Description
Whip up nutritious Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Bars! These easy, wholesome treats are packed with fall flavor, perfect for breakfast or a snack.
Ingredients
Scale
- Base Ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- Flavor & Spice Boosters:
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Wet Ingredients:
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk (any kind)
- Optional Mix-ins:
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Prep Your Pan & Oven:: First things first, hon, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Then, grab a 9×13 inch baking pan. I usually line mine with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides – it makes lifting the bars out an absolute breeze later, I promise! A little spray with non-stick too, just for good measure. I’ve had bars stick before, and it’s just not worth the frustration. This step gets your kitchen smelling warm and ready, you know?
- Combine the Dry Ingredients:: In a big bowl, whisk together your rolled oats, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Give it a good whisk until everything looks evenly distributed. This is where all those warm, inviting spice smells start to waft up. I always take a deep breath here; it just signals that something delicious is coming! Make sure there aren’t any sneaky clumps of brown sugar hiding – that’s a mistake I made once, and it led to unevenly sweet bites. Oops!
- Mix the Wet Ingredients:: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk your eggs. Then, add in the pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and milk. Whisk until it’s all smooth and creamy. This is where the magic really starts to happen, seeing that vibrant orange pumpkin come to life. Don’t overmix, though; just combine until uniform. Sometimes I forget to let my coconut oil cool a bit after melting, and it can start to cook the eggs if it’s too hot. Learn from my mistakes!
- Combine Wet and Dry:: Now, pour the wet pumpkin mixture into the dry oat mixture. Gently fold everything together with a spatula until just combined. You don’t want to overmix; a few lumps are totally fine and actually help keep the bars tender, I’ve found. It’s a thick batter, so don’t be alarmed! This is where you really start to see the texture of the Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Bars forming, all those beautiful oats coated in pumpkin goodness.
- Spread into Pan & Bake:: Carefully spoon the batter into your prepared 9×13 inch pan. Use your spatula to spread it out evenly, pressing it gently into the corners. Get it nice and flat so they bake up uniformly. Pop it into your preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. My oven runs a little hot, so I usually start checking around 25 minutes. You’re looking for a lightly golden top and when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The smell in your kitchen right now? Incredible, trust me!
- Cool and Slice:: Once baked, pull those beautiful Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Bars out of the oven. This is the hardest part, honestly: letting them cool! Let them sit in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before attempting to lift them out using that parchment paper overhang. Then, transfer to the wire rack completely to cool. Slicing them warm can be a bit crumbly, but if you’re like me and can’t wait, I won’t judge! They should be firm but still moist, with that lovely spiced pumpkin scent.