Protein Oatmeal Bars is a popular dessert you'll love at first sight. This is a healthy, easy Pumpkin Oatmeal cookie bar recipe topped with chunks of chocolate. I've used my homemade Traditional Pumpkin Spice and that makes everything so much better. Try my favorite - Gluten Free Pumpkin Waffles made using oat flour and my go-to snack - No bake Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls.
This recipe is gluten-free because I've used oat flour and rolled oats. They make it extra crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, making you feel like you are having a breakfast cookie.
Besides that, I've used Naturally sweetened Maple Syrup for sweetness.
You can't miss my favorite healthy Crustless Pumpkin Pie and this Vegan Pumpkin Pie. If you're not into Pumpkins, you can also make my famous Vegan Chocolate Chess Pie.
What are pumpkin bars made of?
Pumpkin Bars are typically made using rolled oats, whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, butter, ground cinnamon, eggs, pumpkin puree, Pure Maple Syrup, ground ginger, and ground nutmeg.
But, since I am making a healthy version of Pumpkin Bars, I have made several changes to the traditional ingredients.
Instead of whole wheat flour I've used Oat flour to make it healthy and gluten-free. Similarly Instead of adding Sugar in any form I've skipped it completely and used Pure Maple Syrup for natural sweetness.
I haven't used butter for this recipe. I am sure it's unnecessary. The amount of fat required to hold the bars together is contributed by eggs.
Easy pumpkin oatmeal bars perfect for your fall baking rotation
Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars is a super-delicious, quick and easy dessert.
And, I love making things healthy. Call me whatever, but I love adding Protein Powder to my desserts.
Besides adding an additional dose of protein, it also soaks up the liquid well. Here are some of my favorite Protein desserts - Dark Chocolate Protein Banana Bread, Protein Loaded Blueberry Yogurt Parfait, Healthy Blueberry Muffins, Healthy Tiramisu
Ingredients
- rolled oats
- oats flour
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon (optional)
- pumpkin pie spice - Make your own pumpkin spice at home. You'll just need
- ground nutmeg
- ground ginger
- ground cloves
- all spice
- ground cinnamon
- vanilla protein powder
- pumpkin puree
- egg
- Maple Syrup
- pure vanilla extract
- chocolate chunks
How to Make High Protein Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars?
- Step 1: Combine the dry Ingredients
Combine rolled oats, oats flour, ground cinnamon (optional), baking soda, Pumpkin Pie spice, and vanilla protein powder in a mixing bowl.
- Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients
Combine Pumpkin Puree, egg, Maple syrup, and pure vanilla extract in a separate bowl.
- Step 3: Mix dry and wet ingredients together
Combine the dry and wet ingredients. Do not overmix.
- Step 4: Pour in a baking dish & Bake
Transfer the Pumpkin Oatmeal Mixture to an 8x8 inch or 9x9 inch lined baking dish. Press down some dark chocolate chunks.
- Step 5: Bake
Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 18-20 minutes. Allow it to set for another 10 minutes.
Cut them into small squares and serve them in the form of bars.
Variations
- Nut Butter - To make it creamier you can add Peanut Butter or Cashew Butter.
- Sweet - If you have a sweet tooth then you can add some coconut sugar. I recommend that you reduce the amount of Maple Syrup if you are adding coconut sugar.
- Flour - Oats flour makes it chewy and crumbly. For a gooey texture, you can use whole wheat flour or coconut flour.
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
I don't Like Pumpkin. Do you have any Pumpkin Substitutions?
Yes. You can substitute Pumpkin with Butternut squash or sweet potato. You'll need to make butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree to make the recipe with them.
How to Store Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- I suggest you store these bars in the refrigerator or keep them at room temperature (depending on your climate). They'll stay fresh for up to 3-4 days.
Can I use traditional oats instead of quick oats?
Yes, you do not need to worry about that. But let me tell you that the texture will be a bit different. It'll be chewier but you'll hardly be able to tell the difference.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars (Gluten Free + High Protein + Zero Sugar)
INGREDIENTS
Dry
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup oats flour
- 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon [OPTIONAL]
- Pinch of Salt
- ½ cup chocolate chunks
Wet
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
- ⅓ cup pure Maple Syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- First, you've got to preheat your oven to 350ºF. Prepare an 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, place all dry ingredients. Mix well. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk all wet ingredients until combined.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to wet and mix until combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and use a rubber spatula to spread it out.
- Press down a handful of chocolate chunks on the top. If desired.
- Bake at 350ºF for 18-22 minutes.*
- Allow the bars to cool down at room temperature for 10 minutes and then sprinkle some sea salt.
Notes
- Your cooking time will slightly decrease if you are using a 9-inch x 9-inch baking tray.
Nutrition
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