These chewy pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal bars come together in 1 mixing bowl. They’re egg free, vegan if using dairy-free chocolate chips, and gluten free if using certified gluten-free oats. The addition of chocolate chips makes them taste like dessertโa delicious & healthy way to satisfy your pumpkin cravings!
Though my website focuses on traditional baking and dessert recipes, I test and bake healthy recipes all the time. It’s usually what we eat/snack on during the week, then we save the indulgent goodies for the weekend… like mini cinnamon sugar pumpkin muffins and apple cinnamon babka. I just made another loafโcannot get enough!
A version of today’s recipe has lived on my website for years, but it was never a favorite. These pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal bars are new and improved. They’re vegan, gluten free, and flavored with pumpkin, spices, maple, and vanilla. And best of all, by pulsing the oats into a finer cut, they hold their shape MUCH better than the previous version.
Here’s Why Youโll Love Them
- Healthy way to get your pumpkin spice fix
- Soft-baked and extra chewy
- No added refined sugar (excludes the chocolate chips)
- A great place to use your homemade pumpkin pie spice
- Everything comes together in 1 bowl
- Customizableโinstead of chocolate chips, use nuts or dried cranberries
- Freeze beautifully
Plus, theyโre adult and toddler approved. They’re like a bar version of my healthy pumpkin oatmeal cookies or pumpkin baked oatmeal cups, both of which are equally flavorful and wholesome. (And delicious!)
One reader, Jackie, commented: “Love love love! I followed this recipe exactly, except I swapped coconut sugar for light brown sugar. These are such a simple, delish, guilt-free autumn snack. While they were in the oven, we could smell the delicious spicesโyum! โ โ โ โ โ ”
Overview: How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
- Whether you use whole oats or quick oats, pulse them in a food processor first. Gently breaking the oats down helps guarantee the bars hold together. I do this with my healthy berry streusel bars and it makes all the differenceโtight, compact bars.
- Place the oats in a big mixing bowl, then stir in the remaining ingredients. Yes, it’s that easy. The recipe below is a careful mix of ingredients to ensure best taste and texture. I don’t recommend making any substitutions other than the options listed.
- Press tightly into a lined 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan.
- Bake.
- Cool, then cut into squares.
The bars take about 25โ30 minutes to bake. Remove them from the oven, then cool completely. I usually cool them on the counter for 30 minutes, then place the whole pan in the refrigerator for 1โ2 hours to speed it up.
Whatโs the Texture Like?
Following the recipe, bake time, and cooling instructions below, the bars are like a soft oatmeal barโa firmer version of baked oatmeal.
On another note, do you like KIND bars? I have a homemade pumpkin spice version on my website called Pumpkin Seed Cranberry Snack Bars. I LOVE them because of all the varying textures: chewy, crunchy, chunky!
Are These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars Healthy?
“Healthyโ is a relative term. In my eyes, these are perfectly healthy pumpkin bars. Theyโre made with whole foods like pumpkin, applesauce, and fiber-filled oats, plus thereโs no white flour or butter. However, they may be too sugary for someone who needs to watch their sugar intake and theyโre obviously not ideal for anyone allergic to oats.
When it comes to labeling recipes as healthy, use the best judgment for YOU.
- Iโm unsure of the nutritional information for these, but feel free to calculate it yourself using an online calculator and the exact products/brands you use.
See more of my egg free baking recipes and gluten free recipes. If your sweet tooth is calling, here are more of my favorite healthy dessert recipes and gluten free dessert recipes!
More Healthy Favorites
- Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
- Breakfast Cookies
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread
- Pumpkin Granola & Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups
- Maple Vanilla Baked Pears
- No-Bake Chocolate Fudge Oat Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 16 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These pumpkin chocolate chip oatmeal bars are soft and chewy with satisfying pumpkin flavor. Using a food processor or blender to break down the oats (step 2) ensures the bars hold their shape. I don’t recommend any ingredient substitutions other than those listed in the recipe & recipe notes.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (255g) old-fashioned whole rolled oatsย orย quick oats (not instant)*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) fresh or cannedย pumpkin puree
- 1/3 cup (80g)ย unsweetened applesauce*
- 1/3 cup (70g) coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (45g) coconut sugar (or packed light or dark brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (135g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a few to press into the top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- Pulse the oats in a food processor or blender until theyโre slightly broken up. (For whole oats, about 10 pulses. For quick oats, about 5-6 pulses.) Pour into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. With a rubber spatula or large spoon, stir together until combined. Mixture/dough will be very heavy and thick.
- Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Using the back of a flat spatula or a spoon, spread and press it tightly down into the pan. Make sure itโs flat and very compact, which helps guarantee the bars hold their shape. Dot a few chocolate chips into the topโthis is optional and only for looks! I usually use about 1-2 Tablespoons on top.
- Bake for 25-28 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned and the center appears set. Avoid over-baking, which dries the bars out.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan at room temperature for 30-60 minutes. After that, place the pan in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours until chilled.
- Remove bars from the pan using the overhang on the sides then cut into squares.
- Cover leftover bars tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions:ย Freeze squares in single layers between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 8-inch Square Baking Pan or 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Food Processor or Blender | Glass Mixing Bowls | Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- Oats: If needed, use certified gluten free oats to ensure the bars are gluten free.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice:ย You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you donโt have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/4 teaspoon each: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and ground allspice. This is in addition to the 1 teaspoon of cinnamonโyou will still add that to the dough.
- Applesauce: If needed, you can replace the applesauce with the same amount of mashed banana. Or you can use 1 egg or even use a flax egg substitute. Flax egg = mix 1 Tbsp ground flax with 3 Tbsp warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes while it โgelsโ up. Use the โflax gelโ as a replacement for the applesauce/egg.
- Chocolate Chips: You can skip the chocolate chips or replace with white chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries. Or use a combination of any of those add-ins.
- Vegan: Use dairy-free chocolate chips to ensure the bars are vegan.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I forgot to add the sugar! Somehow I know these will STILL turn out good, just like every other recipe of yours I’ve ever tried has! Your recipes have practically made me famous, and I always give credit to you, Sally!
Currently breastfeeding a baby who is allergic to eggs and dairy, so this is a great breakfast option for me. Would love to see more of these vegan recipes!
These bars are fantastic. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I did add about 1 cup of dried cranberries and a handful of chopped pecans. I couldn’t wait for them to cool to sample them, but I’m sure they will be great after they are chilled if they last that long. Next time I will add more pecans for more crunch. Consistency is great. Thank you for another great recipe.
I love these! Not a super strong flavor but they aren’t bland. A great way to get use out of my pumpkin puree. I subbed the applesauce with 1 egg, the coconut oil with peanut butter, maple syrup with honey, and the coconut sugar with brown sugar just because those are the ingredients I had on hand. They came out great! They’re soft and kind of cake-like, and not super sweet, though I’d probably still opt for a bit less honey than the full 1/3 cup.
I replaced the coconut oil for crunchy PB and it turned out great! The pb flavour did come through but it wasnโt as overpowering as I thought it might be and it complemented the other flavors well.
I also topped with a bit of cream cheese buttercream frosting and it was DELICIOUS!
Thanks so much for the recipe !
I was searching recipes to use up a cup of leftover pumpkin puree and found these bars. I had to sub olive oil and a banana because itโs what I had on hand (amazingly I had coconut sugar!) – they are absolutely delicious and my whole family loved them. Thank you for the recipe my husband deemed a โkeeperโ!
These were tasty, but I didnโt taste the pumpkin or pumpkin pie spices in it at all! I would have at least doubled the amount of spices. They just kinda taste like oatmeal chocolate chip bars
Made this and not impressed. Perhaps u should note to readers this is not chewy but more gummy. The texture in your picture looked nothing to what I made. I dont see how this is considered a bar. Made a couple of your recipes that were very good so gave this a try as I had pumpkin. This was a waste of my ingredients. Ideally you should remove this recipe,
Hi Tiana, I wonder if your bars were under-baked? I wonder that because you mentioned they were pretty gummy and fell apart.
Can I use oat flour instead for this recipe?
Hi Karen, we haven’t tested oat flour here. Let us know if you do!
I used 1 cup of oar flour and it worked. You might need to use a little less since it will be more packed into a measuring cup than whole oats.
These were pretty good, but tasted more like coconut than pumpkin pie.
Maple syrup is expensive and I don’t think it added much – I couldn’t taste it at all.
I would probably try a different/simpler recipe next time.