Ingredients

Scale

For the base:

1 cup (80 g) old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup (56 g) oat bran
1/2 cup (60 g) flour of choice*
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened almond milk
1 medium-size ripe banana, mashed (100 g or 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup (60 ml) maple syrup**
2 Tbsp (25 g) coconut palm sugar***
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate fudge topping:

1/2 medium-size ripe banana, mashed (50 g or 1/4 cup)
1 Tbsp (16 g) nut butter****
2 Tbsp (10 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup**

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare an 8×8 (20x20cm) baking dish by lining it with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Lightly spray with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat bran, flour, and baking powder. Add the almond milk, mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut sugar, and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan, using a spatula to ensure that it is evenly distributed.
Make the topping by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl, mixing until smooth. Drop the topping in small dollops across the entire surface of the bars, and use a knife or chopstick to swirl them around a bit.
Bake the bars for 20 minutes until the top has set and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing and cutting into bars.

Notes

* You can really use any flour you want here, depending on your dietary needs. I’ve made these with all-purpose, GF all-purpose, and almond flours, and each one was delicious. The only thing I would advise against is coconut flour. ** You can also use agave nectar, or honey if you don’t need these to be vegan. *** You can also use regular brown or granulated sugar. OR omit completely if you don’t like your bars too sweet and want them to be refined-sugar-free. **** I used a natural almond butter, but feel free to use whichever nut or seed butter is your favourite.

Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins