Easy Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Bars (Clean Meal Prep)

For a digital entrepreneur, a reliable “grab-and-go” breakfast is a high-value asset. These bars replace processed sugars with natural fruit sweetness. From an expertise perspective, the secret to a professional-grade oatmeal bar is the “soak-and-set” method. By letting the oats briefly hydrate in the wet ingredients before baking, we achieve a chewy texture that holds its shape without crumbling, utilizing rolled oats for a steady metabolic release.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 10 Min
• Cook Time: 35 Min
• Total Time: 45 Min
• Yield: 9 Bars
• Calories: 185 kcal per bar

Ingredients:

The Foundation

• 2 cups Rolled Oats (Old-fashioned are the Gold Standard)
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Sea Salt

The Liquid Fusion

• 1 1/4 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 Large Egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup or Raw Honey
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp Melted Coconut Oil

The “Gold Standard” Mix-Ins

• 1 large Apple, finely diced (Honeycrisp or Fuji)
• 1/4 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped (Omega-3 boost)

Preparation Steps:

1. The “Dry-to-Wet” Mix

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
2. Whisk dry ingredients (oats, powder, cinnamon, salt). Separately whisk wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry to ensure even leavening distribution.

2. The Fruit Fold

3. Gently fold in diced apples and chopped nuts.
4. Technique: Finely dicing the apples is a necessity; it ensures the fruit is evenly distributed so every bar has a professional balance of flavor and moisture.

3. The Soak Strategy

5. Pour mixture into the baking dish.
6. Crucial Step: Let it sit for 5 minutes before placing it in the oven. This allows the oats to soften slightly, resulting in a cohesive bar that won’t fall apart.

4. The Bake & Set

7. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is golden-brown and the center feels set.
8. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan (20+ minutes). This rest allows the starches to set into a firm structure for slicing.

Expert Tips:

• Texture Control: For a softer, pudding-like bar, reduce baking time by 5 minutes. For a firm travel-ready bar, bake the full 35 minutes.
• Oat Type: Do not use “Instant” or “Quick” oats. They absorb liquid too fast and result in a mushy, non-professional texture. Stick with Rolled Oats.