Baked Chocolate Chip Oat Squares

Enjoy these chewy Baked Chocolate Chip Oat Squares in the morning for breakfast. They're great for meal prepping in advance and packed with heart healthy oats.  Plus they are dairy and gluten free!

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten-free oats

1/3 cup nut butter of choice ( I used peanut butter)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tsp aluminum free baking powder

1 1/2 cups nut milk of choice ( I used unsweetened almond milk)

dairy free chocolate chips ( I used EnjoyLife) 

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.  

2. Pour mixture into a parchment lined baking dish. Bake in oven at 350 F for 35 minutes.

3. Let fully cool before cutting into squares. Enjoy!

NOTES: 

The oatmeal bars are great for meal prepping. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Then you can can enjoy them cold, at room temperature or warmed if you prefer.

Switch out the add-ins. The recipe is so versatile to make it based on your taste preferences and available ingredients. I love the combination of cranberries and walnuts with oatmeal bars, but you can use other nuts, chocolates or seeds.

Let ingredients sit to absorb moisture. This is key to making the oatmeal bars recipe successfully and ensuring that it holds together without crumbling. The mixture needs to soak before baking, or it will be not stick together.