Strawberry Oat Bars (vegan, dairy-free, whole grain)

Strawberries and strawberry jam are sandwiched between a buttery streusel-like mixture in these 100% whole grain strawberry oat bars! With a vegan and dairy-free option. Can also be made with all-purpose flour.

April 2015 update: I tested these with coconut oil to make them vegan and dairy-free! I’ve also made a chocolate raspberry oat bar version if that’s more your speed. :)

I’m not normally a fan of cooked strawberries but it definitely works in these bars! And I like that you can actually taste the butter in the crust and topping. There is quite a bit of butter but I don’t recommend reducing it as it’d change the consistency of the topping and possibly make it quite crumbly.

Strawberry Oat Bars – strawberries and strawberry jam are sandwiched between a buttery, 100% whole grain, streusel-like mixture! With a vegan and dairy-free option. Can also be made with all-purpose flour. Please click through to the recipe to see the dietary-friendly options.

One thing I’ve noticed lately is that butter and coconut oil are not interchangeable in recipes with crumble or streusel-like toppings. I’m sure this isn’t always the case but I did an experiment with some other oat bars. I made the exact same recipe but used butter for one batch and coconut oil in the other.

The streusel-like oat topping in the coconut oil version flattened like a pancake while the topping in the butter version held it’s shape. The crust (which was the same stuff as the topping) was also a little oily. In the next batch, I tried reducing the coconut oil a little and it worked! So that’s why you see different amounts of butter and coconut oil called for in this recipe.

I really recommend using a thicker type of jam. Using thin and runny jelly might result in a soggy crust. Here’s a super easy recipe for homemade strawberry jam. There’s no pectin involved and it just uses a little honey as the sweetener! Just mix a few ingredients together in a pot and let it cook.

Strawberry Oat Bars – strawberry jam and strawberries are sandwiched between a buttery, whole grain, streusel-like mix! With a dairy-free and vegan option. Can also be made with all-purpose flour. Please click through to the recipe to see the dietary-friendly options.

I wanted to make these strawberry oat bars because I had some terrible flavorless strawberries I wanted to use up. But you could still tell in the bars that I had used bad strawberries. So if you want the filling to taste good, use good strawberries. This might seem obvious but I thought that the strawberry jam might help with the taste issue.

If strawberries aren’t your thing, I bet these would oat bars would be great with blueberries! Or any other berry that tickles your fancy.

100% Whole Grain Strawberry Oat Bars (vegan, dairy-free options)

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Rated 5.0 by 12 readers
Strawberry Oat Bars (vegan, dairy-free, whole grain)
  • Prep Time:
  • Cook Time:
  • Ready in:
  • Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup (94 grams) white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar or raw sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (169 grams) unsalted butter, cold OR 2/3 cup (150 grams) room temperature (should be like softened butter) coconut oil for a vegan / dairy-free version
  • 2 1/2 cups strawberries (about 12-15 medium strawberries - 353 grams without the stems), chopped into 1/4" chunks
  • 7 tablespoons (125 grams) strawberry jam
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line an 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, flour, sugar, zest, baking powder and salt.
  3. Cut in the butter or coconut oil using a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers, and mix until the dough comes together. The dough should not be very crumbly, but should stick together.
  4. Gently press two thirds of it onto the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
  5. Bake for 10-13 minutes or until the edges just start to turn brown.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sliced strawberries, jam and vanilla.
  7. Spread this mixture over the baked crust and then evenly sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the strawberry filling.
  8. Bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the top has lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.
  9. Let the bars cool completely and then refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting.
  10. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These can also be frozen.

Recipe by  | www.texanerin.com

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52 comments on “Strawberry Oat Bars (vegan, dairy-free, whole grain)” — Add one!

5 comments are awaiting moderation!

  • MK
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    February 20, 2021 @ 8:34 pm

    This turned out soooo good!! Subtracted a few TB of sugar to make it less sweet but kept everything else the same (measured by weight). Used regular unsalted butter & some homemade strawberry jam and wow it was yummy! Definitely refrigerate for a few hours or else they will be challenging to cut up neatly. This was a great way to use up strawberries! Thanks for this recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to MK
      February 21, 2021 @ 7:05 pm

      You’re welcome! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the bars and that they worked well with less sugar. I would’ve thought that they’d be crumbly without the full amount. So great tip! Thanks a ton for your feedback. :)

      Reply
  • Karrie Carroll says
    April 11, 2020 @ 1:10 am

    These look and sound delicious! Can I omit the strawberry jam? And if I double the recipe would it be ok to put into a 9×13 pan? I need more!
    I wanted to make them for Easter Brunch, Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Karrie Carroll
      April 11, 2020 @ 7:24 am

      Thanks! And no, if you omit the jam the strawberries would just fall all over and the bars wouldn’t hold together. I haven’t doubled it but believe it’d work fine in a 9×13!

      Reply
  • Mariin says
    March 26, 2019 @ 10:51 pm

    I made these today with no fresg strawberries, just ED SMITH triple fruit no sugar added jam. Instead of brown sugar I used Swerve sweetener and instead of butter I used 1/2 cup nut butter 1/4 cup coconut oil. They turned out divine! I only used nut butter because I wanted them to taste like a peanut butter jam sandwich oat bar. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Mariin replies to Mariin
      March 27, 2019 @ 4:58 am

      I should also note that I omitted the lemon zest. It didn’t quite go with my version on peantt butter and jam oat squares

      Reply
    • Erin replies to Mariin
      March 30, 2019 @ 8:14 pm

      I’m so glad that your version turned out well! Is 1/2 cup nut butter + 1/4 cup coconut oil a sub you’ve used before for butter? I’m wondering because I’d like to try it in some other recipes! I also love the sound of your PB&J version you made. :) Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  • Emily
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    February 16, 2018 @ 9:47 pm

    I just made this recipe! I don’t know whether mine needs to set more but it’s a bit too crumbly to be a ‘bar’ – is more like a strawberry crumble. But it is absolutely delicious! Did not expect it to taste so yummy <3

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Emily
      February 17, 2018 @ 8:35 pm

      Did you chill them for 2 hours? Because they need to chill for them to become bar-like! So happy they exceeded your expectations. :) Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
      • Emily
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        replies to Erin
        February 18, 2018 @ 12:51 pm

        Yes they just needed more time in the fridge! Absolutely delicious <3

        Going to try with a little less jam and a butter substitute next time so I can make them into a healthy breakfast bar :D

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Emily
          February 20, 2018 @ 8:58 pm

          Awesome! Happy to hear that. :) Good luck with your breakfast bar version!

  • Ellen Shiraef
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    January 27, 2018 @ 8:16 pm

    Hi there, this looks fabulous! Can I use quick steel cut oats? I accidentally got them instead of rolled oats.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Ellen Shiraef
      January 28, 2018 @ 9:40 pm

      Hi! Thanks. :) And unfortunately not. I don’t believe that they can be used in baking (or not usually, anyway) as they have to be prepared in a special way. Sorry about that!

      Reply
  • Briget says
    December 7, 2017 @ 4:33 pm

    Hello! I am wondering, if anyone has used almond flour for this? I just wonder if it would alter the flavor too much?

    Reply
    • Briget replies to Briget
      December 8, 2017 @ 12:49 am

      I made these with almond flour and they were so good!

      Reply
      • Erin replies to Briget
        December 8, 2017 @ 5:37 pm

        Sorry I didn’t get the chance to reply to you sooner! But that’s great that it worked out well with almond flour. :) How much did you use? And did you make any other changes? I’d love to try it myself! Thanks for your comment. :)

        Reply
        • Briget
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          replies to Erin
          December 8, 2017 @ 7:13 pm

          I used what the recipe called for, so 1:1 ratio. I was thinking about trying coconut oil, but I didn’t want to change it up too much, so I used butter. I used Polaner all fruit spreadable fruit in place of the jam since it has a lower sugar content.

        • Erin replies to Briget
          December 10, 2017 @ 6:54 pm

          Oooh! Sounds great. Thanks a bunch for coming back to let me know! Can’t wait to try it out. :)

  • Amber says
    June 28, 2017 @ 9:47 pm

    I have a ton of homemade strawberry jam but not fresh strawberries; I know that I can leave that out but would you adjust the jam amount at all or just leave it as is? Thank you. :)

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Amber
      June 29, 2017 @ 8:27 pm

      I’m not actually sure. The berries add a bunch of bulk. I’d probably add a bit more jam! Just whatever looks good. Sorry for the slow reply! I’m in the process of moving and haven’t had internet since Sunday. Hope you enjoy the bars!:)

      Reply
  • Becky says
    June 20, 2017 @ 3:42 am

    Made these tonight with homegrown strawberries. Followed the recipe exactly and they are soo soo tasty! Hoping these will come out good with raspberries when they are in season. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Becky
      June 21, 2017 @ 9:14 pm

      Awesome! So happy you enjoyed them. I would have hated for you to waste your strawberries. :) Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  • Jess
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    June 4, 2016 @ 5:45 am

    Thank you so much for your amazing recipes! I made this one and your pectin free jam recipe and both of them turned out so well! I did a little write up about both recipes on my blog that I just launched today (please let me know if I need to site you differently or anything like that – I’m still learning!) Looking forward to trying out more of your lovely recipes!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Jess
      June 4, 2016 @ 6:53 pm

      Aww, yay! I’m so happy you liked both recipes. Thanks for sharing the link on your blog. :) I hope you’ll enjoy the other recipes just as much! Thanks a bunch for your feedback. :)

      Reply
  • Paula says
    February 24, 2016 @ 1:40 am

    Erin,
    If I can’t use wheat flour, what would use suggest I use instead? I really want to try these as they look so good!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Paula
      February 24, 2016 @ 9:25 pm

      Hi, Paula! Can you not have gluten or just wheat? Can you have spelt? That’d work! I’ve tried these with oat flour for a gluten-free flour and they were too crumbly and just fell apart. You could try a 1-to-1 GF baking flour, though!

      Reply
  • Karen
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    October 31, 2014 @ 5:51 pm

    I was in a pinch last night for a dessert for a last minute dinner party of 8. Everyone loved them! I will definitely be making these again and may try the coconut oil. Thanks, Erin!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Karen
      October 31, 2014 @ 11:08 pm

      I’m so happy that they came out well! Especially for a last minute dinner party. :) I’m not sure if these will work with coconut oil – you may have to reduce it a little but I’m not sure. Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  • Susan from Scottsdale (GF Forever) says
    July 20, 2014 @ 9:15 pm

    Erin,
    Thank you so much this recipe. It is definitely serendipity that I happened upon YOUR recipe today. I thought I made your recipe (but I didn’t!) because the OTHER recipe turned out very badly. It was way too dry (dense and thick oatmeal layer). I need to find a way to fix it (i.e. add more wet ingredients and turn them into oatmeal balls) and certainly never make that recipe again!
    I am going to delete that one and make yours instead. :-)
    You certainly have a delicious balance of fruit to oatmeal. I will keep you posted.
    Thank you for your many great recipes. Life is so delicious and healthy because of you!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Susan from Scottsdale (GF Forever)
      July 20, 2014 @ 10:52 pm

      Hi Susan! Sorry that the other recipe you tried didn’t come out but I’m happy that you found this one (and now know that my recipe wasn’t the bad one ;)) I hope that this one will come out much better for you. Good luck with making the other one a little more edible and thanks so much for your very kind comment! I really appreciate that you took the time. :)

      Reply
      • Susan from Scottsdale (GF Forever)
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        replies to Erin
        October 16, 2014 @ 8:51 pm

        I did make yours and IT ROCKS! Thank you for creating a delicious and healthy strawberry oat bar recipe. It is the perfect summer snack with all the fresh berries available (to make fresh jam). Thank you, Erin!!

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Susan from Scottsdale (GF Forever)
          October 17, 2014 @ 5:29 pm

          Thanks, Susan! So happy that it worked out. :) And I think a autumnal version is needed now. Perhaps with apples and lots of fall spices? :) I think I’ll try that on the weekend!

  • Claudia Ellis says
    July 16, 2014 @ 5:45 am

    Erin,
    I made these today and oh my…. These are just heavenly! My house soooo good too! I will definitely try them with a strawberry-rhubarb mix too!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Claudia Ellis
      July 20, 2014 @ 9:13 am

      So happy that you liked them! And I hope that you’ll like the rhubarb version just as much. :) Thanks for the feedback!

      Reply
  • Alice
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    June 6, 2014 @ 9:38 pm

    How about switching the butter with some greek yoghurt? I’ll try this next time and I’ll try and let you know!
    I really liked those bars!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Alice
      June 8, 2014 @ 9:53 am

      I’m so happy that you liked the bars! And using some Greek yogurt sounds like a great idea but I’m a little worried about the crust and topping coming out soft and slightly cakey rather than crisp. If you do try it, let me know how it comes out and good luck! :)

      Reply
  • cookingwithkids
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    May 18, 2014 @ 7:16 pm

    These are absolutely delicious, I had to let you know that we made these yesterday for a dieting group and they were a smash hit. We went a little heavier on the strawberries and added rhubarb. The berries are fantastic! Please do another version.

    http://recipetoloseweight.blogspot.com/2014/05/women-diet-and-loss-of-30-pounds-with.html

    Reply
    • Erin replies to cookingwithkids
      May 19, 2014 @ 8:56 am

      I’m so happy that you and the group liked them! More strawberries and rhubarb sounds great. :) I really loved these and want to see if I can make them a little firmer, so I’m definitely thinking about another version. Thanks so much for the feedback and the rating!

      Reply
  • Rose | The Clean Dish
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    May 14, 2014 @ 9:03 pm

    Erin, these look wonderful!
    Sorry you had a bad batch of strawberries :( What a major let down!!

    Cooked strawberries aren’t my favorite either but yours still look super colorful and fresh! Mine usually end up looking brown and sad. Pinning now :)

    Reply
  • Jennie @themessybakerblog says
    May 14, 2014 @ 6:18 pm

    Erin, these look wonderful! That filling is oozing delicious strawberry goodness. Thanks for doing the hard work–butter it is!

    Reply
  • Medeja says
    May 13, 2014 @ 1:12 pm

    Strawberries and strawberry jam sound delicious!

    Reply
  • Charlotte Moore
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    May 12, 2014 @ 5:10 pm

    I like this type bar.

    Reply
  • How to Philosophize with Cake says
    May 12, 2014 @ 2:03 pm

    Those look amazing! Like dessert bars, but healthy. I need this in my life :)

    Reply
    • Erin replies to How to Philosophize with Cake
      May 19, 2014 @ 9:10 am

      Eh, I don’t know how healthy they actually are other than the whole grain thing. I suppose that’s good enough, right? ;)

      Reply
  • Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says
    May 12, 2014 @ 2:02 pm

    These bars sound amazing! I love that the seem super easy to prepare and would be a perfect snack to take with me to work!

    Reply
  • Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
    May 12, 2014 @ 1:26 pm

    These look divine to me!

    They look plenty firm. In fact, I’m firm on eating these for breakfast.

    And messy pie/bars/tarts almost tastes better……?!?

    Butter seems to be that one ingredient that I can’t compromise on!!

    Reply

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