Strawberry Steel Cut Oat Bars

Strawberry Steel Cut Oat Bars are made with a mix of steel cut oats and rolled oats, along with coconut, peanut butter and strawberry chia jam. Gluten-free, vegan and just 10 ingredients!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Chill Time 2

Total Time 2 45

Servings bars

Calories 234kcal

Author Leanne Combden

Ingredients

For the jam filling:

3 cups chopped strawberries fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon maple syrup
6 tablespoons chia seeds

For the oat mixture:

1 ½ cups large flaked rolled oats
1 cup steel cut oats
½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ cup coconut sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ cup natural peanut butter smooth and drippy
½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup virgin cold pressed coconut oil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the jam filling: In a small sauce pan, add the strawberries and maple syrup. Bring to a low boil and let simmer until the strawberries have softened. Mash with a fork or potato masher. (There will be a lot of liquid). Remove from heat and stir in the chia seeds. Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes to allow the chia seeds to plump up and thicken the jam.
Prepare the oat mixture: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square pan and line it with overhanging parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, sugar and salt. In a small microwaveable bowl, add the peanut butter, maple syrup and coconut oil. Microwave for two 30-second intervals, stirring in between and after until melted together and runny. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until well combined. (The mixture will be wet).
Assemble the bars: Add about two-thirds of the oat mixture to the prepared pan and press down to form a firm bottom layer. Spread the jam filling evenly over the top. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the jam and press down lightly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before transferring to the fridge to firm up.
Storage: Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-6 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Notes

Chill bars. Before cutting these bars, I always pop them in the fridge for a few hours to firm up. This will also help cut them into bars neatly.
Frozen strawberries. If you use frozen strawberries to make the jam just note that they release more liquid when cooked down. To thicken the jam, you'll need to cook it for longer or add more chia seeds.
Gluten-free oats. While oats are naturally gluten-free, there may be cross-contamination with wheat products, so just make sure your oats are certified gluten-free.
Peanut butter. I used unsalted natural peanut butter. If you use salted peanut butter, you may wish to reduce the amount of added salt you use.
Size of pan. This recipe was made in an 8-inch square pan to create a thick bar. If you prefer a thinner bar, just use a 9-inch square pan and reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Nutrition