These Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars will be a very welcome addition to your baking repertoire. With a crisp oatmeal base, a sweet, creamy centre reminiscent of pumpkin pie and crumble topping, this is an easily made sweet snack that the whole family will enjoy. If you love a delicious, sweet treat that is easy to make, this recipe is for you – the hardest part is waiting for the bars to cool!
Why you’ll love this recipe:
Using simple ingredients, you can easily bake a batch of these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars with minimal effort.
They’re the perfect fall treat – a creamy filling that is gently spiced. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
You will love these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars because:
- They are made from simple ingredients that are readily available.
- They will be a great addition to your fall (autumn) menu.
- If you’re a beginner cook, you will love this recipe as the bars are so easy to make. Similarly, an experienced cook will enjoy having a recipe they can make quickly.
- It only takes a little over 30 minutes to make and bake the bars. To make it even easier, the base and crumble topping are made from the same mixture, like my Caramel Oatmeal Bars or Lemon Curd Cake.
- The texture is slightly crisp as well as chewy and the filling gives you the taste of pumpkin pie, but with minimal effort involved.
- They are perfect as a snack, but also delicious served warm for dessert with our No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Plain/all-purpose flour – this recipe has been tested with regular wheat flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour. Either works well.
Old-fashioned rolled oats – use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant oats. You can use certified gluten-free if you require.
Sea salt – a small amount of sea salt helps to boost the flavours.
Baking/bicarbonate of soda – acts as a raising agent. It is not the same as baking powder.
Butter – adds richness and flavour. We use unsalted butter, so we are able to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
Brown sugar – we use light brown sugar. It adds a light caramel flavour to the mixture.
Vanilla extract – for the best result, use vanilla which is naturally extracted, not artificially flavoured.
Pumpkin puree – I use Homemade Pumpkin Puree. It is so easy to make and really does taste better than the commercial varieties. However, when time is short, you can certainly use the canned puree. Just be sure to not use pumpkin pie filling, as this may already be sweetened and flavoured.
Egg – I use a large, free-range egg.
Ground cinnamon – adds warm flavour and fragrance.
How To Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
1 – Make the base/topping mixture:
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, salt and baking soda. In a smaller bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well. Reserve approximately 150 g (5.2 oz) of the mixture for the topping.
2 – Add the base to your tin:
Press the remaining mixture into your prepared tin and bake in your preheated oven for 12 minutes or until a pale golden colour.
3 – Make the pumpkin filling:
While the base is baking, combine the pumpkin puree, egg, vanilla, sugar and ground cinnamon and stir until well combined.
4 – Add the filling to your base:
Once cooked, top the base immediately with the pumpkin mixture, spreading evenly.
5 – Top the bars with the crumble:
Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top.
Bake for a further 22-25 minutes, or until the top is cooked through and a light golden brown.
6 – Cut the bars and serve:
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 30 minutes in the tin, before placing in the fridge for a further 30 minutes or until completely cool. Once cool, the slice can be cut into bars.
Tips for success and FAQs:
For the best result, always ensure that your ingredients are of good quality. If you haven’t used rolled oats for a while, check that they are in date, as they can become rancid.
To make it easier to lift the Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars from the baking tin, I recommend that when lining the tin with baking paper, you leave some overhang. This makes it easier to lift them out of the pan.
The bars will be at their best for the first two days but will last for 4 (they will just soften a little). Keep them in the fridge in an airtight container; remove them about 10 minutes prior to serving.
Yes, they freeze well. Allow the bars to cool completely, and then put them in an airtight container. If storing them in layers, place a sheet of baking paper between the layers so that they don’t stick. Thaw them at room temperature.
You will also find recipes for Nutella Bars, Peanut Butter Bars and Jam Bars on the blog. They are all so delicious and very simple to prepare. Some other suggested fillings are listed below.
Variations and substitutions:
Nuts – our Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars are naturally nut-free. However, if you wish you could add some chopped pecans to the topping for extra crunch.
Cinnamon – if you prefer, you could use Pumpkin Spice Mix.
Serving suggestions:
There are so many ways to enjoy these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars. Some suggestions are:
- For morning or afternoon tea – delicious with a cup of coffee!
- They are great as an after-school snack.
- As an easy breakfast when time is short.
- For picnics, potlucks or lunch boxes – they travel well.
- For a perfect edible gift, take some to a friend or family member. They will be gratefully received!
Very little effort is required to make these Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars with their contrasting textures of crisp, chewy, creamy and crumbly. You can be certain that they will become a family favourite.
I would love to hear from you in the comments when you have given them a try!
Alex xx
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Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars
Please note:
For accuracy, when weights are provided, we recommend weighing your ingredients. This will produce the best results. All oven temperatures listed are for fan forced.
Ingredients
For the Base and Crumble Topping:
- 1 ½ cups (225 g) all-purpose/plain flour See Note 1
- 1 ½ cups (120 g) old-fashioned rolled oats See Note 2
- ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking/bicarb soda
- ¾ cup (185 g) unsalted butter – melted
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Pumpkin Filling:
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree – at room temperature See Note 3
- 1 large egg – at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup (70 g) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175 Degrees C (350F).
- Line a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inch) baking dish with non-stick baking paper. (Allow an overhang with the baking paper – it makes it easier when removing the slice!)
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the flour, rolled oats, salt and baking soda. Mix well.
- Melt your butter. Add this to another bowl, and combine with the vanilla and brown sugar.
- Combine the contents of both bowls, and mix well.
- Firmly press about ¾ of the mixture into the tin. (You'll need to reserve about 150 g (5.2 oz) of the mixture).Bake for 12 minutes or until a pale golden colour.
- While the base is baking, combine the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, sugar and ground cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl and stir until.
- Remove the base from the oven, and immediately top with your pumpkin filling, spreading evenly. Crumble the remaining mixture, using your fingers, over the top of the pumpkin.
- Return to the oven, and bake for a further 22-25 minutes or until the topping is cooked through and a light golden brown.
- Remove the bars from the oven, and allow them to cool for 30 minutes on your bench.
- Put the slice in the fridge, and chill for a further 30 minutes or until completely cool. Cutting the bars while too warm will cause them to fall apart. Remove the slice from the tin, and cut it into squares.
Notes
- Flour: use a gluten-free all-purpose/plain flour if you require it- this has been tested and works perfectly.
- Rolled oats: use gluten-free oats if required.
- Pumpkin Puree: I use my Homemade Puree. Storebought can also be used – I like to dab the puree with some paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
- Measurements: for the most accurate measurements when baking, we suggest you weigh your ingredients. We provide a cup measurement for the puree, as it is the volume that is more important in this instance.
- Chill the bars: the Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars really need to chill before cutting, otherwise, they will fall apart.
- Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge. The bars will be at their best for the first two days but will last for four (they will just soften a little). Remove them about 10 minutes prior to serving.
- Freezing: allow the bars to cool completely, and then put them in an airtight container before placing them in the freezer. If storing them in layers, place a sheet of baking paper between the layers so they don’t stick. Thaw them at room temperature. Freeze for up to two months.
Nutrition Estimate:
Nutritional Disclaimer:
The nutritional information is an estimate only, and is derived from online calculators. For accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information based on the ingredients and brands you use.
Henrietta
These came out tasty! We didn’t cool them for the whole time and they still turned out well. I would recommend adding more cinnamon, as the base was slightly bland.
Alexandra Cook
Thank you for making our recipe, Henrietta!
So happy you enjoyed it. Alex xo