Simple Baking

Maple Oatmeal Sheet Pan Breakfast Bars

Maple Oatmeal Sheet Pan Breakfast Bars

These maple oatmeal sheet pan breakfast bars are soft, sturdy, and gently sweet—the kind of bake that makes a busy morning feel more settled. They are made with rolled oats, whole wheat flour, maple syrup, applesauce, cinnamon, and a little butter for richness. The texture lands between a tender snack cake and a baked oatmeal square, which means the bars are easy to pack, easy to freeze, and welcome with coffee or a lunchbox. They are not pretending to be dessert, but a drizzle of maple glaze can make them feel bakery-worthy.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
  • Optional glaze: 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 to 2 teaspoons milk

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a small overhang on the long sides for easier lifting.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together the rolled oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, applesauce, Greek yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth. Make sure the butter is not hot enough to scramble the eggs.
  4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula. Stop when no dry patches remain. Fold in the pecans and dried cranberries.
  5. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing it into the corners. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the oats can begin absorbing moisture.
  6. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until the center is set, the edges are lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Cool completely in the pan before slicing. This helps the bars hold together cleanly.
  8. If using the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enough milk to make a thin drizzle. Drizzle over cooled bars and let set for 10 minutes before storing.