Maple syrup, brown sugar and coconut add just the right sweetness to these hardy, snackable Oatmeal Crunchies. Inspired by our travels to Southern Africa, they’re a new family favorite!

Three crunch oatmeal bars stacked on a small white plate.

South African Inspired Oatmeal Crunchies Recipe

These Oatmeal Crunchies are so simple and so delicious. Sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup with coconut flakes for flavor and texture, these crunchy bars make such a satisfying snack or a quick breakfast.

Inspired from our trip to Southern Africa, crunchies are to South Africa like chocolate chip cookies are to America. They’re everywhere! We loved snacking on them during our game drives and when traveling between destinations. At each lodge, they were homemade and so so yummy!

Eight oatmeal crunchies bars on a parchment lined cooling rack.

Breakfast and Snack Bars

These oat bars make a great quick breakfast. They’re so delicious and have great staying power for all you need to get done. They also make a great afternoon pick-me-up with a cup of coffee. They remind me of a Nature Valley crunchy granola bar, but with the slightest chew from coconut. So delicious!

Oat bars are a staple in this house. Some of our favorites are my Peanut Butter Honey Oat Bars (made with just 3 ingredients!), these super easy Overnight Oats Bars, and these slightly more decadent Brown Butter Blueberry White Chocolate Oat Bars. They’re unbelievable.

Eight oatmeal crunchies bars on a parchment lined cooling rack.

Oatmeal Crunchies Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details)

Ingredients:

  • Refined coconut oil
  • Unsalted butter, melted
  • Light brown sugar
  • Pure maple syrup
  • Quick cooking oats
  • All-purpose flour
  • Sweetened flaked coconut
  • Baking soda
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Salt

Supplies:

Ingredients to make oatmeal crunchies in small glass dishes on a white marble counter.

How to Make Oatmeal Crunchies

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir together the coconut oil, melted butter, light brown sugar and maple syrup until well combined.
  • Add the oats, flour, flaked coconut, baking soda, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. 
Steps to make Oatmeal Crunchies.
  • Stir until well incorporated.
  • Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until the oats start to toast around the edges and turn golden brown all over on top.
  • Let cool completely in the baking dish before cutting into squares.
Steps to make Oatmeal Crunchies.

Storage

Store oatmeal crunchies in an airtight container, with parchment between each layer, at room temperature for up to a week.

A glass baking dish of oatmeal crunchies on a white marble counter.

More of The Best Brownies and Bars

From chewy and fudgy to nutty, chunky, chocolatey, no-bake and flourless. My collection of the Best Brownies and Bars has something everyone will love!

Flourless fudge brownies, no-bake snack mix bars, monster cookie bars, no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars.

If you make these Oatmeal Crunchies, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! ???? I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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Three crunchy oatmeal bars stacked on a small white plate.

Oatmeal Crunchies

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  • Author: The BakerMama
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 bars

Description

Maple syrup, brown sugar and coconut add just the right sweetness to these hardy, snackable Oatmeal Crunchies. Inspired by our travels to Southern Africa, they’re a new family favorite!


Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup refined coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 cups quick cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and line with a strip of parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the coconut oil, melted butter, light brown sugar and maple syrup until well combined.
  3. Add the oats, flour, flaked coconut, baking soda, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir until well incorporated.
  4. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
  5. Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until the oats start to toast around the edges and turn golden brown all over on top.
  6. Let cool completely in the baking dish before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

About The BakerMama

Maegan is the author of her best-selling Beautiful Boards, Spectacular Spreads and Brilliant Bites cookbooks. She started blogging in 2012 and features hundreds of original recipes on The BakerMama. She truly enjoys sharing her easy, family-friendly recipes, creative meal ideas, food board creations, and entertaining spreads to encourage others to get in the kitchen and make something memorable for their loved ones to enjoy together. Learn More

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Comments

    1. Hi Suzanne! You could use avocado oil, olive oil or canola oil, but you wouldn’t get that boost in coconut flavor that the coconut oil adds to the bars. I hope this helps. Enjoy!

    1. Hi, Kiron! You sure can. The bars just won’t be as crispy and crunchy, but it should still be delicious. Hope this helps! Enjoy!