Goodbye Overnight Oats: 3-Ingredient Oatmeal Breakfast Bars Are The Way To Go

The make-ahead breakfast champion of the last few years has definitely been overnight oats. Who doesn't love the convenience of packing a Mason jar with nothing but oats, milk, and fruit, or even leaning into more elaborate variations like matcha almond overnight oats? But perhaps it's finally time for a new breakfast prep star to take the crown. Enter: baked oatmeal bars. They're oatmeal but in a sliceable, portable form, and need just three ingredients.

In order to explain how to make these properly, we first need a quick lesson in oatmeal 101. Most recipes for these bars call for rolled oats over any other kind, and this is important. Because rolled oats have a heartier texture, they are structural yet soft once they are baked. They won't fall apart, they won't go mushy, and they'll slice through cleanly while also keeping a nice chew, almost like an oat cookie. 

Once you have your oats, these bars are pretty minimal and need just two other kitchen staples –- mashed banana (applesauce can work too) and some nut butter. Stir everything together in a bowl, press the mixture into a baking dish, and bake until you've got something that feels like it's between oatmeal and a flapjack. These bars also feel more substantial than overnight oats, and thanks to their studier texture, are easier to pack up and eat on the go.

In addition to using rolled oats, the other two ingredients are playing key roles here. The banana or applesauce brings the moisture to help oats soften as they bake, whereas the nut butter adds the essential binding element. Plus, nut butter contains fat for satiety. You may also see protein powder in some recipes and this addition will possibly keep you full for even longer, hitting all three essential macronutrients (fat, protein, and carbohydrates from the oats) in one easy bar.

From there, you can get creative without changing the key ingredients. Little additions like a touch of cinnamon, vanilla, or cocoa powder will change the flavor without changing the texture. Chocolate chips or dried fruit will bring some extra sweetness, or you can sprinkle in chia or flax seeds for a fiber boost. Depending on how you make them, these bars can be breakfast or can quickly turn into dessert. And while it turns out that breakfast is not actually the most important meal of the day, it can definitely be the most delicious and easy one when you've got recipes like this up your sleeve. And, being egg and dairy free, these bars suit a variety of lifestyles.