Easy Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal Bars (Gluten-Free)

Easy gingerbread baked oatmeal made with rolled oats and warming spices makes the perfect holiday baked oatmeal recipe. Made with only a handful of ingredients and in one bowl, it is great for breakfast, meal prep, a healthy snack, or even pre-workout!

This post is sponsored in partnership with NOW. All opinions expressed (as always) are my own. I only partner with brands I trust and personally recommend – thank you for your support in helping make Eat the Gains possible!

Tis’ the season for all things holiday-related! Whether that be hot chocolate, all the cookies, roasted nuts, and about a million other things to enjoy this time of year.

While I would love to bring you guys a healthier holiday cookie of some sort, that just isn’t my forte, so I decided a gingerbread baked oatmeal recipe would do the trick!

These baked oatmeal bars are packed with some healthy carbohydrates thanks to the oats, protein from the eggs and the oats, fiber, and full of some warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.

They make a great addition to your weekly meal prep – eat them for breakfast with some eggs, have one as a snack, or they even make the perfect pre-workout snack!

They are great out of the oven, especially topped with some greek yogurt and honey, but my favorite way to enjoy them is cold! Once cooled, they get a little firmer and take on a dense and chewy texture. Smear them with some greek yogurt or nut butter and you have one heck of a snack!

Gingerbread baked oatmeal ingredients

• banana
• eggs
• almond milk or milk of choice
• blackstrap molasses
• vanilla extract
• rolled oats
• ground ginger
• cinnamon
• ground cloves
• salt
• oil, for greasing

How to make gingerbread baked oatmeal

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash bananas until smooth and barely any chunks remain. Add eggs, almond milk, molasses, and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
3. Add in rolled oats, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and mix well to combine.
4. Pour oatmeal mixture into the greased pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until firm and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes and cut into 9 equal-sized bars. Enjoy!

Is baked oatmeal healthy?

Baked oatmeal can make a healthy and delicious breakfast or snack. Rolled oats are loaded with fiber, complex carbs, and whole grains, have plant-based protein, and are low in fat. By making baked oatmeal at home, you can easily customize it to fit your liking and nutrition goals.

Each one of these baked oatmeal bars has 133 calories, 23 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, and 3.2 grams of fiber for a balanced snack.

We love NOW’s organic rolled oats as they have a slightly nutty flavor and have the perfect chewy consistency when baked. They are also organic, which oats can be sprayed with herbicides.

Don’t forget to use the code ‘EATTHEGAINS’ for 20% off at nowfoods.com!

How to store baked oatmeal

To store – first, let the bars cool completely. Add to an airtight sealable glass container or you can simply wrap the pan you baked it in with tinfoil or saran wrap. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

To freeze – let cool completely and place individual bars on a large plate or baking sheet. Place in the freezer and let freeze for 2 hours or until hardened. This will help ensure they freeze individually and won’t stick together. Transfer to a large bag (we love these reusable silicone bags) and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also wrap each one individually and throw right in the freezer after they have cooled. Defrost by placing them in the refrigerator and then warming up the microwave if desired.

Substitutions

Baked oatmeal is so simple and pretty forgiving – you can change it up to fit your needs. Here are some suggestions:

• oats – you can use quick-cooking oats instead of rolled oats. I would not recommend steel-cut oats for this recipe. To make gluten-free, make sure you are using certified gluten-free oats.
• eggs – egg white will work instead of whole eggs. You can also try flax eggs to make these vegan.
• milk – you can use dairy or non-dairy milk.
• banana – I haven’t tried this, but applesauce might work instead.
• sweetener – molasses really gives them that deep and rich flavor, but maple syrup or honey will also work.

And here are some additions to spice up these bars:

• chopped nuts – walnuts, almonds, or pecans would be great.
• nut or seed butter – stir in about 1/4-1/2 cup nut or seed butter to the batter before baking. You may have to add a little more liquid so it’s not too thick.
• chocolate chips – you can’t go wrong with adding some chocolate!
• protein powder – for a little extra protein boost, you can add a scoop or two of your favorite protein powder. Whey, collagen, and plant-based should all work. You will need to add more liquid if using a plant-based or thicker protein powder.

More healthy oatmeal recipes

• Peanut Butter & Jelly Stuffed Oatmeal Cups
• Coffee Overnight Oats
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Cauliflower Oatmeal
• Oatmeal Raisin Protein Bars
• Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

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