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BY JESSICA from butterwithasideofbread.com

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars made with oats, brown sugar, coconut oil and raspberry jam! Easy oat bar recipe with fantastic sweet raspberry flavor!

These berry oatmeal bars are a sensational dish, the oatmeal crust, tart raspberry layer and topped with an incredible oatmeal crumble. These delicious raspberry oatmeal cookie bars are so good, this recipe is one you will not soon forget!

RASPBERRY OATMEAL BARS

This recipe is an adaption to some oatmeal bars I found in an Eat Better America email several years back. Since then, I have made some incredible changes and made them even more amazing! These berry crumble bars take less than 10 minutes to get them prepped and in the oven.

The recipe below can use a mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour to keep it healthier, but if you do not have whole wheat you can use regular flour for it. You can even choose your own oat variety. While old fashioned are healthier, Quaker quick cook oats and steel cut oats can be used. The quicker cooking oats will give you more of a soft texture whereas old fashioned and steel cut give more bite and chewiness.

CAN I USE A DIFFERENT JAM?

The great thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile, you can use the same recipe over and over but have a different flavor each time. You can use store bought or even homemade jam, really the possibilities are endless. For this recipe we used raspberry jam, it is a sweet and tart option that pairs well with the oatmeal crumble. Some other great flavors would be blackberry, strawberry, blueberry, apple or peach. Try them all and find your favorite flavor combination!

CAN YOU FREEZE OATMEAL BARS?

Yes! These oatmeal bars freeze so beautifully that it makes for a perfect grab and go snack or breakfast on the run. I recommend cutting them into serving sized pieces, individually wrapped with plastic wrap and stored inside of a Ziploc bag for easy access and good airtight storage.

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ARE THESE OATMEAL BARS GLUTEN FREE?

Good question! While oats are naturally gluten free, during the farming process and gluten ingredients could be introduced. However, the Quaker Oat brand does offer gluten free oat options and it is clearly labeled on the packaging. You will also need to swap out the flour for your preferred GF flour option to ensure these bars are gluten free.

BERRY OATMEAL BAR INGREDIENTS

-Coconut oil: You will need 1/2 cup softened coconut oil to provide wonderful flavor and texture to these bars.

-Brown sugar: Using 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar will give the bars a nice sweet taste.

-Egg: Adding 1 egg will help bind the crumble together to achieve a great crust base.

-Salt: Using 1/4 tsp salt will be a great balance of sweet and salty flavor in these bars.

-Flour: You need 1 cup all purpose flour or whole wheat flour for the base of the crumble.

-Vanilla extract: Use 1 tsp vanilla extract to help enhance the combination of flavors in this recipe.

-Old Fashioned Oats: Using 1 cup rolled oats will help give the crumble a perfect taste and consistency.

-Jam: You need 1 cup raspberry jam or raspberry preserves, or you can choose an alternate flavor of your choice.

-Walnuts: This is completely optional, but if you love the crunchy texture of baked nuts using a 1/4 cup of walnuts would add amazing flavor and texture.