These Gingerbread Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are not just 'breakfast bars', they're loved anytime of day in our house. They're vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free ~ my kind of recipe!  In fact, these bars have become one of my go-to recipes during the holidays when I want to contribute bringing a food to an event. The yummy holiday flavors of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and cranberries are always a hit! (And I'm always asked for the recipe 🙂 ).

 

Wet Ingredients:

2 flax eggs (whisk together 2 Tbsp ground flax + 6 Tbsp water, allow to set for 15 mins.)

2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp natural, unsalted almond butter

2 Tbsp coconut sugar

2 Tbsp molasses

 

Dry Ingredients:

3/4 cup GF rolled oats*

1/4 cup GF oat flour**

1 1/2 tsp ground ginger

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, Himalayan Pink Salt

 

Additional Ingredients:

1/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

 

Topping Ingredients:

1 Tbsp each of chopped dried cranberries and chopped pecans

 

Preparation for Breakfast Bars:

First, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the wet ingredients: flax eggs; coconut oil; almond butter; coconut sugar; and molasses, until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: oats; flour; spices; baking powder; baking soda; and salt, until well blended.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until it becomes difficult to stir. Then switch out the whisk for rubber spatula and fold ingredients until combined.

Once combined, fold in cranberries, pecans, and walnuts.

Pour into the prepared baking pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread into an even layer.

Gently press the topping ingredients, cranberries and pecans, onto the top.

Bake for 22-28 min or until the edges turn a dark, golden brown.

Place of a cooling rack for 1 hour or until completely cool. Finally, slice into breakfast bars and enjoy!

* Be sure to use gluten-free oats if you have a gluten sensitivity as most oats are not guaranteed to be 100% GF. Oats are often manufactured in the same facilities as wheat products. Therefore, if you don't have a GF sensitivity, you can use regular oats instead.

 

** Oat flour is the easiest thing ever to make! All you need is a high-powered blender (or a food processor) with sharp blades. Start by adding oats to your blender or food processor and blend the oats until they've become a fine powder (about 3 min). Next, place the oat flour in a glass container with a tight seal (I like to use a large Mason jar) and use as needed. Voila ~ it's as easy as that!

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