Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bars Recipe -- An easy & healthy summer dessert made with fresh berries, whole grain oats, brown sugar, and an irresistible crumble topping. (Vegan, Nut-Free, Dairy-Free)

This post was originally published in 2018, but has since been updated.
Oatmeal bars are the kind of dessert that tiptoes around the idea that they are an acceptable breakfast. I can tell you with my utmost confidence these ones totally do. Use me as a reference if anyone questions you.
If a chocolate chip gets a free ticket to ride into breakfast, then these bars deserve a front row center seat. There's fruit. There's oats. And brown sugar. Everyone knows that's the cornerstone to a balanced breakfast…just don't use me as a reference on that one. 😉
What makes these oatmeal bars delicious & healthy
- oats
- whole wheat flour
- cinnamon
- brown sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- vanilla
- coconut oil
- applesauce
- frozen mixed berries
- sugar
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
How To Make This Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bars Recipe
Start by preheating your oven to 375°F, and lining an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. If you don't have parchment paper, you can also spray pan liberally with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of rolled oats, ¾ cup of whole wheat flour, ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon, ⅓ cup of packed brown sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce, and ¼ cup of melted coconut oil, and stir until crumbly.

Press ⅔ of the oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set remaining crumble mixture aside. In a separate mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of frozen mixed berries, 1 tablespoon of sugar, lemon zest from one lemon, and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour berries over prepared crust, and top with remaining crumble mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until browned and bubbly. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into squares.

Pro Tips:
- You can also use white whole wheat flour or regular white flour as well.
- If not strictly vegan, you can use melted butter in place of coconut oil.
- You can also make these with different types of berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
FAQs
Can you freeze these oatmeal bars?
Yes! Cut into squares, and let cool completely before storing in a freezer bag, or freezer-friendly container. Warm up in the oven or microwave to get that straight from the oven feel!
What if my mixture is too crumbly?
You need some more moisture. Add a tablespoon more of applesauce or melted coconut oil, and stir. Test the mixture by squeezing it between your fingertips. If it holds together, it's ready. If it still crumbles, add a ½ tablespoon more of applesauce/oil until it holds together.

Money-Saving Tips for this Oatmeal Bars Recipe :
- Buy in bulk. Purchasing the bigger containers of oats is more cost-effective than the smaller options. Use the leftovers for a batch of these energy bites or strawberry rhubarb overnight oats.
- Use frozen. Frozen berries are just as nutritious as fresh, and can be less expensive depending on availability.
- Opt for store-brand. Using store-brand options for basic ingredients such as baking powder, flour, and sugar are usually less expensive, and work just the same as name brand.
more summer-inspired dessert recipes:
Key Lime Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Did you make this recipe? Leave me a comment & rating to let me know how it turned out!

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Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bars
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9 bars 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bars Recipe is an easy & healthy summer dessert made with fresh berries, whole grain oats, brown sugar, and an irresistible crumble topping.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup white whole wheat flour*
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted**
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups frozen mixed berries
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- zest of one lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper or cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together oats, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Add vanilla and coconut oil, and stir until crumbly.
- Press ⅔ of mixture into bottom of prepared baking pan.
- In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
- Pour over prepared crust, and top with remaining crumble mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until fruit is bubbly and topping is browned.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes in pan before cutting into squares.
Notes
* regular white flour may be used instead.
**melted butter/buttery spread or canola/avocado oil can be used instead.
- Fresh or frozen berries can be used, as well as any type of berry you’d like if you’re not so indecisive like me. Do not thaw the berries if using frozen, and add an extra teaspoon of sugar if using fresh.
- If you want a thicker bar, you can make these in a loaf pan instead. The cook time may be a 5-10 minutes longer.
- Need to make them gluten-free? Simply swap out the flour for a gluten-free alternative, and use certified gluten-free oats.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 40
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 177
- Sugar: 13
- Sodium: 38
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 27
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 3
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: Berry, Dessert, Summer, Sweet, Healthy, Oatmeal
Deborah Brooks
Adding in fresh berries yes and yum! Homemade bars are the best
Kathryn Pfeffer
Gotta love berry season! Yum!
Deanna Segrave-Daly
I'm a sucker for any kind of fruit crumble and love this bars!
Abbey Sharp
Love this! Great way to use up all the lovely summer fruit we have now
★★★★★
Sarah Anzlovar
Love berry season! I made something so similar last week but with blueberries and peaches and we've been devouring it! Will have to try your recipe soon 🙂
Maria
These look so good! And I agree, if chocolate chips have a place at breakfast, these definitely do! 🙂
Kelly
I love that you can use fresh or frozen berries in here. Great for any season!
jill conyers
I love making homemade bars and bites. All the yummy ingredients I love and nothing I don't like.
Farrah
These look and sound so good! I have a tonnn of oatmeal I've been meaning to use up, so this sounds awesome!
Patrick
These look amazing! Homemade bars are the only way to go and with fresh anything is the best.
Becca | Rabbit Food Runner
The berries look amazing in these bars!! I love the color and that it's vegan too 🙂
Tawnie
These look amazing!
Amy Gorin
These photos are amazing! Yum!
★★★★★
Whitney E. RD
Yum!! The berries are just bursting out of these things - looks amazing!
Kelly Jones
Yum! I bet this works with apple this time of year too~
Katey Davidson
These look delicious! Can't wait to test it out!