My kids love all flavors of the Cliff Z-Bars. However, I do not love the price.
So what do we do? Give a go at making our own. Happily after some recipe testing I developed a keeper. My kids gobbled up these easy copycat oatmeal z-bars. They are convenient and fairly low in sugar. Depending how busy I am, I try to make my own version of snack because they are lower cost and usually healthier. They are on our rotation of the usual snack. Fruit, yogurt with berries, smoothies, peanut butter crackers, popcorn, cheese sticks, vegetables with hummus, boiled eggs, granola bars, and protein bites.
You can take a look here for the latest protein bites we made. I have to say I like them more than the original buckeye bits that are often made during the December holiday’s.

I am really happy with how these easy copycat oatmeal z-bars came out.
Here are some tips.
- Soak your dates if you have time. They will blend smoother. You can get dates here if you can’t find them at your store.
- You can blend the second batch of oats a much as you want. Do you want it totally smooth go for it. With more whole oats, just pulse a few times.
- You can use maple syrup, agave, or honey if desired. I used sugar because that is what I had on hand. Just remember to reduce the water.
- Let the batter sit for a little. It will thicken up for you and will not spread as much in the pan.
- Spray your pan! It will help releasing. I did not sure parchment but you can also line the pan with parchment. I like using a square 8X8 or rectangular 7X11.
- Experiment with how thick you like your bars.
- You can also add a scoop or two of protein powder. You might need to add a tablespoon or two of more water to compensate.
Give these copycat oatmeal z-bars a try. It is another easy one for the kids to do with you!
Cook Well, Eat Well, Live Well!

Copy Cat Iced Oatmeal Cliff Z-Bars
A easy to make homemade version of Kids ZBars.
Ingredients
- Granola Bars
- 2 cup rolled oats
- 5 dates - diced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cup water
- Topping
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Granola bars
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- In a blender or food processor, blend 1 cup oats, dates (pitted) sugar, salt, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon and water.
- Blend on high, stopping as needed until mixture is smooth.
- Add final 1 cup of oats and blend until smooth or not. Depends on how you much you want your oats combined.
- Empty batter onto a greased 9X12 pan. Smooth out the top with a plastic spatula.
- Bake for 10-13 minutes until tops are no longer sticky.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.
- In a bowl, combine powdered sugar, water, and vanilla and mix together.
- Drizzle on top of granola bars.
Topping
- Mix powdered sugar, water, and vanilla together. Add a little more water as needed. Pipe on top of granola bars.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 124Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 115mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g
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