Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars Recipe: Gluten-Free & Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Layer:
- 3 cups fresh strawberries, diced (or defrosted if frozen)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1–2 tbsp lemon zest
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2 tbsp tapioca starch
Oatmeal Layers:
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (solid at room temp)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the Strawberry Filling: In a small pot, simmer strawberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, zest, and salt for 5–10 minutes until juicy. Stir in tapioca starch and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Make the Oatmeal Mixture: Combine oats, almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Add maple syrup, coconut oil, and lemon juice, mixing until crumbly.
- Assemble: Press all but 1/2–3/4 cup of the oatmeal mix into the dish as a base layer. Spread the strawberry filling evenly on top. Sprinkle the reserved oatmeal mix over the filling.
- Bake: Bake for 20–25 minutes until the edges turn golden. Cool completely before slicing.