Slow Cooker Banana Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Slow Cooker Banana Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars combine hearty oats, ripe bananas, honey, canned pumpkin, and chocolate chips for an easy, healthy breakfast recipe that’s made in your slow cooker! Just cut into squares for a delicious start to your busy morning!

My family enjoys traditional oatmeal, but I wanted to create a slow cooker breakfast recipe for my kids and me that was healthy, but still delicious, and easy to eat on the run.

Since these Slow Cooker Banana Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars are more dense than traditional oatmeal, they’re portable and perfect for on-the-go breakfasts!

This recipe makes approximately 8 oatmeal bars. I like to make a batch on Sunday and cut them into grab-and-go squares, to eat throughout the week.

Ingredients needed for this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

Ripe bananas
Canned pumpkin – see alternatives below
Vanilla extract
Old-fashioned oats
Honey
Chocolate chips – dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate
Salt
Cinnamon

Are these oatmeal bars healthy?

Canned pumpkin, banana, and oats are all plant-based ingredients that are great for you – they’re loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

I used honey instead of sugar to sweeten the oatmeal bars. There are optional chocolate chips to add a little extra sweetness, and you can use dark chocolate if desired.

There’s a tiny bit of cinnamon to bring a little warmth and to round out the banana and pumpkin flavors. If you really like cinnamon, feel free to add a little more!

How to make Slow Cooker Banana Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars

Mash your ripe bananas and combine them with the rest of the ingredients.
Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray or line your slow cooker with parchment paper, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker. I like to press a couple chocolate chips into the top of the oatmeal.
Cook in the slow cooker for approximately 3 hours. Cut into squares and enjoy warm!

What can I use instead of canned pumpkin?

Some people have stated that they can’t find/don’t like canned pumpkin and are looking for an alternative.

I haven’t tried it, but I have heard that you can use mashed sweet potatoes as a substitute.

Love peanut butter? Check out these Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars!

Another great oatmeal option is a Banana Split Overnight Oatmeal Bowl, a nutritious breakfast option made with your favorite toppings.

How long will these oatmeal bars be good for?

Store cooked oatmeal bars in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

These bars have the best texture when eaten warm. I recommend reheating them in the microwave right before eating to soften them and get the chocolate chips all nice and melty.

Looking for more breakfast recipes? Here are some favorites:

NOTES:

I like semi-sweet chocolate chips in these oatmeal bars, but feel free to use dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
Using parchment paper makes it easy to remove the oatmeal from the slow cooker. Simply pull the paper up and out of the slow cooker and cut your oatmeal into bars.