Easy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

Easy strawberry oatmeal bars have a chewy oat base and ‘crumble’ topping, are filled with strawberry jam, and are low-cost, low-effort, & super satisfying. Plus, you can make it refined sugar-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, and with jam or fresh berries!

Chewy and Delicious Strawberry Jam Oatmeal Bars

Falling somewhere between oatmeal cookies, fruit crumble, and streusel bars, these sweet and indulgent strawberry oatmeal bars are quick, easy, and inexpensive. They might even become your next favorite treat – whether for breakfast, a snack, or dessert.

They’re made with a sweet and chewy, cinnamon-infused oat base, which doubles as the ‘buttery’ streusel topping, with plenty of pre-made jam in between. The result is a simple recipe of household staples requiring just two bowls, no mixer, and minimal hands-on prep.

There are also several ways to customize these versatile bars, including using fresh berries (great during summer), swapping the jam entirely, adding vegan chocolate chips, or even a decadent glaze drizzle.  Once baked, they’re sweet, tangy, fruity, chewy, and super delicious. Plus, they’re 100% dairy and egg-free, for a crowd-pleasing treat for the whole family.

Looking for more simple vegan ‘bars’? Check out our banana oat chocolate chip bars, gluten-free peanut butter granola bars, or chocolate peanut butter pretzel bars.

The Ingredients and Substitutes

• Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or a 50/50 combination of AP flour and whole wheat flour. A gluten-free blend, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s, should work, too.
• Oats: This recipe uses old-fashioned oats (rolled oats) – gluten-free certified if needed.
• Brown sugar: We love the caramel-like flavor of brown sugar, though regular sugar or even an unrefined sweetener, like coconut sugar or raw cane sugar, also works. A sugar alternative will also work – like stevia, erythritol, etc., added to taste.
• Leavening agents: You’ll need both baking powder and baking soda.
• Salt: To balance and enhance the flavors in these oatmeal jam bars.  
• Cinnamon: Just a pinch for delicious warmth, though it’s technically optional.
• Vegan butter: Use high-quality dairy-free butter (like Miyoko’s) at room temperature. Coconut oil will also work.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened – to act as a binder in place of eggs. Mashed banana will also work but leaves a stronger flavor than applesauce oatmeal bars.
• Jam: To make these strawberry oat bars super simple, we use pre-made strawberry jam (Regular, reduced sugar, or sugar-free). Other strawberry preserves should work, too.

Optional Add-ins

There are several ways to adapt this strawberry oatmeal bars recipe, including:

• Other fruits: As you can imagine, it’s easy to change the flavor of these jam oatmeal bars by swapping the jam. E.g., raspberry, apricot, blueberry, peach, rhubarb, etc.
• Vegan chocolate chips: Sprinkle your favorite dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips over the strawberry oat crumble bars. Use sugar-free chocolate, if preferred.
• Nuts: Sprinkle chopped almonds, walnuts, or pecans over the top for crunch.
• Coconut: Sprinkle raw or toasted coconut into the oat mixture for texture and flavor.
• Simple glaze: Combine powdered sugar + plant milk (optionally with vanilla extract) into a drizzle consistency.

How To Make Strawberry Oatmeal Bars with Jam

• First, preheat the oven to 350F/177C and lightly grease or line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.

If lining the pan, it’s best to leave a little overhang for the easiest removal.

• Then, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats, leavening agents, cinnamon, and salt, and mix well. Set one cup to the side, add the vegan butter to it, and use your fingers to mix it into a crumb consistency.

• Mix the applesauce into the larger bowl, then transfer it to the prepared pan, pressing it down for a flat, even base.

• Bake the applesauce oatmeal bars base for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven to cool for 5-7 minutes. Spread the jam over the top, sprinkle with the remaining buttered oat mixture, and bake for a further 15 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

• Use parchment paper to press the top of the oatmeal jam bars with your hand (this helps them form and set so they aren’t too crumbly). Leave to cool completely before cutting into squares (or rectangles). Enjoy!

Enjoy a slice warm, at room temperature, or chilled alone, with a dollop of vegan yogurt, easy strawberry glaze, scoop of vanilla nice cream, or coconut whipped cream.

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• Measure the flour correctly: It’s best to fluff it up in its bag, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top with the back of a knife.
• If the dough is dry and crumbly: Add extra applesauce or some plant-based milk, one tablespoon at a time, until it forms a dough.
• Don’t skip the cooling step: These vegan strawberry oat bars are fragile right out of the oven and will firm up and set while they cool for easier slicing and serving.
• Adjust the filling ratio: Feel free to increase or reduce the amount according to personal preference.

Storage Information

Leave the strawberry oatmeal bars to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

You can also freeze the oatmeal bars with jam for up to 4 months. We prefer to spread them in a single layer to flash freeze and then transfer them to a Ziplock/Stasher bag. Allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for several hours.

More Easy Vegan Oat Recipes

• Vegan overnight oats (multiple ways)
• Peanut butter oatmeal cups
• 3-ingredient peanut butter oatmeal balls
• Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
• Walnut oat scones

Photos by Alfonso Revilla