Gluten-Free Brown Butter Strawberry Oat Bars
Some of my favorite recipes have become those that double as the perfect sweet treat at the end of a meal or an indulgent breakfast. These gluten-free strawberry oat bars check both of these boxes, and the best part is they require just a few simple ingredients and come together in just a matter of minutes.
Serving Suggestions
The hearty oat crust is packed with fiber and provides the perfect balance to the sweet jam filling. You can top these with your favorite whipped topping or ice cream for a dessert option. Or for a special breakfast, enjoy these bars with a warm cup of coffee and some breakfast sausages, bacon, or eggs. As a dessert or breakfast option, fresh berries served on the side are the perfect accompaniment. These strawberry oat bars are best served warm.
Flavor Variations
You can get as creative as you like with the jam-filling. Swapping out half of the jam for peanut butter would make for a delicious peanut butter and jelly bar. You can use any jelly flavor that you like to mix up the flavors. Cherry and apricot jelly are two of my favorite options. For a slightly more sophisticated bar, mix in the zest of one orange or lemon to your jelly.
Storage
To store bars, cool them completely and store them in an airtight container.
- Counter – These bars can be kept fresh at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Refrigerator – Store for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- Freezer – For a longer-term storage option, the freezer is your best option as these will keep fresh for up to 3 months. Just be sure to individually wrap each bar in parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Just defrost and reheat to enjoy!
Simple Ingredients
- Butter – I tolerate butter just fine, but if you need to replace it with ghee or vegan butter for dietary needs either of those should work. I have not tried coconut oil, but that should also work. To more closely mimic the water and fat content of butter, use 9 TBS of coconut oil and 1 TBS of water. If trying to brown the butter for a nutty, caramel depth of flavor, I only recommend doing that with real butter.
- Light Brown Sugar – Brown sugar is actually just regular sugar with molasses. If you’re out of brown sugar and want to save a trip to the store, just use ½ cup granulated sugar and ½ to 1 TBS of molasses. You can use coconut brown sugar to keep this recipe free from any refined sugar.
- Vanilla Extract – There is simply no substitute for vanilla extract, one of my favorite ingredients in the kitchen. I always have my children take a quick smell if they are cooking with me. I think it’s so important for them to learn at a young age about how just one small ingredient can completely transform a dish.
- Gluten-Free Flour – My favorite gluten-free flour blend is Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. However, you can use your personal favorite for this mix or make your gluten-free blend.
- Oats – If you are celiac or have gluten ataxia (like me), be sure to use oats that are certified gluten-free. Although oats are naturally gluten-free, they are often harvested in fields near gluten-containing grains that often cause cross-contamination.
- Salt – Just a little pinch is all you need to help these flavors come alive.
- Baking Soda – When it comes to this leavening agent, fresh is always best. A small amount goes a long way to creating that perfectly flaky crust.
- Strawberry Jam – Bonne Maman is hands down my favorite brand of jam and is what I used in this recipe. However, you can use your preferred brand, make your own, or use a sugar-free jam if trying to avoid refined sugars in this recipe.
Gluten-Free Brown Butter Strawberry Oat Bars
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
- 1 cup gluten-free old-fashioned oats
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup strawberry jam or preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Leave the overhang on two sides for easy removal. Lightly spray with nonstick spray for even easier removal.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. To brown the butter for a deeper, caramel, nutty flavor, brown until the milk solids turn a golden-brown color. Then, immediately remove the pan from the heat source to prevent it from burning.
- Add brown sugar and vanilla to browned butter and stir to combine. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients: gluten-free flour, gluten-free oats, salt, and baking soda. Stir to combine.
- Pour melted butter and brown sugar mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to fully combine using a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Reserve about ¾ cup of the oat mixture for the topping for the bars. Set aside.
- Dump the remaining oat mixture into the prepared pan and press it down with your hands or the back of a spatula into a flat even layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove the partially baked crust from the oven and spread the jam on top of the cookie base.
- Crumble the reserved oat mixture over the top of the jam layer. Return to oven and bake for another 15-18 minutes, until the topping is light golden brown.
- Remove from oven. Note: the bars will firm up as they cool. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
- These bars are soft when they are warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- 8×8 baking square
- Parchment paper
