Name: Blackberry Granola Bars Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 cups blackberries (8.82oz, fresh or frozen); 10 prunes (pitted, finely chopped); 2⅔ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (jumbo oats, gluten free if required); 1 cup nuts (any, whole or roughly chopped); 6 tablespoons peanut butter; 5 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup); 5 tablespoons almond flour/ground almonds; ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips (dairy free if required); ⅕ teaspoon fine sea salt

Jump to Recipe

These chewy Blackberry Bars are made with lots of juicy blackberries and nuts for added texture and flavour. They are moderately sweet and make a delicious and healthy breakfast-on-the-go or snack anytime. Ready in just over 30 minutes!

These granola-style Blackberry Bars are a healthy, delicious snack or breakfast-to-go that's dairy free and naturally sweetened with honey and fruit. They are simple to make, packed with protein, fibre, healthy fat and, most importantly, lots of flavour!

Blackberry bars ingredients and substitutions

Blackberries: use either fresh or frozen.
Oats: I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats (jumbo oats) rather than instant.
Nuts: I used a combination of pecans and almonds (with skins) but you can use other nuts. You can, but don't need to chop them roughly before making the bars.
Prunes: add flavour, natural sweetness and thicken the sauce. They make a delicious pairing with blackberries (one I've also used in my homemade blackberry sauce recipe and blackberry crumble cake).
Peanut butter: helps bind the mixture and adds flavour. Either smooth or crunchy will work.
Honey: use maple syrup if you want to make this recipe vegan.
Almond flour/ground almonds: helps absorb excess moisture.
Chocolate chips: I like to use dark chocolate chips but you can use any. Chocolate is a fantastic ingredient to pair with fruit and I strongly suggest you don't omit it (you may also like this black forest cheesecake tart).
Fine sea salt.

Equipment you'll need

Large baking sheet
Saucepan
Large mixing bowl and spoon
23cm/9in baking pan

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease a 23cm/9in baking pan, line with parchment paper (it should stick out on 2 opposite sides) and set aside.

2. Roast ingredients: Spread the oats and nuts on top of a large sheet and roast in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside (leave the oven on).

Oats and nuts spread on top of large sheet.

3. Cook blackberries: In the meantime prepare the fruit. In a saucepan combine the blackberries with prunes and honey. Cook until the fruit start releasing juice then simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring often to prevent the mixture sticking to the pan (squash the fruit with a fork as it cooks). The sauce should be thick, jammy, but still with some moisture in it. Remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.

Thick blackberry mixture with black spoon in pan.

4. Combine dry ingredients: To a large bowl add the roasted oats, nuts (lightly chopped, but this is optional), almond flour and salt and stir.

5. Add remaining ingredients: Add the blackberry mixture and peanut butter and stir very thoroughly until all the oats have been coated.

Oats, nuts and almond flour in large bowl. — 4

Oats, peanut butter and blackberry mixture in large bowl with spoon. — 4

6. Add to pan: Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and pack in tightly. Spread the chocolate chips evenly over the surface and press into the mixture. You can even it out using the bottom of a lightly greased glass.

Blackberry bar mixture packed into square pan.

7. Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting. This recipe yields approx. 15 blackberry bars.

Top down view of blackberry oat bar bake in square pan.

Cutting bars

Once your blackberry oat bake has cooled completely you can cut the bars. Grab both ends of the parchment paper, lift out of the pan and place on top of a cutting board. It is important first of all that you use a large sharp knife. Wipe the knife if some of the mixture sticks to it before cutting more bars.

Cut your blackberry bars by pressing down firmly once (do NOT go back and forth as you would do with a loaf of bread).

Storing blackberry oatmeal bars

Once you have cooled and cut the bars place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 10 days. Wrap in cling film before placing in lunchboxes to prevent the bars from drying.

Top tips

Use either fresh or frozen blackberries.
I used a combination of almonds and pecans but you can use any nuts. You can also add seeds into the mix.
Roasting the oats and nuts before making the bars adds lots of flavour and I strongly recommend you do not skip this step.
To save time cook the blackberries while you are waiting for the dry ingredients to roast.
You can combine the ingredients while still warm.
Cool your blackberry oat bake completely in the pan before cutting it into bars (it will cut better). Lift out of the pan along with the paper.
Cut the bars using a large sharp knife by firmly pressing down once.

Freezing

To freeze these blackberry granola bars place them of top of a tray and freeze for 2 hours then transfer the bars to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrost individual servings in the microwave.

What else can I do with blackberries

Make a blackberry crumble,
Add to a smoothie,
Add to a berry compote,
Make a fruit soup.

Check out also these other healthy, delicious breakfast recipe ideas!

Keep in touch!

If you make these oat bars with blackberries I'd love to know what you thought. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!

Blackberry Granola Bars Recipe