These Blueberry Oatmeal Bars are wise teachers in the beauty of simplicity in cooking and baking. I am often tempted by the idea that the more ingredients I add to a recipe, the better the dish will taste. These easy blueberry oatmeal bars prove me wrong with every bite. They couldn’t be easier to make, I’d wager you have all the ingredients you need to make them in your pantry right now, and the only thing I could possibly add to make them taste even better is a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
This idea that simple is often better in cooking is a lesson I know I’m going to keep learning over and over. I might even have to eat a few extra blueberry oat bars to continually refresh my memory. It’s a hard order, but life lessons are life lessons, and it’s important that I stay sharp.
I adapted these Blueberry Oatmeal Bars from one of the all-time most popular recipes on my site, these healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars. Both are fresh, fruity, and showered in buttery crumble topping. Both need only one bowl to prepare. Both even clock in at approximately 100 calories. Swap that ice cream I mentioned earlier for a scoop of Greek yogurt, and you can be eating baked strawberry or baked blueberry bars at breakfast.
Although I’m not going to be committing myself to a single fruit bar recipe for the rest of my life anytime soon (particularly with such delights as Caramel Apple Bars and Cherry Bars to consider), these Blueberry Oatmeal Bars do have a serious advantage over any other oatmeal crumble bar I’ve ever baked: blueberries take exactly zero prep work.
Blueberries don’t need to be sliced like strawberries, pitted like cherries, or peeled like apples. In fact, you don’t need to do another blessed thing, other than prevent yourself from eating them all before you’ve finished the recipe.
It feels especially appropriate to be sharing this Blueberry Oatmeal Bar recipe today, because I’m currently in a place that does simplicity perhaps better than any other: Italy. In case you missed Tuesday’s update, I’m spending five days in Verona learning all about how fresh pasta is made, then heading to Paris for a few days to revisit all of my favorite Parisian bakeries and chocolate shops. ? Be sure to follow my Instagram (I’ll be sharing both posts and stories), and I’ll eventually be sharing a recap of my trip here too.
Wishing you all a sweet weekend, with a pan of Blueberry Oatmeal Bars to go along with it!
Recipe Adaptations
- To Make Gluten Free. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats like these and swap the white whole wheat flour for a 1:1 baking blend (I’ve had good luck with this one).
- To Use Frozen Blueberries. I have not tried this recipe with frozen, thawed blueberries, but I think that it would work. Be sure to thaw the blueberries completely first.
- To Double the Recipe. The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch baking pan. The bars will be a bit thicker but still delicious.
More Blueberry Recipes
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
- Favorite 8×8 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper (I love these pre-cut sheets)
Blueberry Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
FOR THE BLUEBERRY OATMEAL BARS:
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats gluten free if needed
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour or substitute all-purpose flour or, to make gluten free, 1:1 baking flour
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted (or substitute melted coconut oil to make vegan/dairy free)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries* about 10 ounces
- 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
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and heat to 375 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper overhangs two sides like handles.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, white whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, 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.
- Scatter half of the blueberries over the crust. Sprinkle the cornstarch evenly over the top, then sprinkle on the lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon 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.
- Bake the bars for 30 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).
- 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 the glaze, slice, and serve.
Notes
- *I have not tried this recipe with frozen, thawed blueberries, but I think that it would work. Be sure to thaw the blueberries completely first.
- The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9x13-inch baking pan. The bars will be a bit thicker but still delicious.
- To make the bars 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
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The blueberry oat bars are delicious and easy to make.
Hi Colt! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Yum! I make again and again. I use frozen blueberries and cook a little longer. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Hi Les! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Looking good and simple making it this week- end
Hope you enjoy it Louisettte!
These are amazingly easy and great flavor. I added 1/2 c chopped pecans. And based on suggestion to use coconut oil which I did not have, I added 1/8 t of coconut extract to glaze. Everyone loved these. Will be making more. Thanks Erin.
Hi KC! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used frozen, thawed blueberries and baked for 35 mins, and these bars were very tasty! I would probably bake a little longer next time because I would have liked them to be a little crisper, but that’s personal preference. These are a quick and easy way to make a delicious fruit treat, and I’ll be making them again for sure. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hi Terri! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is one of the best healthier recipes ever! This is a favorite of mine and my husband! I’ve made it numerous times.
Hi Debbie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made these with aronia berries (frozen/thawed and left to ‘dry’ on paper towel for an hour) and they came out perfect and really good – liked the lower sugar used compared to crips/etc. I happened to surf for aronia berry recipes and an idea list sent me to use this recipe! I was already a follower of wellplated, so I was not hesitant to go with the flow….. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hi Sue! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I am using a 13 X 9 inch pan to make these for the first time but they won’t be thicker, they’ll be thinner. An 8X8 pan = 64 sq inches, a 9X13 pan = 117 sq inches, so dough will be more spread out. I will bake them for a 1little less time.
Hope you enjoy them Kathy!
This came out more like a crumble. They didn’t stick together to form a bar so now I just have a crumbly mess I’m going to put in my yogurts.
I’m sorry to hear you had problems with the recipe, Hilary. It has worked well for myself (and others) and I wished it would have been a hit for you too.
I’m not sure what I did wrong here but I tried to make the double and it came out super crumbly and flakey — almost like granola instead of a solid bar. I think it may be because I didn’t use cornstarch (I just don’t have it on hand) and ran out of fruit toppings (frozen dark cherry for me) so I used chocolate chips? That’s fine as I can just eat it with greek yogurt, but I’m concerned on storage. Do the 5 days still apply to doubled portion… can I leave it for just a tad longer since it’s more? I guess I just want to make sure I’m not at risk for food poisoning since I’m pregnant.
Hi Lucy! The storage time would be the same. Also you would definitely have a different result then the one you see if you ingredients were left out. Hope this helps!
Can you use dried blueberries instead of fresh blueberries?
Hi Tina! Dried blueberries would not work for this recipe. Sorry!
I followed all the steps and used frozen blueberries I thawed on the counter prior to making the bars. The bars turned out very well and taste delicious!
A couple of things to note include I needed to bake the bars for a longer time, at least twenty minutes longer (ovens vary). The 8 x 8 inch pan worked, but I would recommend a slightly larger or extra deep pan (perhaps 1-2 inches) since, due to the pan being very full, I was only able to use about 3.5 cups of blueberries,
Hi Megan! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
These are so delicious and a breeze to make! They are the perfect combo of crunchy, sweet, buttery and tart! I used a combination of frozen blueberries and raspberries, and I thawed them in the microwave and drained a bit of the excess juice before using. It was really handy that it was made with ingredients I usually have on hand as well.
Hi Aisha! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!