Starbucks Copycat Oat Bars

Starbucks oat bars, aka British flapjacks, are a perfect treat for a rainy afternoon, a school snack or a sweet breakfast option. They are easy to make and to eat.

Also try these lemon almond scones, some chocolate coconut magic bars or these heavenly tropical pineapple scones.

Why You’ll Love It

Control over ingredients: When making Starbucks oat bars at home, you have complete control over the ingredients that go into them.
Cost-effective: Homemade oat bars are so much cheaper to than purchasing at Starbucks. You can buy ingredients in bulk and make a large batch of oat bars that will last for a while.
Customizable: Copycat Starbucks bars can be customized to suit your own taste. You can experiment with different ingredients and flavors to create your own unique recipe.
Fantastic freshness: Making these flapjack bars at home will ensure they are fresher than store bought ones.
A delicious snack: Maybe the most important thing: these taste so good! The sugar and butter caramelize together and have such a buttery taste which is the perfect accent to the oats’ nuttiness. Yum!

Starbucks Copycat Oat Bars Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Quick-cooking rolled oats: There are so many different kind of porridge oats, but it is important for this recipe to use the correct one. These quick oats are thinner and smaller than regular oats, which allows them to cook more quickly and evenly. These are the oats I used in this recipe and there’s also a gluten-free oats (here) version to consider.
Salt: Makes the sweet flavors pop.
Salted butter: For luxurious richness and moisture.
Cinnamon: Adds a warm, earthy hint of flavor.
Sugar and syrup: Turbinado sugar, brown sugar and golden syrup add the perfect amount of sweetness.

How to Make Starbucks Copycat Oat Bars

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Combine the ingredients: Melt the butter with the sugar, syrup, salt, and cinnamon in a saucepan over a medium heat. Take it off the heat and stir in the oats.
Bake the oat bars: Press the mixture into a prepared pan and bake in the oven.
Cool and slice them: Slice them into bars while still in the pan, let them cool completely and slice again.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: Swap regular quick cooking rolled oats with gluten-free quick cooking rolled oats. I like to use these gluten free oats found here. Gluten-free oats might not have the same texture as regular oats, so the result may be slightly different in texture and taste.
Vegan version: These oat bars contain butter, so they are not vegan. However, I have made them with plant-based butter and they work fine.
Golden syrup: If you can’t find golden syrup, you can use dark corn syrup or honey in its place.
Turbinado sugar: Use extra brown sugar if you can’t get turbinado sugar.
Quick-cooking oats: If you can’t get them, at a pinch you could put regular oats in a blender or food processor and pulse 2 or 3 times to break them down.
Salted butter: Substitute unsalted butter or coconut oil and add a little salt.
Optional add-ins: Add vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, raisins, nuts, dried fruit, dried berries, chocolate chips, M&Ms, or pumpkin spice. You can make endless healthy oat bars varieties with this base recipe.
Add a drizzle on top: Drizzle some melted chocolate on top of the oat bars after baking.
Less or more sweetness: Adjust the amount of sugar used.

Serving Suggestions

As a snack: Cut the traditional flapjack oat bars into squares and serve them as a snack. They are a great alternative to store-bought snacks and can be enjoyed on-the-go.
As a dessert: Serve the Starbucks oat bars warm with a scoop of vanilla or pumpkin spice latte ice cream, or a dollop of whipped cream.
With tea or coffee: As we all know, these copycat Starbucks oat bars are a great accompaniment to a cup of tea, Starbucks copycat pink drink or a Starbucks copycat cinnamon dolce latte.
As a breakfast: Serve with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a cup of yogurt for a sweet breakfast option.
As a topping for yogurt or oatmeal: Crumble the copycat oat bar over yogurt or oatmeal for a crunchy and sweet topping.
As a trail mix: Mix chunks of the oat bar with different nuts, dried fruits and seeds to make a great trail mix, perfect for hiking and picnics.

How to Store Starbucks Oat Bars

Store: The bars will last for about a week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also refrigerate them to extend their shelf life.
Freeze: After baking and cutting into squares, place them on a baking sheet and freeze for 1 to 2 hours. Then transfer the oat bars into an airtight container or a freezer bag. They will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Thaw: Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a couple of hours.
Reheat: Pop them in the oven or microwave before serving, to regain their crispiness and warm up.