Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bars (Printable)

Wholesome bars blending blueberries, bananas, oats, and cinnamon for a nutritious boost.

# 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 (if frozen, do not thaw)

# How-To:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Whisk together rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, mash the bananas. Add honey or maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil or butter; whisk until smooth.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir gently until just combined.
05 - Carefully fold in blueberries, taking care not to overmix, especially if using frozen berries.
06 - Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake for 28 to 32 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center is clean.
07 - Allow to cool completely in the pan, then lift out using parchment overhang and cut into 12 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a treat but feel like fuel, which means you won't feel guilty eating two.
  • Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, so there's no excuse about seasonality.
  • One batch makes twelve bars, and they keep for days, solving that eternal question of what to eat tomorrow.
02 -
  • Frozen blueberries straight from the freezer are non-negotiable; thawed ones will turn your batter purple and release too much liquid.
  • Don't skip cooling completely—I learned this the hard way, and eating a warm bar that falls apart teaches you humility fast.
03 -
  • If your blueberries are sticking to each other in a frozen clump, toss them in a tablespoon of the dry mixture before folding them in—they'll separate and distribute evenly.
  • A toothpick inserted off-center comes out cleaner than one from the exact middle, which tends to hit a berry and look wet when the bar is actually done.
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