Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars | Amy’s Healthy Baking
These healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars taste like the best parts of fall! With warm spices and cozy oats filling every bite, these pumpkin squares brighten any chilly autumn day. This easy recipe comes together quickly with just 20 minutes of prep, making it simple and doable any day of the week. Perfect for breakfasts and snacks!
One fall during high school, my mom and I started a new afternoon routine. She wanted to stretch her legs after sitting at her desk at work and the ensuing commute home, so upon arriving at our house, we both changed into sneakers and headed outside.
We dashed across the busy street to the housing development on the other side. With large homes and their sprawling yards, plus a few different grassy parks, it provided a safe and spacious area for exercise, and we followed the sidewalks and quiet roads for a mile or two.
Our routes varied, especially as the days grew shorter and cooler. Our house and that neighborhood sat at the base of substantial hills, and the sun started sinking earlier in the day, plunging the homes closest to it into deep shadows… So we began beelining for the farthest side, hoping to catch a few more rays of sunshine before they completely disappeared!
Once back at our house, I stopped by the kitchen for a snack before cracking open my textbooks to start my homework. Complicated math problems, science equations, history timelines, grammar studies… I craved something cozy and comforting before diving into all of that!
Although I often opted for the ease of store-bought soft-baked granola bars, these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars would’ve been even better. Their festive flavors are perfect for fall!
Knowing me, I probably would’ve eaten them for breakfast too… With my chaotic high school mornings (I had to be on the football field by 7 am for marching band practice!), a quick grab-and-go healthy option like this definitely would’ve come in handy!
QUICK OVERVIEW – HEALTHY PUMPKIN OATMEAL BARS
Difficulty: Mainly easy, including for many beginner bakers.
Taste: Very lightly sweetened yet extra cozy, with prominent warm spice flavors shining against a comforting backdrop of pumpkin and oats.
Texture: Moist, chewy, soft, and a bit fudgy — almost like brownies.
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN OATMEAL BARS
Let’s talk about the ingredients you’ll need to make a batch of these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars! Many of them are baking staples, so there’s a decent chance your kitchen holds a lot of these.
Oats. Zero surprises here… You’ll need oats to make these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars! More specifically, instant oats. No — they’re not the ones that come in those individual packets with flavors like maple brown sugar or apple cinnamon!
Instant oats are also called “quick cooking” and “one minute” oats. Just like old-fashioned rolled oats, they only contain one ingredient: oats! However, they vary in one key way. Instant oats are smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats. That size difference means they soften faster, which gives your oatmeal bars the best moist and chewy texture. (That’s why I use instant oats to make nearly all of my healthy oatmeal cookie recipes too. They also yield an unbelievably soft and tender cookie texture!)
Hint: You can find instant oats right next to old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store. If you don’t see any bags or containers labeled “instant oats,” then look for one of their other names — either “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats.
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars gluten-free, then substitute certified gluten-free instant oats. They work perfectly!
Flour. To make these bars healthier, I opted for whole wheat flour. It has more fiber and micronutrients compared to all-purpose flour, and its subtly nutty taste adds to the extra cozy flavor of these oatmeal bars. I call that a delicious win-win!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve included how to do so there!
Pumpkin pie spice. But not just any pumpkin pie spice… My homemade blend! I’ve found many store-bought jars include a lot of cinnamon — but very little of the other spices — and therefore taste blander or more one-dimensional. I prefer to make my own to better control the spice ratio. It yields an incredibly warm and comforting flavor in my pumpkin baked goodies!
For my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend, I mix together cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Cinnamon provides that instantly recognizable warm and cozy flavor, while the remaining four add richness and depth.
If you haven’t heard of or worked much with allspice, it’s a single spice — not a mix! It earned its name because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (or “all the spices!”). I’ve started adding it to more of my baked goods within the past few years because it provides such a lovely warmth and hint of sweetness.
Tip: If you’re a big cinnamon fan like I am, then I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It tastes a bit stronger, sweeter, and richer compared to regular cinnamon. Many stores now stock it, but I typically buy mine online here. It’s really affordable too!
Hint: Pumpkin pie spice (sometimes shorted to “pumpkin spice”) acquired its name because it’s a blend of spices typically added to the filling of pumpkin pie. As confusing as it may sound, it doesn’t actually contain any pumpkin!
Butter or coconut oil. Both work perfectly, so feel free to reach for whichever one you prefer! To keep these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars low calorie and low fat, you’ll only add 1 tablespoon. The rest of their supremely moist and fudgy texture comes from the next ingredient!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars vegan and dairy-free, then use coconut oil, or substitute stick-style vegan butter. (I like this one and this one.) It also performs really well and yields the same soft consistency!
Pumpkin. It’s the star of this show! Because it’s so readily available where I live, I opted for the convenience and ease of canned pumpkin purée. It’s also called “100% pumpkin” and “100% pure pumpkin.” It adds a lot of moisture to these bars, and it also replaces the eggs… So your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars are naturally vegan, egg-free, and dairy-free!
Hint: Many stores in my area stock their pumpkin purée on the baking aisle, rather than with the other canned fruits and vegetables. Perhaps that’s just because they know how much I love turning it into sweet baked treats??
Tip: Avoid pumpkin pie mix! It includes added sweetener and spices, which changes the way it behaves in baking recipes. The only ingredient on the label should be “pumpkin.”
Sweetener. With its cozy fall connotations, I chose pure maple syrup as the sweetener for these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars. That’s the kind that comes directly from maple trees and only includes one ingredient: maple syrup. Pure maple syrup often comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this), and you can generally find it on either the baking aisle along with the other sweeteners or on the breakfast aisle near the oats.
Tip: Skip the pancake syrup and sugar-free maple syrup! These include other ingredients, which also affects the way they behave in baking recipes. This is particularly true of sugar-free maple syrup! It’s usually water-based, and that yields a bready, cakey, or dry texture.
Milk. Since these are meant to be breakfast and snack bars, not dessert ones, you’ll use half the amount of sweetener typically found in dessert-style recipes. To compensate for the “missing” part, you’ll mix in milk. Nearly any type will work, so feel free to use whatever carton your fridge currently holds!
Because it’s the kind my family drinks the most, I generally use unsweetened vanilla almond milk. If you do the same — or use a different dairy-free milk — then your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars will also be vegan and dairy-free!
No eggs? That’s right! The pumpkin replaces the eggs in this recipe, which means your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars are naturally eggless, yet they still have a wonderfully chewy, soft, and borderline fudgy brownie-like texture.
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY PUMPKIN OATMEAL BARS
Assembled your ingredients? Fantastic! Let’s go over how to make the best healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars. Like I promised earlier, this recipe is simple and straightforward. I also have some tips to ensure your bars turn out beautifully soft and perfectly flavorful! Starting with…
Measure correctly. I know, I know… I repeat this over and over (and over) again. You may even be rolling your eyes — or perhaps reciting this with me? If you are, I’m so proud!
It’s extremely important to properly measure all of the ingredients. For the oats and flour, use this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Do NOT scoop either one directly from its container. That can result in adding 1 ½ times as much as called for in the recipe! Too much of either will dry out the mixture and yield cakey, bready, or crumbly bars. This is especially true of the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture. Instead, use my method or a kitchen scale.
For the pure maple syrup and milk, use measuring cups. Please, skip the kitchen scale! I know many scales offer mL or liquid ounces as an option, but that only works for liquids with a density of exactly 1.0g/mL (like water). There’s no way to program every liquid’s density into a scale, so unless you’re willing to research the exact density of your pure maple syrup and milk — and then do the math to convert from mL to grams — measuring cups are much more accurate. (Faster too!)
So the moral of this measuring saga? Use this method or a kitchen scale for the oats and flour (and any ingredients listed in grams!), and use measuring cups or tablespoons for the pure maple syrup and milk (and ingredients listed in mL!). That will yield the softest, chewiest, and most flavorful bars!
Use the correct pan. After measuring properly, this is the next most important thing! Before beginning, double check your pan’s dimensions. You need an 8”-square pan for this recipe.
Baking pans are measured according to their top rims — not their bottoms. If your square pan is 9” across the top yet closer to 8” at the bottom, that’s still a 9”-square pan and too big for this recipe. Your bars will turn out thin and dry, and they will likely be prone to overbaking too. Your square pan needs to be 8” across the top!
Hint: Many pans have sloped sides, so it’s okay if your square pan is less than 8” across the bottom!
Tip: If you only own 9”-square pans, not 8”-square ones, then substitute a 9”-round pan. Its surface area is very similar to an 8”-square pan (63.6 in2 and 64 in2, respectively), so your bars will have the same thickness, bake in the same amount of time, and turn out just as soft and moist.
Mix by hand. Put away your stand mixer and hand-held mixer! Those tend to overmix low-fat batters and doughs, like this one. Instead, use a whisk where explicitly instructed, and use a fork for everything else.
Yup — a fork! Unlike the flat sides of spatulas and spoons, the open spaces between a fork’s tines allow for the ingredients to pass through and mix more efficiently. Therefore, it also helps guard against overmixing. Overmixing results in a gummy, rubbery, or tough texture, yet if you use a fork and gently mix by hand, your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars will turn out wonderfully soft and moist.
Bake. Once you’ve stirred together the ingredients, spread the mixture into your baking pan, and slide it in the oven. Don’t stray very far from the kitchen though! These bars finish baking really quickly.
They’re ready to come out of the oven when the edges look firm yet the center still looks a bit squidgy and underdone. The residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the center all the way through while you let them cool and rest (and more on that momentarily!). If you waited until the center looked firm and fully set, you’d end up overbaking your bars… And they’d be cakey, bready, or dry. Yet if you remove them from the oven when the center still seems a little squishy and soft, your bars will be deliciously fudgy and moist.
Tip: If the edges of the bars start pulling away from the edges of the pan within 10 minutes of removing them from the oven, then you’ve baked them long enough!
Cool + rest. Now comes the hardest part… Wait until the pan has reached room temperature and has rested for at least 6 hours before slicing these into squares. Yes, it feels virtually impossible! I should know… I tested these many times to perfect the recipe!
These healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars turn softer and fudgier the longer that they rest. If you cut into them sooner, they’ll taste cakey or bready… But if you find the patience to wait the full 6 hours after they’ve reached room temperature before taking your first bite, they’ll have the best soft and chewy texture imaginable!
FAQS ABOUT HEALTHY PUMPKIN OATMEAL BARS
Are these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, or low calorie?
Yes — to everything! These bars are naturally vegan, dairy-free, eggless, clean eating, low fat, and low calorie (compared to many more traditional recipes). I’ve also shared how to make them gluten-free in the Notes section of the recipe!
Can I use old-fashioned rolled oats?
In a pinch — but blitz them in a blender or food processor first! Pop the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats into either of those, and pulse until they’re ⅛ to ¼ of their original size. This makes them closer in size to instant oats, so your bars will have a similar soft and chewy texture.
What about a different flour?
Sure! White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and all-purpose flour all work perfectly. Oat flour (gluten-free, if needed) also performs well, but be extra careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours.
Can I substitute store-bought pumpkin pie spice?
If you prefer! I know how convenient those premade jars can be. (See the “Pumpkin pie spice” header in the “Key Ingredients to Make Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars” section above for why I prefer to make my own!)
What about another sweetener?
Yes again! Honey and agave both work just as well as pure maple syrup. I’ve included a few more options in the Notes section of the recipe too!
Or a different kind of milk?
Absolutely! Almost any type will work, so feel free to use what’s already in your fridge.
Can I make them sweeter?
You bet! Substitute additional pure maple syrup (or honey or agave) for an equal amount of milk. For example, add an extra 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons to compensate. You can even make them twice as sweet to taste like true “dessert” pumpkin oatmeal cookies by substituting pure maple syrup for all of the milk!
My bars turned out bready or dry. Why is that?
There are a few common culprits! First, make sure you’re measuring all of the ingredients correctly. Too many oats, too much flour, or not enough pure maple syrup or milk will all yield a cakey, bready, or dry texture. See the “Measure correctly” header in the “How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars” section above for more info!
Second, don’t overbake them! This is another typical cause. Try pulling the pan out of the oven a few minutes sooner, and review the “Bake” header in the “How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars” section above for more information on the visual cues to determine when your bars are done.
Finally, certain ingredient substitutions will create a cakey, bready, or dry texture. Sugar-free maple syrup often does this (see the “Sweetener” header in the “Key Ingredients to Make Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars” section above for more info!), along with coconut flour. Coconut flour is about three times as absorbent as other flours, so it immediately dries out batters and doughs and will make these bars incredibly crumbly.
What’s the best way to store these healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars? How long will they last?
Store any leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days, if not closer to a week or more. They freeze and thaw really well too!
Who else is ready for some extra cozy fall bars?? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars!
Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
These healthy pumpkin oatmeal bars taste like the best parts of fall! With warm spices and cozy oats filling every bite, these squares brighten any chilly autumn day. They’re perfect for breakfasts and snacks! Leftovers will keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¾ cup (90g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 ¼ tsp homemade pumpkin pie spice (see Notes!)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp (14g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly (see Notes!)
- ¾ cup (183g) pumpkin purée (room temperature – and see Notes!)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup (room temperature)
- ¼ cup (60mL) unsweetened vanilla almond milk (room temperature)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 300°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter or coconut oil, pumpkin, and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Stir in the pure maple syrup. Stir in the milk. Add in the oat mixture, and stir until just incorporated.
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Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 300°F for 10-14 minutes. Cool completely to room temperature in the pan. Allow them to rest for an additional 6+ hours once at room temperature for the best soft and chewy texture before slicing into squares.
Notes
IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These oatmeal bars aren’t overly sweet — and that’s intentional! They have a sweetness level similar to muffins or breakfast scones. For sweeter bars, substitute pure maple syrup, honey, or agave for an equal amount of milk. (For example, add an additional 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons to compensate.) Alternatively, replace the milk with pure maple syrup, honey, or agave for a true “dessert” oatmeal bar flavor instead.
These bars taste better if you let them rest for 24+ hours after they’ve been baked! That gives the spices time to meld and marry, so the cozy spice flavor will be more pronounced on the second day.
For a stronger spice flavor, increase the ground cinnamon in the homemade pumpkin pie spice blend (see below!) by ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
IMPORTANT PAN SIZE NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Pan dimensions are measured along their top rims, not their bottom sides. Some square baking dishes have sloped sides, so they’re 9” across the top and closer to 8” across the bottom. If that’s true for your baking dish, it’s actually a 9”-square pan and too big for this recipe. Because it has a larger surface area (81 in2), your bars would turn out really thin, barely hold together, and be prone to overbaking.
If you don’t have an 8”-square pan, then substitute a 9”-round pan. Its surface area is very similar to an 8”-square pan (63.6 in2 and 64 in2, respectively), so your bars will have the same thickness, bake in the same amount of time, and turn out just as soft and moist.
IMPORTANT BAKING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Do not over-bake these bars! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the center still feels slightly soft and underdone. The residual heat from the pan will continue to cook the center all the way through while you let the pan cool and set. (If the edges of the bars begin to pull away from the pan within 10 minutes of removing the pan from the oven, you’ve baked them long enough.)
OATS NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as “quick cooking” or “one-minute” oats. They’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats and come in large canisters or bags, just like old-fashioned rolled oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.
In a pinch, to make your own, add the same amount of old-fashioned rolled oats to a food processor, and pulse 10-12 times or until the oats are about ¼ to ⅛ of their original size.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten-free if needed) may also be substituted, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours!
HOMEMADE PUMPKIN PIE SPICE + ALTERNATIVE: For the homemade pumpkin pie spice, use the following blend: 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. (I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! ← I buy it online there, and it’s really affordable. It tastes slightly stronger, richer, and sweeter than regular cinnamon. It’s practically the only kind I now use in my baking!)
Store-bought premade pumpkin pie spice may be substituted. (See the “Pumpkin pie spice” header in the “Key Ingredients to Make Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars” section above for why I prefer to make my own!)
VEGAN BUTTER NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: Use stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one), rather than tub-style, for the best results. Unsalted butter may be substituted for the vegan butter.
PUMPKIN NOTES: Pumpkin purée is also called “100% pure pumpkin” or “canned pumpkin.” For the best results, the only ingredient on the label should be “pumpkin.” I don’t recommend substituting pumpkin pie mix because it contains other ingredients, which affects the way it behaves in baking recipes.
I haven’t tried using homemade pumpkin purée, so I’m not personally sure how that will work. If you do, would you leave me a comment below? I’d love to hear how your cookies turned out!
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup. Alternatively, substitute ¼ cup (48g) coconut sugar or light brown sugar AND 2 ½ tablespoons (38mL) milk for the pure maple syrup. Regardless of which you use, make sure it’s at room temperature. If chilled, it will re-solidify the melted butter or coconut oil.
I don’t recommend substituting sugar-free maple syrup. Because it’s often water-based, it makes the bars cakey or bready.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: Use certified gluten-free instant oats and certified gluten-free oat flour. Alternatively, for a non-oat-flour version, use the following: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob’s Red Mill) will also work, if measured like this.
DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: No modifications needed!
NUT-FREE VERSION: Use the stick-style vegan butter option, or substitute unsalted butter. Substitute your preferred nut-free milk (ie soy milk, rice milk, nonfat milk, etc) for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover oatmeal bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should last at least four days, if not closer to a week (or more!). Once baked and fully cooled, these oatmeal bars also freeze really well!
For answers to all other questions regarding substitutions and tips, see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page.
{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat, low calorie, nut-free option}
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
♡ Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
♡ Healthy Almond Butter Oatmeal Bars
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
♡ Healthy Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy pumpkin recipes and healthy snack recipes!
