There's nothing more delicious than pumpkin during this time of year. Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pie -- if it's the pumpkin, my friends and family love it! And yes, it's still pumpkin season, so make it the most of it with these scrumptious Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips.
It's egg and gluten-free (if you use GF oats), and all you need is one bowl, so clean-up's a breeze. It's the perfect choice for the busy holiday season, and breakfast on-the-go. As for the taste, well, there's a reason they mysteriously disappeared in the breakroom at work!
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Why You'll Love these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
- It's packed full of seasonal pumpkin flavor
- It's a one bowl recipe (easy cleanup!)
- A gluten-free option makes it allergy-friendly
- These bars freeze well
- Easily substitute ingredients to make it your own
Ingredient Notes
These Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars require a few simple ingredients:
- Old Fashioned Oats: Oats are what make this recipe moist and budget-friendly. Make your own oat flour by blending until fine in a food processor.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Pumpkin Pie Spice is what makes this dish so flavorful. The warm, aromatic spices are the secret that makes this recipe delicious.
- Ground Cinnamon: The extra kick from the cinnamon helps the flavors blend together.
- Pumpkin Puree: I use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The natural pumpkin adds moisture without extra sugar and gives a punch of pumpkin flavor.
- Melted Butter: Melted butter adds richness and flavor.
- Apple Sauce: Apple sauce tastes great and keeps the bars moist.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract
- Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips: I've used both semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips with excellent results.
Step-By-Step Instructions to Make These Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars with Chocolate Chips
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place rack in the middle position. Grease or line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Pulse just over ½ cup of oats in a food processor or blender until fine.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the old-fashioned oats, oat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, pumpkin puree, melted butter, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir well to combine. Then, fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer to Baking Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the additional chocolate chips on top for extra chocolaty goodness.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are fine, but no wet batter).
- Cool: Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Then, place the pan in the refrigerator for an additional 1-2 hours.
- Cut and Serve: Remove the bars from the pan with the overhang of parchment paper, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Make Your Own Oat Flour: Use a food processor to blend your old-fashioned oats until fine. You'll only need ½ cup for this recipe, but you can make more and store in the freezer to use in a bunch of different dishes.
- Make Ahead: These bars freeze great, so make a big batch to share with family and friends. You can also store them at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Let it Cool: It may be hard to resist, but let these bars cool before eating. As they set, they'll become a bit more dense, which makes them even more moist and delicious.
- Watch the Video: Check out my video to watch these tasty bars come together.
How To Store Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
Refrigerate: Keep the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Eat them cold or warm in the microwave.
At Room Temperature: Put your bars in an airtight container and enjoy them at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
To Freeze: Once the bars have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container in the freezer. Baked goods can typically last up to three months in the freezer.
Other Pumpkin Recipes That You'll Love
Can't get enough pumpkin? What you need is this Easy Thanksgiving Pumpkin Trifle, a perfect dessert for upcoming potlucks.
Also, if you're a fan of pie, Pumpkin Pie with Graham Cracker Crust is the perfect cozy treat that feels like a warm hug, and it's super simple to make - talk about a winning combination!
More Amazing Oat Bars To Try!
Love these Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down.
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Printable Recipe
Equipment
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup oat flour (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (make sure to link to pumpkin spice recipe)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- ⅓ cup melted butter
- ⅓ cup apple sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chunks or semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus more for topping)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and place rack in the middle position. Grease or line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal. Pulse just over ½ cup of oats in a food processor or blender until fine.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the old-fashioned oats, oat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt, pumpkin puree, melted butter, applesauce, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir well to combine. Then, fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer to Baking Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the additional chocolate chips on top for extra chocolaty goodness.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are fine, but no wet batter).
- Cool: Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Then place the pan in the refrigerator for an additional 1-2 hours.
- Cut and Serve: Remove the bars from the pan with the overhang of parchment paper, cut into squares and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- This is an egg and gluten-free recipe (if you use GF oats).
- One bowl soft-batch recipe that’s freezable.
- You can make oat flour by placing old-fashioned oats in a food processor and blending until fine. For this recipe, you’ll need just over ½ cup.
- Substitution: You can replace the apple sauce with 1 egg.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- You can replace the chocolate chips with raisins, chopped nuts or seeds, white chocolate chips, or dried cranberries.
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