Whole Grain Berry Filled Oat Bars {Homemade Breakfast Bars}
I was pretty excited last year when I won this cookbook, Weelicious Lunches by Catherine McCord. It is such a cute cookbook and I won it on a whim! I happened to fly by the giveaway and thought “why not?” I found out the next day I was a winner!
Score!
This book has so many amazing recipes in it for kids, but there are quite a few that I would honestly eat whether kiddo was here on not.
Because she’s only here on weekends we had to plan when and what we were going to make.
The Whole Grain Fruit-Filled Bars on page 249 really caught her attention. When she asked if she could make them I was a little worried they were out of my scope of kitchen work. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned my craptastic oven and how it’s so old it has a mind of its own. Or, how baking really isn’t my specialty. I thought for sure I would try this project and fail miserably.
For her, I decide to give it a go.
I know with warmer weather a lot of you are shaking your heads at me. Just hear me out. You’ll want to go ahead and give this a go. Step away from the cereal bars, granola bars and fruit flavored things that pop up all over the supermarket. Not only are these fun to make, you kids will actually beg you for more.
True story.
Kiddo and I had the best time making these. We have this thing where anything that goes in the food processor is dads job. He was unavailable so I had to run the processor. I was making a huge joke about it and she was just laughing her poor little face off. Which, made me laugh even more. Who needs dads, right? Us girls can handle everything in the kitchen. She’s thinks I am pretty comical in the kitchen anyway because I make faces and do different voices. She especially loves my extreme southern style, which really is nothing more than an over exaggeration of my already existing accent. She calls it my “Oklahoma Style.” Pretty fitting, all things considered.
First, you’ll want to toss the ingredients in the food process as stated in the directions below.
We really didn’t change too much from the original recipe. We did use 2 different types of fruit filling. Sugar free raspberry preserves and Maine wild blueberry jam. I put one type on 1/2 of the mixture using the cake pan as the guide and then the other kind on the other half.
It made 16 bars. Perfect for lunch boxes, snacks, picnics , summer snacks, beach trips and more.
Whole Grain Berry Filled Oat Bars {Homemade Breakfast Bars}
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups whole grain wheat flour
- 1.5 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 sticks unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 3/4 cup fruit preserves
- parchment paper
- 9 X 13 baking dish
- spatula
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350.
- In the food processor bowl, combine the whole grain wheat flour, old-fashioned oats, brown sugar and salt.
- Quick blend for 20-30 seconds.
- Take the sticks of butter and slice them into smaller pieces.
- Add them to the food processor along with the water.
- Mix until the dough sticks together. Test by pushing together to see if it holds.
- Grease a 9 X13 dish and then line it with parchment paper.
- Grease the parchment paper. (Trust me on these)
- Divide your oat and flour dough mixture in half.
- Put one half in the bottom of the cake pan and flatten it out as evenly as possible.
- A spatula works really well with this.
- Spread the preserves on top of the dough, spreading evenly.
- Sprinkle the remaining dough on top of preserves and gently press down using the spatula.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until oat mixture becomes a nice golden brown.
- Allow pan to cool thoroughly.
- Cut bars into pieces about 1.5 X 4in.
- Bars can be stored at room temperature for 3-5 days if sealed well or in the refrigerator for 7-10 days.
My kids love breakfast bars. I usually make the no bake type, but I’ll give this a go. Thanks for sharing on Merry Monday Linky Party.
They look good. DH and I got a book from Cooking Light with bar recipes we want to try. We liked the idea of healthier alternatives to the boxed bars. Haven’t tried them yet, but this just might inspire me to try them.
This looks like something my family would LOVE! Bookmarked it!
Thank you! I hope your family enjoys it Sandra.
These look really good. What a perfect grab and go breakfast. Thanks for the recipe.
Best recipe ever! I love fruit and grain bars, but I’ve never made one for myself before. Thanks so much for sharing this!
That looks delicious! I’ll have to whip up a batch of these bars for me and the kids. This would be perfect for rushed days.
They look nice and soft! Do they crumble easily? It looks worth a try to me!
Hey these turned out great. I’d love to make some of these for my breakfasts. The easier, the better for me when it comes to breakfast.
These look like a great replacement for store bought granola bars. Wonder if I could freeze them and take em out as needed or if they would get all soggy?
Those sound wicked good. What an awesome way to start the day!
Wow! This is amazing. My kids love those bars you can buy at the store like this but I’m always iffy about them because I never really know what’s in them. This is the perfect solution. I need to try my hand at these because I would be the best mom ever if they turned out for me! I will try!
How cool, they are like little nutrigrain bars! I want one now, haha.
These look delicious! I have never made my own bars – I will give these a try.
These would be perfect to have on hand for busy mornings! They certainly do look scrumptious!
Those look delish! Perfect breakfast or snack on the go too! We’re big breakfast bar eaters around here. Can’t beat homemade either!!
I bet my girls would love them, my husband would too! I’ll have to try them now!
I have been looking for a recipe like this. I would love to make this for my kids.
I like that you made this half and half. I’d make these, and I know the kids would like it if I did. 🙂
These would be great for a quick breakfast or snack! And they aren’t too difficult to make!
These sounds absolutely amazing. They look so much better than any store bought breakfast bar!
These look so good! I would love a homemade alternative to the processed cereal bars you buy in stores.
It has been way too long sine I’ve had anything like a Nutrigrain bar. Maybe the excuse of “trying out a new recipe” would be a valid reason and my wife will let me make some of these.
My kids love cereal bars, and I love cooking. These look so yummy! I’m sure we’d love making these together.
Those do look tasty. I might make some for lunch boxes & some for me to snack on at home.
That looks delish. I love new recipes to use with my grandkids.
These breakfast bars look delicious! I can’t wait to make my own now!
I have been looking for a recipe like this one. Thank you for sharing.
I love the idea of home made granola bars and controlling what you put in it! It can be so much healthier.
I never thought to make my own breakfast bars! These looks easy to make!
This is so funny but I just made a very similar recipe to this last week! Mine was a little different but same concept, oats and fruit. I love your recipe too!