

ingredients to make apple oatmeal bars laid out.
  • Oats: I prefer quick oats because it holds better in this recipe but rolled oats will also work.
  • Baking powder
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground flaxseed
  • Peanut butter: or you can use almond butter
  • Maple syrup or honey
  • Almond milk: or any milk of choice
  • Unsweetened apple sauce
  • Vanilla extract
  • Honeycrisp or gala apples, chopped

Full measurements are listed further down below in the recipe card.

How to make apple oatmeal bars

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 by 9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
a bowl with flaxseed, peanut butter, apple sauce, and maple syrup. Before mixing.

Step 1: In a bowl, add the ground flaxseed (mix with water), peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, apple sauce, and vanilla. Using a whisk, mix until smooth.

milk added over the peanut butter mixture ina white bowl.

Step 2: Pour the milk over the peanut butter mixture and mix until incorporated.

oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and vanilla are added to the peanut butter mixture.

Step 3: Next, add the oats, cinnamon, and baking powder. Using a spatula mix well to combine.

chopped apples are added over the oat mixture in a round bowl.

Step 4: Fold in the chopped apples and mix again to combine.

apple oatmeal batter added to a square pan before baking.

Step 5: Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until it feels set and golden brown.

hand cutting oatmeal bars with a knife.

Step 6: Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely before cutting and serving.

My Pro Tip 😍

Recipe Tip

  • You can peel the apple if you prefer. If your kid isn’t too fond of the apples, then you can just shred them.
  • Use almond butter instead of peanut butter if that’s what you have.
  • If you do not have flaxseeds then use eggs. Beat 2 eggs in with step 1.
  • You have to allow the bars to cool first before cutting them.

Common Questions

What makes oatmeal bars stick together?

The best ingredient to use when making oatmeal bars to help them stick is some sort of nut butter. I love using smooth peanut butter when making either baked or no-bake oatmeal bars.

What ingredient acts as a binder in oatmeal bars?

For baked oatmeal bars, binders to use can be eggs (or flax egg) or nut butter. They act as great binders when making baked oatmeal bars. Sometimes using apple sauce will also help with the binding process.

How to store oatmeal bars?

You can store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

When to cut oat bars?

I suggest you let the bars cool down for a good 10-15 minutes before cutting them into squares. Otherwise they will break or fall apart.

hand holding an oatmeal bar with chopped apples.

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Apple Oatmeal Bars

By: Rena
Servings: 9 bars
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
A hand holding an apple oatmeal bar.
Simple baked oatmeal bar recipes made with fresh apples, peanut butter, and pantry staple ingredients. Wholesome, easy to make, and perfect for breakfast, dessert, or lunch boxes

Ingredients

  • 1 large Honeycrisp or Gala apple, chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups quick oats, rolled oats also works, but prefer quick oats
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, or 2 medium eggs
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter, or almond butter
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
  • 1/2 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons water, to mix the ground flaxseed with

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 by 9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a bowl, add the ground flaxseed (mix with water), peanut butter, honey or maple syrup, apple sauce, and vanilla. Using a whisk, mix until smooth.
  • Pour the milk over the peanut butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
  • Next, add the oats, cinnamon, and baking powder. Using a spatula mix well to combine.
  • Fold in the chopped apples and mix again to combine.
  • Pour the oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until it feels set and golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and allow it to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Video

Notes

  • You can use any apple of your choice. I prefer the crispy type like Honeycrisp or Gala.
  • I also prefer that you use quick oats if possible. The bars will hold better if using quick oats. I tried making this vegan-friendly without any eggs, but if you prefer you can use eggs.
  • Add more cinnamon for more flavor. My kids aren’t big fans of cinnamon so I try not to put too much. You can another another 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
  • These bars will taste great if you opt to use almond butter instead of peanut butter.
  • I recommend that you allow the baked oatmeal bars to cool well before removing them from the pan.
  • You may leave these bars covered on your counter overnight and then place them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 193kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 109mgPotassium: 198mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 76mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @healthyfitnessmeals or tag #healthyfitnessmeals!

About Rena Awada

Hi, Iโ€™m Rena! Welcome to my blog. I am here to help you prepare delicious, light, fresh meals that your whole family will love!

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