These melt-in-your-mouth Oatmeal Bars with a buttery crumb and a sweet raspberry jam filling are always a huge hit. With common pantry staples, these bars are quick and easy to prepare. I love to take these to potlucks, parties, and bake sales. Enjoy them for breakfast, dessert, or a light snack.
How to make Oatmeal Bars
First, in a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Then stir in the egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Split the mixture in half and pat half of it into a well-greased 7×11-inch baking pan.
Meanwhile, warm the raspberry jam in a saucepan over low heat. Using an offset spatula, spread the jam over the oatmeal mixture. Crumble the rest of the oatmeal mixture over the raspberry jam. Bake for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. For best results, let the bars fully cool before slicing.
Recipe tips
- Grease the baking dish well. I like to grease it with shortening. Jam is sticky, and it needs a good coat of butter or shortening.
- If you don’t have a 7×11-inch baking dish, use a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- For optimal flavor and taste, use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Any flavor jam works with this recipe, including strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, peach, apricot, or cherry.
- You can replace 50% of the butter with almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, or coconut oil.
- Let the dish cool before slicing, so the bars hold together well.
- Because of the jam, cover and refrigerate the bars after they cool.
- For chocolate chip oatmeal bars, skip the jam and add 2/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spoon them into the baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Store the bars at room temperature in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
- To freeze first fully cool the bars. Then slice them and layer them in a sturdy freezer-safe container with wax paper or parchment paper between the layers. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
How to freeze Oatmeal Bars
To freeze first fully cool the bars. Then slice them and layer them in a sturdy freezer-safe container with wax paper or parchment paper between the layers. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave for 10 seconds to take the chill off.
More bars you will love!
Oatmeal Bars
Quick and easy Oatmeal Bars with a soft melt-in-your-mouth crumb that take less than 10 minutes to prep. Customize with your favorite jam filling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 15 bars
- Category: breakfast/dessert
- Method: stovetop/bake
- Cuisine: Americansem
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12-ounce jar raspberry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 7×11-inch baking dish with butter or shortening.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in the egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Split the mixture in half and pat half of it into the prepared baking dish.
- Warm the raspberry jam in a saucepan over low heat. Using an offset spatula, spread the jam over the oatmeal mixture.
- Crumble the rest of the oatmeal mixture over the raspberry jam. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned.
- For best results, let the bars fully cool before slicing
Notes
- Grease the baking dish well. I like to grease it with shortening. Jam is sticky, and it needs a good coat of butter or shortening.
- If you don’t have a 7×11-inch baking dish, use a 9×9-inch baking dish.
- For optimal flavor and taste, use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Any flavor jam works with this recipe, including strawberry, blueberry, blackberry, peach, apricot, or cherry.
- You can replace 50% of the butter with almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, or coconut oil.
- Let the dish cool before slicing, so the bars hold together well.
- Because of the jam, cover and refrigerate the bars after they cool.
- For chocolate chip oatmeal bars, skip the jam and add 2/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Spoon them into the baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Store the bars at room temperature in an airtight container on the counter for up to 4 days.
- To freeze first fully cool the bars. Then slice them and layer them in a sturdy freezer-safe container with wax paper or parchment paper between the layers. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Keywords: how to make oatmeal bars, oatmeal breakfast bars, oatmeals bars recipe
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Neely Moldovan
My kids love oatmeal bars. They are our go to after school snack. I used to make them and I haven’t in a while. Going to try this!
Julie
These Oatmeal Bars with raspberry jam filling sound absolutely delicious! I love that they’re easy to make with ingredients that are probably already in my pantry. They seem versatile enough to enjoy any time of day, whether it’s for breakfast, dessert, or a snack. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try and maybe even bring them to my next gathering. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! Enjoy!
Amber
This looks like a yummy healthy snack. I can’t wait to make this for my kids. Thanks for sharing.
Sangeetha
These Oatmeal Bars are so delicious and easy to make. I love using raspberry jam as the filling; it adds such a nice touch of sweetness. I will make these again and again!
★★★★★
Luna S
Ooo yes please, I’ve had something similar to this and loved it. I bet these are delicious and I like that you could use different flavored jellies.
Patricia Chamberlain
These are excellent oatmeal bars. Next time I am going to try them with a little strawberry jam and I bet they will be just as delicious!
★★★★★
Erin
Looks totally irresistible! Need to make this soon!
Catherine
I think oatmeal bars are always a welcomed treat no matter the season. They are especially nice to have in the mornings with coffee. These look perfect!
★★★★★
Dana
These are soooo jammy and delicious!! So much better than any store-bought bars I’ve had.
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Dana! So glad that you liked them!
Beti
These oatmeal bars are fabulous! They did not last long at our house! SO YUMMY!
★★★★★
katerina
These were so delicious. I used strawberry jam because that is what I had on hand and they were fabulous. I will make them again.
★★★★★
Allie
I love breakfast bars and these ones look so easy to make, can’t wait to try them!
★★★★★
Kerri
This looks likes a delicious on-the-go breakfast option! I also would love this as a “healthier” dessert option too!
★★★★★
Nancy
Perfect recipe. It was buttery and easy to make for a quick snack. Everyone gets a bar for their work/school lunches
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Nancy! So happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
Sandra
Yummy! What a wonderful breakfast! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
Allyson Zea
I had never tried oatmeal bars before, and I was a bit skeptical, but these were so tasty!
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Allyson! So glad that you liked the oatmeal bars!
Catalina
This would be a perfect snack for us! Love all the ingredients!
★★★★★
Krystle
Love this as a grab and go breakfast. Always comes out perfect
★★★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Krystle!