I’m a little obsessed with oat bars at the moment. It’s easy to make them healthy. I can pack in tons of fruit. And they’re freeze well so I can bake in huge batches and we can eat them for weeks. Plus, they’re family friendly to make. Meaning the kids can help! They love to smash the bananas, pour in the oats and measure out the berries.
When we’re pressed for time, these Coconut Oat Bars with Blueberry Filling are perfect for breakfast, snacks and healthy desserts. They reheat with crispy edges in the oven, and warm up deliciously in the microwave for a quick bite. We’ve been loving our Healthy Blueberry Oat Bars around here for months. So we decided to take them up a notch with coconut, lemon and even less sugar than the original recipe!
How to make Coconut Oat Bars
The crust and topping are made of the same oat mixture. So we keep things simple by mixing up both at the same time. First, prepare the flax eggs so they have 5 to 10 minutes to become gel-like in texture. While you’re waiting for them to set, smash the bananas with a pastry cutter or potato masher. Stir the flax eggs into the smashed bananas and add the oats, coconut, baking powder and sea salt on top. Gently stir the dry ingredients together on top of the wet ingredients, to mix the baking soda and sea salt throughout the oats and coconut. You can do this in a separate bowl for more precise mixing. But, I love to keep the dishes to a minimum so we use the “mix on top” method all the time!
Fold the oat mixture into the banana mixture, until everything is well combined. Next, scoop out half of the oat mixture into your parchment lined brownie pan, and press it down into an even layer. In a separate bowl, mix your blueberries, along with all of the other “filling” ingredients. Scrape them out into an even layer over the base layer of oats. Then, scoop out the rest of your oat mixture over top of the blueberries. Press everything flat with a spatula (or your fingers!)
Pop your beautifully layered bars into the oven for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Let them cool for 15-20 minutes if you want them to set for serving. But if crumbled, warm, gooey bars are your thing – dive in immediately!
These Coconut Oat Bars with Blueberry Filling are
- Warm
- Tart
- Coconutty
- Slightly sweet
- Hearty
- Healthy
- Delicious!
More Vegan Deliciousness
If you make these Coconut Oat Bars with Blueberry Filling, let us know what you think in the comments below! And be sure to check us out on Instagram #plantednoshery for more delicious vegan recipes weekly. Enjoy!
Coconut Oat Bars with Blueberry Filling
Ingredients
Oat Bar Base & Topping
- 5 Overripe bananas, mashed
- 2 Prepared flax eggs see notes
- 5 cups Rolled oats 500g, use GF if needed
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Sea salt
- 1 cup Unsweetened coconut 80g
Coconut Blueberry Filling
- 5 cups Frozen blueberries 560g
- 2 tbsp Tapioca starch 30g
- ½ tsp Sea salt
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- ½ cup Organic cane sugar
- ½ cup Unsweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×9 Square Baking Pan with parchment paper. And prepare your flax eggs.
- Mash your bananas in a large mixing bowl until they are runny with only small chunks remaining. Add your prepared flax eggs to the bananas and stir to combine.
- Add the oats, baking powder, coconut and sea salt on top of the banana mixture, and give the dry ingredients a stir on top to spread out the baking powder and salt. Then fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, until evenly combined. Spread half of the oat crust mixture evenly over the bottom of the lined baking pan. Pack it down with the back of your spatula, and push it into the corners evenly.
- Prepare your filling by combining all of your "Blueberry Filling" ingredients into a bowl. Stir well and then scrape the filling out onto the bottom oat crust layer in the lined baking pan. Spread out the blueberries to cover the oat crust in an even layer. Then, scrape out the remainder of the oat crust topping over the blueberries. Use the back of your spatula again to pack it down tightly over top of the blueberries.
- Place the baking pan into your preheated oven and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven when the middle of the bars looks set, but slightly more moist than the edges. Do not overbake, or the oats will dry out quickly. The bars will set as they cool.
- Let the bars cool completely to set firmly if you want to be able to pick them up and eat on the go. Or dig in while they're still warm for a comforting treat. Enjoy!
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