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Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Bars

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5 from 2 reviews

Rolled oats, toasted pecans, and fresh, juicy apples come together to make this easy snack that's both tasty and healthy! These apple oatmeal bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, and made without added sugar.

  • Author: Alexandra
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 10-12 bars 1x
  • Category: snack bars and bites
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (227 grams) raw pecan halves
  • 2 cups (163 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 cups (234 grams) pitted and halved medjool dates
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (227 grams) chopped apples, skin on (I used granny smith)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread the pecans and oats out in a thin, even layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they're fragrant and appear lightly toasted.
  2. Keeping the oven on, line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on at least two sides to be able to easily lift the bars out of the pan once they're finished baking.
  3. Add the toasted nuts and oats to a food processor along with the dates, cinnamon, and salt. Using the blade attachment, process until the mixture is coarse and crumbly, with no large pieces remaining.
  4. Add the chopped apples to the food processor along with the vanilla extract, if using, and pulse in until there are no longer any large chunks left. Then, process for several minutes, stopping to move things around with a spatula as needed, until all of the ingredients clump together into a fine-textured mixture. If necessary, you can drizzle in up to ¼ cup of water, one tablespoon at a time, to help everything come together.
  5. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan, using a wide, flat spatula to pat it down into a flat and compact layer. To prevent sticking, I like to fold the extra parchment from the sides of the pan back over the surface of the mixture to use as a barrier between the bars and my spatula.
  6. Bake bars in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, at which point they should be slightly darker in color. Cool for 10-15 minutes, and then lift from the pan and slice into 10-12 individual bars.

Notes

Ingredients Notes:

  • Pecans can be substituted with other nut varieties as desired.
  • Quick cooking oats can also be used. Use certified gluten-free oats to make this recipe gluten-free. 

Storing and Shelf Life:

  • Once cooled to room temperature, transfer the bars to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for at least one week. Bars can also be kept at room temperature for up to a day or two.