Looking for an easy, healthy snack for your little ones? These Apple Oat Bars are soft, chewy, and made with simple ingredients like fresh apples, rolled oats, applesauce, maple syrup, and a little baking powder.. The bars are naturally sweet, soft for tiny mouths, and perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunch boxes.
This recipe is great for new parents, busy moms, dads, childcare providers, and anyone feeding toddlers. You can easily swap ingredients or try fun twists like Apple Oat Date Bars, Chewy Apple Oatmeal Bars, or Apple Oat Bars with Granola. Whether you want a no-sugar option, a vegan version, or soft baby-friendly bars, you’ll find a simple idea here for your family.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These Apple Oat Bars are simple, soft, and made with good, everyday ingredients. It’s a great snack for toddlers and a quick breakfast for busy mornings.
- Made with fresh apples and rolled oats.
- Naturally sweet with applesauce and maple syrup.
- Easy for toddlers and preschoolers to chew.
- One bowl and one baking dish.
- Good for breakfast, snacks, and lunchboxes.
- Easy to swap ingredients.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
You don’t need fancy stuff for these apple oat bars. Just a few simple things you probably already have at home. Here’s the ingredients you will need:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 medium apple, peeled and grated
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional).
Substitutions
No worries if you’re missing something. Here’s what you can swap:
- Egg: Use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water) if your child can’t have eggs.
- Maple Syrup: Use honey for toddlers over 1 year old. Never give honey to babies under 1.
- Rolled Oats: You can use quick oats, but the bars will be a little softer.
- Applesauce: Swap with mashed banana (about 1 cup) if needed.
- Cinnamon: Leave it out if your little one doesn’t like spices.
How to Make Apple Oat Bars
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. You can also line it with parchment paper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir well.
4. Add 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 grated apple, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix everything until combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Spread it out evenly with a spoon.
6. Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the top looks set and the edges turn golden.
7. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
8. Cut into bars or small squares. Serve and enjoy.
How to Store
1. Let the bars cool completely in the baking dish.
2. Move the bars to an airtight container.
3. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
4. For longer storage, place the bars in a freezer-safe bag or container.
5. Freeze for up to 2 months.
6. To serve, let frozen bars thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for a few seconds.
Best Tips for Success
These tips will help you make the softest, yummiest Apple Oat Bars every time. Great for toddlers and easy for you!
- Use fresh, sweet apples.They make the bars naturally tasty and soft.
- Mix oats and baking powder well before adding wet ingredients.
- Don’t skip the applesauce.
- Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
- Let the bars cool before cutting. It makes slicing into neat bars much easier.
- Store extras in the fridge or freezer. Keep them fresh for snacks, breakfast, or lunch boxes.
You can Try out more Creamy Bar like Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, Snacks like Frozen Yogurt Bark, Yogurt Granola Bites and many more.
Apple Oat Bars Variations
Try these easy twists to make your Apple Oat Bars extra fun and tasty for your little ones!
Apple Oat Bars for Baby
Soft and gentle for tiny mouths, these are made with baby-safe ingredients.
To make it:
Leave out maple syrup. Use unsweetened applesauce, finely grated apple, and oats. Bake until soft but not crispy.
Chewy Apple Oatmeal Bars
These bars turn soft and chewy with a little extra moisture.
To make it:
Add an extra 2 tablespoons of applesauce and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Bake for 25 minutes to keep them chewy.
Apple Oat Bars Vegan
Dairy-free and egg-free, perfect for plant-based families.
To make it:
Swap the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water). Use maple syrup or date syrup for sweetness.
Apple Oatmeal Bars No Sugar
Naturally sweet from apples and applesauce.
To make it:
Skip maple syrup. Add a little extra grated apple for sweetness. Bake the same way.
Apple Oat Date Bars
Dates make these bars extra sweet and soft.
To make it:
Chop ½ cup soft dates and mix with the apples, oats, and applesauce. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.
Apple Oat Bars Cookies
Turn your bars into soft oatmeal cookies.
To make it:
Scoop the batter onto a baking sheet in small rounds. Bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes.
Apple Oat Crumble Bars
Add a crispy crumble topping for extra texture.
To make it:
Mix ½ cup oats, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Sprinkle over the batter before baking.
Apple Oat Caramel Bars
A sweet treat with a soft caramel flavor.
To make it:
Drizzle a little date caramel (blended dates + water) over the bars before baking. Bake as usual.
Apple Oat Cinnamon Bars
Warm and cozy with extra cinnamon.
To make it:
Add 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the oats mix. Sprinkle a little on top before baking.
Apple Baked Oatmeal Bars
Like baked oatmeal, but easy to hold.
To make it:
Use quick oats instead of rolled oats. Add a little extra applesauce for moisture. Bake until set.
Apple Oat Honey Bars
Sweet and sticky with natural honey.
To make it:
Replace maple syrup with 3 tablespoons of honey. Bake the same way.
Apple Puree Oat Bars
Perfect for babies and toddlers.
To make it:
Use apple puree instead of grated apple. Keep everything else the same and bake until soft.
Granola Apple Oat Bars
Crunchy, chewy, and sweet.
To make it:
Mix ½ cup granola into the batter. Bake for 25–30 minutes.
Iced Apple Oat Bars
A fun treat with a light icing.
To make it:
Once bars cool, drizzle with simple icing (powdered sugar + milk). Let it set before serving.
Apple Oat Bars
Soft apple oat bars made with simple ingredients. A healthy, easy snack for toddlers—great for breakfast, lunchboxes, or baby-led weaning.
9
servings15
minutes40
minutes95
kcal55
minutesIngredients
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 medium apple, peeled and grated
1 large egg
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional).
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray. You can also line it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 2 cups rolled oats, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Stir well.
- step by step Apple Oat Bars
- Add 1 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 grated apple, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix everything until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Spread it out evenly with a spoon.
- Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes, or until the top looks set and the edges turn golden.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Cut into bars or small squares. Serve and enjoy.
