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Home > Recipes > Breakfast

Healthy Breakfast Bars

Published: Jul 16, 2022 · by Demeter | Beaming Baker 43 Comments · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Healthy Breakfast Bars short pin image

Deliciously soft healthy breakfast bars bursting with fruits, nuts and seeds. The best breakfast bars ever!

Wholesome and homemade: wonderfully filling breakfast bars packed with your favorite add-ins, heart-healthy oats and delicious fruit! What could be better?

stack of three healthy breakfast bars surrounded by more bars.

You know what I love about making breakfast bars versus breakfast cookies? You can prep the entire batch of dough and just dump the entire thing in a pan, smooth it out and bake it. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Nowadays, we’re all looking to make meal prep as easy and simple as possible. And let’s face it, if we could skip the whole prepping part of meal prep, we probably would. (That is, unless we achieved our dreams of having oodles and oodles of free time to enjoy the pleasure of baking.)

So what am I gonna do today to help things be a bit easier, a bit simpler, and a whole lot more delicious for your snack prep? Introducing…

Healthy Breakfast Bars

My easily customizable Healthy Breakfast Bars recipe! This recipe is one of my favorite breakfast bars ever. It’s packed with nuts, seeds, fiber-rich oats, naturally sweetened fruits and a bit of healthy fats to keep you full and energized throughout the day.

Best part? You can easily switch up most of the ingredients to suit your dietary needs. But more on that later… <– It’s called intrigue, people! 😉 And if you’re looking for more breakfast recipes, check out my 25+ Healthy Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes!

What Are Breakfast Bars?

Breakfast bars are one of my favorite breakfast treats! But more than that, breakfast bars are a breakfast food that’s packed with the most commonly enjoyed breakfast ingredients: oats, bananas, nuts, seeds and a lil’ sweetener, depending on the recipe. 🙂 Typically, you’d whisk together all of these ingredients, pour them into a pan, then bake, cool, slice and enjoy!

Breakfast bars are a super popular option because they can be made fairly quickly, and, can be customized to your personal liking!

In today’s healthy breakfast bars recipe, I’m taking the concept of breakfast bars and making them healthy. How are these breakfast bars healthy, you ask? Well, they’re packed with fiber-rich and heart-healthy ingredients, a minimal amount of sweetener, and whole ingredients that you can feel good about. Learn more about these breakfast bars’ health benefits below.

Overhead view of sliced breakfast bars on white parchment paper with seeds and fruit.

The Ingredients You Need

My breakfast bars recipe is made with simple, whole ingredients that you can feel good about! I love making these in advance, then packing some for a day trip or for a long day at work! Check out the delicious ingredients below!

overhead view of the ingredients in these breakfast bars.

How to Make Healthy Breakfast Bars

Wondering how to make a breakfast bar recipe the healthy way? We’re gonna make it simple and easy while using the least processed ingredients that also just happen to be packed with nutrients and vitamins. Follow these super easy steps to make breakfast bars!

Mash Banana

Mash banana in a large bowl. My secret trick for easy mashing? Using a dough blender! You can use a fork or a whisk to mash, but I love my handy tool the best. P.S. So does Erik!

two photos showing how to mash bananas for the breakfast bars.

 

Prep Wet Ingredients

Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the same bowl: peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax egg and vanilla. Whisk until well mixed. 

two overhead pics showing how to make breakfast bars - whisking wet ingredients

 

Add Dry Ingredients

Add dry ingredients and fold until well mixed: gluten free rolled oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Voila, you’ve just made the dough for your breakfast bars!

two pics showing how to add dry ingredients to wet ingredients for breakfast bars.

 

Fold in Add-ins

Now, for the fun part! Add in your favorite add-in ingredients for fully customizable breakfast bars. I like using dried cranberries for my dried fruit, sunflower seeds for my seeds, and chopped walnuts for my nuts.

You can skip them all and use chocolate chips, if you like. Go wild–they’re your breakfast bars!

hand mixing add-ins ingredients to breakfast bar mixture

 

Pour into Pan

Pour your breakfast bar mixture into a pan and smooth into an even layer. 

two overhead pics of pouring dough into pan and smoothing before baking

 

Bake

Bake for about 15 minutes.

 

Cool, Slice and Eat!

Cool, slice and eat the best healthy breakfast bars! Then pat yourself on the back—you rock!

What makes this breakfast bars recipe healthy?

You might be asking yourself, “What in the heck makes these breakfast bars so healthy?” Well, the ingredients, my friend! I’ve designed a healthy breakfast bar that packs in the healthiest ingredients without sacrificing on flavor. Take a look for yourself:

  • Oats: oats are a longtime favorite in my family. They’re fiber-rich, heart-healthy and keep you delightfully regular [1]. Sorry, had to say it!
  • Bananas: bananas are a naturally sweet fruit that lend flavor and delicious health-benefits to your healthy breakfast bars! Think: 33% of your daily RDI (recommended daily intake) of Vitamin B6, among other nutrients. Think: antioxidant-rich and fiber-rich [2].
  • Flaxseed, Walnuts, Pumpkin Seeds: the powerhouse trifecta of healthy fats that are low in carbs and rich in nutrients.
  • Natural, Unsalted Peanut Butter: Sometimes peanut butter can get a bad rap–mainly because most store-bought peanut butter products are actually “spreads” which contain plenty of added sugar, oils, and other ingredients. Conversely, natural, unsalted peanut butter contains just 1 ingredient: peanuts. With 1/4 cup of natural peanut butter for the whole recipe, you’ll get just the right amount of filling, satisfying, heart-healthy fats to keep you going–without the guilt.

A simple and easy recipe for healthy breakfast bars that you can easily customize with your favorite add-ins.

Closeup view of the texture in this breakfast bar recipe with chopped nuts and fruits peeping out of bars

Where Can I Find Healthy Breakfast Cookies?

If you’re hankering for breakfast cookies instead of breakfast bars, check out a few reader favorites below:

  • Healthy Coconut Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
  • Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
  • Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Cookies
  • Good Morning Breakfast Cookies – Vegan Gluten Free
  • Oil-Free Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie
  • NEW Healthy Oatmeal Cookies

Substitutions & Customizing Your Breakfast Bars

Wanna know how to make substitutions to your healthy breakfast bars? How about how to customize your breakfast bars to your liking? Read on to find out!

  • Peanut Butter: sub with almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter. Other nut/seed butters will work, too. 🙂
  • Coconut Oil: sub with vegan butter or other oil that you enjoy the flavor & scent of.
  • Vanilla Extract: sub with a smaller amount of almond extract, or other extracts—just make sure you don’t put too much in, as some are much stronger than vanilla.
  • Maple Syrup: sub with brown rice syrup, agave, or honey if not vegan.
  • Flax Egg: sub with chia egg or regular egg if not vegan. Learn how to make a flax egg here.
  • Seeds: I like using pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Try adding the seeds that you like.
  • Raisins or Dried Cranberries: sub with any dried fruit—just make sure to chop it finely so no big chunks make your breakfast bars crumbly.
  • Walnuts: sub with any chopped nuts or more dried fruit. 

>>RELATED: The Fluffiest Vegan Buttermilk Pancakes | Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies

Healthy breakfast bars laying diagonally on a breakfast table with pumpkin seeds

Recommended Tools

  • Dough Blender: my #1 tool for mashing bananas. And my how many bananas Erik and I have mashed (probably 1,000s). This dough blender makes quick work of mashing your bananas into just the right texture.
  • Organic Pumpkin Seeds, No Added Sugar Dried Cranberries & Raw Walnuts: my favorite add-ins, from no bake granola bars to homemade granola and more. The combo is deliciously sweet, savory, tart and nutty. Yum!

That was easy peasy, lemon squeezy, amiright? 😉 Let me know if you try my recipe in the comments below—I truly love hearing from you! In the meantime, just know that I’m so thankful that you’re here, sharing in these wonderful baking adventures with me and your loved ones. ‘Til the next one…

Sending you all my love and maybe a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

📸 Did you make this healthy breakfast bars recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #beamingbaker & tag @beamingbaker. I’d love to see it! 📸

Breakfast Bars: Reader Favorites

  • Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
  • Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
  • Easy Gluten Free Coconut Chocolate Chip Banana Breakfast Bars
  • Almond Butter Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
  • Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
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Healthy breakfast bars recipe featured image

Healthy Breakfast Bars Recipe


★★★★★

4.9 from 14 reviews

  • Author: Demeter | Beaming Baker
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 12-16 bars 1x
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Description

Deliciously soft healthy breakfast bars bursting with fruits, nuts and seeds. The best healthy breakfast bars recipe!


Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons mashed, very ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
  • ¼ cup natural, unsalted creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon golden ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, whisked together, set for 15 minutes)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups gluten free rolled oats
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Add-in Ingredients

  • ¼ cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds
  • ¼ cup raisins or finely chopped dried cranberries
  • ¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or greased foil. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, add peeled banana. Using a fork or dough blender (recommended), mash until smooth. Add the remaining wet ingredients: peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, flax egg and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.
  3. Add the dry ingredients: oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using a rubber spatula, fold until well mixed. Fold in seeds, dried fruit and walnuts.
  4. Pour this mixture into the prepared baking pan. Using the rubber spatula, smooth into an even layer.
  5. Bake for 12-18 minutes, until just lightly golden around the edges. Mine took 15 minutes. Cool for about 1 hour. Slice into bars. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.

Healthy Breakfast Bars: Reader Favorites

  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
  • Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
  • Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Equipment

Dough Blender

Dough Blender

Buy Now →
Dried Cranberries (No Added Sugar)

Dried Cranberries (No Added Sugar)

Buy Now →

Raw Walnuts 2lbs

Buy Now →

Organic Pumpkin Seeds

Buy Now →

Gluten Free Rolled Oats

Buy Now →

Unsalted Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

Buy Now →

Notes

Where to Buy Ingredients: Gluten Free Rolled Oats | Unsalted Natural Creamy Peanut Butter | Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil | Golden Ground Flaxseed | Pure Vanilla Extract | Organic Pumpkin Seeds | No Added Sugar Dried Cranberries | Raw Walnuts

Storing Instructions: Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recommended Tools: Grippy Mixing Bowls | Dough Blender for mashing bananas | Chef’s Knife for perfect cuts | 4-Event Timer | 8-inch Baking Pan

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Category: Breakfast, Snack
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?

Tried this recipe? Share a pic and tag @beamingbaker on Instagram and hashtag it #BeamingBaker

© beamingbaker.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. Please do not use my images or recipe without my permission. Please do not republish this recipe, instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.

Delectable Breakfast Recipes

  • 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
  • Low Calorie Granola
  • Vegan Breakfast Bars

This post may contain affiliate links, which allow me to make a small commission for my referral, at no additional cost to you.

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  1. Allyson Zea says

    July 21, 2022

    We have been eating these all morning! So good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      July 25, 2022

      That’s awesome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying them. 😊

      Reply
  2. Catalina says

    July 20, 2022

    I would like to have these breakfast bars on hand always. They are easy to make but so delicious, nutrient and healthy!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      July 25, 2022

      Yes, they’re wonderful to have on hand for when the mornings are just too busy to cook!

      Reply
  3. Sandra says

    July 20, 2022

    I have to make a big batch of these next time! They’re so good and perfect snack too!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      July 25, 2022

      Agreed! Sometimes I like to heat up a piece for an afternoon snack. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Erin | Dinners, Dishes and Dessert says

    July 20, 2022

    You had me on this! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  5. Amanda says

    July 19, 2022

    My husband loves granola bars in the morning. I am going to try these, love that they are a healthy option!

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      July 22, 2022

      I can’t wait to hear what he thinks!

      Reply
  6. Debbie says

    July 16, 2022

    DELISH❣ These breakfast bars contain my kind of healthy – no kale. 😉 What I’m wondering about are the calories per serving. Could you direct me to a nutrition calculator that you like or have heard is a good one?

    You must exercise a lot to stay so beautiful and bake so many fantastic treats. Just saying…

    Thank you bunches,
    🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌
    Debbie

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      July 19, 2022

      Haha–sometimes ya just need a sweet treat to help you through all those endless bowls of kale! 😜 I’ve just input the nutrition facts for you. 🙂 If you’d like to calculate your own, I’ve tried MyFitnessPal and a few others with some success. Hope this helps!

      Aww… thank you, Debbie! I’m blushing over here…

      Sending you lots of love and great big hugs,
      ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
      Demeter

      Reply
  7. Jason S Smith says

    September 14, 2021

    Just wondering where you you can find oats with gluten. I wasn’t aware oats could grow with wheat inside them

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      September 16, 2021

      Hi Jason. Oats themselves are naturally gluten free, the issue comes from cross-contamination with wheat. GF oats will typically be labeled as such in the grocery store, but if you’re not gluten-intolerant then you can use regular old fashioned oats. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  8. Jane says

    August 17, 2021

    Can’t wait to try these. Have you tried freezing them? Thinking of doing a double batch to help with busy school mornings.

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 23, 2021

      Hi Jane! I haven’t tried freezing these, but it should be fine. Hope this helps ease up your mornings!

      Reply
  9. Nancy Belz says

    February 21, 2021

    Hi Demeter, thank you for another great recipe! I made them for dinner this evening with a couple of minor variations. I used organic tahini instead of peanut butter, and one organic egg instead of a flax egg. Very yummy! Love and hugs, from Sydney Australia. 😊

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      February 22, 2021

      Hi Nancy! Thank you for another sweet comment! 😊 I’m so happy you enjoyed the bars, and that the subs worked well for you. Hugs!

      Reply
  10. Bhavini Thakkar says

    September 20, 2020

    Thanks for this delicious looking recipe! Can you please suggest what can I substitute in place of banana, Thank you!

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      September 21, 2020

      You’re so welcome, Bhavini! 🙂 If you can’t use banana, you can try subbing it with applesauce. If not, you can use pumpkin puree in these pumpkin breakfast bars, peanut butter in these peanut butter breakfast bars, or coconut & almond butter in these coconut breakfast bars. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  11. kerri says

    August 10, 2020

    seriously obsessed with these! so easy to grab and go in the mornings!

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 14, 2020

      I know right? One of my favorite ways to simplify my morning. 🙂

      Reply
  12. Tara says

    August 9, 2020

    These breakfast bars are healthy, delicious, and easy to make. They are perfect for a grab n go snack as well. Love the flavors!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 14, 2020

      Woohoo! I’m super happy you enjoyed them Tara! 🙂

      Reply
  13. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

    August 7, 2020

    What a great way to start the day!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 7, 2020

      Couldn’t agree more!

      Reply
  14. Vikki says

    August 7, 2020

    I love how easy these are to make, definitely making these (and making them again because I’ll have eaten them all) so delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 7, 2020

      Lol I know, don’t these disappear fast? Happy baking Vikki!

      Reply
  15. Amanda says

    August 6, 2020

    I will be adding this to the weekly routine, thank you so much!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 7, 2020

      Fantastic! You’re so welcome Amanda!

      Reply
  16. Natalie says

    August 6, 2020

    Oh this looks so good. SO healthy and packed with everything I love. I will definitely give this recipe a try. Honestly, can’t wait!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 6, 2020

      I seriously can’t wait to hear what you think Natalie! 😊 I just know you’re gonna love them!

      Reply
  17. Toni Dash says

    August 6, 2020

    This is such an amazing idea for day starter! My kids loved it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 6, 2020

      Woohoo! I’m super happy to hear it Toni!

      Reply
  18. Alisa Infanti says

    August 6, 2020

    These are perfect for a back to school breakfast. Quick for our busy mornings when we struggle to get back in a routine.

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 6, 2020

      Oh absolutely! These are wonderful for those hectic mornings when you barely have time to think about what to eat.

      Reply
  19. Shanna says

    August 6, 2020

    I am so glad I found your recipe. I have been looking for some tasty and easy healthy recipes. This one is amazing!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 6, 2020

      Yay! I’m so happy you found it too Shanna!

      Reply
  20. Beth says

    August 6, 2020

    Yum! These look so delicious and tasty! I love an easy breakfast! Can’t wait to make this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Demeter | Beaming Baker says

      August 6, 2020

      I’m all about the easy breakfasts! Happy baking Beth!

      Reply
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I'm Demeter! Here, you'll find a warm & friendly community for delicious plant-based, whole food recipes. :) I'm so happy to share in these kitchen adventures with you.

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