Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

A tangy blueberry filling is sandwiched between two crispy layers of oat crumble in this easy breakfast, snack, or dessert. Your obsession with lemon blueberry oatmeal bars will begin as soon as you smell them baking!

Why You’ll Love These Breakfast Bars

• Tangy and sweet. When the citrusy goodness of fresh lemon juice meets the sweet-tart tang of bursting blueberries, only amazing things can happen. These bars sandwich that unbeatable duo of flavors in a buttery oat crust that doubles as a crumble topping to make things even dreamier. Finally, honey and brown sugar are used to sweeten that crumble, perfectly complementing the tartness of the filling.
• Great for any time of day. Whether you’re looking for a grab-and-go breakfast or a light late-night dessert, these bars will quickly become your gold standard.
• Simple storage. Lemon blueberry oatmeal bars are easy to make with basic ingredients and can be kept in the fridge for days! At our house, they’re always gone in a matter of hours though.

What You’ll Need

Grab the following ingredients to make this sweet berry treat. The full amounts are included in the recipe card below.

For the Crust & Crumble:

• Unsalted butter – Make sure to melt your butter before you begin.
• White whole wheat flour – I prefer this to regular all-purpose flour, but you could use either.
• Old-fashioned rolled oats – Stay away from instant oats and steel-cut oats. They each require different amounts of water and unique cook times, so it’s important to stick with rolled oats for this recipe.
• Honey
• Brown sugar – Light brown sugar, rather than dark brown sugar, is best here.
• Lemon zest – Freshly grated.
• Pinch of salt

For the Lemon Blueberry Filling

• Fresh blueberries
• Brown sugar
• Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed.
• White whole wheat flour – This acts as a thickener.

Can I Use Frozen Berries?

Sure! Fresh ones are obviously ideal, but these lemon blueberry oatmeal bars still taste incredible when they’re made with frozen blueberries. Just be sure to thaw them out and dry them off thoroughly before you use them. Alternatively, you can use unthawed berries and increase the cook time by 10-15 minutes.

How to Make Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

These breakfast bars come together in a flash. We’re talking 5 minutes of prep time total! If you’re looking for the full set of directions, check out the recipe card below.

Make the Crumble Mixture

• Combine the ingredients. First, preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. Then, add all of the crumble ingredients a large bowl. Mix until everything is just combined, scoop out 1 cup of the mixture, and set it aside for the topping.
• Add the crust to the greased pan. Pour the remaining mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly, then use your fingers to press the crust into the bottom of the pan so it forms a neat layer.

Make the Filling & Assemble the Bars

• Make the filling. Add the blueberry filling ingredients to a small bowl and toss to combine. Next, pour that mixture on top of the crust and spread it out evenly.
• Top with the remaining crumble. Evenly sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of the bars.
• Bake. Bake the bars for 50 minutes. Then, remove your bars from the pan and let them sit on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes.

Tips for Success

• Zest the lemons before juicing them. It’s quite a challenge to zest a lemon after it has been juiced. Save time and skip the struggle by zesting your lemon beforehand.
• Don’t overpack the flour. Remember to fill your measuring cup by the spoonful instead of scooping up the flour directly. If you have a food scale, utilize it to ensure accuracy.
• Let the bars cool before cutting. Once your oatmeal blueberry bars are out of the oven and on a cooling rack, let them sit undisturbed for at least 10 minutes. This way, you’ll be able to cut out the bars with ease.

Variation Ideas

• Spice up the topping. Add extra flavor to your brown sugar topping by dusting it with ground cinnamon before you bake the bars. Why not sprinkle on a pinch of nutmeg while you’re at it?
• Use another berry. You can make these bars with raspberries, blackberries, cranberries—whatever you like! You could even combine multiple kinds of berries in the same batch.
• Bigger is better. My family won’t have leftover blueberry oatmeal bars unless we make a double batch, so doing so is kind of a no-brainer. If you decide to double the recipe, build your bars in a 9×13-inch baking dish instead of a square 8-inch one.

Serving Suggestions

• Dessert: If you’re enjoying your oat bars for dessert, I highly recommend topping each one with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or coconut whipped cream.
• Breakfast: For breakfast, they pair wonderfully with plain Greek yogurt. If you’d like to serve them alongside another dish, whip up some avocado toast or sweet potato hash with eggs.

Proper Storage

• Countertop. Fully cooled lemon blueberry oatmeal bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
• Fridge. If you happen to have any left past 24 hours, you can transfer them to the fridge and store them for 2 additional days. Note that the crumble will get less and less crispy as the bars sit.
• Reheating. I like to warm up my oatmeal bars in the toaster oven before I enjoy them, but you can serve them at room temperature if preferred. I don’t recommend reheating them in the microwave as it would further soften the crust and topping.

Can I Freeze These?

Yes! Place the cooled oat bars into a freezer-safe container and store them for up to 3 months, placing a piece of parchment paper between layers if stacking is needed. Thaw them out in the fridge before you reheat them. The freezing process will make the crumble a lot less crispy, but the bars will still be divine!

More Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

• Prosciutto Baked Egg Cups
• Easy Blueberry Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Overnight Oats With Yogurt
• Strawberry Banana Muffins

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