These Solar Baked Oatmeal Bites fall somewhere between a lightly sweet cookie and a crisp, rustic cracker. They are made with whole wheat flour, steel-cut oats, butter, milk, and just one tablespoon of sugar, so they are not overly sweet. That makes them flexible enough to serve in several different ways.
Enjoy them on their own as a simple snack, pair them with cheese, crumble them over yogurt, or serve them alongside soup in place of crackers.
Because the dough is rolled and cut into squares rather than spooned into a muffin pan, the finished bites are thin, firm, and easy to pack for a picnic or camping trip.
Why Make Them in a Solar Oven?
This is a good recipe for solar baking because the dough requires only a few minutes of preparation and the bites cook quickly. Once the solar oven is preheated, they generally need 20 to 30 minutes to become lightly golden.
Solar ovens do not always brown baked goods as deeply as conventional ovens, so look at the texture as well as the color. The edges should feel firm, and the bottoms should be dry rather than doughy. Let the bites cool completely before judging their final texture. They will become firmer as they cool.
More Solar Oven Desserts and Snacks
Sun Oven Savory Parmesan Muffins
Key Ingredients
Steel-cut oats give these bites their hearty oat flavor and slightly nubby texture. They are much coarser than rolled oats, which helps distinguish the finished bites from a traditional oatmeal cookie.
Whole wheat flour provides structure and adds a mild nutty flavor that works well with the oats. It also keeps the recipe feeling more like a wholesome snack than a rich dessert.
Cold butter is worked into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Keeping the butter cold helps create a tender, crumbly bite rather than a dense dough.
Sugar adds only a touch of sweetness. These are intentionally less sweet than most cookies, which is why they pair well with both sweet and savory foods.
Whole milk brings the mixture together into a rollable dough. Stop mixing once the dough holds together.
Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions
Preheat the solar oven before beginning the dough so the bites can start baking immediately. Roll the dough to an even ¼-inch thickness; thinner pieces may become crisp sooner, while thicker pieces may remain soft in the middle.
Pricking each square with a fork helps prevent the dough from puffing unevenly. Leave a little space between the pieces so warm air can circulate around them.
All-purpose flour can replace the whole wheat flour for a lighter flavor and texture. Plant-based milk can be used instead of whole milk, and a firm plant-based butter may work in place of dairy butter. Rolled oats can also be substituted, but they will produce a softer, less coarse texture than steel-cut oats.
Once completely cool, store the oatmeal bites in an airtight container for up to one week.
Solar Baked Oatmeal Bites
Equipment
- 1 Solar Oven
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup steel cut oats
- 3.5 tablespoon butter cold, cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon whole milk
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Set solar oven out to preheat
- Line baking rack or rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, set aside.
- Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingertips, mix the butter and sugar into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk and continue working with your hands to make dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to a rectangle about ¼-inch thick.
- Cut into 12 squares. Using a spatula transfer the cut squares to the prepared baking rack; prick the tops with a fork.
- Bake in the Sun Oven until light golden, 20 to 30 minutes.
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