Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Bars (Printable)

Wholesome bars combining blueberries, banana, oats, and protein for a nutritious, chewy treat.

# What You 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 Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together rolled oats, protein powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder until evenly mixed.
03 - In a separate bowl, mash bananas until smooth, then add honey (or maple syrup), applesauce, eggs, vanilla extract, and melted coconut oil. Whisk until well combined.
04 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Carefully fold fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter to maintain berry integrity.
06 - Spread batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake 28–32 minutes, or until bars are golden brown and a toothpick inserted centrally comes out clean.
07 - Allow to cool entirely in the pan, then lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 12 bars.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They're soft and chewy on the inside with just enough structure to hold together, nothing dry or crumbly like some homemade bars tend to be.
  • Real blueberries mean real flavor—none of that artificial berry taste, just honest fruit in every bite.
  • Ready in under an hour and keep for days, so one batch gets you through the whole week without thinking about breakfast.
  • The protein boost is genuine, not some chalky aftertaste, because the banana and honey do all the heavy lifting.
02 -
  • Do not thaw frozen blueberries before folding them in—they'll stay whole and won't bleed their color everywhere if you keep them cold and fold gently.
  • Overmixing is the enemy; stir until combined and then stop, even if it feels like there might be a tiny dry spot somewhere—the batter will even out in the oven.
  • Let them cool completely before cutting or they'll fall apart, and they actually taste better the next day when the flavors settle and the texture firms up slightly.
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale for the protein powder if you have one—scooping can compress it and you'll end up with more than you need, making bars drier.
  • Room-temperature ingredients mix more smoothly than cold ones, so take your eggs out of the fridge 10 minutes before starting.
  • The toothpick test works perfectly, but if you're unsure, a bar that's slightly underbaked is better than one that's dry—it'll keep cooking a tiny bit as it cools.
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