Baked Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Baked Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars – loaded with nutritious oats and naturally sweetened with bananas and maple. These baked oatmeal bars makes a delicious healthy breakfast, snack or dessert.

Are you a baked oatmeal lover like me? Then you need to try out my Blueberry Banana Baked Oatmeal or my Strawberry Oatmeal Bars.

Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Y’all I’m always on the hunt for something quick to make with leftover bananas. I mean my banana bread and chocolate banana muffins are great and all. But sometimes I just need something different. These Baked Oatmeal Bars are healthy, super easy to make and flipping addicting. My kids whip them up on their own.

Filled with banana flavor, loaded with high fiber oatmeal and subtle hints of melted chocolate. We eat them for breakfast, as an after school snack and sometimes even dessert. I like to sneak a tablespoon of peanut butter on it! YUM! These bars are seriously killer! Don’t miss out, make these this week!

Ingredients you’ll need for these Bars:

What’s great about these bars is you most likely already have all the ingredients you need in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bananas – Grab all those overripe bananas sitting on your counter and mash them right up.
• Oats – I like to buy Bobs Red Mill Gluten Free Oats. Use the rolls oats, not the quick oats.
• Flour – There are a couple options here. I personally use King Arthur 1:1 gluten free baking flour. However, you could also use all purpose or whole wheat flour if you’d like. I have also blended up oats and made my own oat flour to use in this recipe as well.
• Spices – For these bars you’ll need ground cinnamon, nutmeg and of course salt.
• Leavening Agents – You’ll need baking powder and baking soda to help these babies rise.
• Maple Syrup – These is your sweetener, go for the pure maple NOT the butter flavored. (wink)
• Applesauce – Use the unsweetened plain applesauce, no cinnamon added.
• Vanilla Extract – For the slight hint of vanilla
• Chocolate Chips – I love to use a mixture of large chunks, regular chocolate chips and mini. Always dark chocolate though.

How to Make Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Think of these chocolate chip bars more like a breakfast bar than a cookie. The texture has more of an oatmeal bite to it with hints of banana bread flavor and then of course the gooey melted chocolate. You’re going to love it. Here’s how to make these baked oatmeal bars:

1. Prep Oven & Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×9 baking dish with cooking spray and cover with parchment paper. This will help you remove the bars more easily later. You’re welcome.
2. Dry Ingredients: To a medium bowl, add oats, gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix together and set aside.
3. Wet Ingredients: To a large bowl, add finely mashed banana, maple syrup, vanilla extract and apple sauce. Whisk together until combined.
4. Combine Wet & Dry: Slowly add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Using a spatula, mix together until combined.
5. Bring on the Chocolate: Next, add chocolate to the oatmeal batter. Fold in the chocolate chunks until mixed.
6. Bake: Add oatmeal mixture to the prepared 9″x 9″ baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until top is golden brown and toothpick test comes out clean. Let cool and then dive in.

How to store chocolate chip oatmeal bars

I like to store these banana bread oatmeal bars in a ziplock bag on the counter at room temperature. However, they last longer if stored in the refrigerator. I just find that they go hard when they are stored in the refrigerator.

How long do these bars last?

If stored on the counter these bars will last up to 3 days. When stored in the refrigerator they should last up to 5-6 days.

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Can they be frozen?

Yes, you can definitely freeze these bars. I would recommend allowing the bars to cool completely. Cut into bars freeze on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 1 hour. Once frozen, place in a freezer safe storage bag or container. These bars will keep up to 3 months.

More Breakfast Recipes you’ll love:

• No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
• Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Bars
• Healthy Strawberry Muffins
• Almond Oat Raspberry Bars
• Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

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