Gluten Free Banana Breakfast Bars with Rolled Oats and Almond Butter
Some mornings just call for something you can grab, eat on the go, and actually feel good about. These gluten free banana breakfast bars with rolled oats tick every single box. They are soft in the middle, lightly golden on top, and packed with real ingredients that will keep you going well past that mid-morning slump. No refined sugars, no complicated techniques, and absolutely no gluten. Just honest, nourishing food that genuinely tastes good.
What makes these bars stand out from most banana oat recipes is the protein boost. A combination of almond butter and hemp seeds pushes the protein content up significantly, which means your blood sugar stays steadier after eating and you feel fuller for longer. Ripe bananas do the heavy lifting in the sweetness department, so you only need a small drizzle of pure maple syrup to round things out. The rolled oats provide a wonderfully hearty texture along with a solid dose of soluble fibre, which is great for digestive health and keeping cholesterol in check. Certified gluten free oats are essential here if you are coeliac or highly sensitive, so do check your packaging before you start.
The ingredient list is refreshingly short. You need two large ripe bananas, certified gluten free rolled oats, almond butter, hemp seeds, a little maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, and a pinch of sea salt. That is genuinely it. There is no flour, no butter, no eggs, and no dairy. If you want a little extra something, a handful of dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts stirred through the batter adds a lovely touch. The batter comes together in one bowl in about ten minutes, which means less washing up and a quicker start to your morning baking session. Even on the busiest Sunday, you can have a week's worth of breakfasts sorted in under forty minutes total.
These bars are incredibly meal-prep friendly. Bake a tray on Sunday and you have a ready breakfast or snack sitting in the fridge for the next five days. They also freeze beautifully, so you can double the batch and stash half away for a week when you know things are going to get hectic. Slice them once they are fully cool, wrap individually, and freeze for up to three months. Each bar comes in at around 165 calories with roughly 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fibre, making them a genuinely smart choice compared to most shop-bought breakfast bars. Children love them too, which is always a bonus when you are trying to get a nutritious breakfast into the whole household before school drop-off.
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas (the riper the better, roughly 220g mashed)
- 2 cups certified gluten free rolled oats (not instant oats)
- 1 cup smooth almond butter (natural, no added sugar or oil)
- 3 tablespoons hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (check it is gluten free certified)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips (optional, use dairy-free if needed)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Line a 20cm by 20cm (8 by 8 inch) square baking tin with baking paper, leaving a slight overhang on two sides so you can lift the bars out easily.
Lightly spray the baking paper with a little coconut oil spray to prevent sticking.
- 2
Peel the bananas and add them to a large mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly with a fork until you have a mostly smooth puree with very few lumps. The more thoroughly you mash, the more evenly the sweetness distributes through the bars.
Bananas with lots of brown spots on the skin are ideal here as they mash more easily and taste sweeter.
- 3
Add the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the mashed banana. Stir everything together well until fully combined and you have a cohesive wet mixture.
- 4
Add the rolled oats, hemp seeds, cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt directly into the bowl. Fold everything together with a spatula until you have a thick, well-combined batter. If you are using chocolate chips, fold them in now.
Do not over-mix once the oats are in. A gentle fold is all you need to keep the texture light.
- 5
Transfer the batter into the prepared baking tin. Use the back of the spatula or damp fingertips to press and spread the mixture evenly across the tin, making sure the thickness is consistent from edge to edge.
An even layer ensures the bars bake uniformly so you do not end up with overcooked edges and a soggy centre.
- 6
Bake in the preheated oven for 23 to 25 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the centre feels set when you press it gently with your finger. The bars will firm up further as they cool.
Start checking at the 22-minute mark as oven temperatures vary.
- 7
Remove the tin from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Allow the bars to cool completely in the tin before lifting them out using the baking paper overhang. Once fully cool, slice into 10 bars.
Cutting while still warm will cause the bars to crumble. Patience here really does pay off.
Nutrition per serving
165kcal
Calories
6g
Protein
20g
Carbs
7g
Fat
3g
Fibre
7g
Sugar
75mg
Sodium
Pro Tips
- ✓
Always use certified gluten free rolled oats if you are coeliac or highly sensitive to gluten cross-contamination.
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Ripe bananas with heavily spotted skins give the best sweetness and make mashing much easier.
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Let the bars cool fully before cutting to get clean, neat slices.
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For a firmer bar, refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing.
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Double the batch and freeze half for a stress-free breakfast option on busy mornings.
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If your almond butter has separated, stir it well before measuring to ensure an even texture in the batter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Variations
- •
Blueberry and Lemon
Fold in a half cup of fresh or frozen blueberries and the zest of one lemon instead of the chocolate chips for a bright, fruity version.
- •
Tropical Coconut
Add a quarter cup of unsweetened desiccated coconut and a handful of chopped dried mango to the batter for a tropical twist.
- •
Peanut Butter Protein
Swap almond butter for natural peanut butter and stir in one scoop of vanilla plant-based protein powder for an extra protein hit.
- •
Apple Pie Spice
Replace the cinnamon with a teaspoon of apple pie spice blend and fold in a quarter cup of finely diced dried apple for a warming, autumnal flavour.
Substitutions
- •Almond butter → Sunflower seed butter (Makes the bars nut-free while keeping a similar creamy texture. The flavour is slightly earthier but works beautifully.)
- •Maple syrup → Honey or agave nectar (Both work as a direct swap in equal quantities. Note that honey is not vegan.)
- •Hemp seeds → Chia seeds or ground flaxseed (Both add fibre and omega-3s. Ground flaxseed will make the bars slightly denser.)
- •Rolled oats → Certified gluten free quick oats (Quick oats will give a slightly softer, less chewy texture. Still works well but the bars will be less hearty.)
🧊 Storage
Store cooled bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For room temperature storage, they will keep well for up to 2 days in a cool, dry spot. To freeze, wrap individual bars tightly in cling film or place in a zip-lock freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
📅 Make Ahead
These bars are ideal for meal prep. Bake a full tray on Sunday, cool completely, slice, and store in the fridge for a ready breakfast all week. Alternatively, freeze individual bars for up to 3 months and pull one out the night before you need it.
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