Jessica’s Pistachio Oat Squares

6-ingredient Pistachio Oat Squares are a lightly sweet healthy snack, breakfast, or dessert! Easy to make, vegan, and gluten free.

Jessica's Pistachio Oat Squares

I’m excited to share this recipe today – these Pistachio Oat Squares are SO delicious!

It’s spring which means that the best cookbooks are coming out now. You know the ones – they’re brimming with fresh healthy, veggie-ful recipes. This recipe is from Jessica Murnane’s book One Part Plant. If you’re not familiar with my blog pal Jessica, you should go listen to her podcast – she’s hosted all of your favorite food bloggers (including yours truly!) and other inspiring folks who are part of the plant-forward food community.

Her mission is simple – to inspire people to eat one plant-based meal a day. No judgement, no strings. Simple as that. The cookbook reflects her vision with accessible, easy to prepare, yet delicious recipes like these oat squares.

Jessica's Pistachio Oat Squares Jessica's Pistachio Oat Squares

These are in the “snack” section of her book – Jessica noted that they’re a little too sweet for breakfast but not quite sweet enough for dessert. Well, um… I ate these for dessert and then again the next morning for breakfast – they’re addictive!

While these look so pretty with pistachios, I feel like this recipe would easily lend itself to the use of other nuts if you don’t happen to have pistachios on hand. These were so easy to make – go run to your kitchen now if you’re craving a lightly sweet, nutty, oaty snack!

Jessica's Pistachio Oat Squares One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane

This lasagna recipe is next on my to-make list – yum!

One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane

Oh, and go get her book!

If you’re looking for more oaty, nutty snacks, check out these homemade granola bars, these energy balls, or any of these 47 Best Healthy Snacks next!


4.8 from 75 reviews

Jessica's Pistachio Oat Squares

 
This recipe from One Part Plant by Jessica Murnane and is reprinted with permission from the publisher.
Author:
Serves: 12 Squares
Ingredients
  • 1 cup raw shelled pistachios
  • 1 cup rolled oats*
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ cup maple syrup, more for drizzling on top
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • additional handful of chopped pistachios for the topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper. In a food processor with the S blade attached, process the pistachios, oats, and salt for about 30 seconds, until a meal starts to form. Drizzle in the maple syrup and olive oil while the motor is still running and the meal begins to come together into a crumbly, almost-wet dough.
  2. Press the dough evenly into the pan and cover it with coconut flakes and remaining pistachios. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the coconut is nice and golden brown and the dough is cooked through. You want the squares to still be a little soft - don't overbake these.
  3. Carefully lift the cooled dough out of the pan by holding two sides of the parchment paper. Cut it into squares. Drizzle a little maple syrup over the top for extra sweetness, if you like. Store the squares in a sealed container for up to a week.
Notes
*To make these gluten free be sure to use Certified Gluten Free Oats.

 

106 comments

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  1. Carolyn
    01.10.2021

    I’d like to try these as written with pistachios, but don’t feel like shelling a cup’s worth. My husband is out shopping right now and can only find roasted *salted* pistachios that are shelled.
    Do you use salted or unsalted pistachios in this recipe? (Given that other nuts could replace, and they would be unsalted, I’m guessing unsalted, but if you actually made it with salted, then I’ll do it that way.)
    Thanks!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      01.10.2021

      Hi Carolyn – unsalted or they would be too salty as a sweet snack. I think this could work with chopped walnuts or pecan pieces.

  2. Jamie
    12.06.2020

    I used walnuts instead of pistachios, because I did not have any, and the recipe turned out pretty well!

  3. Bev
    10.16.2020

    Could I get the fat, sugar, fibre, etc content for these pistachio oat bars please

  4. Eileen
    10.12.2020

    I made your pistachio oat bars and both my husband and I love them. My question is how many calories are in each bar. We are watching our weight and tracking our food intake.

    Thank you in advance,
    Eileen

  5. Jamie
    06.20.2020

    The recipe is misleading. It only produces 1/4 of the amount in the photo. I used the exact measurements but mine came out the oven very moist.

  6. Stephanie Scruggs
    06.04.2020

    I don’t have a 9×9 pan what would be the amounts for a 9×13 pan?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      06.05.2020

      Hi Stephanie, I would double it and just bake it a little longer if it’s not quite firm (since it’ll be a little thicker).

  7. anne
    05.11.2020

    What would be a good substitution for coconut flakes…my family isn’t a fan. Thanks.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      05.15.2020

      Hi Anne, you can skip them and just use a few extra pistachios on top.

  8. Amanda
    02.11.2020

    Can roasted and salted pistachios be used instead??

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.11.2020

      Hi Amanda, I really think raw would be best – roasted ones might not hold together since they would be dryer to begin with. If you give it a try, I’d probably skip most of the additional salt since salted pistachios are salty.

  9. Elizabeth
    12.22.2019

    Delicious !!! I used Coconut Oil instead of Oil. Use only 2 TSP of Maple Syrup.
    I also pressed them into muffin liners inside muffin tins. Seems to make it less messy and portable . More recipients like this please ; ))))

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      12.22.2019

      I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

  10. Tracy Carman
    11.04.2019

    These are soooooooooooooooooooooo great!!! Good bye nature valley bars! I did throw in some raisins when I grounded the nuts and oats – just cause I had one small box to use before they expired. It was such a small amount you could not even taste them. GREAT RECIPE!! Thinking dates might be a good add!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      11.08.2019

      Hahaha, yay! I’m so glad you loved these so much!! xo

  11. Merri
    09.19.2019

    These look great! Do you think I can omit the oil?

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.23.2019

      I haven’t tried that, so I can’t say. They’re delicious as-is though!

  12. Avuyile
    09.02.2019

    NYC recipes for dietary requirements

  13. Gia
    06.30.2019

    Outstanding flavor and texture. Added chopped almonds, chia seeds and flaxseed for extra health power and this recipe will be my go to breakfast bar/midday energy boost from now on. They do crumble easily but otherwise a great granola snack.

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      07.10.2019

      Hi Gia, I’m so glad you’re enjoying the bars!

  14. CC
    06.12.2019

    I’m new to your blog but loving what I am seeing! I’ve already made these twice. They couldn’t be easier to put together and are super, super delicious. I also appreciate that they can stay at room temp (in an airtight glass container) for a few days. My boyfriend has an issue with refrigerated treats and he’s the primary ‘eater’ of these!

  15. Baker Pat
    04.08.2019

    This amount seemed far too little to cover the base of a 9in square tin; it would barely cover it, and your finished pieces look a little bigger than sliver thin.
    So I used a 6in round tin for the want of finding something smaller. 10 mIns at 170 fan was perfect and they cut up beautifully too.

  16. Editorlady
    03.31.2019

    Yum. My pan was smaller but I was glad. It fit well and was perfect thickwise. Next time I’m going to double it and use a 9×13. I can’t stop sneaking them…

  17. Beth
    02.10.2019

    I really enjoyed these (and I love the OPP cookbook!), but I just found I have a sensitivity to oats, so I’m trying to avoid them for a while to see if that helps with some health issues. Is there anything else I could use in this recipe instead? They were SO good! Thanks for any suggestions!

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      02.12.2019

      Hi Beth, I haven’t tried these without oats so I couldn’t say – so sorry!

    • Drea
      06.22.2019

      Haven’t tried this but would quinoa flakes work? I’ve used the. To make a oatmeal type cookie with success.

  18. Beccca
    09.01.2018

    Hi….they taste good, but mine didn’t harden at all – just added to yoghurt as so crumbly! any suggestions what i can do next time??

    • Jeanine Donofrio
      09.05.2018

      Hi Becca,
      Hmm… was your dough maybe too dry out of the food processor? It should pinch together – maybe a bit more water or maple syrup would help the cohesion?

  19. dannie from construction.uonbi.ac.ke
    05.22.2018

    I just love oats,they bring they give that crispy taste…

  20. Betty
    10.15.2017

    I bought some raw pumkin seeds, could not find unsweeten coconut so used the sweeten.

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Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.