These bars are like the dessert version of yogurt and granola and I’m so into it! Yogurt gets simply mixed with some maple syrup and berries and scooped on top of a crumble/granola inspired crust. Bake the crust, add the yogurt mixture, and pop it in the freezer overnight for a red, white, and blue summer treat!
Ingredient highlight
Whole milk yogurt! Yogurt is one of my favorite ways to get in lots of probiotics, protein, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. If you don’t already, I really encourage you to start buying whole milk yogurt (and all dairy products!) rather than nonfat or lowfat. Not only is the whole milk dairy more flavorful, creamy, and delicious, research also shows that it may be a lot better for you than low-fat or non-fat. Read this great article here to learn more!
Servings 9 squares
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 20 minutes Ingredients
For the crust:
- 4 tbsp (56g) butter
- 1/4 cup (80g) maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup (180g) rolled oats
- 1 cup (105g) almond flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
For the filling:
- 1 1/2 cups (360g) plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 tbsp (40g) maple syrup
- 2 1/2 cups berries*
- *Use blueberries, raspberries, and/or strawberries! If using strawberries, chop them small so you don’t have massive frozen chunks.
- Note: ~ These taste best and are easiest to eat after they have sat out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, so remember to take them out of the freezer in advance!
- Pro tip! ~ When slicing into these bars (or any bar-style recipe), it helps to use a warm knife to cut through more easily – just run a sharp knife under hot water before slicing. It also helps to wipe the knife clean after each slice for a cleaner cut.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9 or 8x-8-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium microwavable bowl, add butter and microwave until melted. Stir in the maple and vanilla until combined. Stir in the oats, almond flour, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Transfer to the baking dish and press into an even layer.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until it begins to darken slightly in color, then let cool for at least 15 minutes (you can place it in the fridge or freezer to speed this along).
- In that same medium bowl, stir together the yogurt and maple syrup, then add 2 cups of the fruit and stir to combine.
- Transfer to the baking dish and spread into an even, compact layer, pressing the yogurt/berries into the crust to make sure it sticks/adheres. Top with remaining ½ cup of fruit and press it in gently. Place in the freezer for at least 6 hours or overnight to solidify.
- Remove from the freezer and let sit out at room temp for at least 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes before slicing. Use the parchment to remove from the baking dish and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 9 square bars.
- Store in the freezer (see recipe note)!
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Make and bake the crust
- Stir together the yogurt filling
- Assemble it and freeze overnight
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, use a vegan yogurt alternative and substitute butter with coconut oil.
- To make nut-free, blend pumpkin and/or sunflower seeds into a flour and use that as a 1:1 substitute for almond flour.
- Any chopped seasonal fruit would be so good – I would LOVE this with juicy ripe summer peaches!
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- As I mentioned in the notes, these taste best and are easiest to eat after they have sat out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes, so remember to take them out of the freezer in advance!
