Healthy Breakfast Bars are fruity and nutty. The contrasting textures and complementing flavors make this the breakfast bar of choice. Easy too.
When you make your breakfast bars at home you can control the texture and taste. I have tried a few from the grocery store and I have never fallen in love with one.
Sometimes they are too hard and sometimes they are too sweet. Expensive too!
I watch my spending. Well, maybe not all the time. I can go crazy at Disneyland, and I love a nice hotel room and good shoes are important. Hmmm, maybe I only watch my spending with breakfast bars.
Anyway, there really isn't any reason to buy breakfast bars at the store when you can make them at home. The only problem is that you have to use some of your willpower and only have a couple for breakfast. They taste so good!
Whether you pull up a chair or are running out the door they are delicious and a pleasure to eat.
Can Healthy Breakfast Bars Be Made Nut Free?
Yes, for sure! Any of your favorite seed would substitute for the walnuts.
As a suggestion pumpkin seeds (pepitas) would be a flavorful crunch.
Healthy Breakfast Bars and Some Tips
I mentioned above to make cuts into the batter before baking. The neatest and easiest way to do this is with a dough scraper. Now if you don't have one of these don't worry.
You can use a knife but I often like to use a dough scraper for cutting and separating dough. It's quick and neat.
Another neat trick is to lay parchment paper into the pan before pressing in the mixture. Make sure the parchment paper hangs over two of the opposite edge. This makes it super easy to remove from the pan after baking.
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Healthy Breakfast Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup coconut oil - liquid form
- 1/2 cups dates - chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries - lightly chopped
- 1/4 cup dried apple - chopped
- 1/2 cup walnuts - chopped
- 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
- Lightly oil an 8" x 8" square pan.
- Mix flour, oats, salt and oil in a medium bowl.
- Add dates, cranberries and dried apples.
- Add the water, walnuts, sunflower seeds and mix well.
- Press into an 8" x 8" to fill out all the corners and make a connection with all the ingredients.
- Important:
- Cut into squares before baking. By this I mean for you to press down with something like a metal pastry board scraper to make deep marks so that they are easy to cut apart after baking.
- Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
IF FREEZING:
After they have cooled you may freeze them in any of the methods shown in my article Preparing Food for the Freezer
They defrost quickly so it really doesn't take any planning. The microwave will also zap them in 20 seconds or just let them defrost at room temperature.
Ginny McMeans
You are so welcome Aimee and all those extra dates sound fantastic! Love your kids too! 🙂
Aimee B.
I made this to use up a ton of dates I had on hand. They are amazing!! I don't know the exact measurement of dates I used though, maybe 1 1/2-2 cups. I just used those and 1/2 c raisins, 1/2 c pecans, and added in 1/2 T cinnamon, oh, and 1/4 c mini chocolate chips. I baked them in my toaster oven for 20 minutes. I love that there's no added sugar. My kids love them, too. Thank you for a great recipe. 🙂
Julia
I absolutely agree with you - making breakfast bars at home saves you some money and you know what you are actually eating!
Natalia
I love cranberries and this is an amazing way to incorporate it even more in our diet. These breakfast bars not only look mouthwatering, but are healthy too!
Kate | Veggie Desserts
What a great way to start the day. These are perfect for autumn!
Laura
Great idea to make them at home. Beside the cost, they are way too sweet for me. With all these delicious fruits, I wouldn't put any sugar at all.
Jillian
I love how good these look and as an added bonus, they are good for me! Thank you!
Kristina
I LOVE a good breakfast bar - especially with dried fruit. saving these to try soon, thanks!
Jacqueline Meldrum
Oh these would do me nicely for breakfast Ginny. They look wonderful!
Brandi Crawford
This looks delicious. I am always looking for new breakfast recipes.
Dahn
These look delicious. I love making this kind of breakfast bars for the days that I go to work. I will usually grab one first thing in the morning to eat while I am driving to work then have one on hand for later. I am usually running around so much that this is the kind of quick eats I tend to exist on most days.
Ginny McMeans
Thanks so much Felicia! I so appreciate you. 🙂
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Homemade breakfast bars are definitely a nifty way to save at the store and to avoid all the artificial and processed junk that is often found in the packaged stuff. Love all the ingredients in this recipe, especially the trio of dried fruits!
Colleen (Souffle Bombay)
Oh, these look good & good for you! Love anything with cranberries!
Cookin Canuck
I always think the same thing about breakfast bars - too hard or too sweet. I appreciate that these ones are made with ww flour and just natural sugars from the dried fruit. Perfect!
Paula - bell'alimento
What a great way to start the day!
Angie
These breakfast bars look so good! They're perfect for busy mornings too!
Martha @ A Family Feast
Ginny - These bars look fantastic! (And I totally agree - I haven't found many store bought breakfast bars that I enjoy!) Can't wait to try these at home!
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella)
Being able to control the flavors and textures is why I like to make a lot of things at home too. These bars look good!
Ginny McMeans
You know it Stephanie! 🙂
Ginny McMeans
Fantastic Amanda! I am so glad you are going to make them.
Ginny McMeans
Thanks for the compliment Lana! That means a lot to me 🙂
Ginny McMeans
You're a sweetheart Heather! 🙂
Heather | girlichef
ha ha ha - that gave me a good chuckle (maybe I only watch my spending with breakfast bars)! These sound wonderful, and way better than anything you could buy at the store anyway. Date and cranberry is a wonderful combo!
Lana | Never Enough Thyme
Great recipe to have, especially with school starting back soon! I love your tip about cutting the bars before baking - brilliant.
Ginny McMeans
Any oil will work Carolyn. Olive oil etc. I am just partial to coconut oil. 🙂
Amanda @ The Kitcheneer
No bar at the store could even come close to these! I am having a date obsession this summer! Totally going to make these for my hubby's new office! Pinned!
The Food Hunter
I love the combination you used. They are a great grab and go option
Stephanie @ Back for Seconds
These look pretty perfect! Good idea to save your money for shoes 😉
Carolyn Burnoski
What can I use as a substitute for the coconut oil?
Tasha @thatssoyummy
These bars look perfect for snack time anytime! 🙂
Laura O @PetiteAllergyTreats
These bars look some much BETTER than store bought bars and like you said, you're saving money too!
Lucie Javorska
OK, how do you not eat all of them at once? 😀 I don't think I could manage. They look amazing!