I think we’ve been getting a little too healthy around here! It’s been only a couple weeks and we’ve managed to share recipes for kale salads and zucchini bread… Where is the buttery, the sweet and the gooey?! This is supposed to be a dessert blog!
It’s all right here. These strawberry bars encompass all the gooey, chewy and buttery bliss we all love so dearly but in an even healthier way than you might expect. You’ll love these blissful strawberry crumble bars because they taste so decadent while being completely vegan.
Whenever you want a sweet treat, these fit the bill. If it’s too early in the day for dessert or you are trying to be healthy and avoid the chocolate or you just need something for the road, these are your answer. We added some walnuts for a little extra protein and some vanilla for delicious flavor. Pre-made jam in the center of these bars makes them easy to make, easy to eat and deliciously sweet. Enjoy!
Strawberry Oat Bars (vegan)
1 1/3 cups Earth Balance Butter
1 cup Coconut Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
6 Tablespoons Crushed Walnuts
1 1/2 cups Oats
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
10 to 12 ounces Natural Strawberry Jam
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Mix together the first 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the crushed walnuts, oats and flour and mix until combined. The mixture should be soft and pliable but not sticky.
In a small bowl, combine the jam with the vanilla. Scoop out about half of the dough mixture and press into the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the jam over the dough. Gently sprinkle the remaining dough over the jam and slightly press to flatten just a little bit. Bake in the oven for 18-26 minutes or until the top has become a golden color and the jam is bubbling slightly. Let cool before cutting.
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Sara says
What type of oats should I use?
Annie says
We like rolled oats or gluten-free oats.
Sallie says
Omg, loved these! I just recently have been going dairy-free and really loved this recipe. I thought I had to give up all my favorite recipes with butter but am so glad I don’t have to. Including Ree’s recipes! Dairy-free is possible if I can eat like this!
Alexandra @ Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker says
These bars sound delicious! Gooey, chewy, buttery bliss is exactly what I want to eat pretty much 99% of the time, so I could go for a healthy version… especially one that has strawberry jam in the middle!
Alyssa says
I had a question: Could you replace the earth balance butter with coconut oil, or just normal butter? And would it be OK to use natural sugar, insted of coconut sugar? Thanks!
Chelsea says
Hi Alyssa,
You can definitely use regular butter in these. We have used half earth balance butter and half coconut oil before and they turned out great, but the flour amount will need to be adjusted. Try an extra tablespoon of flour to start with and add a bit more as needed. By natural sugar, do you mean organic cane sugar? We have not made these with that sugar, but guessing it would work great!
Julia {The Roasted Root} says
I was always a huge fan of those soft granola bars, and these are a zillion times better for me. I bet these would be awesome for kids too, giving them a sweet treat but something that’s not full of artificial ingredients! I’ll send the recipe over to my brother and sister so they can whip these up for their kids!