Dotted with plenty of chocolate chips, rich with almond butter and fall spices, these Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars are a perfect blend between cookie bar and granola bar. Just sweet enough to be dessert, but healthy enough to eat for breakfast. Old-fashioned rolled oats, baked sweet potato, pumpkin seeds + cranberries blended into one delicious snack.
Thanksgiving Leftovers – Mashed Sweet Potatoes
These bars were created with leftover sweet potatoes – post-Thanksgiving. It’s a great way to repurpose leftovers.
- If you do use leftover Thanksgiving sweet potatoes most likely they already have brown sugar in them. If that’s the case, leave the brown sugar out of this recipes.
- If you’re not working with leftovers, the microwave method is the fastest and easiest way to bake a sweet potato for this recipe.
How to Make Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
Step 1: Bake/Microwave sweet potato.
Skip this step if you are using leftover sweet potato.
Step 2: Toast oats and pumpkin seeds.
After they are toasted, mix in a large bowl with flaxseed, spices and salt.
Step 3: In another large bowl, mix nut butter, sweet potato, brown sugar, and syrup.
Add the oat mixture above and stir until well combined.
Step 4: Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips.
Another option is to use dried cherries instead of cranberries.
Step 5: Press evenly in 8 x 8 pan.
Press the oat mixture together firmly. Top with extra chocolate chips.
Step 6: Bake!
IF you want to get real crazy and go all out dessert, top one off
with a dollop of sweet potato ice cream or this 5 min banana ice cream.
Both vegan, both delish.
- 1 cup almond butter or other nut butter
- 1 cup baked sweet potato pureed (about 1 large sweet potato)
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds toasted (or walnuts)
- 2 cups rolled oats toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbs maple syrup
- 2 tbs dark brown sugar*
- 2 tbs ground flax seed
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more to top
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Preheat oven to 400F.
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Place the rolled oats and pumpkin seeds on a rimmed baking sheet and lightly toast them in the oven for about 8-10 minutes. Toss them halfway through to ensure even toasting. Watch carefully so they don't burn! Remove from oven and place in a mixing bowl. Add flax seed, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Mix to combine.
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In another large bowl, mix the nut butter, sweet potato puree, brown sugar and maple syrup together. Add the oat mixture and stir until combined.
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Add the cranberries and chocolate chips. Mix well.
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Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased 8 x 8 baking pan. An easy trick is to grease the bottom of a metal measuring cup and use that to evenly press the mixture into the pan.
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Sprinkle more chocolate chips on top and press them lightly into the top of the bars.
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Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown.
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Store at room temp. Bars will soften with time, especially if covered tightly.
Stored at room temperature, these Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Bars will soften. For a crispier outside, warm them back up in the oven. They are also freezable.
*If you're leftovers are already sweetened you can eliminate the brown sugar in this recipe.
Wondering what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers?
Check out these Thanksgiving Hand Pies
Is there anything the sweet potato can’t do?
Try these favorite sweet potato recipes:
Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Peanut Sauce
Spinach Sweet Potato Black Bean Burritos
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Apple Brandied Pecans
Making this for the office bday celebration in Monday! Office team loves these and everyone eats them, even the lucky vegan!