Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Try this Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Maple-Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (not pancake syru
- 2-1/2 cups certified gluten-free old fashioned oats divided
- 1 cup milk any kind
- 1/2 cup mashed banana (roughly 1 large banana)
- 1/3 cup pecan halves roughly chopped
- Carbohydrate 1.06990648104057 g
- Cholesterol 0.181481481113284 mg
- Fat 8.99374852354719 g
- Fiber 0.541446307288276 g
- Protein 0.532381666361984 g
- Saturated Fat 5.5038577821472 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (15g)
- Sodium 4.83559258292742 mg
- Sugar 0.528460173752289 g
- Trans Fat 0.496762926223255 g
- Calories 84 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8x8" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add 1 cup old fashioned oats to a food processor or blender then process until oats have turned into flour. Set aside. (Alternatively you could use a scant cup oat flour.)
- Add milk, mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt then stir to combine. Fold in chopped pecans then pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center has set. Check on the bars at the 25 minute mark - if the edges are browning too quickly, place a piece of foil on top of the baking pan. Cool before slicing into bars then store in the refrigerator, or individually wrap bars in saran wrap and freeze.
Binding oats together into a sliceable square requires a balance of starches and fats that hold their shape without turning dense. Processing one cup of old-fashioned oats into a fine flour creates the essential structure needed to absorb the liquid without relying on wheat flour. Pure maple syrup supplies both sweetness and moisture, while coconut oil solidifies slightly as it cools to secure the crumb. Using mashed banana adds natural body that prevents the baked squares from crumbling apart when cut.
Freezing and Reheating Strategy
Portioning these squares for future meals requires proper wrapping to prevent freezer burn and moisture loss. Allow the pan to cool completely on a wire rack before dividing the mass into nine individual portions. Wrap each square tightly in plastic wrap, then place the bundle inside a sealed freezer-safe bag for storage up to three months. To reheat from frozen, unwrap the portion completely and microwave on high for 30 seconds, or warm it in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes until heated through.
- Edges browning too fast at the 25-minute mark: shield the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil to halt excessive browning.
- Center remains wet or soft: extend the bake time in two-minute increments until the middle offers firm resistance to the touch.
- Gummy texture after slicing: ensure the baked squares have cooled entirely to room temperature before cutting into them.
