Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

With these Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars, your taste buds will enjoy a bold balance between the sweetness and tartness of the strawberries tied with a nice crunch from the rolled oats and soft, nutty flavored body from the peanut butter, oatmeal, and almond flour. The perfect sweet treat the Spring and Summer! All Vegan and Gluten-Free.

These Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are the next best thing for a sweet indulge moment during the sunny days ahead. I recently decided to remake and re-shoot these oatmeal bars because it's always great to re-test and tweak your recipes after awhile in my opinion. I believe that I originally made these 2-3 years ago, however, since recently making them again, I found amazing ways to adjust a few ingredients and even substitute others. Much BETTER this time around.

So, I'm a HUGE fan of PB + J sandwiches, especially growing up. Of course, I HAD to make something that plays well on my love for such a simply yet classic childhood fave! Previously, I made these amazing Crunchy ‘PB + Jelly’ Energy Bites, which were an awesome rendition of a PB + J sandwich, while exploring a fruity apricot flavor. However, these oatmeal bars are the perfect rendition of a traditional PB + J Sandwich, bursting with strawberry flavor. The best thing about making this during the summer? For one, they are totally accessible and easy to pack and carry around with you, regardless of where you travel. If you love snack-like sweet treats, then these Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars, Chocolate Cranberry Almond Snack Bars, and Homemade Vegan Oat Milk Chocolate Bars are the perfect things to try next.

Secondly, these oatmeal bars are super easy to make, only requires staple ingredients, one-bowl, great for kids and adults-alike, and they're just SO DAMN GOOD! Haha.

Are Oatmeal Bars Healthy?

Overall, yes! Oatmeal bars are healthy depending on the ingredients used. Oats in general are jam-packed with nutrients and are a good source of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, among other things. Of course, you can always use healthier sweetener options to minimize the amount of sugar.

Ingredients for the Oatmeal Bars

• Gluten-Free Flour: You can also use Oat Flour or regular flour if you choose!
• Gluten-Free Rolled Oats: I love using the thick cut oats.
• Strawberries: I used frozen strawberries to make my own jam, which is super easy.
• Brown Sugar: I love using organic brown sugar because it gives a nice amount of sweetness and texture.
• Cinnamon: Because you always need a nice spice flavor.
• Baking Soda
• Sea Salt
• Vanilla: Always use the pure extract and not the imitation stuff.
• Peanut Butter: I love how it adds such a softness to these bars and a delicious nutty flavor. You can substitute with Almond butter or Pecan Butter for a different bold flavor.
• Vegan Butter
• Arrowroot starch: This is a great gluten-free option as a thickening agent. However, you can also sub with GF flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, etc.
• Lemon Juice
• Cane Sugar: It's best to ensure that this is organic to keep things vegan-friendly.

Lover of Strawberries? You'll Love These!

This Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake is the perfect rendition of traditional strawberry shortcake with a twist!

Hands down, this Cream Cheese Pound Cake + Strawberry Glaze is the best you’ll ever taste! Not only is it completely soft + fluffy, but it’s rich in butter flavor and comes loaded with cream cheese that when paired with this sweet strawberry glaze, it’s absolutely irresistible and is sure to become a classic for your entire family.

These Strawberry Grapefruit Mint Spring Sodas are the perfect balance between tart and sweet with a nice fizz.

How to Make Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

To start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a regular 8 x 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

To Make Strawberry Jam:

Combine strawberries,  pure cane sugar, lemon juice, water, and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer until the strawberries are soft.

Now in a small bowl, mix together arrowroot starch with warm water until well combined and lump-free. Add mixture to saucepan with strawberries and stir until syrup thickens and reduced slightly, approximately 8-10 minutes, Continue to stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt, whisking ingredients together. Add in melted butter, vanilla, and softened peanut butter and using a spatula, stir everything together until fully incorporated and evenly moistened. NOTE: Your batter will look a bit crumbly and wet; that's fine!

Assembly:

Scooping only half of the ingredients into the prepared pan, press down evenly until nicely evened. Now, add cooled strawberry jam atop even layer. Now, sprinkle the remaining ½ of the crumble mixture, until everything is evenly coated and gently press everything on top for an even top layer.

Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes, until the strawberries are bubbling through and the tops look golden brown and crisp.

Once done, remove from the oven and let it cool completely, about 30 minutes or so before lifting the parchment paper on the sides from the baking pan and cooling them completely on a cooling rack. **NOTE: For a better 'second cool', you can place the bars in the refrigerator for an hour or so.**

To serve, cut everything into square bars and enjoy!

Bon Appetit!

How to Best Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate leftover bars for up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container for optimal freshness. To freeze for longer: Simply wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap or an air tight container and thaw them when ready to eat.

Can I Make these Oatmeal Bars Thicker?

Yes! For a nice thickness + sturdiness of bars, simply DOUBLE the ingredients.

Other Delicious Dairy-Free + Vegan Dessert Recipes to Try Next!

• No-Churn Chocolate Oreo Ice Cream
• Grandma's Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
•  Apple Cinnamon Olive Oil Cake
• Baked Vegan Apple Cider Donuts
• Vegan Berry Galette
• Crunchy Vegan Banana Bread
• Vegan Chia Seed Maple Banana Bread
• Vegan Strawberry Oatmeal Cake
• Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Sweet Potato Cupcakes

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you choose to make these Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love, rate, comment below, + share!

Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

June 21, 2018 •

By Shanika

5 from 5 votes

With these Vegan Strawberry Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars, your taste buds will enjoy a bold balance between the sweetness and tartness of the strawberries tied with a nice crunch from the rolled oats and soft, nutty flavored body from the peanut butter, oatmeal, and almond flour.

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Total Time: 50 minutes mins

Serves: 12 bars

Units:

US Customary|Metric

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Ingredients

OATMEAL BARS:

• 1 ½ cups 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking flour (See Notes!)
• 1 cup organic rolled oats, GF-friendly
• ½ cup organic brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 Tbsps vegan peanut butter, softened
• 6 Tbsps vegan butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (See Notes!)

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM:

• 2-3 cups Strawberries, fresh or frozen
• ½ cup organic cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon juice of a lemon
• ¼ cup filtered water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tsps arrowroot starch + 2 Tbsps WARM water

Instructions

• To start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a regular 8 x 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.

TO MAKE THE STRAWBERRY JAM:

• Combine strawberries, cane sugar, lemon juice, water, and vanilla extract in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer until the strawberries are soft.
• Now in a small bowl, mix together arrowroot starch with warm water until well combined and lump-free. Add mixture to saucepan with strawberries and stir until syrup thickens and reduced slightly, approximately 8-10 minutes, Continue to stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

TO MAKE THE OATMEAL BARS:

• In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt, whisking ingredients together. Add in melted butter, vanilla, and softened peanut butter and using a spatula, stir everything together until fully incorporated and evenly moistened. **NOTE: Your batter will look a bit crumbly and wet; that's fine!**

ASSEMBLE:

• Scooping only half of the ingredients into the prepared pan, press down evenly until nicely evened. Now, add cooled strawberry jam atop even layer. Now, sprinkle the remaining ½ of the crumble mixture, until everything is evenly coated and gently press everything on top for an even top layer.

BAKE EVERYTHING:

• Bake the bars for 30-35 minutes, until the strawberries are bubbling through and the tops look golden brown and crisp.
• Once done, remove from the oven and let it cool completely, about 30 minutes or so before lifting the parchment paper on the sides from the baking pan and cooling them completely on a cooling rack. NOTE: For a better 'second cool', you can place the bars in the refrigerator for an hour or so.
• To serve, cut everything into square bars and enjoy!
• Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

• STORAGE: Refrigerate leftover bars for up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container for optimal freshness.
• FREEZE: Simply wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap or an air tight container and thaw them when ready to eat. 
• THICKER BARS: For a nice thickness of bars, simply DOUBLE the ingredients.
• SWEETENER: If you choose to opt out of cane sugar, you can always substitute with pure maple syrup or Agave as well. Just add more flour + oats to avoid batter from being too wet.
• STACRH/THICKENER: If you don’t have or don’t want to use Arrowroot starch, you can always use Tapioca Flour, regular Cornstarch, or flour instead. Either substitution will help to thicken the mixture just fine.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 132mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

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