Oatmeal Fruit Bars are chewy, brown sugar bars filled to overflowing with chopped fruit! They make a great grab and go breakfast or a filling snack for lunch boxes and care packages. Dip the bars in chocolate for an especially luscious treat!
If you enjoy chewy breakfast bars, next time try homemade Granola Bars.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Oatmeal Fruit Bars are like a thick, chewy oatmeal cookies full of chopped dried apple, apricot, and golden raisins.
You can stop there. No further embellishment is required, but if you love the flavor of chocolate covered dried fruit, I urge you to take your Oatmeal Fruit Bars to the next level by dipping them in dark chocolate. So good!
These fruit bars are a great snack or breakfast bar for a boost of fruit fueled energy. When dipped in chocolate, they transform into a luscious dessert! A great recipe you can enjoy any time of day!
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.
- Toss together the diced fruits and one tablespoon of the flour mixture.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla, then the flour mixture, oats and fruit.
- Press the dough into a 9“ x 13” baking dish.
- Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
- Cool completely and slice into bars.
- Dip bars in melted chocolate.
Storage
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.
Tips
- Vary the diced fruit to your preferences. A balance of sweet and tart fruits is recommended.
- Save preparation time by substituting 3 cups of packaged chopped fruit mix instead of dicing the fruit indicated in the recipe.
- I used rolled oats for this recipe. Rolled oats provide just the right amount of chew to the bars.
- When dipping the fruit bars in melted chocolate, work in small batches of about 6 bars at a time. In order to become hard and shiny, the chocolate must firm completely in the refrigerator. If you work with too many bars at a time, the chocolate will begin to set before refrigeration and will have a dull appearance.
More bar cookies
If you love a breakfast bar with oats, you have to try these no bake Chewy Granola Bars packed with crunchy and chewy ingredients.
Brown Sugar Brown Butter Bars have the toasty warm flavor of brown butter in a soft, chewy brown sugar bar.
Butterscotch Peanut Bars have a butter cookie base topped with butterscotch encased peanuts.
Caramel Chocolate Peanut Bars are a chewy, gooey comfort treat.
These thick and chewy Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Bars are ideal for after school snacks and care package sharing.
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Oatmeal Fruit Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup dried apples finely diced
- 1 cup dried apricots finely diced
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons old fashioned rolled oats not quick oats (I used Flahavan rolled oats)
- 2 cups dark chocolate
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9"x 13" baking pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, toss together the diced fruits with one tablespoon of the flour mixture.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until light.
- With the mixer speed on low, gradually add the flour mixture, oats, and fruit. Mix just until combined. The batter will be thick.
- With a rubber spatula, press the batter in an even layer into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is light golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack. When cool slice into bars.
Chocolate Coating
- Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.
- In a shallow bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. Stir. Return to the microwave and continue to heat at 50% power for 15 second intervals, stirring between intervals, until melted.
- Working with 6-9 bars at a time, dip the bottom of each bar into the melted chocolate, tapping off excess. Place the coated bars on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Place the filled cookie sheet in the refrigerator for about 10- 15 minutes or until the chocolate is set.
- Re-melt chocolate as needed and repeat with the remaining bars.
Notes
- Vary the diced fruit to your preferences. A balance of sweet and tart fruits is recommended.
- Save preparation time by substituting 3 cups of packaged chopped fruit mix instead of dicing the fruit indicated in the recipe.
- Rolled oats provide just the right amount of chew to the bars.
- White chocolate can be substituted for the dark chocolate.
- When dipping the fruit bars in melted chocolate, work in small batches of about 6 bars at a time. In order to become hard and shiny, the chocolate must firm completely in the refrigerator. If you work with too many bars at a time, the chocolate will begin to set before refrigeration and will have a dull appearance.
- Vanilla is often a supporting character in recipes, enhancing all of the other flavors. Vanilla paste improves the flavor of the whole bar.
Anne Lawton
I love these bars! They are great to have on hand for a quick snack
Wendy Sondov
Thanks, Anne! They are certainly full of dried fruit (and chocolate is always a welcome additions).
Sue Lau
The chocolate coating really sets these over the top!
Wendy Sondov
Thanks, Sue! I agree! The chocolate made these bars extra extra good. 🙂
Valentina | The Baking Fairy
These bars look absolutely scrumptious and perfect for fall! That chocolate dunk is just decadent! ?
Wendy Sondov
Thanks, Valentina! I agree. The chcolate dunk is both decadent and absurdly delicious! 🙂
Amy (Savory Moments)
These look delicious and I really like the use of dried apples!
Wendy Sondov
Thanks, Amy. The dried fruit does make these bars amazingly chewy!
Lisa Kerhin
You had me with the bars, then you had to go and add that creamy dreamy chocolate coating on the bottom! OMG!
Wendy Sondov
Thank you,Lisa. that was exactly how I felt about these bars. I liked them plain, but once they were dipped in chocolate I couldn’t stop “test tasting”! 🙂
Cindy
I love that you chocolate dipped these bars. So good!
Wendy Sondov
Thanks, Cindy. The chocolate dip does take these bars up several delicious notches.
Terri Steffes
These look divine! I would love these, the chocolate is the perfect last touch.
Wendy Sondov
Thank you, Terri. With the chocolate,”divine” is a great description! 🙂
Carlee
These look fabulous and that dark chocolate dip makes them look even better!
Karen
These look so fantastic!! I love the chocolate coating! Great way to get your oats!
Colleen - Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck
These certainly do look heavenly…sweet, full of fruit, dessert perfection!!!
Wendy Klik
I think I now have my first Christmas Cookie on the list. Thanks.