Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bars Recipe

Never buy breakfast boxed bars again! These mixed berry oatmeal bars are packed with flavor and fresh, simple ingredients. They are also a lot healthier than the boxed stuff, so they’re better for your family. And you might be pleasantly shocked to learn how easy - and cheap! - it is to make them yourself.

Why I Love This Recipe

I love making these homemade oatmeal bars packed with fresh, juicy berries. They’re easy, inexpensive, and absolutely delicious, plus my family loves eating them. Seriously, I’ll make a double batch and they’ll be gone in 24 hours!

I also love making them because they don't take a lot of time to put together, are packed with healthy ingredients, and did I mention they’re delicious?! These mixed berry oat bars are soft and chewy and are also a lot healthier than the boxed stuff, so you know they’re better for your family than the ones from the grocery store.. 

You can also use this simple recipe to make all sorts of breakfast bars! Add a little orange or lemon zest into the mix. Or sweeten things up a bit with some chocolate chips. These are just a few more reasons to love these.

• SOOO moist and delicious!
• Sweet treat packed with tasty fresh berries.
• The entire pan was gone within 24 hours - I couldn’t believe it.
• Such a great way to use up berries in the summer.
• Great for get-togethers and brunches.
• Breakfast, snack or dessert!

What is a Breakfast Bar?

A breakfast bar is usually a base of oats mixed with other ingredients like sugar, butter, nuts and fruit to make a dense batter. It is then baked, and sliced into bars.

Interesting sidenote, In England these breakfast bars are called “flapjacks”.

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe calls for simple, wholesome ingredients you probably have in your kitchen.

Oats - old fashioned rolled oats preferred. Check the label for GF friendly.

Flour - I use all-purpose flour. You can also almond flour or oat flour for a GF variety.

Baking soda - use fresh for the best results!

Salt - any variety. 

Eggs - Large and fresh. For an eggless option, try using unsweetened applesauce or a flax egg.

Brown sugar - Light or dark brown can be used. You can also replace a portion with raw sugar or coconut sugar if desired.

Butter - I love salted, but unsalted butter works too.

Honey - Honey and maple syrup can be used interchangeably, depending on what you have on hand.

Vanilla extract - make sure it’s fresh/in-date for maximum flavor

Mixed Berries - any variety or combination of berries such as mulberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries

How to Make Mixed Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Follow these simple instructions for perfect oat breakfast bars every time!

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Mix well to combine.

Step 3

Add the eggs, brown sugar, butter, honey and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until well combined. Gently fold in the berry mixture so they don't break and bleed into the mixture.

Step 4

Spread the oat mixture evenly inside the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to press into the corners. Bake in the preheated oven for 23 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown around the edges.

Let the cooked bars sit in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper onto a flat surface and cut into squares.

Recipe Notes

• Add extra mix-ins if you’d like! See my full list of great options in the section below.
• This recipe can be made healthier by replacing some (or all) of the brown sugar with honey, agave, or maple syrup.
• You can experiment with different flavoring extracts like almond extract. But flavoring extracts are very concentrated, so be careful not to use too much
• Using parchment paper in the pan saves having to clean the pan and makes it easy to lift the bars out of the pan.
• Spread the bar mix evenly in the pan so it cooks evenly.
• Allow the bars to cool a little before attempting to lift them from the pan. I like to give it 10 minutes or so.
• Use vegan butter or melted coconut oil, agave or maple syrup, and applesauce or a flax egg to make this recipe vegan friendly.

What To Put In Homemade Oat Bars

Use your favorite mix-ins to add a personal touch to your oatmeal bars. Great options include

• Crunchy or creamy peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butters
• Unsweetened coconut flakes
• Lemon juice or zest
• Just a hint of cinnamon
• Chocolate or peanut butter chips - or both to give a these bars the sweet treatment
• Nuts - crushed cashews, peanuts, or almonds are great add-ins to your bars 
• Seeds - sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia or flax seed, etc

Overnight Oats vs Cooked Oats

Overnight oats are soaked in milk or water overnight, as the name would imply. The soaking process softens the oats without breaking them down as much as cooking does, resulting in a creamier and chewier texture than cooked or boiled oats, which have a soft, smooth texture

Overnight oats are also generally considered healthier than cooked oats because they retain more resistant starch, a natural carb that acts as a prebiotic fiber and can help with digestion and weight loss. Overnight oats are usually served cold, but can also be served slightly heated.

Mulberries vs Blackberries

Mulberries are sweeter than blackberries but also have a range and variety of flavors depending on their color which ranges from white or pale pink to deep black/purple. Some say perfectly ripe mulberries even taste like gummy bears!

Mulberries and blackberries share some aspects of a similar appearance, but that’s about where it ends. If you ask people the difference, you might get a lot of funny answers.

Also, the mulberry isn’t technically a true berry. It’s a fruit that grows from a tree and not a bush. 

Where Can I Find Fresh Mulberries

Mulberries only have a shelf life of a few days. Because of the high risk of food waste, it isn’t profitable for stores to carry fresh mulberries. Most supermarkets only carry frozen mulberries.

You can find fresh mulberries at some Farmers Markets when they’re in season. You can also search Google for “fresh mulberries near me” or “are there mulberry farms near me” and to find when berry season is near you. 

Mostly around here we forage mulberries in season and some neighbors even have mulberry trees and are happy to share their bounty! Especially since they know I’ll be repaying them with fresh mulberry muffins, homemade mulberry sauce, and sweet mulberry pancakes.

How to Freeze Fresh Mulberries

Freezing fresh mulberries, when you can find them, is easy and a great way to save money. Especially since most stores don’t carry fresh mulberries because of their short shelf life, and you’re lucky if you can find frozen ones. 

Wash your fresh mulberries and pat them dry with some paper towels. Line a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer with some parchment paper and place the cleaned berries in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Place the berries in the freezer for at least 3 hours or until the berries are frozen firm. When the berries are fully frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer safe, zip-top bag or container.

Frozen mulberries will be at their best for up to 6 months when stored properly.

Tips & Tricks

• Use old fashioned rolled oats for best results, but quick oats can be used if needed.
• If you require gluten free oats, be sure to read the label for GF friendliness.
• Frozen berries will bleed excess liquid into the bars, which is why I like to use fresh.
• If you prep the batter ahead and refrigerate it, let it rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes before making the breakfast bars.

How to Serve Breakfast Berry Bars

Serve these mixed berry bars as part of a great breakfast with fruit and yogurt or on their own. 

My favorite way is to add a schmear of peanut butter on them for breakfast or when having them as a healthy snack.

These mixed berry oatmeal bars aren’t just for breakfast either! They also make the perfect dessert option. Use them as the base for ice cream or top them with some jam and a dollop of whipped cream.

If you’re serving these  as part of a larger breakfast, these are a few of my favorite options.

• They go great with a small bowl of fresh fruit or fruit salad.
• Serve them with scrambled eggs and bacon.
• Make a breakfast plate with these bars and some breakfast cookies and muffins.
• Eat them with smoothies or breakfast shakes.

How to Store Leftover Breakfast Bars

Allow the oatmeal bars to cool to room temperature so no condensation forms during storage. Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Stored properly, these bars will be at their best for 7-10 days.

You can also freeze these oatmeal bars up to 2 months in a freezer safe bag. I like to put a small piece of parchment paper between the bars so they don’t freeze together.

How to Reheat

You can warm these oat bars to a chewy, gooey perfection by microwaving them on high for about 20-30 seconds.

How Long Do Oats Last in the Pantry?

Properly stored, oats will last at least a year in the pantry in their grocery store container. Oats stored in an airtight container can last almost twice as long

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Steel Cut Oatmeal Bars
Peach and Blueberry Oatmeal Bake
Homemade Granola with Honey
Blueberry Apple Muffins
Chorizo Breakfast Casserole