These healthy oatmeal cookie bars are naturally sweetened, can be vegan and gluten free and they even have a little protein in them! They're an easy dessert you NEED in your life!
These are quite possible one of my new favourite recipes I've made. It's no secret I love anything oatmeal cookie- like these oatmeal cookie energy balls, or cookie baked oats.
But to be honest, naming these was a bit of a challenge. They aren't quite crispy enough to be called a cookie skillet but they are also a little too dense to be called a blondie.
That's where the cookie bar comes in. Imagine all of the flavours of your favourite oatmeal cookies, with the perfect moist texture. That's exactly what you get when you bite into these healthy oatmeal cookie bars.
Why this recipe is dietitian approved
- Packed with fiber. You know how much I LOVE using oats in my recipes. It creates the perfect fiber filled base for any baked good!
- Minimal mess. All you need is a blender and ONE baking dish and you can make these easy cookie bars.
- Naturally sweetened. Sweetened with just bananas and a touch of maple syrup these are a great option for anyone looking for a lower sugar dessert!
- Great for dietary restrictions. With a few simple substitutions, these bars are very easy to customize to make both gluten free and vegan!
Ingredients
- Oats (quick, minute or rolled all will work)
- Collagen or unflavoured protein powder (optional)
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Maple syrup
- Banana
- Milk
- Coconut oil
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
Mix-ins:
- Chocolate chips
- Oreos
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and lined a 9x9' square baking dish with parchment paper.
In a high powered blender or food processor, combine oats, collagen, baking soda, salt, maple syrup, milk, mashed bananas, coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract. Blend until a smooth batter forms.
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with chocolate chips and crushed oreos and gently mix using a spatula.
Top with additional chocolate chips and bake for 20-25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie bars comes out clean).
Remove from oven and allow to cool before cutting into 16 equal bars.
Substitutions and Variations
To make gluten-free: Ensure you are using certified gluten- free oats. Almond flour may also work however please note I have not tested this option.
To make dairy-free: Use a dairy-free milk option and swap the collagen for a dairy-free protein powder
To make vegan: Follow the dairy free swaps above and replace the egg with a flax egg. You can make a flax egg by combining 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoon of water and allowing it to sit for about 10 minutes until a thicker, gel-like consistency begins to form!
Missing an ingredient? Try these swaps:
- Oats: Feel free to use oat flour in place of the whole oats if you have it available to you. I recommend adding 2 cups of oat flour
- Collagen/ protein powder: Use an additional ¼ cup of oats if you ar enot using the collagen powder
- Maple syrup: An equal amount of honey can be used instead
- Banana: Instead of mashed bananas- substitute ¾ cup of applesauce
- Coconut oil: Butter can be used in place of the coconut oil
Feel free to get creative and any mix-ins you have on hand. Some great options include:
- Blueberries
- M&M's
- Chopped nuts
Equipment
Storage
These healthy oatmeal cookie bars will store great on the counter or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If you would like to store them longer simply place the airtight container in the freezer where they can be enjoyed up to 3 months.
Top tip
To help everything blend smoothly- I recommend adding your wet ingredients into your blender FIRST prior to adding any dry ingredients.
Frequently Asked Question
If you would rather mix everything together in a bowl you have two options-
If you would like smooth-cookie bars: In a high powered blender or food processor, blend oats until a fine powder (flour like consistency) forms.
In a medium mixing bowl, add blended oats, collagen, baking soda and salt and stir to combine. Add in maple syrup, milk, mashed banana, coconut oil, egg and vanilla and stir. Mix in your chocolate chips and crushed Oreos and pour into a prepared baking dish.
For more classic 'oatmeal cookie' bars: feel free to just mix the pats straight in with the other ingredients in a bowl (skip the blending part)!
For a completely tasteless protein addition I like to use this collagen powder! You can also use any unflavoured or even vanilla flavoured protein powder of your choice. This is my favourite protein powder (Smooth Vanilla is the best!).
I typically try to stay away from labels like 'healthy' as any food can be healthy if included in a balanced diet. However, these bars truly are a great balanced dessert or snack option (or even brekafast). They're made with fibre-filled oats, sweeted with just banana and maplpe syrup AND they even contain a little protein!
More Dessert Recipes
Looking for more easy sweet treats to satisfy your sweet tooth? Try these recipes next:
PS. I love seeing my recipes in action! If you decide to make these healthy oatmeal cookie bars, don't forget to snap a photo and tag me on Instagram- @nourishedbynic or leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Oatmeal Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups oats
- ¼ cup unflavoured collagen power see substitutions
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup milk
- 1 medium ripe banana mashed
- 2 tablespoon coconut oil softened
- 1 egg see substitutions for vegan option
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips plus more for sprinkling
- ⅓ cup crushed Oreo crumbs optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lined a 9x9' square baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a high powered blender or food processor, combine oats, collagen, baking soda, salt, maple syrup, milk, mashed bananas, coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract. Blend until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle with chocolate chips and crushed oreos and gently mix using a spatula.
- Top with additional chocolate chips and bake for 20-25 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie bars comes out clean). Allow to cool before slicing into 12- 16 equal sized bars.
Chantelle
Was wondering if you could let me know the calories for these??
Nicole Addison
I never personally track calories or macronutrients! But I know there are many sites online you can input the ingredients into if you wanted.
Niamh
The best!! I subbed in some lotus biscoff ??
Nicole Addison
Oh my gosh that is such an amazing addition!! So glad you enjoyed!
Allie
These are SO GOOD! I had to change a few things but they still turned out amazing:
I used two bananas because they were really small
I used butter instead of coconut oil
I used vanilla protein powder instead of collagen
I used honey instead of maple syrup
I love that your recipes are so customizable!
Emma
Hello! Love the recipe. Can these be frozen after cooking?
Nicole Addison
Yes! I mention this in the "storage" section!
I am so glad you enjoy this recipe!!