Healthier Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oat Snack Bars
You’ll never know these moist and delicious banana bread chocolate chip oat snack bars are actually healthy (and low in sugar and fat!).
Low in sugar (natural and artificial) and without any added oil or fat, these tasty banana bread bars really do fit the bill for a nutritious snack.
Of course the chocolate chips aren’t completely guilt-free and could be considered optional, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have to tell you where I stand on the “should I add them or not” issue. Come on, live a little.
The bars are simple enough that my boys have been whipping them up to devour after school when their lazy mom has neglected to do the task for them and they run in the house famished. Which is pretty much the story of my life and theirs.
Tip: these banana bread bars taste amazing warm right out of the oven with a tall glass of cold milk and are equally as delectable the next day.
Another Tip: just because four little boys work together in the kitchen to make an after school snack doesn’t mean they’ll be as eager to do the dishes.
We’ve been popping them in lunch boxes, snacking on them all hours of the day and even offering them as an after-dinner treat. Quite the versatile bar-treat-snack-thingies, I’d say.
Another selling point: they are egg-free, dairy-free (if you leave out the chocolate chips or buy dairy-free chocolate chips), and gluten-free adaptable (look for a gluten-free brand of oats). And mostly, they’re just really yummy.
One Year Ago: Light and Fluffy Yellow Cupcakes
Two Years Ago: Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup
Three Years Ago: Macaroni Grill Rosemary Bread
Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Oat Snack Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (225 g) rolled oats, finely ground in a blender or food processor (measure the oats before grinding)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 medium (about 339 g) bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup honey or agave nectar
- ⅓ cup (57 g) chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8X8- or 9X9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the bananas, vanilla, applesauce, and honey or agave nectar to the blender and process until smooth.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips (if using). Bake for 14-18 minutes until set around the edges and just barely moist in the center.
Notes
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Recipe Source: barely adapted from a recipe sent to me by a virtual friend, Heather (who I’ve never met but she sends me lots of great recipes like this Cream Cheese Banana Bread so I’m pretty sure we’d be BFF’s in real life), similar to a recipe at Ambitious Kitchen
Thank you for the recipe! My family loves it! Oats hurt my stomach, would I be able to substitute oat flour for regular flour or whole wheat flour?
Yes, I think you could do that
My family loved these! I don’t think they even realized how healthy they were. I’m going to try doubling next time in a 9×13. I subbed brown sugar for the honey.
Could you make this recipe in muffin tins?
I haven’t tried that, but I think it should work!
We love these and make them often! I add protein powder or pb2 sometimes to add protein. Today I realized (too late) that we didn’t take have applesauce so I am trying an egg. We’ll see but the batter seems fine! I also had an idea…you should make a pumpkin variation of these!
I’m still making and loving these…I’ve also caught the sourdough bug about a year ago and was thinking how much I would love a discard version of these as well as a discard baked oatmeal. Any tips on how to integrate discard into these classic recipes of yours?
Usually I decrease the flour and liquid by the same amount as the sourdough discard I’m adding. This recipe is a bit trickier since it doesn’t call for liquid…maybe try decreasing the oats by 1/2 cup and adding 1/2 cup sourdough and see how that works out?
These are a new favorite! I always double them as they freeze so we’ll and I snack on them all week. I’ve cut the sugar in half with great success.
If I don’t have apple sauce should I use oil? Or eggs?
You can sub the applesauce with oil or melted butter.
I put a schmear of melted peanut butter on top and then sprinkled some KIND peanut butter granola on top and served these for breakfast with a cold glass of milk! Everyone gave them a thumbs up
These are tasty and healthy and a great way to use up overripe bananas. Thanks for the recipe!
Mel: these bars are AMAZING! They are the most heavenly post-yoga snack. I am enjoying this moment, still savouring a third piece, so much.
Such a lovely break to catch my breath. Much needed these days.
Somehow, I resisted the siren call of your cinnamon roll recipe you posted today, & made these instead! The 3 brown bananas on my countertop were begging to be used. 6 kids at the house today, & they all kept asking for seconds & thirds. It’s a winner! When I was preparing & baking them they almost reminded me of baking brownies. You bake them until just golden & firm around the edges. Perfection!
This reminds me of this recipe I’ve done ( https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/242132/saturday-morning-blueberry-pancakes/ ). This is a pancake recipe but I’ve discovered it bakes well.
For this recipe I wonder what peanut butter would taste like on it? (I know, not quite as healthy but yummers)
This is SO YUMMY!!
I just wanted to leave another comment saying how much we love these! I’ve passed the recipe on to so many people. (Which is actually why I’m here–copying the link!) I usually make them in a 9 by 13 pan keeping the measurements the same (they’re just thinner). When I make a batch, I measure out dry ingredients into two other gallon-size ziploc bags. Then we can make them extra quickly the next two times–dump the bag in the blender, add wet ingredients, and cook.
Good ideas! Thank you!
My whole family (including 2 picky toddlers) love and request this “cake” all the time!
I love this recipe! It is so easy and yummy! Thanks Mel!!
My 4 kids loved these, and they’re used to unhealthy baked goods that I usually make… trying to make changes to our eating habits, so I was glad to find a simple, healthy recipe I can make (without having to buy special ingredients) that my family likes and I feel good about serving them!
I was looking for something healthy to use up some overripe bananas, and I knew you’d come through. This was a spur of the moment thing, so I didn’t have chocolate chips. I folded in some walnuts instead. I forgot the vanilla (oops), and they were still delicious! We will be making these often.
Just a few comments on my comment, now that I’ve made this several times: 1. Yes, they’re even better with chocolate chips. I’m still keeping the walnuts in, though. 2. I’ve started making double batches. It works, in a 9×13 pan. I add about 2-4 minutes to the baking time. 3. I’m cutting back on the honey… I’m down to 1/4 cup of honey in the double batch, and I’m not missing it. 4. Minor recipe hack: I put all my dry ingredients in the food processor *before* processing the oats – I figure that handles “whisking” for me. 5. I love this website!!
Thanks for the update! 🙂
These turned out great! Thanks for your recipes.
These say: road trip! Just made them for a road trip and when I *tested* one out of the pan, I knew these were going to be the best part. (Other than entering the States where Chik-Fil-A can be found.)
Haha! I love it!
These might be the most delicious thing I’ve ever made. Yum!
I’ve made these a few times now and my picky 3-year old loves them, even without the chocolate chips! Thanks for the recipe!
I have made these a handful of times now. My almost five year old particularly enjoys them are they are a perfect snack for preschool. I especially like how they do not have flour or peanut butter as they are allergy friendly! Last time I doubled them exactly and put them in a 9×13. I think I only cooked them a few min longer. I didn’t have enough honey either so I did 1/2 honey and 1/2 brown sugar and they were great. Thanks so much!!
Wow, Mel! These are so, so good! I want to eat the whole pan!!
I made this recipe today. I only had 2 bananas and a tad more than 1/8 cup of honey, but I tried it anyway – they’re delicious. Cake-like texture, and not super sweet (which I like). The chocolate chips on top is a nice rich complement. I bet it’ll be even better warmed up tomorrow – I’ll put it in the toaster oven for a minute or two and have a nice comforting breakfast at work. Thank you for sharing.