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!
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare a lightly greased square 8 x 8 cake pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Remove 1 cup, and place in a smaller bowl. Add the vegan butter to the smaller bowl and using your fingers, thoroughly combine to form crumbs. This will be reserved for the topping.
In the large bowl, add applesauce and stir to combine. Spread and press into the prepared square pan and bake for 15 minutes.
Once ready, remove from oven (Leave the oven on!) and let the crust cool for 5-7 minutes. Then spread the jam over the crust and crumble the remaining 1 cup crust mixture over the top and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the filling starts to bubble around the edges.
Press with parchment paper, putting slight pressure on the bars with the palm of your hand. (This helps form them so they don't crumble out of your hand!) Remove parchment paper after pressing. Cool completely, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Notes
If you don’t have applesauce, you can sub for mashed banana.
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.