These oatmeal bars are soft and chewy. They only need 4 ingredients and don’t require any flour, eggs, refined sugar, dairy, butter or oil. The oatmeal bars are also easy to customize.

These zucchini oatmeal bars are a great way to use up some zucchini. The bars are very moist, lightly sweet and can also be seasoned with Fall spices. You can also add chopped nuts for more texture.

Ingredients

  • Quick oats
  • Zucchini
  • Maple syrup
  • Unsweetened cinnamon applesauce

Quick oats: Quick oats are oats that are cut into smaller and thinner pieces. I like using quick oats for this recipe because they bind better.

Zucchini: Raw zucchini is shredded into thin shreds. There is no need to squeeze the moisture out of the zucchini for this recipe.

Maple syrup: Maple syrup is used to help sweeten the bars. You can also use honey but the honey flavor will be very present.

Cinnamon applesauce: This recipe uses unsweetened applesauce to provide some natural sweetness for the bars. I like using unsweetened cinnamon applesauce to add some Fall spice flavor to the bars, but you can also use unsweetened applesauce without cinnamon. If you can’t find unsweetened cinnamon applesauce you can use unsweetened applesauce and add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.

How to Make Zucchini Oatmeal Bars

  • The zucchini, maple syrup and applesauce are mixed together. The quick oats are added in and mixed until evenly incorporated.
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the surface is golden brown and set.
  • Allow the bars to cool before cutting with a sharp knife and serving.


Expert Tips

  • I used thinly shredded zucchini which melts into the batter better. You will need to use the small holes on a box grater for shredding.
  • You can add other Fall spices like nutmeg, cloves, ginger, for more flavor.
  • You can add finely chopped nuts for more texture.
  • The bars are lightly sweet. You can add more maple syrup to increase the sweetness or add chocolate chips.

More Oatmeal Bar Recipes

4.50 from 2 votes

4 Ingredient Zucchini Oatmeal Bars

These zucchini oatmeal bars are soft, moist and chewy. The bars need just 4 ingredients and don't require any flour, eggs, dairy, refined sugar, butter or oil.
Servings: 12 bars
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup (82g) thinly shredded zucchini, see note
  • 1 cup (258g) unsweetened cinnamon applesauce
  • 5 tbsp (74ml) maple syrup, or more as needed
  • 2 cups (176g) quick oats

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal later.
  • Add zucchini, applesauce and maple syrup to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the ingredients are evenly mixed. You do not need to drain the zucchini after shredding it. Add in oats and stir until they are evenly mixed in and coated. Taste, and if needed, you can add another 1-3 tbsp syrup if you desire sweeter bars. If you want to add mix-ins like Fall spices, finely chopped nuts or chocolate chips, stir them in now.
  • Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and set. When you apply light pressure to the surface, the bars should bounce back. Let the bars cool completely before cutting and serving. Once cooled, cut the bars with a large sharp knife.
  • Store any uneaten bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • Zucchini shreds note: You want to use the small holes on a box grater to thinly shred the zucchini (so not the smallest set of sharp holes which is meant for grating, but the next smallest set meant for shredding.) It is best to measure the zucchini with a scale. If using cup measurement, do not pack the shredded zucchini into the cup. I shredded the zucchini, did not press or compact down the pile of shreds, and then lightly placed handfuls of the zucchini into the measuring cup.
  • You can use unsweetened applesauce and add 1 tsp of cinnamon if you can't find unsweetened cinnamon applesauce.
  • The bars are only lightly sweetened. You can add more syrup or add chocolate chips for more sweetness.
  • I used Amazon Grocery Quick Oats* and Whole Foods unsweetened cinnamon applesauce.*
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Serving: 1bar, Calories: 88kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 0.1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.2g, Sodium: 4mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 8g, NET CARBS: 16
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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