Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bars (Printable)

Chewy bars with blueberries, banana, oats, and protein for a wholesome morning boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon baking powder

→ Wet Ingredients

06 - 2 large ripe bananas, mashed
07 - 1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
11 - 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil or unsalted butter

→ Mix-Ins

12 - 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if frozen, do not thaw)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to facilitate removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
03 - In a separate bowl, mash the bananas until smooth, then whisk in honey or maple syrup, unsweetened applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil or butter until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined.
05 - Carefully fold in the blueberries to avoid overmixing and maintain fruit integrity.
06 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until bars turn golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out using the parchment overhang and cutting into 12 portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste indulgent but pack real protein and whole grains—no guilt required.
  • You can make a batch once and have grab-and-go breakfast sorted for days.
  • Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, so there's zero pressure to time the berries perfectly.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling completely—I learned this the hard way when I cut into warm bars and ended up with crumbly pieces instead of neat squares.
  • If your protein powder is sweetened, you might want to use slightly less honey because the bars can tip from wholesome to overly sweet.
03 -
  • Brown butter instead of coconut oil deepens the flavor and makes these taste almost like banana bread.
  • A squeeze of lemon juice in the wet ingredients cuts through the sweetness and makes the banana flavor pop without anyone being able to identify what's different.
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