Easy recipe for healthy jam oatmeal bars that are perfect for breakfast or snacks. These chewy make-ahead bars are made with your choice of jam, like strawberry, raspberry, or homemade fruit jam!
What mom doesn’t want an easy, healthy breakfast for their kiddos?
I know I do, which is why I often serve oatmeal.
But here’s a little mom tip: unless your oatmeal comes in the form of dark chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, blueberry baked oatmeal, or healthy peanut butter cookies, your kids are going to think breakfast is B.O.R.I.N.G.
And let’s be honest. We moms agree.
That’s why I love these jammy oatmeal bars so much – they’re all the goodness of oatmeal, but they’re actually FUN to eat!
Jammy Oatmeal Bars
Besides being fun, these jammy oatmeal bars are CRAZY EASY to make. They’re also:
- Healthy (100% whole grains!)
- Made in one-bowl
- Freezer-friendly
- Make-ahead
- Picky-eater approved
- Lightly sweetened
- A great way to use up the last bit of jam or jelly
The first time I made this, my kids immediately asked me to make another batch.
The second time I made this, I found myself sneaking bars from the fridge because they were SO GOOD!!
I promise you, this is one of those “Oh wow, I didn’t realize it was going to be that easy… and the kids like it so much… I should make this again!” type of recipes!!
Ingredients for Easy Oatmeal Bars
The list of ingredients for these easy oatmeal bars is pretty straightforward, and probably already in your pantry.
- Whole Grain Flour. I use whole grain einkorn,** but any whole grain flour will work here. I haven’t tested gluten-free flours, but they should work as well!
- Rolled Oats. They’re an excellent source of fiber!
- Granulated Sugar. Honey and maple syrup will alter the wet/dry ratio in this recipe, so we need to use granular sugar. Don’t worry!! We’re using just enough to lightly sweeten the oatmeal bars.
- Jam. Have fun here! Choose whatever flavor you love or happen to have on hand.
- Salt + Cinnamon. The salt is required, but the cinnamon is optional, depending on the flavor of jam you’re using.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder.
- Butter. The base of any great recipe starts with butter, right?
Note: I buy einkorn berries from Jovial Foods. When you shop at Jovial Foods, you can save 10% off all items in the store with exclusions on special promotional items such as cookbooks and new harvest oil when you use coupon code DWCRUMBS. Also, there’s free shipping over $99.
I make my own whole grain flour with a Mockmill (you can read my honest review of the Mockmill here) because it’s cheaper, but also because we realized my daughter was sensitive to gluten after doing the Whole30 as a family. If you’re curious about einkorn, you can read more about it here.
Are oatmeal bars healthy?
As you’ll see in the ingredients below, we’re using whole grains and minimal sugar. I definitely think these breakfast bars are healthy!
Do be careful about the jam you use though. Many brands add a lot of sugar to jam, so choosing a low-sugar or homemade version (like apple pie jam) is going to be the better option. Always read the ingredients!
Can I use Quaker oats or instant oats for these healthy oatmeal bars?
You can use Quaker old-fashioned rolled oats or quick-cooking oats (also known as instant oats), but steel-cut and whole oat groats won’t work. Learn about the difference in oats plus health benefits of each type here.
What’s the difference between jam and jelly? Can I use jelly instead of jam?
Jam is made with whole fruit while jelly is made with fruit juice. It’s important to use jam in this recipe, not jelly.
What are the best flavors of jam to use in this healthy baked oatmeal bar recipe?
Honestly, the sky is the limit! I’ve made these flavors so far:
- Strawberry oatmeal bars (using my no-cook freezer strawberry jam)
- Raspberry oatmeal bars (from store-bought jam)
- Blackberry oatmeal bars (from my mother-in-law’s homemade jam)
- Apple cinnamon oatmeal bars (using my homemade apple pie jam)
Whatever type of jam your family likes, use it!
How to Make Healthy Oatmeal Bars for Breakfast
This recipe comes together super quick:
- Mix the dry ingredients in a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to cut in the butter.
- Pull out 1 ½ cups of the mix and set aside. Press the rest of the mixture into a glass dish (I have this one) to form a crust layer.
- Spread the jam over the crust. Then take the rest of the mixture and crumble it over the jam, pressing down lightly.
- Bake, cool, and cut.
That’s it, friends!
You can also double or triple this recipe if you’d like, using multiple pans at one time. That’s a great way to be efficient in the kitchen!
Note: You don’t HAVE to use a stand mixer, but I do because it’s faster and makes less of a mess. It’s one of my favorite ways to use a stand mixer!! If you don’t have one, you can use a large bowl and cut in the fat with a pastry knife.
More Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Recipes
- Oatmeal Apple Breakfast Bars
- Baked Blueberry Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Chocolate Cake
- Cinnamon Oatmeal Blender Waffles
- Oatmeal Peach Breakfast Crumble
- Leftover Oatmeal Cakes
- High Protein Oatmeal
Healthy Jam Oatmeal Bars
Easy recipe for healthy oatmeal jam bars. These chewy make-ahead bars are made with your choice of jam, like strawberry, raspberry, or homemade fruit jam!
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 9 bars 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole grain flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar*
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 16 Tbsp cold butter, cubed
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats
- 2 cups jam
- 2 tsp cinnamon (optional, depending on the flavor of jam you’re using)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment to cut in the cubed butter, mixing on low until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add the rolled oats and mix JUST until the oats are combined.
- Measure out 1 ½ cups of this mixture and set it aside.
- Grease a 13″x18″ rimmed baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan, pressing down firmly to form a crust.
- Bake for 5 min.
- Remove the crust from the oven and spread the jam evenly over the crust layer.
- Sprinkle the reserved mixture evenly over the jam and press down lightly.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Let the bars cool completely on a wire rack before cutting, at least 2 hours. Bars hold their shape exceptionally well if they’re refrigerated.
Notes
*Honey and maple syrup will alter the wet/dry ratio in this recipe, so we need to use granular sugar.
I agree, I’m not sure that the amounts make sense for an 8X8 pan. I dumped all except the 1.5 cups of the mixture, and it was almost overflowing in the square pan. It still seemed like a lot even in a 9X13 pan, they definitely looked thicker than the ones in the picture. It also was very crumby. When I scooped them out of the pan, it left like half of the bottom layer in dry crumbs on the bottom of the pan. It seems like there’s not enough liquid to bind it together. It was too much salt for my liking, also, like others have mentioned. Would need some tweaking to be like other jam bars, which is what I was looking for.
Hi Sheena! I just review this and we had the wrong pan size listed! I’m so sorry! A 13×18 rimmed baking sheet will work best.
Is there supposed to be some liquid in these besides the butter?? Mine are incredibly dry and not cohesive at all. We’ll probably have to add milk and eat them out of bowls. Also this quantity totally does not fit in an 8×8. What am I missing?
Hi Yvonne,
The jam also acts as a cohesive liquid on the oatmeal jam recipe. The pictures above are the recipe in a 8X8 pan. Be sure to double check your measurements to see if you misread something. 🙂
You are missing nothing. The recipe is for 9+ cups of ingredients. 2 cups of jam in an 8×8? 2 tsp of salt? These amounts are equivalent to 9×13 pan for every other oatmeal jam bar recipe I’ve looked at. (Still a lot of salt and definitely optional if you use salted butter and the cinnamon). I think the key to your cohesiveness issue is “Bars hold their shape exceptionally well if refrigerated.” So does a stick of butter.
This concept sounds delish and I want to try it but is an 8×8” dish appropriate? The volume of dry ingredients looks more like a 9×13” to me. Thanks, conni
I thought the same thing! I dumped everything except the 1 1/2 cup into my 8×8 and it filled the entire pan, so I switched to a slightly bigger dish, and scooped out more for the top
Do I reallllllly have to use whole grain flour? I have everything on hand except, that, however, I DO have all-purpose flour. Can I use all-purpose flour?
Shelsea, you do not have to use whole grain flour however it is possible that the finished recipe will be slightly different.
i have the same? I thought that may be possible.
To answer the above question – 16 tbsp is 1 cup.
My question is whether 2 tsp of salt is correct? I thought it seemed like a lot, so reduced it to 1 tsp and it still tasted very salty to me.
These were amazingly tasty, thank you, Tiffany! I cut each bar in 4, so instead of 9 large square bars I ended up with 36 treat size bars to go with my cuppa!
Is it really 16 tbsp butter? That’s 2 cups!?
2 sticks or 1 cup
Made these with whole grain oat flour and homemade lingonberry jam. So simple and absolutely delicious, will definitely be making them again.
That sounds delicious, Ave!!
Nice!
Is it a half cup of sugar?
YES! I’m so sorry about that, Arleen. We’ll get that fixed!
These look great for school snacks! Can’t wait to try them.
I hope you like them as much as we do, Kris!