Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Try this Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2-1/2 cups gluten-free old fashioned oats divided
- 1 cup milk any kind (i used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
- 1/3 cup pecan halves roughly chopped (optional)
- Carbohydrate 2.28758036873373 g
- Cholesterol 13.7384259255577 mg
- Fat 15.0851274116121 g
- Fiber 1.58957411267699 g
- Protein 1.07192222149927 g
- Saturated Fat 8.84811011539332 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (25g)
- Sodium 41.7743148046226 mg
- Sugar 0.698006256056745 g
- Trans Fat 0.923975259498333 g
- Calories 144 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8x8" baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add 1 cup old fashioned oats to a food processor or blender then process until oats have turned into flour. Set aside. (Alternatively you could use a scant cup oat flour.)
- Add milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups oats, oat flour, chia seeds, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt then stir to combine. Fold in chopped pecans then pour batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center has set. Check on the bars at the 25 minute mark - if the edges are browning too quickly, place a piece of foil on top of the baking pan. Cool before slicing into bars then store in the refrigerator, or individually wrap bars in saran wrap and freeze.
The Starch Foundation
Pure pumpkin puree does the heaviest structural lifting in this batter by supplying both moisture and natural starch that binds the ingredients together without requiring excess flour. Because canned pumpkin varies in water content, use 100 percent plain squash rather than pre-sweetened pie filling to maintain the precise liquid ratios needed for a firm slice. Processing one cup of old fashioned oats in a blender until powdery creates a DIY oat flour that absorbs excess liquid efficiently. Whisking the melted coconut oil into cold milk gradually prevents the fat from solidifying into hard droplets before it incorporates uniformly into the batter.
Browning and Thermal Control
Baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit ensures the interior sets completely before the exterior burns. Chia seeds absorb surrounding liquids during this thermal process, swelling to form a gel matrix that holds the square intact once cooled. Check the pan precisely at the 25-minute mark to monitor how rapidly the edges are coloring. Placing a square of aluminum foil loosely over the top prevents excessive browning while the center finishes cooking through the remaining 10 to 15 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
Freezing and Reheating Dynamics
Cooling the baked slab entirely on a wire rack before slicing prevents condensation from accumulating inside the storage container, which would otherwise soften the crust. Wrapping individual portions tightly in plastic wrap stops freezer burn from degrading the fats in the pecans and coconut oil. Reheat single portions directly from the freezer in a toaster oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for ten minutes to restore the exterior crispness. Refrigerated bars remain safe for consumption for up to five days when stored in an airtight container.
