Strawberry Oatmeal Bars (2024)

These delicious Strawberry Oatmeal Bars are certain to become your favourite new recipe. With a crisp, slightly chewy base, a sweet, fresh strawberry centre and a crumble topping, they are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. If you love a good, sweet treat that is quickly and easily made, this recipe is for you.The most difficult part is waiting for them to cool down once they’re baked!

You will love these Strawberry Oatmeal Bars because:

• They are made from simple and readily available ingredients.
• Like my Lemon Curd Cake and Blueberry Oatmeal Bars, the base and the crumble topping are made from the same mixture; so easy and delicious.
• They are versatile. You can serve them for morning or afternoon tea, as breakfast on the go, or pack some in lunchboxes.
• The Strawberry Oatmeal Bars have a delicious texture that is slightly crispy as well as chewy.
• They are always popular, enjoyed by children and adults alike.
• As they are nut-free, they are perfect for school lunch boxes.
• There is a gluten-free option; just use the appropriate flour and rolled oats.

Ingredients in this recipe:

Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.

All-purpose/plain flour – this recipe has been tested with regular wheat flour and gluten-free all-purpose flour. Either will work well.

Rolled oats – old-fashioned rolled oats are best for this recipe. Use certified gluten-free if you require.

Salt – a small amount of coarse kitchen sea salt helps to boost the flavours. Fine table salt is not suitable.

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 in the caramel filling as well as the mixture for the base/topping.

Brown sugar – we use light brown sugar; it adds a slight caramel flavour.

Vanilla extract – for the best result, use vanilla which is naturally extracted, not artificially flavoured.

Strawberries – we use fresh, sweet, juicy strawberries with delicious flavour.

Corn flour/corn starch – a small amount is added to the strawberries to thicken any juices that may be released. This will prevent the base becoming soggy. Check that the corn flour is gluten-free if necessary.

Orange zest and juice – adds great flavour and perfectly complements the strawberries. Be sure to remove the zest before juicing the orange.

How To Make Strawberry 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 strawberry filling:
While the base is baking, combine the strawberries with the corn flour, orange juice, zest and brown sugar. Stir until well combined.

4 – Add the filling to your base:
Once the base is ready, top immediately with the fruit mixture, spreading evenly.

5 – Top the bars with the crumble:
Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top.

6 – Bake the bars:
Bake for a further 22-25 minutes, or until the top is cooked through and a light golden brown.

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.

Serving suggestions:

The Strawberry Oatmeal Bars are very versatile. Some suggestions to enjoy them are:

• At morning or afternoon tea, they are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee!
• For breakfast when time is short – have a bar when you wake or take one on the run.
• As an after-school snack.
• For dessert, with my No Churn Vanilla Ice cream.
• For picnics, potlucks or lunch boxes – they are very portable.
• In a pretty box or cellophane bag tied with a pretty ribbon. They are a lovely homemade edible gift.

These Strawberry Oatmeal Bars are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. They will be enjoyed by children and adults alike and you will love how easy they are to make. They are certain to become a regular part of your baking repertoire.

Alex xx

More delicious recipes for you to try:

Stay in touch!
Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram and subscribe to my newsletter.