Blackberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars - Gluten-Free

Gluten-free, dairy-free Blackberry Breakfast Bars are made with rolled oats and sweetened with honey. They're a soft, tender wholesome bar, bursting with blackberries. Perfect for morning coffee time or a quick breakfast.

These Blackberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are so easy to make and they're naturally gluten-free! Make them with fresh berries in the summertime or frozen berries year round.

This simple recipe is also dairy-free and has no refined sugar. These breakfast bars are soft and tender and yet they hold their shape. We've found that they're a healthy choice to have for morning coffee time. They're sweet, but not overly sweet, just the way we like a breakfast bar to be.

And truth be told, we sometimes have one for dessert, too!

These are not Oatmeal Crumble Bars. Crumble bars, like these Pomegranate Apple Crumble Bars or Cranberry Lemon Oatmeal Bars are made with a base, a sweet filling, and a crumble topping. They're delicious, they're slightly sweeter than these Blackberry Breakfast Bars but they're more of a dessert bar.

These breakfast bars are also different from baked oatmeal bars. I often make these Mixed Berry Baked Oatmeal Cups with Chia or Warm Cranberry-Apple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal. They make a hearty breakfast bar that is firmer and more chewy. We like baked oatmeal bars or cups served with yogurt or milk and extra berries.

These Blackberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, on the other hand, are soft, tender and light and they're delicious all on their own.

Ready to whip up a batch? Here's what you'll need to make them.

Ingredients

quick oats: quick oats work best in this recipe. If you only have old-fashioned or rolled oats on hand, just pulse them a few times in a blender or food processor to make them a little finer. Oats are naturally gluten-free but if they're processed in a facility that also processes wheat, there is a risk of cross-contamination. Use certified gluten-free oats, if necessary.

oat flour: make your own by whirring in a high-speed blender, or use store-bought. Oat flour helps to make these bars nice and light.

coconut sugar: or a 0-calorie natural sweetener. I use Lacanto Monkfruit granulated sweetener with erythritol, but low-glycemic coconut sugar works beautifully in this recipe, too.

lemon zest: A teaspoon or so adds a bright flavour, enhancing the flavour of the blackberries.

cinnamon, baking soda, salt

eggs: You'll need 3 farm-fresh eggs.

milk: Keep these bars dairy-free by using a plant-based milk like almond milk or cashew milk.

coconut oil: melted, then cooled slightly

honey: liquid or "runny honey"

blackberries: You can use fresh or frozen. Blackberries are packed with essential nutrients and antioxidants. Did you know that they may improve brain health and help prevent memory loss caused by aging? Read more about the health benefits of blackberries.

No blackberries? No worries!

Substitute other berries for the blackberries! Blueberries, raspberries or even Saskatoon berries (also called Service berries) are delicious in these bars.

How to make Blackberry Breakfast Bars

Here's a quick overview of what you'll do to make these yummy blackberry bars. Complete instructions are in the recipe card below.

Prepare an 8-inch square pan by lining it with parchment paper. I lay a sheet in my pan so that it hangs over two edges, then lightly grease the remaining two sides with a little coconut oil or butter. The parchment paper acts like a sling, making it easy to lift the baked bars out once they're finished baking.

Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl, the dry ingredients in a smaller bowl, then combine the two. Gently fold in the blackberries, stirring as little as possible so you don't end up with purple bars!

Transfer to your prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 -15 minutes. If you try to remove them from the pan too soon, you risk having them crumble and bake. After 10 to 15 minutes, carefully remove to a cooling rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper (I just slide it out from underneath the bars.)

When completely cool, use a sharp or serrated knife to cut into bars. This recipe make 16 small bars or 9 large bars.

How to store and freeze

Store in an airtight container. These will keep fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them. Wrap bars individually, then pack into an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat on a baking sheet in the oven, if you'd like.

Make a batch of these wholesome Blackberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars today and look forward to coffee time in the morning. Enjoy, everyone!

For more recipes using rolled oats, see 30 Healthy Oatmeal Recipes.