Healthy Gluten Free Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars

10/22/19

Cinnamon Apple Breakfast Bars are a healthy whole grain and protein-packed breakfast you can make ahead and grab on the go. Packed with oatmeal and quinoa, plus tons of tender apples and crunchy walnuts, this easy recipe is also naturally gluten free. Perfect for meal prep because you can make a batch or two and keep them in the fridge or freezer.

Originally published on Sep 22, 2016

Our elementary school at 9:30 am. For the kiddos in my house, it makes no sense whatsoever. Why?

My kids are early risers, and although they are getting better, it used to be that by the time they actually got to school, they were already tired.

And more importantly, I really wish I didn’t have to give the kids a second breakfast every morning. Yes, instead of one normal-sized breakfast, we do two smaller breakfasts. When they are up and ready for breakfast by seven and don’t start school till two and a half hours later, if they had to go all the way till lunch, they would be hangry! I can’t subject teachers to that. 

Because, by the way, lunch can be anywhere between 1 and 1:30.

I’m not talking about serving two giant plates of pancakes and bacon. We might start out with some yogurt and granola or cereal and a blueberry smoothie. But then we do always need at least a little something before heading out the door. But there’s not always a lot of time to do that.

So it’s important that I’ve got some nutritious and satisfying options on hand that we can grab on our way to the bus stop, like Healthy Carrot Zucchini Muffins (or try the Gluten Free Carrot Zucchini Muffins, energy balls, trail mix, and these…

Cinnamon Apple Healthy Breakfast Bars Recipe

It doesn’t matter whether it is fall or any other time of the year, kids always love apple cinnamon anything. And mine happily gobble these up, even though they don’t always like quinoa. In fact, they are always ready to devour them so quickly that I usually stash some in the freezer so I would still have a little stockpile for when life gets busy. 

I love that not only are they easy and convenient to have on hand, but they are also packed with wholesome ingredients that provide plenty of whole grains, protein, and fiber to keep us all satisfied.

What is in Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars?

• Maple Syrup – use the REAL stuff, not pancake syrup.
• Unsweetened Applesauce
• Egg – you can also use two egg whites or 1/3 cup liquid egg white substitute 
• Almond Butter – or any other nut butter or even a seed butter for a nut-free option
• Vanilla Extract
• Quick Cooking Oats – these are the ones that cook in about five minutes, NOT the packets of instant oats, and not old-fashioned oats that take longer to cook.
• Quinoa – cooked as per package instructions and cooled to room temperature.
• Baking Powder
• Ground Flax Seed  – aka flax meal or flax seed meal
• Cinnamon
• Apples – peeled and chopped into about 1/4-inch pieces
• Pecans – can substitute walnuts or pumpkin seeds, or omit entirely.

How do you make Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Bars?

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
3. In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients and stir until evenly distributed.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
5. Mix in the apples and pecans.
6. Press firmly into the prepared baking pan.
7. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until browned and firm to the touch.
8. Cool completely and cut into squares.

RECIPE PRO TIPS:

• I definitely recommend lining your baking pan with parchment paper. It makes the bars much easier to remove once they are cooled so you can cut them into nice squares.
• This recipe uses cooked and cooled quinoa. Follow the package instructions, but typically you’ll rinse the quinoa, add to a pot with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. To cool it quickly, spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
• You can use an egg, egg whites, or liquid egg or egg white substitute in this recipe and it will turn out fine. Use the equivalent of one egg or two egg whites.
• You’ll know they are done when they are browned on the top and feel firm when you press in the middle.
• To make them nut-free, you can use sunflower seed butter and omit the pecans or substitute with pumpkin seeds if you’d still like that bit of crunch.
• Using a serrated knife and cutting with a gentle sawing motion will give you the cleanest cut.
• You can keep the bars at room temperature in an airtight container for a day or so, but I would recommend storing them in the refrigerator where they will last several days to a week.
• It’s perfect for a portable breakfast on-the-go. But my kids actually like to eat them on a plate slightly warmed with a bit of butter or even a drizzle of maple syrup or a smear of almond butter.

Can you freeze apple oatmeal breakfast bars?

Yes, these bars freeze well in an airtight container or plastic freezer storage bag. For long-term storage, I’d recommend wrapping the container in plastic wrap, or the bars in plastic wrap before putting them in a plastic storage bag. If you wrap them individually, it’s easy to remove one at a time without cause frost or freezer burn on the others.

Then take one or more out the night before and thaw it overnight in the fridge. Or pop in the microwave for a few seconds if you take it out at the last minute. 

Are these breakfast bars gluten free?

Yes, you can make these as gluten free breakfast bars as the ingredients are all naturally gluten free or are available that way. A few items to watch out for:

• Oats – be sure to buy certified gluten free quick oats.
• Flax seed – read the labels, as occasionally flax seed or flax seed meal is processed in a facility with wheat-containing ingredients, so if you are highly sensitive or have celiac, there may be a risk of cross-contamination.
• Baking powder – again, most brands are gluten free, but read labels or use a brand you trust.
• Vanilla Extract – if you are highly sensitive, be sure there are no additives that may contain gluten (like caramel coloring)

Can you make nut-free breakfast bars?

Yes, you can substitute the almond butter with sunflower seed butter or another seed butter, and either omit the pecans or replace them with pumpkin seeds for crunch, or even white chocolate chips, if you like.

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What else can you make with cooked quinoa?

• Kid-Friendly Quinoa Bites
• Healthy Pumpkin Breakfast Bars
• Cheddar Cheese Quinoa Side Dish
• Blueberry Peach Yogurt Quinoa Parfait

What are more healthy gluten free breakfast recipes?

• Mixed Berry Oatmeal Bake
• Nut-Free Granola Bars
• Make Ahead Frozen Oatmeal Cups
• Apple Cinnamon Granola
• Zucchini Brownie Chocolate Oatmeal

Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars Recipe

These healthy breakfast bars are simple to make ahead and keep in the fridge or freezer. The kids love the sweet, soft, chewy goodness, and the classic irresistible apple cinnamon flavor. You’ll love that they are packed with whole grains, fiber, and protein. And you can keep them on hand for a portable breakfast on busy mornings or quick and easy after school snacks. Plus they are naturally gluten free and dairy free.

I hope you’ll leave a comment and give it a FIVE STAR rating or share a photo on this pin on Pinterest! 

Print Recipe

3 from 1 vote

Cinnamon Apple Quinoa Breakfast Bars

An sweet and chewy easy make-ahead breakfast to grab on the go, packed with plenty of protein and whole grains to keep you satisfied till lunch.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: quinoa breakfast bars

Servings: 16

Calories: 129kcal

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Ingredients

• 1½ cups quick cooking oats
• 1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg or 2 egg whites or 1/3 cup liquid egg whites
• 2 Tablespoons almond butter or other nut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cups chopped apples, about 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 in. square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, baking powder, flax seed, and cinnamon and stir until evenly distributed.
• In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, applesauce, egg, almond butter, and vanilla.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until mixed thoroughly to form a thick batter.
• Fold in the apples and pecans.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula.
• Bake on the center rack of the oven for 25 - 35 minutes until the bars are golden brown and firm to the touch.
• Remove and cool completely in the pan. Slice into bars and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days, or freeze to keep longer.

Notes

Adapted from Simply Quinoa.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Enjoy!