Chocolate Strawberry Oat Bars (Printable Copy)

Chewy oat bars with strawberry jam and a chocolate coating make a delicious no-bake treat.

# What You Need:

→ Oat Base

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup almond flour
03 - 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
04 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
05 - 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
06 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Strawberry Layer

08 - 3/4 cup strawberry preserves or jam, preferably low sugar
09 - 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, lightly crushed

→ Chocolate Topping

10 - 6 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate, chopped
11 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil

# How to Make:

01 - Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, combine oats, almond flour, peanut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt until fully incorporated and sticky.
03 - Press two-thirds of the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Reserve the remaining third for the top layer.
04 - Spread strawberry preserves evenly over the oat base and sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried strawberries.
05 - Crumble and gently press the remaining oat mixture over the strawberry layer.
06 - In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate with coconut oil in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
07 - Drizzle melted chocolate evenly over the bars or dip each bar individually once cut.
08 - Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firmly set.
09 - Lift the entire bar from the pan using parchment paper overhang, cut into 12 bars, and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No oven required—just a fridge and about twenty minutes of actual hands-on time, making these perfect for days when turning on the oven feels like too much.
  • The texture contrast between chewy oats, tangy jam, and snappy chocolate is genuinely addictive in ways that feel almost accidental.
  • They taste indulgent enough to impress people but honest enough that you won't feel guilty eating them straight from the pan.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper overhang—it's the difference between elegant bars and a frustrating battle with a stuck dessert.
  • The freeze-dried strawberries make a bigger impact than you'd expect for their small quantity, so don't skip them thinking fresh ones will work the same way.
  • Melting chocolate gradually in short intervals sounds fussy but prevents the grainy, separated texture that ruins everything, so resist the urge to just throw it in for one long blast.
03 -
  • If you want chocolate that snaps dramatically when you bite through, use dark chocolate at least 60 percent cacao, which also balances the sweetness of the jam beautifully.
  • A small offset spatula makes spreading the jam and chocolate absurdly easier and gives you neater layers than a regular spoon ever could.
Return