These wholesome breakfast bars are a cross between carrot cake and baked oatmeal. You’ll love the soft and chewy texture and the delicious combination of oats, dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips.
This is a healthier alternative to packaged bars and you can easily adapt the mix-ins and spices to suit your taste preferences. This recipe is made with pantry staples, making it a breakfast or snack that you can throw together any time.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
Ease: No fancy techniques or special equipment needed. This recipe comes together in minutes.
Flavor: Cinnamon, vanilla, dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate make an incredible flavor combo.
Texture: Chewy oats, crunchy nuts, creamy chocolate chips, and sticky bits of dried fruit.
Wholesome: These bars contain nutritious ingredients like carrots and oats along with heart healthy ingredients like olive oil, walnuts, and dark chocolate.
Easily adaptable: Use your favorite dried fruit, nuts, and spices to switch this recipe up.
Ingredients needed
This recipe does have a fairly long ingredient list – but, good news! – all the ingredients are pantry staples. I have made these bars on numerous occasions without making a trip to the store.
Ingredient options
Oats: Use instant oats (my preference) for moist cake-like bars. Use old fashioned/rolled oats for chewier bars.
Sweetener: Use pure maple syrup or honey as the sweetener along with light or dark brown sugar.
Nuts: Choose from walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds or even a combination of nuts.
Dried fruit: Raisins, dried cherries, and dried cranberries are equally delicious.
Milk: Use dairy milk or plant based milk.
Spices: I use cinnamon and ginger but you can also use nutmeg, chai spice, pie spice, or a pinch of star anise or clove. Adjust to suit your taste.
Recipe overview
Whisk the wet ingredients (egg, milk, honey, vanilla, oil) and brown sugar.
Add the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Stir in the carrots, dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into a lined and greased 8×8 pan and bake.
Serving and storage
Serving: These bars are best served warm (I heat individual servings in the microwave). If desired, top with nut butter and honey.
Storage: Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for 3 days, reheating before serving.
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Recipe
Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mild flavored olive oil
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar, light or dark
- 2 tablespoons milk, dairy or plant based
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup plus one tablespoon all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup quick oats (preferred) or old fashioned oats, see note
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup grated carrot, see note
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, dried cherries, or raisins
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or sliced almonds
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center of the oven. Line an 8×8 pan with foil and lightly grease it. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk oil, brown sugar, milk, syrup, egg, and vanilla. Add flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, whisking until combined. Tap the excess batter off the whisk and remove it from the bowl. Add the carrots, dried cranberries, nuts, and chocolate chips and stir with a silicone spatula until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake for 17-20 minutes until the batter is set. The bars should look moist but the top should be dry or the tiniest bit sticky to the touch. Be sure not to overbake or the bars will dry out. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Karen
This recipe looks wonderful, I will be making these bars this week. You’re right I have everything except the chocolate chips…. Thanks for posting.
Bonnie
My nine year old and I saw this link and decided it sounded yummy… and they are! We love them! We used up two little ends of Craisins and raisins mixed together and chose pecans as the nut option. Have you made this with either just the sugar OR the syrup? I’m wondering if they be sweet enough with one of the sugar options. Will put on the breakfast option list!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed them. I think you could reduce (maybe half?) the brown sugar. I’d still leave the honey/syrup because it adds moisture as well as sweetness.
Linda
Hey Allison! This sounds yummy and I’m going to try it very soon! Just thought….could coconut oil be substituted for the olive oil?
Allison
Sure! Enjoy!