Strawberry and Mango Oat Bars

These strawberry and mango oat bars are bound to become your new favourite summer treat. The creamy filling made of mango and strawberries perfectly complements the slightly chewy texture of rolled oats, with the crumbly topping taking the whole thing to the finish line.

Why Make These Oat Bars

• Flavour - strawberries and mango are a match made in heaven, with the creaminess of mango perfectly complementing the fresh flavour of strawberries
• Texture - old-fashioned oats give the bars that slightly chewy texture that goes great with their heavenly soft middle.
• Vegan friendly
• Healthier, with less sugar and fat than similar recipes, and under 150 calories per bar

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make These Oat Bars

Rolled oats - use old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats. This gives the bars a nice chewy texture, whereas quick oats are too soft and will turn into mush while baking. 

Flour - all-purpose flour works well in this recipe. I recommend using a digital kitchen scale, because flour can be very tricky to measure. But, if you’re using measuring cups, make sure to use the spoon-and-level method. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off any excess flour with the back of a knife.

Sugar - use regular, granulated sugar.

Vanilla extract - adds the distinct sweet aroma. The higher the quality of your vanilla extract, the better.

Coconut oil - use refined coconut oil, which has a practically non-existent coconut flour. If you’re using measuring cups, make sure to measure melted coconut oil.

Strawberries - it’s best to use fresh, thinly sliced strawberries. I wouldn’t recommend using frozen fruits for this recipe, as the bars might turn out too soggy.

Mango - if possible, use a sweet, perfectly ripe mango.

Cornstarch - thickening agent that helps to create that creamy fruit filling.

Agave syrup - to slightly sweeten the filling. You can replace this with a tablespoon of sugar, or leave it out altogether if you prefer the bars slightly less sweet.

How to Make Strawberry Oat Bars

Step One - Prepare the Crumbs

Combine rolled oats, flour, sugar and vanilla. Slowly pour in the coconut oil and stir well. The texture should be slightly crumbly, with several lumps sticking together.

Step Two - Add Strawberries & Mango Layer

Divide the dough into thirds, and press two thirds of it firmly into the prepared pan. Top this bottom layer with sliced strawberries and chunks of mango. Lightly dust with cornstarch and drizzle with agave syrup or honey.

Step Three - Bake

Sprinkle with the remaining third of the dough and place the dish in the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble slightly.

Step Four - Slice Into Bars

Wait until it cools down before you slice into 9 bars. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Strawberry and Mango Oat Bars FAQs

Are these bars vegan?

Yes. Whenever I don’t use eggs, it’s super easy to make any dish suitable for vegans. If you don’t follow a vegan diet, or simply don’t have all these ingredients at hand, you can easily substitute some of them with their non-vegan counterparts.

Use unsalted butter instead of coconut oil, and honey instead of agave syrup. The texture should remain pretty much the same, but the flavour might differ slightly, especially if you choose to add honey.

How many servings does this make?

The recipe makes 9 bars, baked in an 8-inch square pan.

How long will this recipe keep?

You can store these bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

More Strawberry Recipes

If you're a fan of strawberries, make sure to check out these sweet recipes:

• Strawberry Muffins
• Strawberry Pie
• 8-Ingredient Strawberry Crumble
• Strawberry Overnight Oats