There’s something so comforting about a buttery, nutty cake packed with fresh berries—and these raspberry oatmeal bars are exactly that. It’s a one-bowl, no-mixer kind of recipe that takes just 15 minutes to prep and turns out perfectly every time.
Why I Love This
- This cake feels like dessert, but it’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients I usually already have in your pantry.
- The texture is everything—soft in the middle, crisp around the edges, with juicy raspberries in every bite.
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Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – Just enough to bind everything together. You could sub with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Quick-cooking oats – Rolled oats work but will make the bars more rustic.
- Butter – Room temp makes it easier to work into the dough. If using salted butter, skip the pinch of salt.
- Lemon zest – Adds brightness and a little zing that goes so well with raspberries. Don't skip this, it adds so much flavor to these bars!
- Fresh raspberries – I love how they bake down into soft, juicy bites. I recommend fresh for this recipe. Blackberries or strawberries will be delicious too.
- Pecans – For crunch and nutty flavor. Walnuts or almonds would work too.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9x9-inch square pan (or a 9-inch round pan) with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt. Stir to combine.
- Add the butter: Drop in the room temperature butter and knead it into the dry ingredients with your hands until the mixture starts to form soft dough.
- Add sugar, zest, vanilla, and nuts: Stir in the brown sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and chopped pecans (reserve 3 tablespoon of nuts for the topping).
- Form the base: Pinch together small dough balls, about cherry-size. Place two-thirds of them into the baking dish and press to form an even bottom layer.
- Add the raspberries: Spread the fresh raspberries over the dough base.
- Top and bake: Sprinkle with the remaining pecans and gently press them down. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.
More cake ideas? Try this gluten-free banana cake, almond cake or no bake cheesecake.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes! Use vegan butter and make sure your sugar is vegan-friendly.
Tips
- Switch up the nuts – Almonds, walnuts, or even seed mix like sunflower seeds + pumpkin seeds will work great here.
- Make it gluten-free – Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified GF oats.
- Add a crumble topping – Save a little dough and break it into larger crumbles for a pretty rustic look.
- Want more citrus flavor? – Add a little orange zest along with the lemon zest.
- No fresh berries? – Try a layer of raspberry chia jam or your favorite fruit preserves.
- Make it a dessert – Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla yogurt or whipped coconut cream. Yum!
- Let it cool completely – It slices much better once cooled. Trust me.
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze. Freeze in individual slices wrapped in parchment for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To Reheat. Warm individual pieces in the microwave for 10–15 seconds if you'd like to serve warm.
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Recipe Card
Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
This Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Bars Cake is buttery, nutty, and loaded with fresh raspberries. One bowl, no mixer, and delicious!
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INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 cups quick cooking oats
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoon butter, unsalted, at room temp
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch of salt, or you can use salted butter instead of unsalted
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 10 ounces fresh raspberries
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped, divided
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9x9-inch square pan (or a 9-inch round pan) with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking powder, salt. Stir to combine.1 ½ cup all purpose flour, 2 cups quick cooking oats, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 pinch of salt
- Add the butter: Drop in the room temperature butter and knead it into the dry ingredients with your hands until the mixture starts to form soft dough.1 cup + 2 tablespoon butter
- Add sugar, zest, vanilla, and nuts: Stir in the brown sugar, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and chopped pecans (reserve 3 tablespoon of nuts for the topping).¾ cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup pecans
- Form the base: Pinch together small dough balls, about cherry-size. Place two-thirds of them into the baking dish and press to form an even bottom layer.
- Add the raspberries: Spread the fresh raspberries over the dough base.10 ounces fresh raspberries
- Top and bake: Sprinkle with the remaining pecans and gently press them down. Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Calories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 6gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 581IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 2mg
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Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
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