Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam

Reasons you will love this recipe

• These Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam are naturally sweetened with honey and have other wholesome ingredients such as coconut oil and rolled oats. 
• This recipe is great for breakfast, or also makes a great option for an after-school snack for your kids or even as a naturally sweetened dessert option. 
• You can easily customize the taste of the bars by using different fruits and flavors for the jam.
• The prep time for the bars is super quick and they are made in one bowl so there is minimal cleanup.  

What is sourdough discard?

You can think of sourdough discard as leftover sourdough starter. After your starter peaks it begins to fall back down and is no longer ideal for leavening breads and other baked goods, but don’t let the name deceive you! Although it is called “discard” it can be used for many different sourdough discard recipes. It adds moistness, depth of flavor and a slight tang that sourdough is known for. Plus, when the batter is fermented it makes it easier to digest. It can be used in any recipe that uses flour such as Chocolate Chip Cookies, Sourdough Pancakes, Sourdough Granola Bars, and Sourdough Muffins. You can learn more about Sourdough Discard in this post here. 

Helpful tools to make this recipe

Square 8″ baking dish – This recipe is made in a square baking dish. I find the 8×8 size to be perfect for the thickness of the bars. 

Parchment paper – Using parchment paper helps prevent the bars from sticking to the pan and makes it easier to remove them. 

Kitchen scale or Measuring cups and spoons – The recipe has grams and cups written in it so you can use either form of measurement. However, using your kitchen scale will give more accurate measurements plus you will have less dishes!

Ingredients for Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam 

• Oats – Either old-fashioned rolled oats or instant oats will work for this recipe. 
• All-purpose flour – I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour. 
• Sourdough discard – You can use sourdough discard straight from the fridge or at room temperature. 
• Coconut oil- Melt the coconut oil before adding to the ingredients. To melt, you can simply add it to the microwave for a few seconds at a time. 
• Honey – Honey is used as a natural sweetener. If you’d like, you could also use maple syrup. 
• Salt – Any type of salt works for this recipe. 
• Jam – You can use any type of jam flavor you’d like, such as raspberry or strawberry. If you would like to keep the bars naturally sweetened, look for a jam that does not use sugar. You can make homemade jam or find jams that only contain fruit and no added sugar at the grocery store. You can also have fun with the flavor of the jam and try other fruits such as apples, cranberries, or apricots. 

How to make Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the sourdough discard, melted coconut oil, and honey together. Stir and then add the oats, flour, and salt. Mix until combined. The mixture will be slightly greasy which is to be expected.

Next, line the baking dish with parchment paper. Dump a little more than half of the mixture into an 8×8 square baking pan. Press the mix into the pan with a piece of parchment paper and your fingers. You want to really press this mixture into the pan so it holds together. 

Spread the jam overtop keeping the jam away from the sides about ½ inch to prevent burning. I’ve made this recipe with 1/2 cup and 2/3 cup jam. If you prefer a thicker layer of jam use 2/3 cup. 

Cover the jam with the remaining mixture. Lightly press the entire mixture into the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Do not press too hard to avoid the jam from squeezing out.

Bake in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 30 minutes. Let the bars cool on the counter until room temperature and then put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before slicing. 

Cut the Sourdough Breakfast Bars into 12 slices and enjoy!

Tips for success with this recipe

• Be sure to press the mixture into the baking dish firmly for the bottom layer. This helps the bars stay together better after you cut them. 
• Don’t skip lining the pan with parchment paper. This helps the bars from sticking to the pan and then you can easily lift the bars out by pulling up on the side of the parchment paper. Using a piece of parchment paper in your hand to press the mixture into the pan will help prevent the mixture from sticking to your fingers and evenly press the mixture down. 
• Let the bars cool before you slice them. Allowing them to cool and adding them to the fridge for 30 minutes helps the bars set and will help prevent them from falling apart. 

Storage for the Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam

To store the Sourdough Breakfast Bars, add them to an airtight container and store them on the counter for 3-5 days or in the fridge for 1-2 weeks. 

Add-in ideas for the Sourdough Breakfast Bars

What is great about these bars is that they are easy to customize! Use whatever type of jam you’d like and you can also add other add-ins such as a few swirls of peanut butter or a nut butter such as almond butter for more of a PB&J vibe, or you can add nuts in the mixture with the oats, such as walnuts or pecans for crunch.