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Introducing the easiest Breakfast Banana Bars you’ll ever make! They’re gluten free, vegan and refined sugar free using only 3 ingredients! These banana bars are the perfect healthy breakfast for on the go or even as a well balanced snack.
Recipe Difficulty – Very Easy
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
I randomly came up with this recipe a few days ago after asking my nutritionist what snacks to make Luise for her tough mudder challenge which was a 20km race.
Bananas are an excellent source of carbohydrates, potassium and vitamin B6, all of which can help boost energy levels.
Oats are a combination of high fibre and complex, slow-digesting carbohydrates. This results in a slow release of sugar into the blood after a meal which provides a sustained supply of energy to the body.
If you like the look of these banana oat bars but fancy having them as cookies or pancakes instead then try my 3 Ingredient Oat Cookies or Banana Oat Pancakes recipe!
And for another breakfast on the go try making my Protein Overnight Oats, Banana Oatmeal Muffins or Banana Baked Oats!
I added this recipe 35 Gluten Free Desserts and 10 Healthy Baking For Kids Recipes round up!
What you’ll love about these Banana Bars:
- Easy
- Versatile
- 5 mins prep
- Perfect for on the go
- Gluten free & Vegan
Ingredients to make Breakfast Banana Bars
Using these 3 simple ingredients you will either already have or can get from any supermarket. (brands featured aren’t sponsored)
- Oats – Help to bind the mashed banana. I opt for gluten-free oats but any will work.
- Bananas – When mashed help make the oats stick together.
- Cinnamon – Adds a natural sweetness and spice to these banana bars.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions
- Oats – You could also use oat flour to make these bars. You could also try using buckwheat if you’re sensitive to oats.
- Additions – Try adding blueberries, strawberries, or chocolate chips to the mix for some great flavour bursts!
- Cinnamon – This is an optional ingredient that I think boosts the flavour but you could definitely leave it out.
Variations
- Deluxe – I love these healthy oat bars as they are but adding extras is also easy to do! You could also top them with yoghurt or fruit compot.
- Kid friendly – Kids will love these as they are (especially if you put chocolate chips into them). Make mini bars or cut them up into small pieces for little ones. Or serve them with my Peanut Butter Milkshake to get top marks!
See this 5 Ingredient Chocolate Flapjack recipe for another delicious oat based recipe!
How to make Breakfast Banana Bars
Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 200C. To a large mixing bowl add the peeled bananas and mash with a fork.
Step 2: Now add in the oats, cinnamon and water and mix together.
Step 3: Line a with baking paper and pour in the mix. Press down firmly with the back of a fork to compact it into the tin. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200C.
Hint: Riper bananas make for sweeter oat bars.
Leftovers
Leftover banana oat bars are great! Keep them in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 days at room temperature. Or store them in the fridge or up to 4 days. You can also freeze these for another day. Just allow to defrost overnight.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen if you don’t allow them to cool. They will come out the oven still soft. Just allow them to cool and they will firm up.
Try adding in chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, berries. Whatever you fancy!
You can freeze these for another day. Just allow to defrost overnight.
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Breakfast Banana Bars
Ingredients
- 6 ripe bananas
- 400 g gluten free oats , (roughly 4 cups)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 200C. To a large mixing bowl add the peeled bananas and mash with a fork.
- Now add in the oats, cinnamon and water and mix together
- Line a square baking tin with baking paper and pour in the mix. Press down firmly with the back of a fork to compact it into the tin.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200C. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into bars.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Roughly what weight of banana is needed? Six bananas could be over a kilo depending on their size and ‘medium’ doesn’t mean much if all you’re used to are behemoths.
do quick oats work with this as well? if not rolled oats? i canāt find porridge oats at my store
I’ve never liked (or had!) breakfast, finding that a banana at 10 a.m takes me through the day. But I’m going to make these, and eat one every morning!
Hi james can you please tell me the macros per serving
Hi James another easy and tasty recipe, so versatile too as you can add additional fruit etc. I love your recipes keep up the good work
Love these. I also add a scoop of protein powder and a handful of chololate chips. Shared some with a neighbor and she asked for the recipe!
Thanks Lisa!
How many calories does each bar work out at please?
Roughly 228 if split into 10 bars x
They were extremely delicous and super healthy. The sugar in the bananas was enough. I also added blueberries and raspberries. Delish! Thanks for sharing! Hey
How big of pan?
Thinking of adding some peanut butter or almond butter. Has anyone tried this?
Hey, that should work fine š enjoy!
I made these this evening after doing some research on healthier snacks for me and my family, especially the children. They came out much better than i expected. The texture is really good. I thought they were going to be dry when i looked at them as i took them out of the oven because the top layer looked dry(i baked for 20mins at 200c), but they weren’t. They are a nice soft, spongy texture. No crumbling at all.
My reason for 4* is because they are not very sweet. Of course this isn’t a bad thing but I think I will sweeten it a little next time i make them, maybe with some honey or coconut sugar. They won’t really hit the spot for those days you fancy something sweet and I’m sure it can be sweetened with more natural/healthier options. We used organic agave chocolate and raspberry sauce on top of our bites,
Overall they were really good, and would i make them again? YES! Great little healthy snack and great for pack lunches!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe James š
Try stevia, a plant-based sweetener with no nasty after-taste.Just a bit pricey!
Does it matter what kind of oats I use for this recipe? I made it the other day and my entire family loved them so much that I want to make them again, but all I have at the moment is quick oats. Thank you!
Hey Alana, so happy you enjoyed them š porridge oats will work too! Just go by the weight rather than cups so 400g.
sounds super easy, how long do they last? I live alone and don’t cook very often.
Hey Flora, they will last about 3 days in a sealed container but you can freeze them too which will be really handy for you š
How long do they last in the freezer?
up to 3 months would be fine!