Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Strawberry oatmeal bars are a healthier fruit dessert made with fresh strawberries, whole grain butter crumb topping, and a lightly sweetened vanilla glaze. This healthier oatmeal bars recipe is a favorite, because these delicious treats are easy to make and just 100 calories each!
Now that spring is in bloom, I wanted to reshare one of my and YOUR favorite healthy desserts, fresh Strawberry Oatmeal Bars!
These Strawberry Oatmeal Bars have become one of the most cherished recipes on my site over the years. I love hearing the different ways you’ve stumbled upon it, often through word of mouth, but equally as much because you were looking for healthy desserts under 100 calories, healthy desserts for kids, easy oatmeal bars, or (and perhaps best of all) healthy strawberry recipes you could feel completely justified eating for breakfast.
This Strawberry Oatmeal Bars recipe has a special meaning for me too. Since starting my blog, every year on Ben and my wedding anniversary, I’ve shared a strawberry dessert recipe, because strawberry was the flavor of our wedding cake.
Plus, I never turn down a good excuse to add more healthy fruit desserts to my life.
I originally baked strawberry oat crumble bars on our four-year anniversary, and I still bake them often. They’re unbelievably easy (one bowl, no mixer!), work with fresh or frozen strawberries, and, as the reviews attest, they are wonderful: scrumptious, buttery, fruity, and sweet—everything a strawberry dessert can and should be.
As it so happens, tomorrow is Ben and my SIX YEAR wedding anniversary! SIX YEARS. When did that happen???
We’ll be spending a romantic day celebrating exactly how I’m sure Ben always imagined it: with his in-laws.
We’re in Kansas City for Easter weekend with my family, and while I didn’t get around to baking a special strawberry dessert (or feel up to carrying one with me on the plane), I have full confidence that what we’re doing instead—a family beer and BBQ tour—won’t be regretted by either of us.
So, while a new, fresh strawberry dessert will have to wait until our return (I’m thinking maybe a new spin on a frozen strawberry pie like this Strawberry Frozen Yogurt Pie?), for today, I’m happy to relive the delicious magic that is this easy Strawberry Oatmeal Bar recipe.
I also added a new video to the bottom of the post where I show you step-by-step how to make these fresh strawberry bars. (SO EASY!)
Finally, for those of you who share my love of wedding pics, I have a few unsolicited ones from our wedding for you too! Prepare yourself: it’s about to get sentimental.
Fear not. The best recipe for Strawberry Oatmeal Bars is waiting for you at the end!
Why do I feel like we’d be a bit less light on our feet if we tried to reenact this one six years later?
My mom walking me down the aisle. My dad passed away unexpectedly 10 years ago, so my mom did me the honor.
While—to put it weakly, incompletely, and as a total cliché—my life will never be the same without my dad, I am unbelievably fortunate to have another wonderful man in my life, my husband, Ben. I am married to the best person I know.
OK, now that we have that little jaunt down memory lane out of the way, let’s talk more about these healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars!
The Best Strawberry Oatmeal Bars. EVER.
A bewitching cross between a soft bar cookie and a streusel-topped crumb bar, these sweet treats are the perfect use for the fresh strawberries that are finally starting to make their way into grocery stores in big, juicy quantities.
(If you are looking for frozen strawberry recipes, these Strawberry Oatmeal Bars will work with them too! See the recipe notes for more details.)
The top and bottom “crust” of the oatmeal bars comes together in a single bowl, and since the recipe calls for melted, not softened, butter, you don’t even need to wait for the butter to come to room temperature first.
If you are looking for a strawberry oatmeal bars vegan recipe, many readers have successfully swapped coconut oil.
Our next easy oatmeal bar victory: Most strawberry oatmeal bar recipes require making the filling in a separate bowl; these fresh strawberry bars do not.
Once you’ve pressed the first crust layer into the pan, simply scatter the filling ingredients—diced strawberries, lemon juice, and a touch of sugar and cornstarch—right over it, then sprinkle the remaining oatmeal crumble on top.
In the oven, the strawberries “cook” into a bright, strawberry-pie-like filling that’s reminiscent of homemade strawberry jam.
Made with oatmeal, whole wheat flour, and little added sugar (the sweetness of these bars comes almost entirely from the fresh strawberries themselves), these healthy oatmeal bars are wholesome enough for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Try one warmed up with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
For those who prefer a sweeter take, a drizzle of vanilla glaze (recipe included below) sweetens the strawberry bars enough for dessert. (Another dessert option: these Strawberry Jam Bars!)
Though, if you feel the need to garnish them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, you have my blessing to say “I do!”
Speaking of “I do,” in keeping with prior years’ anniversary post traditions, here is a brief excerpt of what I learned about marriage this year. A few of these are from the prior post (I should take my own advice more often), and a few I just added. I’m sure that to many, these lessons will seem trite; however, they are sincere, and as all good lessons should be, they are practical too.
- Leave three things a day unsaid. I owe Gretchen Rubin for this nugget. That little critique you are dying to utter or grievance you want to air? Don’t. It will feel good for all of two seconds. A pleasant, positive atmosphere feels good all night.
- Put your phone away. I don’t mean face-down on the table “away.” I mean, AWAY. During dinner or another shared activity (reading in bed, watching Netflix, etc.), put your phone somewhere where you can’t get to it without physically standing up and walking. Maybe I’m supremely lazy, but placing my phone where I’d have to go to the trouble to haul myself up from the chair/couch/pillow and walk over to pick it up removes the temptation. No matter how quickly I glance at my notification screen or check to see how many Instagram likes my most recent post received, looking at my phone silently says to Ben, “What I’m looking at is more important than what we are doing together right now.”
- Say thank you when your spouse completes shared household tasks, like unloading the dishwasher or taking out the trash. It’s nice to be appreciated, even for the chores that are “expected.” I may have mentioned this one in years past, but it is worth repeating. Gratitude never goes out of fashion.
- Say yes when your spouse asks you to look at something, even if that “something” is YouTube video of a hockey goal that you can’t possibly hope to follow despite your spouse’s detailed, five-minute explanation. It’s an opportunity to share an activity that’s important to them, so let it be important to you too.
OK, let’s eat some Strawberry Oatmeal Bars!
Past years’ Anniversary Posts (and More Strawberry Desserts)
- One Year: Sprinkle’s Bakery Strawberry Cake
- Two Year: Strawberry Almond Skillet Cake
- Three Year: Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Four Year: Strawberry Oatmeal Bars (original post date)
- Five Year: Chocolate Mousse Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
Recommended Tools to Make This Healthy Dessert Recipe:
- Favorite 8×8 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper (I love these precut sheets)
Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Bars:
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats — gluten free if needed
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour — or substitute all-purpose flour or 1:1 baking flour to make gluten free
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter — melted (or substitute melted coconut oil to make vegan/dairy free)
- 2 cups small-diced strawberries — about 10 ounces, divided
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice — from about 1/2 small lemon
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar — divided
For the Vanilla Glaze (optional but delicious, especially if you prefer a sweeter bar):
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar — sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk — any kind you like
Instructions
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Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper overhangs two sides like handles.
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In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, ginger, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir until it forms clumps and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumble mixture, then press the rest into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan.
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Scatter half of the strawberries over the crust. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon of the granulated sugar. Scatter on the remaining berries, then the remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs evenly over the top. You will have some fruit showing through.
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Bake the bars for 35 to 40 minutes, until the fruit is bubbly and the crumb topping smells toasty and looks golden. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely (you can speed this process along in the refrigerator).
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While the bars cool, prepare the glaze: In a medium bowl, briskly whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Feel free to add more milk if a thinner consistency is desired. Using the parchment-paper handles, lift the bars from the pan. Drizzle with glaze, slice, and serve.
Recipe Notes
- The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13-inch baking pan. The bars will be a bit thicker but will still be delicious. To make them gluten free, substitute the white whole wheat flour with a 1:1 baking mix like this one.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, let the bars cool completely and do not glaze. Wrap tightly in plastic before placing in the freezer. Let thaw in the refrigerator and top with glaze before serving. (Bars can be frozen already glazed if needed.)
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1 (of 16) without glaze) — Calories: 100, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 19mg, Carbohydrates: 13g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Protein: 2gDid you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that I make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
We love your blog and have nominated you for the Leibster Award! http://simplysundaysfoodblog.com/2016/03/31/liebster-award/
Thank you so much Susan!
First of all, this recipe sounds delicious.
But what I came here to say is congratulations! Those photos are so adorable, I wish one day when I get married I have photos as pretty and lovely as yours to look back on.
You are so kind. Thank you Vivian!
Oh my gosh Erin your wedding dress and pictures are GORGEOUS! Happy anniversary to you and your husband!!! Love the three tips you included about what you learned from marriage. Have an amazing day!
Marina, you are too kind! Thank you so so much. You have an amazing day too!
LOVE this! Happy anniversary dear friend, your dress was gorgeous and your pictures are the cutest! I love the tradition of writing a post on your anniversary, so I might have to steal that one from you :)
PLEASE DO because I want to read yours! Thanks lady :)
I just love your anniversary posts. <3 Enjoy the time with your mom. Happy Anniveresary!
Thank you so much dear! xoxoxoxo
A beautiful bride, Erin. Thank you for the nice bars. They sound and look wonderful
Thank you so much Liz. That means a lot!
First of all, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! LOVE seeing your wedding photos. So gorgeous. Also, love the little nuggets about what you learned this year. My parents, who have now been married for just shy of 44 years (SAY WHAT?!) say not a year goes by that you don’t learn a few new things about how to do marriage, and life together, better. And OMG – these strawberry bars. What a perfect way to celebrate. Think I might have to join you in making a batch tonight :)
Leah, I’d love to hear what your parents have to say! That makes me happy to hear that I’ll always keep learning :) Thanks so much for your kind note and anniversary wishes!
Happy Anniversary to you and Ben.. My hubby and I just celebrated 21 years on March 20 th. Don’t blink Erin ~~time goes by so fast..
I love your dessert. We had a strawberry cake with blueberry and raspberry & blackberries. The merging of flavors were divine with cream cheese icing.
Your dessert looks so yummy..
Make it a great day. I love your blog..
I love your photos.
Thank u for sharing so much ..
Love you girl,
Kim
Kim, congrats on 21 years!! That is just inspiring, and a great reminder to cherish every day. Thanks so much for your kind words and wishes. They mean so, so much <3
Congratulations to you! I admit, I teared up reading this post and love seeing the picture of your mom walking you down the aisle. And those bars look absolutely divine girl!
Amanda, you are simply the best. Thank you so much! xo
Dear Erin, congratulations to you and Ben on your fourth wedding anniversary! Thank you for sharing the lovely photos from the big day! You look gorgeous and over-the-top happy! How nice that your mother could walk you down the aisle; I’m sure you could feel your father’s presence. Are those ruby slippers I spy under your beautiful and elegant wedding dress???
Good eye Laurie! Why yes they are. I love bright red, so I couldn’t resist. Thanks so much for you kind note too :)
What a sweet and fun way to celebrate your wedding anniversary! Matt and I came up with a rather fun gf cake for our upcoming wedding: hummingbird with cinnamon buttercream between the layers and covered in peanut butter buttercream. I found a recipe from The Lean Green Bean for hummingbird pancakes that I plan to make soon. I intend to start the same tradition as you and will make hummingbird desserts to celebrate. :) I love your marriage insights and believe they are all so true and worth reminding ourselves. I need to physically put my phone away much more. Happy anniversary, and the photos from your special day are beautiful!
Kori, can you believe I have never had a hummingbird cake??? That needs to change ASAP! I love that you came up with your own cake—that is so special. Thanks for your kind words, and I hope you and Matt have a lovely weekend (with pancakes!).
Thank you, Erin! I ran my first 10k (never thought it would happen!) but didn’t have time to make pancakes. That will be next on the agenda! ;-)
Happy Anniversary to you and Ben. I think the lessons you learned this year and so generously shared with your followers are great for anyone to apply to interaction with others. Thank you.
I also wanted to add that while I have only “met” you through your blog, I think it’s safe to say that Ben might think that you are the best person he knows!
Helen, I am BLUSHING. Thank you so, so much. You are too kind!
Happy 4 years! What a lovely post- you looked beautiful on your wedding day :) Hope you have a lovely time with your mother visiting and lots of these oatmeal bars. Totally love how easily the filling comes together!
Thank you so much Medha! I hope you have a great weekend too.
Happy anniversary! Many, many more, each happier than the one before.
Terry, I love that rhyme! Thank you so much for the kind words and wishes.
I would give anything to be able to spend another day with my mom. Cherish this time! A very Happy Anniversary and many more to my favorite blogger and her hubs! And the oatmeal bars look great too!
Marsha, I’m so sad to hear that your mom is no longer with you. I will absolutely cherish our time and appreciate your reminder! Thanks so much for your kind anniversary wishes too.
Happy anniversary Erin! Your pictures are so beautiful. My sweet mama just visited me the other weekend to help out with some things around our house, too. Aren’t moms the best?? Hope you had a wonderful time together and ate plenty of these amazing looking bars! Cheers!
Lauren, I definitely am lucky to have her help! Thanks so much for the kind note and wishes.
Happy anniversary!! You were such a gorgeous bride. Love all those photos. :) And these bars, my god. I need them!!
You are so sweet Dorothy. Thank you!!
These look so delicious…..your wedding dress is beautiful…..great picture of you and your mom….
Thank you so much for the kind words and wishes! It means a lot :)
hey girl Happy Anniversary! Love the pics and those flowers were so pretty and so was your dress! God has blessed you both so much! And by the way …..the bars look so yummy!
You are so kind Shawnna. Thank you dearly!
Happy anniversary! I love your cute tradition of making a strawberry dessert every year and I adore those beautiful wedding photos! These bars looks so incredible – definitely worthy of celebration :)
Thank you so, so much Rachel!
Erin I love your tips! Especially the 3 things unsaid and the phone tip. Sometimes phones ruin everything. These bars look amazing! Happy anniversary! PS I love that picture of your mom. You both looks so beautiful and happy.
You are the sweetest! Thank you Karen!
Happy Anniversary Erin! Love your blog, sense of humor and yummy recipes. :)
Many continued blessings to you and Ben.
Can’t wait to try these bars!
P.S. Can I use frozen strawberries?
Thank you for the kind note Elisabeth! Honestly, I would be nervous that frozen strawberries would get too mushy once they thaw. The amount of juice in fresh strawberries is just right for the recipe, and you also have to dice them fairly small, which I think would be a challenge with frozen berries, since those come in larger pieces. If you do decide to experiment with frozen though, I’d love to hear how the recipe comes out!
Happy anniversary Erin and Ben!
Darling post, yummy looking bars and timeless marriage lessons that are worth repeating year after year!
Here’s to many more happy years together!!
Thank you so much for the sweet wishes Ana!
Erin, I made these this evening – so good! They cool down so fast that I tried it practically straight out of the oven and so delicious warm – my initial sample taste of just the corner piece grew to take over an entire side of the pan..it happens, what can I say. They are crumblier than I thought they’d be but I think it’s because I reduced the butter a bit. Will be great with a dollop of yogurt for breakfast – I was looking for some variety for my breakfast and this is going to hit the spot!
Ana, I am so happy to hear that! And I’ve totally been there with the side of the pan vs. corner :) The crumbliness I’m sure is related to using less butter than listed in the recipe, but I’m glad you are happy with how they came out!
Happy Anniversary!
We are celebrating our 6 month anniversary this month. Time does fly!
Happy anniversary, newly wed! :)
Oh my goodness. THOSE BARS LOOK DEVINE. And the photos of your wedding are so beautiful (especially the one of your mum walking you down the aisle)! I love that you write a post every year on your anniversary to reflect on the marriage and to add a new strawberry dessert to your library of yummy treats. That’s such a fun tradition, and something that will be so nice to look at many years down the road! Filling your blog with great recipe is amazing, but filling it with special memories is priceless! Wishing you two all the best this year (and every year) for your anniversary. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got three other strawberry dessert posts to read! :)
Ok, I was just going to read the other anniversary posts and go on with my day (because normally when I start reading your blog I get sucked in and read for hourrrrrsssss) but I absolutely had to come back and make a comment on your photography. I’ve read a lot of your posts (hardly ever in real time, but just as I’m browsing around then I inevitably get lost in the Well Plated rabbit hole). It’s amazing to me that you started the blog after you got married (only 4 years ago!) and it’s already in such a great place. And it’s even more amazing to look at the photos from those four anniversary posts and see how far your photography has come and how much you’ve grown! You should be very proud of how your blog has grown over the years, I definitely am!
Jess, this email practically brought tears to my eyes, it is just so sweet and kind. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. It means more than I can say. xoxoxo
Happy Anniversary! I love that you make a strawberry dessert each year to celebrate. Your photos are gorgeous!
I hope you had a wonderful anniversary, I have seen your photos from your wedding over the years and they are beautiful. I made these on Saturday morning, after breakfast was made, I had some strawberries that needed to be used and I had all the other ingredients on hand. They were simple and delicious and we all loved them. I also loved that I didn’t have to made a separate topping. Thank you for this simple healthy recipe. Even though I added the glaze, which just made them better.
Courtney, thank you all of this! Your kind words, trying the recipe, and taking time to share your review here. It all means so much!
This looks yummy! You were a gorgeous bride. I love your dress.
Enjoy your time with your mom.
You are so kind. Thank you Leila!
Happy anniversary! These bars look so perfect for spring!
Thank you so much Shannon!
I love the recipe and how you incorporated your personal life into this post! Love your site!
Noelle, this is the sweetest note. THANK YOU! You made my day :)
Love the recipe and what a sweet post! I don’t think I’ve ever seen your wedding photos. You were a lovely bride! I need to apply marriage tip #1 more lol. Congratulations on your anniversary!
Thank you so much Natasha!
Congratulations of four years of marriage Erin and Ben! I love the emphasis you put on learning and growing together with your husband. It sounds like you and Ben are great partners! I’ve been following your blog for about a year now and I always enjoy your style of writing and practical healthy recipes. These strawberry bars look so simple and I like that they can be a healthy treat or a sweeter dessert!
You are so kind! Thank you Diana. That really means a lot.
Oh my goodness!! I just made these, I had some strawberries in the fridge that needed used up. Fantastic!! My husband loves them too. I debated about the glaze, and he voted no glaze. And guess what? They don’t need glaze. They are perfect just as they are, with a little dollop of whipped cream on the side. They are just the right blend of sweet and tart. I’ll definitely make these again. They are perfect with a cup of tea for a special afternoon treat. Thanks for a great recipe!
Christine, I am so so excited to hear this!! Thanks so much for sharing your review. It means a lot and is so helpful for others considering the recipe too!
Thanks for sharing a great recipe! I made this tonight as directed and served it warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yummy!!! I will definitely be making this for years to come!
Connie, I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and letting me know how it turned out for you.
Where are directions??
Hi! They are listed in the recipe box that is just above the comments section.
I bought 3 quarts of strawberries yesterday for $1.28 each!! Came across your receipe, which looks fabulous. Question, I am out of parchment paper. Could I line the pan with a sheet of foil and be okay?
Hi Sally! I would just grease the pan well and omit the parchment paper. I don’t think that the foil is necessary. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Made these this morning and they turned out great! Used half coconut oil and half butter.Thanks for a great recipe!!
I’m so excited to hear that Gabrielle! Thanks for trying the recipe and letting me know how it came out for you.
Went strawberry picking over the weekend and made these bars this morning. I found them a bit wet. Has anyone tried drying the stawberries somewhat first? Thx.
Hi Lisa! The bars are a little moist vs. crispy, but should not be wet. My guess is that your strawberries were particularly ripe, since they are freshly picked. Next time, I would suggest sprinkling on a little extra cornstarch. I hope that helps!
Just found your site looking for a healthy recipe for teacher appreciation week! I’m going to try it today! I’m going to double the recipe, should I just keep them in two separate 8×8 pans or can I just use a 9×14 cake pan? By the way happy Anniversary! You were a beautiful bride!
Just printed the recipe and saw your note at the bottom about doubling the recipe, thanks!
Glad that cleared it up Jodi! I hope you love the bars :)
Just wanted to say I made this today and it turned out great!! So tasty! I have one question though which may be dumb but just have to ask! How did your glaze stay so white? After adding the vanilla mine turned a very light brown color and although the taste was perfect I like the look of the white over the browned oats and was wondering if you know what may have gone wrong? I even added more sugar and milk but the color remained. Thanks again for a wonderful recipe!!
Raj, I’m so happy you loved the taste of the bars, and this isn’t a dumb question at all! You made the recipe perfectly. Pure vanilla extract (which is what you should ALWAYS use while baking) can make a glaze look slightly brown, since it is brown in color. The taste is totally worth it though! I used a clear vanilla extract for the photos only, because it comes out a more true white.
Thanks Erin! Good to know I’m not yet officially crazy! I made these with my 2.5 y/o twins trying to grab the ingredients as I used them so I thought maybe I just messed something up! Thanks for the clarification and happy anniversary!!
Thanks Erin! Good to know I’m not yet officially crazy! I made these with my 2.5 y/o twins trying to grab the ingredients as I used them so I thought maybe I just messed something up! Thanks for the clarification and happy anniversary!!
Happy Anniversary Erin! I hope you had a lovely day with your hubby and mom. :) Thanks for sharing these lovely bars. Can’t wait to try them. I have some strawberries in the freezer that I have been looking for a recipe to pull them out. Not sure if the texture will be a bit off, so I may sub in some fresh berries too.
Thanks again.
Hi Chris! A few readers have had good luck using frozen, thawed berries. (if they are whole, let them thaw enough to chop them) I hope you love the bars!
I made your strawberry oatmeal bars tonight and they are delicious! My only regret… is I didn’t make a double batch! Have you tried freezing these? I would love to make a couple batches and freeze them for a quick and delicious breakfast on the way to work.
Stephanie, I”m so happy you loved these so much! You can certainly freeze these. If time allows, I’d suggest freezing them without the glaze, then letting them thaw in the refrigerator. You can then add the glaze right before enjoying (otherwise, the glaze tends to “disappear” when frozen/thawed).
Did you use old fashioned quick oats?
Thanks!
Hi Lauren! Old fashioned oats usually refer to “rolled” oats which are less processed than quick oats. I used the old fashioned (rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, but the texture of the bars will be softer because rolled oats are more sturdy and hold up better in baking.
These bars look delicious !! Can less butter be used ??? Or can lower fat margarine be used instead ??? Gotta watch the fats in our diet ..thanks so much !!
Hi Doris! I’ve never tested this recipe with either less butter (I think it would turn out too crumbly/dry) or a lower fat margarine. Overall, the recipe really doesn’t have a significant amount butter compared with similar bars. If you don’t mind the taste of lower fat margarine, you could try that swap though!
I never comment on recipes. That said, I logged back onto my computer after making these bars, because I simply had to tell you how awesome they are. I didn’t even do the glaze—they’re plenty sweet, as is! And I just plain love them. Even better— my kids both love them, too. Many thanks for a fabulous recipe! :)
Debbie, this makes my night!! Thank you SO much for sharing this kind review. I’m so happy that you and your kids enjoyed these bars so much. Have a wonderful night!
These granola bars looked interesting so gave them a try. They were very good. My hubby especially liked them. I would make them again. They are a keeper.
Carol, I am so happy to hear how much you and your husband loved them! If you try the recipes with blueberries too, I’d love to hear how they come out. Thanks for taking time to leave your review!!
I ment to mention that I am going to try this recipe with blueberries. Also will try using coconut oil in place of the butter. I think the blueberries will also be yummy.
Hi Erin, I made this recipe the other day, it was gone in a day (and there’s only 3 of us) so I made it again two days later (gone again). It’s delicious and so flavorful and good for you too!. I like that there’s loads of strawberries. My daughter had it for breakfast and even snuck a piece or two for a late night snack :).
Debbie, I am so excited to hear this! Thanks so much for sharing how much you and your family enjoyed the bars. It means a lot!
Happy Anniversary! Rarely do I have time to look at Pintrest but your recipes looked so yummy that I could not resist. Thank you for sharing your anniversary tradition of making a strawberry something to celebrate. My husband and I will be married 40 years in July. I think I should make these to celebrate early! We eat breakfast in bed during the week and these would indeed be scrupulous with yogurt.
I love that tradition Karen! Thanks so much for sharing it, and I’m so glad that you found these bars :)
Thank you for the recipe, it was delicious!!!
Made it with Coconut Oil instead of butter.
I’m so excited to hear that Michaela! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your review. It’s great feedback for me and for others too!
Made these tonight! Excellent flavor but like a few others, mine fell apart. I think my berries may have been extra ripe. I did use some of the suggestions and doubled the cornstarch hoping it would firm up the bars. I’m going to make another batch with store bought strawberries and 1.5x the crumb mixture. They were sooo good with some strawberry Greek yogurt. Have you ever added protein powder to increase the protein content? These would be perfect for breakfast if I could find a way to up the protein. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!
Hi Sarah! I’m glad you liked the bars and think your suggested tweaks sound like a great way to play around to get the bars to be just to your liking. I’ve never tried these with protein powder, so this would be an experiment on your part. Definitely keep an eye on the batter to make sure it’s not overly dry. You can always top with with more Greek yogurt for protein too!
Hi Erin I really want to make this recipe after searching for strawnerry dessert for a while ! Do you think coconut sugar will be used instead of granulate sugar? Will it change the color of the bar? Thanks ❤️ And btw you were a gorgeous bride ❤️ ??
Katie, I’ve never made these with coconut sugar, so I can’t give you specifics. Coconut sugar is a lot drier than granulated sugar, so I would be concerned about the bars drying out—you might want to think about adding extra butter, some Greek yogurt, or applesauce to off set this. I’d suggest searching online for tips to swap regular granulated sugar for coconut sugar. Coconut sugar also acts more like brown sugar vs. white, so the color, flavor, and consistency of the bars would be different too. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to hear what changes you make and how the bars turn out!!
Thank so much for your suggestion I just start baking not long time ago and your site now is the place I do enjoy reading !! Your creations are fantastic!!
Erin,
Can I just say that this is my new favorite thing, on the planet. It’s literally perfect. I didn’t have enough to strawberries so I threw in some blueberries to make up for it. Delicious! Anyways, thanks for sharing your genius :)
Rachel, I am sooooooo giddy to hear this! Thanks so much for sharing this glowing review. I’m so happy you love the recipe, and the blueberry addition sounds dreamy :)
This is a super easy recipe and delicious! I used our garden strawberries. Thanks for the recipe. I will definitely be making it again.
Karen, I am so pleased to hear this, and I bet this recipe was pure heaven with your garden strawberries! Thanks for sharing your review.
Can I use regular whole wheat flour if I don’t have WHITE whole wheat flour?
Denise, you certainly can, though the bars might come out a bit dryer and they will have a more pronounced “wheat” taste. I’d suggest trying half whole wheat flour and half all purpose if you prefer not to purchase white whole wheat flour, which is softer and milder in flavor.
Hello! I tried this recipe last night and wow are these bars good! Not too sweet and perfect for summer. The bars do get softer as they sit but I bet it’ll be great in a bowl with Greek yogurt.
The only changes I did was I used coconut sugar and drizzled in a some molasses to mimic brown sugar. I used probably around a tablespoon. Also, I skipped the lemon juice since I didn’t have any. Great recipe.
Kathy, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed these bars so much! Thanks for letting me know how they came out for you.
Hi Erin! I was wonderinf if I had to use kosher salt as opposed to regular salt? I wanted to make these now but sadly don’t have kosher salt in my kitchen! ?
Hi Deanna! I prefer the taste and seasoning qualities of kosher salt which is why you’ll see it listed in all my recipes (letting you know in case you try others), but you can certainly use table (regular) salt in this recipe if that is your preference. You’ll want to use a reduced amount, because the grains of kosher salt are larger than table salt. If you do try them, I hope you enjoy the bars!
Hello from Leeds, England!
I just discovered your blog when I was searching for a healthy, different recipe to enter into a Bake-off coffee morning competition on Sunday and thought these Strawberry Oatmeal bars sounded perfect.
Guess what? I won!!!
The judges loved the summery, fruity, not-too-sweet flavour and moist texture. They were so easy to make and now all my friends want the recipe!
I won a beautiful glass trifle bowl! So THANK YOU very much for a fab prize-winning recipe!
(I love your wedding photos and marriage tips too)
Natalie x
Natalie, WOW! I’m glad these were such a hit, and I’m sure the bowl is lovely too :)
HI Erin! I just came across your blog and love your recipes, I loved blogging my fave recipes too! I’m going to make these strawberry bars tonight for my daughters to take to a party tomorrow, they’ll be perfect!
I also showed my friend the pic of your Mom and you, she is getting married next year and wanted to know if you would share where your Mom got her dress from? It is stunning on her, so elegant!
Best to you, Kim.
Kim, this completely made my mom’s day!!! Her dress is from Nordstrom. Thanks for your sweet words, and I hope that you love the bars!
Loved your recipe! It came out delicious. I didn’t add the glaze. The bars were sweet enough for me on their own. I’m planning on bringing these to work for my breakfast. They’re so easy to pack and go. Thanks!
Kat, I’m so excited to hear this! Thank YOU for taking time to leave this wonderful review!
Yay for your Anniversary !! Beautiful … question about the bars … is it possible to use frozen strawberries??
Also, spraying the pan with non-stick a good idea ??
If you use parchment paper, you shouldn’t need to spray, but it won’t hurt either :)
Thank you Shari!! You can certainly use frozen strawberries. I have details for you in the recipe notes!
Thanks Erin … hope you have a spectacular day !! And if I do try the frozen, will definitely let you know
This comment isn’t recent anymore but I tried these with frozen strawberries. I let them thaw just enough to chop them more easily and they still achieved a lovely jammy quality.
Thank you so much for sharing Beth!
I just made these last night with the help of my 3.5 year old daughter (she cut the strawberries in an egg slicer). I used coconut oil and regular whole wheat flour. I did not find them to have a strong “wheat” flavor with the whole wheat flour. They tasted just fine without using the “white” whole wheat flour. I thought the bars tasted great, and even my super picky eater (she must be at least 75% mac and cheese by this point) gobbled the bar up for breakfast this morning. I prefer this method over a simple “fruit crumble.” I guess because you get more of the yummy crumble. :) Thanks for this super easy recipe!
Cristin, I’m so happy you and your daughter enjoyed this recipe so much!! What a great idea to use an egg slices too. Thanks so much for sharing your review!
I tried this recipe which looks delicious, but my strawberries didn’t really melt down- so it’s just a mix of hot fruit and granola – where did I go wrong??
Jeanette, my guess is that your strawberries were not especially ripe, or that maybe you didn’t dice them small enough? I hope the bars at least still tasted good!
I made this recipe today and it was sooo yummy!! I am gluten free, so I substituted GF Baking flour and they came out so delicious. Love them – thank you!
Hello! Recently made your strawberry bars, and although they did turn out delicious, I had trouble keeping the bar intact. I had to use coconut flour because I am gluten free, and instead of using butter I used coconut oil. Could this be the reason? And if so, is there anything else I can do to make the bar stick together more? Thank you!
Sarah
Hi Sarah! The coconut flour is definitely the reason, because it is so much drier than wheat flour. I’d suggest using a GF flour blend like this one instead of using coconut flour. http://amzn.to/2bwCkkl Others have done that with great success!
I tried the recipe and it didn’t work out for me. My mixuture looked like it had too much flour and not enough butter ratio to make everything ‘wet’. It tasted good when I mixed it all together but the oats and flour were raw and the strawberries cooked. Bummer.
Hi AJ! That IS a bummer. As you can see from the other reviews, this recipe has been made quite a lot with others being happy with it. This sounds like it could be an issue with either measuring or the bake time. Regardless, I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you!
I made these bars today, using GF oats & flour and they came out perfect. I didn’t bother to make the icing because I thought they were sweet enough. Loved how easy the recipe was and that it was made with ingredients I had in the pantry! Thanks for sharing!!
Amanda, I am so happy to hear this!! Thank YOU for leaving this lovely review!
Loved this recipe! Made for my Church Youth Group. I doubled it and put it ina 13x 6 pan. Did not add the icing. It really didn’t need it! This was devoured by the group! Thanks for such a yummy recipe!!
I am so excited to hear that Barb! Thank you for sharing it with so many and for leaving your kind review here.
Hi Erin, how crucial would you say the lemon juice is? I want to make these now and have everything but!
Erin, it’s hard for me to give you a definitive answer—the lemon really makes the flavor of the strawberries pop, so it will taste more bland without it (though it certainly won’t taste awful!). Do you have orange juice you can swap?
Oh, great idea! Thanks!
I made these today but they never formed together as a solid so it just turned out like a crumble. I can’t figure out what I did wrong :(
Hi Alyson! It’s hard for me to say without being in the kitchen with you. My guess is that it is a case of mis-measuring. Did you lightly scoop the flour into your measuring cup, then level it off, vs. just reaching it down into the bag? This is actually the best way to measure flour to make sure you don’t end up with too much. Also, did you use the full 6 tablespoons of butter? Those are my best guesses. I’m sorry the bars didn’t turn out!
Sounds delicious! I have a ton of frozen strawberries from the summer. Have you ever tried baking with frozen strawberries? I’m struggling to find recipes that use frozen which leads me to believe maybe it won’t turn out well. Maybe too watery?
If you’d like to try frozen strawberries, I’d suggest thawing them and then blotting them dry before using, or tossing them in a little bit of cornstarch before adding them. Many readers have tried this with good luck!
I stumbled on your blog cruising Pinterest. I usually don’t read to blogs, but find yours very interesting. Job well done. Thanks.
What a wonderful compliment! Thank you so much for taking the time to say so, Audrey. I really appreciate it! I’m glad you’re here. :)
I’ve made these bars before and they were fantastic! I’m on a ‘no refined sugar’ diet and I’m wondering if the crumble would work out if I used honey instead of the brown sugar?
Hi Elizabeth! I actually would not recommend the honey swap. The bars are about as low in sugar as I could make them, and I worry that the crumble wouldn’t hold together since honey is liquid. The great news is that I do have lots more naturally sweetened recipes in my recipe index! You can find them here: http://www.wellplated.com/category/recipes-by-diet/naturally-sweetened/
Wow I clicked a Chocolate, Chocolate and more link on FB and found this recipe… except I got more then expected! A wonderful post. I was crying before I got to the recipe. I love the photo of your mom walking you down the aisle. When I clicked the link I didn’t expect a whole blog full of real life encouragement as well as yummy recipes.
Debbie, I am pretty much tearing up reading this comment! I can’t tell you how much it means to me to know that you appreciated what I shared in my post. I’m so glad that you found my blog, and I hope that you love the strawberry oatmeal bars too!
First, your wedding pictures are beautiful!
Second, I just finished and taste-tested two batches of this recipe, one with strawberries and one with blueberries, and both were DELICIOUS!
I somehow managed to make one crust drier than the other, but they both worked out fine! I think I might have lost focused and either added an extra tablespoon of coconut oil or forgot one, but it worked out just fine.
The only thing that ‘fell apart’ for me were the crumbs on top, but I expected that and patted them down with a spatula to make them stay a little better.
For anyone who wants to try it with blueberries, what I did was take a pint of blueberries and put them in a saucepan over medium heat, then stirred (occassionally) for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, I used a potato masher to flatten them a bit, but I didn’t aim to hit every blueberry. Then, I just followed the recipe and used my mashed blueberries instead of strawberries. I concentrated more corn starch on parts that were juicier.
I cooked the blueberry bars for 35 minutes and the strawberry ones for 40, and then stuck them in the fridge after they cooled down a bit. My boyfriend and I shared a piece of both, and again, they are so good!!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!!
Thank YOU, Beata!! I’m so glad you enjoyed the bars. The blueberry version sounds delicious…thank you for sharing your review and all of your tips! I really appreciate your taking the time to do so. :)
What does the cornstarch do in the recipe?
thanks!
Hi Kelley, the cornstarch helps thicken up any juice released by the strawberries while baking and makes the filling jammy instead of runny.
Thank you! I made these for my 4 year old to bring to preschool and they were delicious, super easy to make, and a hit with the kids!
I’m so glad to hear they were enjoyed, Kelley! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this nice review!
Hi Erin, I LOVE this recipe. I think i made it every week for a month after I discovered it. Do you think I could use chopped apples instead of the strawberries and make a baked apple bar?
Thanks!
April
Hi April, I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe! Trying a different filling is an excellent idea! The apples would likely be quite a bit firmer and less jammy, because they aren’t juicy like the strawberries. You might want to try cooking them on the stove in advance first to soften them up. I think blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries would work too!
Hi Erin,
Tried this recipe today and came out very well. My toddler enjoyed it too :) your anniversary posts are beautiful. Wishing you both lots of happiness.
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the bars. :)
Question-
What contributes to the 44g of cholesterol in this healthy strawberry oatmeal bars? My husband has high cholesterol and I would love to make these.
Lauri
Hi Lauri! A good amount of the cholesterol comes from the butter. I would suggest swapping it for coconut oil. The flavor will be different, and the texture won’t be as crumbly on top, but I think that it would still turn out. If you decide to experiment with the swap, I’d love to hear how it goes! I hope that you and your husband enjoy the bars.
Congratulations on your anniversary, was very lovely to see this post. And those oatmeal bars look incredible (: I’m sure your husband will be thankful you can cook so well (:
I would be very unlikely to make the strawberry bars, but I love reading about things like the lessons on marriage. Since I didn’t get married until late in life, I regularly spend time thinking about how amazing it is to be married and about what’s important in marriage. One of the things we do is to spend time cuddling at night and we always make sure to tell each other “I love you”. It’s amazing how that defuses any of those little things that don’t deserve mention, and helps to maintain a high level of peace in the marriage.
Susan, I love that! Thank you so much for sharing. It really means a lot, and I’m going to keep that tidbit in mind myself :-)
Hey girl- Happy Anniversary! These bars look so yummy!
Thank you, Shawnna!
Erin I’m so happy you shared about spending your anniversary with your mom. We have a little bit in common regarding neither of our fathers being alive for our weddings (both my parents were killed in a car accident). I’m also married to a wonderful man and we will celebrate 30 years in March. He wants to visit his parents who are not doing well, during our anniversary. I told him it was fine but you’ve helped me to be even more okay with it! Thanks for sharing! You never know how it helps!
Tina, first of all, I’m so terribly sorry for your loss. I can’t say enough how much it means to me that this post was helpful to you. If you decide to visit your husband’s parents, I think that that is absolutely wonderful. I’m sure that they would appreciate it deeply, and you and your husband will look back fondly on the time that you spent with them too. Happy anniversary, and thank you so much for sharing this!
I just found your blog recently and saw these strawberry bars. It was the perfect way to use up a pint in my fridge. They are DELICIOUS!! My very picky three year old even ate one for breakfast this morning. I will now be stalking through the rest of your blog looking for additional ideas to tempt the palate of my picky eater! Thank you for posting this recipe!
I’m so glad you’re here, Deb! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful comment. I truly love hearing about readers making and enjoying my recipes in their own kitchens, and I’m happy that these bars were a hit!
Me and my family loved it! Great dessert with a little bit of Greek iogurt!
I’m glad you and your family loved the bars, Patricia! Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback!
This was amazing! It didn’t stay in the kitchen very long and is the one dish that disappears at MOPS meetings.
Thank you so much, Evelyn! I’m so glad you enjoyed the bars, and I really appreciate your taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
Happy anniversary!! I just have one question. I am going through a weight loss program I wondered if you could replace the butter with unsweetened applesauce or would they not hold up?
Hi Jessica, I’ve never tried the bars using applesauce, so you’d be experimenting. I’m not sure they would hold up, however. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
I made these today and they were amazing! I used steel cut oats. Both my husband and I agreed we’d rather have these than any cake or cookie any day! Wow… blown away.
Whoooooo hooooo! So happy to hear how much you loved these Tracey. Thank you for sharing this wonderful review!
My daughter and I are on a diet and I came across this recipe, decided to make them for us. They are delicious and so easy to make. My daughter is Autistic and very picky about food, but I got her to try these and she loved them. Thank you for a great recipe.
Mary, I’m so happy to hear that these bars were loved by you and your daughter. Thank you so much for sharing how it went and for leaving this wonderful review!
I was looking for something to make for our church’s Sunday breakfast….can these be made a day in advance? How should I store it until time to eat? thank you!!
Hi Lynn, yes they can! Just cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. I hope everyone enjoys them!
Looks like I’m late but Happy Anniversary plus one year more (looks like you posted this in 2016).
Great photos, beautiful in fact. Delicious sounding recipe also. Quick question. If I double this for a 9×13 do you have any suggestions for length of baking time? Thank you…
Hi Annabelle! I’ve never actually made this in a 9×13 myself, so I can’t speak from experience. I think the time would be pretty similar, but I would check several minutes early, just in case. I hope you love the bars!
I found your recipe from Pintrest and I am so happy I came across it! I was hosting a birthday dinner for my elderly uncle (he’s 79!) and wanted to find something diabetic friendly for dessert. This recipe was just perfect! It was the highlight of the evening!! Everyone raved about it and immediately asked me when I was going to make it again! Thank you so much for sharing your anniversary story (I think it is such a great idea to make a strawberry dessert on your anniversary! My best friend is getting married this summer so I think I’ll share that with her.).
Saundra, I’m so excited to hear that these bars were a hit at your uncle’s birthday! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and taking the time to report back how it went. :)
I’ve new looking for more healthy dessert options and I stumbled upon this recipe. I had all of the ingredients so I instantly made it. It turned out SO delicious!! (I chose to make the icing and drizzle it on top). It’s so moist. I baked it at 350 for 40 minutes (my new oven seems to run hotter than my last one). I am saving this recipe and definitely making it again! Thank you!!
Kelly, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the bars! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
I love the whole grains and fresh berries in these delicious bars! I used truvia brown sugar blend and splenda for the sugars and added a tablespoon of flax. I did not think it needed the glaze. I am adding this to my favorite healthy dessert recipes, I am delighted to have a new way to use strawberries, especially since these can be frozen.
Kat, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your tweaks and to leave this great review!
So i’ve been trying to make granola bars forever and tonight I have finally accomplished that! Thank you for the wonderful recipe and I can’t wait to bite into them in the morning!
Hooray Reyna! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
I had the bottom layer of a bucket of fresh strawberries that I was trying to figure out what to do with. I ran across this recipe, and I’m SO EXCITED. These are so amazing. My whole family ate them after dinner, I’m having a little more as a late-night snack, and I’m totally planning to eat what’s left for breakfast. Because fruit + oatmeal = breakfast, right? :) Also, I’m really excited to try swapping out the strawberries for peaches and blueberries later this summer. Thanks for my new go-to recipe for fresh fruit!
DEFINITELY breakfast acceptable Elizabeth! I am so happy you enjoyed the bars. Thanks so much for trying the recipe, reporting back, and for leaving this lovely rating. It is so helpful both to me and to others considering the recipe too!
Has anyone tried rhubarb alone? Afraid to try due to only a tablespoon sugar in recipe. My husband destests strawberries. [email protected]
Hi Carol! I haven’t heard of anyone doing only rhubarb, and I don’t think the rhubarb would break down like strawberries. I’d suggest cooking the rhubarb into a jam-liike filling on your stove (adding sugar and lemon juice to taste, and a bit of water as needed) first, then layering it over the oatmeal crust OR seeing if you can find an alternative rhubarb recipe online. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to hear how it comes out!
I used coconut sugar in place of all the sugar with no problems. We find most treats to be too sweet and I was itching to do the icing layer so I only put two tablespoons of sugar in the crumble. I forgot to put sugar in with the strawberries, but found it didn’t need it and they set quite well. I did sprinkle a tiny bit extra cornstarch for good measure and it seemed to do the trick. I could have gotten away with 1/3 cup icing sugar (made with coconut sugar powdered in my coffee grinder) so I think I will do that next time. Love this recipe and how easy it was and cant wait to make it again. Just wanted to mention what I did in case anyone isn’t big on sugar like we are.
Ashely, I so appreciate both this lovely review and your sharing your modifications. It’s so helpful to others, and to me too. Enjoy every bite :)
Loved this. I mixed the strawberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, and sugar all together before just dumping it out on the crust (easier than layers and sprinkling). I made it with super-fresh strawberries, so I used close to 2 tsp cornstarch. Added maybe 1 Tbsp extra brown sugar to the crust. Once assembled, I pressed the top part down gently to keep it from being too crumbly once cooked (it was for my kids–they’re not super-careful about crumbs). It was a hit! And a great way to use up some of the giant flat I picked yesterday. Thank you!
I am so happy this was a hit Landy! Thank you so much for trying the recipe and taking time to report back. I really appreciate it!
I really enjoyed this recipe! Thank you! Could I use frozen strawberries?
Hi Tiffany, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! A few readers have tried and loved this recipe with frozen strawberries. If you want try, I’d suggest you let the berries thaw, pat them dry, then dice. If you try the recipe with frozen berries, I’d love to hear how they come out!
I used the frozen strawberries to make this recipe. I used less than two cups of strawberries (next time I’d just use one cup because they are runny) it turned out well, but it’s kind of mushy. I let them cool for 40 minutes and cool for about an hour. My only problem is they never last 5 days in the fridge because they disappear so quickly! Thanks again for the recipe.
Tiffany, I’m glad you enjoyed the bars. Thanks for taking the time to share how it went trying the recipe with frozen berries!
Cook for 40 minutes not cool for 40 minutes.
I tried making these today and they turned out pretty good! They taste floury and are very crumbly, holding together when cut but not when picked up. I’ll do some experimenting to make the crust firmer like a Graham cracker crust. Probably replace some flour with almond meal. The cornstarch made the berries into a great jam-like consistency.
Courtney, I’m glad you enjoyed the bars! I’d love to hear how your experiments with graham crackers or almond flour turn out. Thanks for giving the bars a try and reporting back!
I made these– added cinnamon to the oatmeal mixture and once done, instead of vanilla drizzle I put a wee drizzle of warmed up Nutella !thanks for the recipe
That Nutella drizzle sounds amazing, Hilary! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and reporting back. :)
Yummy! Just went strawberry picking and so I am going to make your recipe. I also love bars with oatmeal. I will double the crust next time. I ran out of crust so didn’t have any for top but still delicious! Thanks! Happy 4th of July!
Kaye, thanks so much for taking the time to leave this review! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the bars, and I hope you had a great 4th of July!
I made this today for the 4th of July (but used blueberries and strawberries for a more patriotic look) and they were delicious! Just the recipe I needed for a pretty but quick dessert! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay Corrie! I’m glad this recipe was a winner for dessert. Thanks for reporting back!
Hi, I made these today and they are AMAZING!! Now if I could get my kids to try them ha.. I know they would love them if they tried them. Anyway, after they’ve been in the refrigerator do I heat them up? How long would you suggest?
Thanks for this post!! I’m always looking for healthy recipes to feed my family and this one is so easy so that is a big plus!!
Hi Cori, I’m so glad you enjoy the bars! I use the microwave to warm up a piece from the fridge, but I also think they taste great cold or at room temperature. Whatever your preference is!
Made these for the family today… what a hit! We love strawberries and it isn’t too often I find a good recipe that is so on point. Most enough and delicious flavor! The perfect balance of sweet and sour, with just the right hint of tartness creeping in from the strawberries. Taste aside, the other win is that these bad boys stay together! Thank you for sharing this strawberry delight!
Thanks for leaving this awesome review, Barbara! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!
I can’t rave enough about this slice it was absolutely smashing! I can see this being made many many more times in the future :)
YAY Riki, I’m so glad to hear the recipe is a winner for you! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review. :)
Wondering if i could use ruhbarb instead if strawberries.
Hi Sherrie, I haven’t tried it that way, but I think it’d be worth a shot! I’d love to know how it goes.
Made this recipe as a dessert and it was absolutely amazing. My son said mom this melts in my mouth. When it’s cooking the smell of the strawberries is like heaven in my kitchen. I will definitely make this again and again and again. You have to try it.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this wonderful review, Shana! I’m so glad to hear the recipe was a hit!
I had some strawberries to use up and was looking for something suitable for a 2 yo as my niece loves strawberries. Made this for her earlier in the week and when I tasted a slice, I was SO tempted to keep them for myself instead! I did find the crumble mixture a bit dry so I cut up some butter and pressed it into the mixture (I’d already pressed the mixture into my pan). I made it without the glaze as I didn’t want it to be too sweet for my niece and it was still delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe, definitely gonna make it again, maybe with blueberries or stewed apples.
Evy, thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and reporting back! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! I think the blueberry and apple versions sound delicious too.
Just made these today and OMG so so good! I have NEVER commented on any online recipes I have made and trust me I have made ALOT.
Thanks for this! Cheers.
Jennifer, I’m thrilled to hear you love the bars! I truly appreciate your taking the time to leave a comment. :)
Amazing and delicious :-) Sorry i meant to give 5 stars
Sarah, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the bars! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review. :)
Can you use old fashioned quick cook oats or will quick cook oats not cooperate when baking?
Hi Rachelle, I prefer using old-fashioned rolled oats, but you can use quick oats. The texture of the bars will be softer because rolled oats are more sturdy and hold up better in baking. I hope you enjoy!
Absolutely fantastic. I made a happy mistake and only used a tspn of sugar (instead of a Tbsp) and it was still great. Thank you.
Richard, thank you for leaving such a wonderful review! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the bars.
hi,tried out the receipe and it was yummy… everyone at home enjoyed it . but when I made the crust and baked there was a lot of extra of the crust which was falling off and it did not stay together . I followed the receipe as it is and the quantity to .. please can u help me out on why was that happening… thank you.. looking forward to your reply.
Hi Harshinee, the bars shouldn’t be overly crumbly. It’s hard to say what may have happened without being in the kitchen with you, but my first thought is that they were a little overbaked. Other possibilities: Is it possible you over-measured the flour (it should be lightly spooned and leveled, not packed, in the measuring cups) or used 100% regular wheat flour or quick oats instead of rolled? All of these things (and more!) can make a difference. The bars will be soft vs crispy and firm though—that’s a factor of the recipe and the fact that it doesn’t use gobs of butter/sugar. I hope that helps for next time!
I just made this and let me tell you, it is sooo delicious! I knew it was going to be yummy, but it is even more than that! I don’t think I’m going to share
Mindy, I’m so glad you enjoyed the bars! Thanks so much for giving them a try and reporting back. :)
Forgot to give it stars
Hello Erin, these are by far one of the best healthy bars I have made and eaten! My family enjoys them as well. I have made these 5 times in the last year and each time they have turned out perfect!! Thank you for sharing this recipe it has been most enjoyable!
YAY Kimi, I’m happy to hear these are a winner! Thanks so much for giving them a try and for taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
THESE BARS ARE INCREDIBLE!! I made a single batch and they were gone within 12 hours with 3 of us in the house haha! if you want a delicious oatmeal bar, definitely try these!
YAY Paige, it sounds like the bars were a hit! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try and for taking the time to leave this awesome review!
I made this tonight and I love strawberries… The strawberries definitely make it. I think it’s good as is …didn’t make the glaze because I didn’t have any vanilla extract. Eating better for the last 2 weeks and lost 6 lbs… Just trying to eat cleaner. Would make again
Joanna, congrats on the 6 pounds and I’m so happy you loved these bars!!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to try the recipe and leave this review, Joanna! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the bars!
I’ve made this recipe several times now and really enjoy it. Thank you Erin :)
I’ve found that I actually prefer the texture when I make it will thawed, frozen strawberries, if anyone is interested.
Thanks for the tip about the thawed frozen strawberries, Mackenzie! I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the recipe!
These were so good! I wanted to use up some almond flour so I subbed it for the white whole wheat flour. They were just as delish as I expected! I didn’t chop my strawberries as small as directed because I didn’t read it right, but they were still delicious. I added a little lemon juice to the icing too. Yummmm!!
Sam, I am so happy to hear this, THANK YOU!!!! Love the lemon idea for the icing too!
Hi Erin. These Strawberry bars sound delicious and I’m going to make them and take them to physical therapy for the best therapy people (friends) anyone could have! And also for my 89 year old mother, whom I take of. She has Alzheimers. Reading the reviews, I see you will be having your 6th anniversary soon! I hope you can grow old together, I lost my husband in 2014 to cancer. We were married 43 years. Cherish everyday together, even the hard times. Love your recipes.
Lois, I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for this sweet comment and for the reminder to cherish every day—that’s important for all of us to remember!
Excellent!
Thanks, Rebecca! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe—thanks for taking the time to leave this review!
I made these and used quick oats, which was all I had. If I had read the comments first I would have seen why mine had to be eaten with a fork! E didn’t mind, though. Also, we couldn’t wait for these to completely cool, because it smelled so good. I put them in the freezer for about 5 min, then drizzled on the glaze. They were delicious warm – my husband kept going back for more! We’ll definitely be making these again next time strawberries are on sale. Thanks for the recipe!
Sharon, I’m glad to hear the recipe is a keeper! Thanks so much for giving it a try and reporting back!
@elisabeth @amanda I used frozen strawberries that I had previously quartered (defrosted them first and then just got rid of the most of the juice). Turned out really well!
Thanks for your help Carol!!
I am super strawberry fan.These are excellent bars.
YAY Sharon, I’m so glad you enjoyed the bars. Thanks so much for giving them a try!
I made this recipe today and followed the recipe exactly except I used all purpose flour self rising and coconut oil. It was very crumbly. Any suggestion what I did wrong? It was delicious overall! Just wished it didn’t crumbled.
Hello! It’s hard to say what may have happened without being in the kitchen with you, but my first thought is that they were a little overbaked. Other possibilities: Is it possible you over-measured the flour (it should be lightly spooned and leveled, not packed, in the measuring cups) or coconut oil? Or used 100% regular wheat flour or quick oats instead of rolled? All of these things (and more!) can make a difference. I hope that helps for next time!
Hi- I know this is an old post but looking for advice. This recipe turned out DELICIOUS! But it was more of a baked oatmeal not oatmeal bars. I used the exact ingredients you have listed and even after refrigerating for hours it did not solidify. Where did I mess up?
Thanks!
Hi Heather, it’s hard to know what may have happened without being in the kitchen with you. Perhaps the bars didn’t bake long enough? They can be soft because of how little butter and sugar are in the recipe, and they can also get softer depending upon how juicy the strawberries are. I’m so glad you still found the recipe delicious, and I hope it comes out more like you were expecting if you do decide to give it another try!
Hi. I made these and were delicious the first day but they got so mushy by the next day. What did I do wrong? I kept in the refrigerator. I want to take to my TOPS meeting and have to make the day before as my meeting is early in the morning.
Hi Janene, unfortunately these bars tend to become soft the next day because of their lower amounts of butter and sugar and the moisture in the strawberries. A few recipes that might travel better include this strawberry bread or these strawberry oatmeal breakfast bars.
Hi! I wanted to try this recipe this weekend. I’m vegan, and I don’t want to use coconut oil because I want that buttery flavor, so I’m going to use Earth Balance instead which is salted. Any recommendations on how much I should reduce the salt in the recipe because of this? By half, or should I just omit it completely? Thanks :)
Hi Jenna! I think you can just add a tiny pinch of salt and be good to go. I hope you enjoy the bars and would love to hear how they come out!
hey girl- these bars look so yummy! Happy Anniversary! Have a great Easter weekend!
Thank you so much Shawnna! A very Happy Easter to you too!
Happy anniversary! These bars are a great addition to the celebrating :)
Thank you so much, Gaby!
Hi, made this recipe yesterday with frozen strawberries and it was soooo good. I read all the comments so I was aware of any issues. When using frozen strawberries it is easier to cut them while still frozen. I used the recommended amount of cornstarch. Also did what another reader suggested and that was to put the lemon juice and cornstarch on all the strawberries , mix and then add all the strawberries at the same time and spread them evenly in the pan. I baked them for 35 minutes . Had a hard time waiting for them to cool because they smelled so good. Never made the frosting . YUM ! They were a little soft but I didn’t mind that. Just served it on a plate and ate it with a fork. Going to have to freeze them so I don’t eat the whole batch!! Thanks for a great , health recipe.
Helen, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the bars! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this detailed review—it’s so helpful for other readers!
Looks good! Today I will try this. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you enjoy the bars, Ronald!
These look delicious! I’ve been looking for more recipes that rely on oats, because they help maintain my breastmilk supply. I can’t wait to try them – but may try oat flour/ground up oats subbed for the flour, maybe with a little flax mixed in.
My dad also died unexpectedly a few years before I got married. My brother walked me down the aisle, but my mom danced with me instead of a father-daughter dance. I think my wedding shoes were similar to yours, too – but more of a fuchsia color :)
There can never be a proper substitute, but how special that your brother and mom did the honors—thanks for sharing, Mia. <3 (And I hope you enjoy the bars too!)
Happy Anniversary! I made these for breakfast today and it was so tasty! I used whole wheat pastry flour and also added half and half vanilla and almond extract for the glaze. We really enjoyed the bars. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much, Ana! And I’m thrilled to hear you loved the bars too.
Hello–
What size yields 100 calories? And does 100 calories include the glaze?
Hi Addison, check out the nutrition info box below the recipe! I got 16 pieces from the 8×8 inch pan, and as specified, it’s 100 calories for 1 piece without glaze. I hope you love the recipe!
I just made these and followed the recipe exactly. They are absolutely delicious!!! I will be making these again. Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks so much for taking the time to review, Gwen! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed the bars!
Had some leftover strawberries and found this recipe! What a winner! Thank you!
It was meant to be! So happy to hear it Judith!
Girl, YES. Making these today to use up the strawberries I may or may not have bought entirely too many of last week ??
I hope you love them, Leslie!
Made these (again) tonight. May or may not have eaten half the pan by myself ? but they’re healthy right?!
I won’t judge! These bars are irresistible. :)
These are delicious! I made them Sunday and ate three myself that evening. Yummy! I added more berries than 2 cups; I did not measure, just kinda eye-balled them in the bowl and I KNOW there were more than 2 cups. I added the cornstarch and lemon to them in the bowl and tossed well then spread them out on the bottom crust, and added the remaining 1/2 cup of topping. I did not make the glaze, I thought the sweetness of the ripe berries were enough. Thank you for the recipe!!
Julie, I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed the bars! Thank you so much for giving them a try and taking the time to leave this wonderful review!
oops! forgot to rate it! Very good
They look good
Yummy!!
Thanks Aves!
I’ve made these a bunch of times and they’re always delicious! Seriously one of my favorite desserts I’ve ever made. I just have one question, though. When I drizzle the icing over the bars, it usually sinks down into them. I can still taste the extra sweetness from the icing, and it doesn’t change how amazing the bars taste overall, I just wish I could get that pretty white swirl on top. Any idea what might be going on? Thanks! :)
Annie, I’m so glad you love these bars! I’d suggest adding more powdered sugar to make the glaze thicker and letting the bars cool completely so it doesn’t melt. I hope that helps! Thanks for leaving this wonderful review!
I tripled the recipe, using a 2 lb. package of fresh strawberries. It was a hit at my friend’s cookout! Our gluten-/casein -/egg-/soy-intolerant and peanut -/tree nut-allergic kids were happy to have a safe sweet treat with the recommended modifications. The adults were pleased that it was a whole grain, low sugar, home -baked 100-calorie dessert. This recipe’s a keeper, and I look forward to trying it with other seasonal berries and stone fruits this summer. Thank you for sharing!
Dana, Thank you so much for your positive feedback – I’m thrilled to hear that both kids and adults enjoyed these bars!
These are super easy and fabulous for breakfast or as a dessert. I have made them twice…they’re on my repeat list!
Hi Elise! I’m so happy you enjoy these bars anytime of day! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Made these Strawberry Bars and shared them with my 16 yr old daughter and my husband at dinner in the evening for our desert. We all 3 thought they were so good plus my daughter and I ate a bar the next morning for breakfast!! Delishious!! Posted a picture on fb to friends and instantly had an order for a whole batch!! The lady loved them and asked for some to be made with blueberries. That’s next on the list!
Regina, I am so thrilled to hear it, thank you!!!
Amazing recipe! I took this to work and everyone loved them. I’m also going to make them for my girl’s weekend soon. So Yummy! I did eliminate the second 1/2 TBSP of sugar sprinkled in step 3 because my strawberries were already very sweet. I could eat the entire pan!
Sally, YAY!!!! I’m so so happy you loved these. Thanks for trying them and taking time to leave this wonderful review!
I made these bars and they’re great! Thank you for posting the recipe! I was wondering, what purpose does the cornstarch serve? I’m very much a novice baker and I try to learn new things wherever I can :-)
Rachel, I am so happy you loved the recipe! Cornstarch helps thicken the filling. Happy baking (and learning!). It’s a fun process :)
My husband and I both love it! Not too sweet. I will add pecans next time. Thanks for posting!
Sally, I am so so happy to hear it, thank you!
I don’t have any ginger. Do you think I could just omit it or should I substitute allspice or cinnamon?
Joanna, you can either omit or use a small amount of cinnamon if you like!
Simply love love love your strawberry oatmeal bars. Third time I made them! We like it even without the drizzle of icing! Yum!
Dorothy, I am so so excited to hear it, thank you!!
Dear Erin,
I am a grandma always looking for healthier alternatives to store bought fast food. My grandson likes Trader Joe’s strawberry breakfast bars. I made your recipe but put home made organic jam as the filling instead. I also added one egg white to the oat mixture. They came out so delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Lark
Lark, that sounds so so yummy! Thank you for taking time to leave this fantastic review too!
Made this for my hubby to snack on at work, he LOVES it! & so do I, they taste so fresh & fruity & not too sweet. Absolutely perfect! Thank u thank u thank u!! So glad I stumbled across this goddesses healthy food blog, I will definitely be following😊 keep up the good work love!❤
Kassandra, thank YOU! This makes me so happy to hear!
I was wondering if anyone has tried using quick oats? I have a bunch on hand and wondered if they would work.
Hi Sharla, you can use quick oats, but the texture of the bars will be softer because rolled oats are more sturdy and hold up better in baking. I hope you enjoy!
Only just found your blog and love it!! This is my new favourite thing to make soo easy and delicious. Have one in the oven as I type (doubled the mixture because everyone loves it) xx
Jess, I am so so happy you found my site too, thank you (and thank you for leaving this lovely review!!) xoxo
These bars are delicious.
Jennifer, I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for leaving this nice review!
Is the lemonade juice necessary? It’s the only ingredient I don’t have in the house
Carol, I think it helps the flavor of the filling really stand out and pop so I recommend it, though you can make the bars without too.
I made these.. They came out ok. I used frozen strawberries because that’s all i had. Maybe i didn’t cook them.long enough. The strawberry part is still pretty moist. They are crumbly. They taste good. I followed recipe. Maybe better with real strawberries.
Karen, I think good quality fresh strawberries will make a big difference next time. Because the bars are so simple, the fruit really is the star. I hope you enjoy them more next time around! Maybe try a little lemon glaze to perk them up?
These turned out so good! I didn’t have lemons so I used lime juice instead, and added a little cinnamon to the crust/crumble mix (because I love cinnamon), and they turned out delicious. I also used about half a tablespoon of lime juice mixed with a half tablespoon of water for the drizzle (because I didn’t have milk, haha). Can’t wait to try this recipe out with other berries as well! Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to review the recipe, Bethany! And thanks for sharing your swaps too!
I’m very pleased with this recipe: easy and delicious. I will likely scale back on the sugar or avoid the icing next time because I don’t want my little ones to think mommy is serving dessert for breakfast! Lol. Thanks for sharing.
Thank YOU for taking time to share this review, Melissa! I’m glad they were a hit!
Hello! Can this recipe be made with coconut flour instead of the whole wheat flour?
Thank you!
Hi Alexis! Coconut flour behaves very different than wheat flour, so it would not be a straight swap. I haven’t tried it myself, so you would be experimenting. If you decide to give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes.
I made these, substituting unsweetened applesauce for the butter, 1:1 ratio, and they were delicious! I’m sure butter is better, because it’s butter (!), but the applesauce has fewer fat grams. Bonus- they weren’t crumbly at all.
Jo, thanks for reporting back about the applesauce swap! I’m glad you enjoyed the bars!
My bars are baking right how. Looking forward to trying them. I have a question.
Instead of sprinkling cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar on strawberries, why can’t you add strawberries to a bowl and add those three ingredients.
You can certainly do that, Ellen, but I just wanted to avoid dirtying another dish! I hope you enjoy the bars!
Hello Erin. I had a package of strawberries in my fridge so I just finished making two of your recipes. I made these strawberry bars and it came out delish! I also made your strawberry jam. I appreciate your videos because it has helped me along the way while making your recipes. Thank you for this sweet and yummy strawberry bar recipe.
<3 Doll, thank YOU for leaving this review! It means a lot, and I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Absolutely delish!
Thanks for sharing this review, Elysha! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the bars.
Delicious! Whipped these up in no time, although waiting for them to cool is nearly impossible! They were sweet enough without the frosting, but I’m a huge vanilla ice cream fan and can only dream about adding some with my second piece.
I didn’t have a fresh lemon, but did have the bottled juice in the fridge and I didn’t have ginger so I used cinnamon instead!
Thanks for the simple recipe!
Thanks for sharing this review, Nicole! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
It is strawberry time and I I just made this and it is super yummy! The fresh strawberries were perfect, but I bet it will be fine with frozen later in the year. I took the first bite and wow, this is definitely going in my breakfast rotation. I loved that you used whole wheat flour. I used stevia instead of sugar, and next time will decrease the brown sugar just a little for my taste.
I can’t wait to try this with my blueberries when they come in. Thanks so much for this great recipe!
Robin, thank YOU for taking the time to share this review! I’m glad the bars are a hit.
Although this recipe taste great I was disappointed that they were too crumbly to cut in squares to take to a party I needed them for. . The good news we got to eat them!
Hi Norah, I’m glad you enjoyed them! The bars shouldn’t be overly crumbly, but it’s hard to say what may have happened without being in the kitchen with you. They could have been slightly overbaked, but other possibilities are mismeasuring, using 100% regular wheat flour, or quick oats instead of rolled. All of these things (and more!) can make a difference. The bars will be soft vs crispy and firm though—that’s a factor of the recipe and the fact that it doesn’t use gobs of butter/sugar. I hope that helps for next time!
Just made these and they are way too delicious! I didn’t put any ginger in or use the drizzle, and I put a few more berries in. I will definitely make these many more times!
Thanks for sharing this review, Nicole! I’m glad the bars are a winner.