Soft and chewy oatmeal bars that have all the flavors of pumpkin pie. These oatmeal bars are easy to make and only need 3 ingredients. They don’t require any flour, eggs, butter or oil.
A reader recently requested that I share a pumpkin version of my oatmeal bars. I always crave pumpkin pie flavors this time of year, so I am sharing pumpkin pie flavored oatmeal bars.
Ingredients
- Quick Oats
- Pumpkin pie mix
- Almond butter (or peanut butter)
You can also add chocolate chips (like I did), but they are optional.
Quick oats: I recommend making these with quick oats rather than rolled oats. Quick oats are rolled oats that have been further processed so that they are smaller and thinner. Don’t confuse them with instant oats which are oats mixed with sugar and other ingredients. Quick oats are still just oats but smaller pieces. As a result, they will bind better for these oatmeal bars. If you only have rolled oats on hand, you can also pulse them in your food processor until they become the consistency of quick oats.
Pumpkin pie mix: To really make these bars taste like pumpkin pie flavors, I used canned pumpkin pie mix. Canned pumpkin pie mix is pumpkin puree that is already mixed with sugar and pumpkin pie spices. Even though pumpkin pie mix has sugar added, the oatmeal bars still have a low amount of sugar because there is no additional sugar being added to the oatmeal bars. I also used a brand of pumpkin pie mix that doesn’t contain as much sugar.
Almond butter: Natural almond butter is used to add healthy fat and help bind the bars. You can also use natural peanut butter but I prefer using almond butter because you don’t really taste the almond butter once it is combined with the pumpkin. You will still taste the peanut butter if you use peanut butter. Make sure to use natural almond butter which has just almonds in the ingredients. Similarly, if you use peanut butter, the only ingredients on the label should be peanuts and salt. If you need a nut-free substitute, you can also use sunflower seed butter.
Optional Chocolate Chips: You can add chocolate chips or other mix-ins like dried fruit. The pumpkin bars are not very sweet on their own so adding chocolate chips or other mix-ins will make the bars sweeter. I added dark chocolate chips to mine.
How to Make Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Bars
- The pumpkin pie mix and almond butter are first mixed together. The oats are then added in until they are fully incorporated and coated in the pumpkin mixture. If you are adding any mix-ins, stir them in last.
- Transfer your oat mixture to an 8 inch square baking pan. Bake for about 17 minutes or until done.
Texture and Sweetness
The oatmeal bars have a soft and chewy texture. They are only lightly sweetened. I did make these with the intention that they are supposed to be healthier oatmeal bars so they are not that sweet. If you prefer sweeter, you can add some maple syrup or honey to the batter or you can add chocolate chips or other mix-ins.
More Oatmeal Bar Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal Bars
- 3 Ingredient Crispy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
3 Ingredient Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (314 g) canned pumpkin pie mix
- 1/2 cup (128 g) natural almond butter can substitute with natural peanut butter
- 1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp (175 g) quick oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
- Add pumpkin pie mix and almond butter to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the ingredients are fully mixed and the mixture is uniform in color. Add in oats and stir until they are fully and evenly mixed in. You can taste and adjust sweetness if needed (by adding 1-2 tbsp of maple syrup or honey). If adding any mix-ins, add them in now.
- Transfer batter into prepared baking pan. Use a spatula to evenly spread it across the pan and smooth the surface. By smoothing the surface, you are also compacting the oat mixture which will help it bind during baking.
- Bake for about 17-20 minutes or until the bars look set and cooked. The surface should also be dry. Let bars cool fully before removing them from the pan and cutting and serving. Store uneaten bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- These oatmeal bars are meant to be healthier bars so they are not that sweet. If you prefer sweeter, you can add a few tablespoons of honey or maple syrup to the batter or add a sweet mix-in like chocolate chips or dried fruit. I added chocolate chips to mine.
- I used Farmer's Market Organic Pumpkin Pie Mix which is sweetened with cane sugar. How sweet your bars are will vary depending on the brand of pumpkin pie mix you use. For example, Libby's contains more sugar than Farmer's Market.
- Make sure to use natural almond butter which only has almonds in the ingredients and no added oils. If you use peanut butter, make sure it is natural peanut butter with no added oils. If you use peanut butter, you will taste some peanut butter flavor in the oatmeal bars which is why I prefer using almond butter because you don't really taste the almond butter.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
