Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bars (Printable)

Chewy bars rich in blueberries, banana, oats, and protein, ideal for a healthy snack.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - 1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter

→ Mix-Ins

12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk rolled oats, protein powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Add honey or maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil or butter; whisk until fully combined.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
05 - Fold in blueberries carefully to avoid breaking them, especially if they are frozen.
06 - Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out using parchment overhang and cutting into 12 portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a guilt-free indulgence, with chewy texture and natural sweetness that doesn't feel like sacrifice.
  • Made on Sunday, they survive the whole week without crumbling in your bag or turning into hard rocks.
  • The blueberries stay bursts of tartness throughout, like little surprise pockets in every bite.
02 -
  • Thawed blueberries will turn your entire batch purple and soggy—frozen berries are not a second choice, they're the right choice.
  • The difference between bars that stay chewy and ones that turn dense happens between 28 and 32 minutes; overbaking by just four minutes changes everything.
  • Overmixing is the sneaky killer here—stop stirring the moment the dry streaks vanish, not when everything looks perfectly smooth.
03 -
  • Room-temperature bars taste chewy and soft, while refrigerated bars become denser and fudgier—choose based on your mood.
  • If bars start drying out after day three, wrap them individually in plastic wrap instead of storing all together, which slows moisture loss.
Go Back