Fruity Oaty Bars
Soft, lightly sweet oatmeal bars made with applesauce, dried cherries, and protein powder. These are simple, sliceable, and easy to make from pantry ingredients.
Servings 9
Calories 198kcal
Ingredients
Dry
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/3 cup protein powder, unsweetened (I use chocolate)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional but recommended)
Wet
- 1 1/3 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1/3 cup milk or water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 tbsp oil or nut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
Mix-ins
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup dried cherries (chopped if large)
- 2 tbsp chocolate chips (optional, if you want it a little sweeter)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Line an 8x8 pan with parchment (if you don't have this, be sure to coat your pan with a non-stick spray first)
- Mix all wet ingredients
- Stir in dry ingredients → batter should be thick but spreadable. If stiff: add 1–2 tbsp milk.
- Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.
- Spread evenly in pan
- Bake 20–25 minutes
- Turn off oven, let sit inside 5 minutes (this helps set structure)
- Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing
Notes
- No banana needed, the applesauce keeps these soft and moist
- Lightly sweet (not dessert-sweet)
- Can be made with pantry substitutions (see variations below)
- Holds together well once cooled
Nutrition
Calories: 198kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 176mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 265IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg
