Healthy Oatmeal Bars Recipe, No Refined Sugar, Gluten-Free
This easy oatmeal bars recipe uses dried plums and cranberries to create a naturally sweet, fiber-packed breakfast bar. Made with gluten-free oats and dried fruit, these healthy oatmeal fruit bars are soft, chewy, and simple to bake. You’ll love how they keep you full and energized, whether you need a quick morning bite or afternoon pick-me-up snack.
As a health coach and recipe developer, I perfected this one-bowl oatmeal bars recipe so you can grab a fiber-rich, no-refined-sugar breakfast or snack on the go. This easy recipe is one of my favorite and oldest recipes I’m baking regularly, and prep in batches, so I don’t have to resort to the packaged bars. They are perfect for toddlers and older kids – they will love them!
Healthy Oatmeal Bars Recipe (Refined Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free rolled oats - (I chose organic)
- 15-17 dried prunes (aprox. 1 cup) - chopped
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ⅓ cup dried raisins
- 6 Tbsp coconut oil
- 3 Tbsp flax meal - needed for structure
For Flavor
- ⅕ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 6 Tbsp maple syrup - optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract - optional
Instructions
Soak The Oats And Dried Fruits
- Combine the rolled with 3 times as much water (room temp) with 1 tbs lemon juice for at least 8 hours or overnight. Soak the dried fruits for at least 1 hour with warm water to make them plumper, juicier, and softer even after baking.If you don't have time, soak the oats at least 1 hour before baking. Discard the water. Make sure there is less moisture left as possible.
Mix All Ingredients And Bake
- In one bowl, stir soaked ingredients with maple syrup, melted coconut oil, flax meal, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Spread on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. I'm using a 3 Quart glass oblong baking dish.
- Press down with a spatula (or use another heavy sheet) to keep everything compact and compressed.
- Cook until lightly brown, approximately 50 minutes to 1 hour at 330F. For an extra crispy crust after baking, turn off the oven and let them sit in the oven with the door closed for at least 40 minutes or so.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into bars. For a cleaner cut chill the pan in the fridge before slicing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
If you prefer a crunchier oatmeal type of breakfast or snack, check this Tigernut Granola Recipe.
And for variety try these Strawberry Bliss Balls or Salted Caramel Bliss Balls With Peanut Butter.
Video: Watch How to Make These Oatmeal Bars
Why These Oatmeal Bars Work
- High-fiber oats and seeds slow digestion and support stable blood sugar.
- Natural sweetness from prunes and raisins replaces refined sugar; sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth craving.
- Healthy fats in seeds (nuts if using) and coconut oil boost satiety and energy.
How to Make Oatmeal Bars (Step-by-Step)
- Soak & Prep: Soaking reduces phytic acid and improves digestibility/nutritional value. Also dried fruit is dirty (especially bulk sold) and they often have added sugars, juices, or cheap oils. So soaking and discarding the water afterwards helps remove all those things and makes them plumper.
- One-Bowl Mix: Minimizes dishes—perfect for busy days.
- Low & Slow Bake: Baking at a lower temp and resting in the oven gives that soft-chewy texture.
Coach’s Tips:
For Extra Chewiness: After baking, leave bars in the turned-off oven with door closed for 30-40 minutes—this locks in moisture and texture.
Use High Quality Ingredients
Using organic dried fruit ensures that you don’t eat pesticide residues on the skin of the fruit. Also try to buy unsulphured version. Most dried fruits have been treated with a sulphur dioxide solution intended to preserve the fruit’s bright color and moisture. If you are among those who have sensitivities to chemicals then you may experience from mild to serious allergic reactions.
Healthy Variations
- Less sugar: Cut maple syrup to 4 tbsp, add 1 tsp ground ginger.
- Date or Apricot Bars: Swap the cup of prunes for 1 cup chopped dates or apricots for a different natural sweetness.
- Extra Crunch: Stir in ¼ cup chopped walnuts, pecans and some coconut flakes before baking for added texture.
- Swap the binder: if you don’t have flax seeds (flaxmeal) use chia seeds instead (same amount).
- Vegan/Oil-free: swap oil for applesauce.
Nutritional Benefits
- Fiber Power: Oats and prunes promote healthy digestion and increased motility.
- Antioxidants: Dried fruit supplies polyphenols for cell health.
- Sustained Energy: Balanced carbs and healthy fats fuel your day.
Storage & Make-Ahead
- Room Temp: 3 days in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator: 1 week.
- Freezer: 3 months; thaw in fridge overnight.
FAQs
For best texture, use rolled oats. Quick oats become too soft, and steel-cut oats need pre-cooking—they won’t bind or soften properly in this one-bowl bake.
Drain soaked ingredients very well and bake until edges are set (longer baking + lower temperature).
Thin bars bake faster; I like to make them 0.6-0.65 inch thick. For even thinner bars, reduce bake time by 5–10 minutes.
More Recipes With Oats
Have you tried this oatmeal oatmeal bars recipe? Share your feedback and rating below!
What would happen if I leave out the oil? Or could I get by with like 1tbsp?
The role of oil is to give some crispness, you can leave it out if you must.
@HealthyTasteOfLife,
What about using applesauce for the oil??
You can try, but I think it could turn the mixture too mushy.
Thoughts on using fresh berries instead of dried? Will the recipe work similar?
Considering fresh fruits has more water content I guess the result will not be the same, and the bars might not hold that well together.
These bars were fantastic! I made them as part of some snacks to take to the beach. I did add a handful of mixed nuts for an extra crispy crunch but other than that followed the directions exactly. I enjoyed the softer texture and these really held up as opposed to some other recipes that fell apart. Will definitely make again!
The addition of nuts sounds so good! I made mine without nuts because I was sensitive to nuts at the time. So yes customization is always encouraged! I’m really glad you liked them!
This recipe says in the ingredients list to soak the seeds but in the instructions, to soak the fruit… do we soak it all? Want to make this but confused
Yes I usually soak both the seeds and the fruits, but if you prefer some crunch then skip the seed soaking.