Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars are breakfast done right. Soft, chewy bars full of fall flavors and chocolate chips that the whole family will love!
This week is really flying by, isn’t it? And aren’t you just in heaven with all the pumpkin recipes we’ve been sharing?? I know, it’s still a gazillion degrees outside in most places, but if we believe fall is here, then it will be here. Eventually. Right? We’ll just pumpkin summer to death until it runs away crying.
I love homemade granola bars, as does my family, so these pumpkin chocolate chip oat bars were definitely a big hit. So big, in fact, that the day after I made them, they were sitting on top of the stove, covered in foil, and I walk inside from the back porch to find my sweet toddler standing on a stool that she had dragged in there, with her grubby little hands all up in the pan, grinning at me with that adorable, mischievious smile. Now, to her credit, I had opened the back door before that and asked her what she was doing and she told me, “eating a bar!” which I thought nothing of, because we have various bars in the pantry that she likes.
Never did it occur to me that she had gone to great lengths to reach these bars on top of the stove. Little stinker.
But, I can’t really blame her. She’d seen them there, and I’d told her she could have one after I’d taken pictures. Which at this point I had already done. So, she was just holding me to my word. She did the same thing later that weekend, but with brownies, that I had NOT photographed yet. We’re working on the whole, ask first, concept. And mommy now knows not to leave baked goods where a determined toddler with a stool can get to. Sheesh. And here I thought that cabinet locks were all I needed to safeguard my kitchen.
At least with these pumpkin chocolate chip oat bars, I can feel good about her eating them. Even if it’s without permission. Because they are definitely a healthier breakfast or snack option than, say, brownies.
J liked them too, but he’s not much of a chocolate fan (gasp!) so he’d have preferred them with white chocolate or cinnamon chips. Either of which would also be a good option here!
I chose to make these bars thicker, using an 8×8 pan, but you can use a standard 9×9 pan and they’ll come out a little thinner, if that’s your jam. You can also cut them more rectangular, like traditional granola bars, if you like!
Whichever you choose, the pumpkin chocolate chip combo is just as good as always, and the soft, chewy texture of the oat bars is what every granola bar should be.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- ¼ cup vanilla greek yogurt you can also use plain
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line an 8×8 (or 9×9) baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang for easy removal, spray with cooking spray, and set aside.
- Combine oats, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin, Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir well until the oats are completely coated.
- Gently stir in the chocolate chips.
- Press the oat mixture into the prepared pan. Top with additional chocolate chips, if you’d like. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow them to cool completely then cut into bars.
These are freaking gorgeous!! What a great combination of flavors!! Pinned!
These look insane! Totally digging the oatmeal and chips with the pumpkin.
Jaida you have all the good stuff in here!
What a yummy combination of flavors!!
If I were there I would have my hands in the pan too. Delicious!