Blueberry Oat Bars

Ever since I posted my recipe on Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, I’ve been flooded with requests to make oatmeal bars with blueberries. Apparently, my story of visiting my local coffee shop for a treat after a tough day at work really hit home with a lot of you. And I’m always happy to take on a challenge—and by challenge, I mean being to resist these bars long enough to snap a few photos.

These blueberry oat bars turned out absolutely crave-worthy, maybe even better than the ones I remember from that coffee shop! My version is made with much cleaner ingredients, while still remaining an absolutely decadent treat. These oatmeal bars are perfect for grabbing on your way out the door, packing in your kids’ lunch boxes, and enjoying with the family in the morning.

Serve these for the perfect on-to-go healthy breakfast or snack options. Or get fancy and create an Instagram-worthy dessert board by serving these bars with fresh fruit and Cool Whip. You could even dip them in some melted dark chocolate for an extra decadent treat. The options are all divine, so let’s just get down to the good stuff.

What You’ll Need

The ingredients for this recipe are simple pantry staples and ingredients you probably already have at home, making this the perfect anytime recipe. Below are some of the key ingredients you’re going to need to bring these blueberry oat bars to life!

• Blueberries: The star of the show! I prefer to start with fresh blueberries, but frozen blueberries would work fine as well if it’s not blueberry season. Just make sure to thaw them first and pat them dry with paper towels before using.
• Rolled Oats: I’ve found that rolled oats are the best type of oats to use for baking recipes like this one. I wouldn’t recommend swapping them out for instant or steel cut oats.
• Brown Sugar: I love the depth of flavor that brown sugar offers, with subtle notes of caramel and molasses. For a refined sugar-free version, feel free to use coconut sugar instead.
• Flour: My trick to keeping this oat bar recipe on the healthier side while still making sure they taste like those decadent coffee shop bars is using a combination of regular all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour.
• Egg: This serves as a binder to keep our bars from falling apart when you cut into them.
• Butter: In addition to working with the egg to bind our bars together, butter also enhances the rich flavor, soft texture, and golden color of the dish.
• Greek Yogurt: This ingredient adds tons of protein and probiotics, while contributing to the ultra-soft texture of the bars.
• Honey: A drizzle of honey adds a touch of extra sweetness and a little stickiness to help bind the ingredients together. For a vegan option, swap the honey for maple syrup or agave.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the bars rise a little during baking and helps with the soft, delicious texture.
• Salt: Don’t forget about the salt. Not only does it activate the baking soda, but it’s also a great way to balance all the sweetness and enhance the flavor profile.
• Balsamic Vinegar: Just a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar does a wonderful job of enhancing the flavor of the blueberries, making them even more delicious. This is optional, but it’s my secret trick for getting the best blueberry oat bars!

Recipe Tips for the Best Blueberry Oat Bars

While these blueberry oat bars are perfection just as they are, you can always play around with the ingredients based on the week and what you have lying around. From switching up the fruits to adding your favorite ingredients, there are plenty of ways to customize this recipe.

Here are some of my favorite tips and variations for these healthy oatmeal bars:

• Rolled vs quick oats. Choosing the right type of oats is crucial in determining how your bars will turn out. Rolled oats stand up better in the oven, resulting in a firmer texture. On the other hand, quick oats will be less chewy than rolled oats and less uniform in texture.
• Switch up the fruit. When it comes to these bars, anything goes. I went with some blueberries, but you could use other berries and fruits like cranberries, strawberries, cherries, bananas, or even a mix of fruits.
• Add some nuts. You really can’t go wrong with adding chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, and almonds. Toast them first to get a more pronounced flavor or bake them raw and enjoy the nutty flavor and added crunch.
• Use more parchment paper. This is a tip that I came across on Pinterest and it’s honestly such a lifesaver. Use a larger sheet of parchment paper so that you can easily lift the bars after they’re done baking. Makes for a much easier time for cutting and clean-up!
• Play around with add-ins. Make this recipe even more indulgent by adding in some chocolate chips. You could also add a pop of flavor and gooey texture by swirling in some jam or nut butter before baking the oatmeal bars.

How to Store Oat Bars

Looking for healthy breakfast meal prep recipes? You’ve come to the right place. In addition to being delicious, easy to make, and overall wonderful in every way—these blueberry oat bars are phenomenal choices for meal prep.

Once you’ve allowed them to cool down, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and transfer them to an airtight container. Then, you can store them in a few different ways:

• On the counter for up to 3 days.
• In the fridge for up to 7 days.
• In the freezer for up to 3 months.

To reheat, all you have to do is let them thaw in the fridge overnight and pop them into an oven or toaster oven until heated through. It’s that easy!