Baked Ube Oat Bars with Coconut Custard (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
Chewy, fiber-rich ube oat bars made with chilled purple sweet potato and coconut milk for resistant starch and gut-friendly fiber.
Best for gut-friendly resistant starch + fiber
These Filipino-inspired bars pair naturally sweet purple sweet potato (ube) with creamy coconut milk in a baked custard set atop a nutty oat-almond crust. The recipe leans on chilled, cooked sweet potato to boost resistant starch and uses gluten-free oats, psyllium and flax for extra fiber and structure. They're vegan, reliably sliceable, and made to be kept chilled for the best texture and gut-friendly benefits.
Ingredients
- 500 g purple sweet potato , peeled and cut into 3–4 cm chunks (will be cooked and mashed, then chilled)
- 200 g rolled oats , divided: 150 g to grind into oat flour, 50 g left as whole flakes
- 120 g almond flour , lightly packed
- 105 ml maple syrup , divided: 45 ml for crust, 60 ml for filling
- 60 ml coconut oil , cooled but liquid
- 24 g Ground flaxseed , mixed with 72 ml water to make flax 'eggs' (see steps)
- 72 ml water , room temperature
- 10 g psyllium husk powder , adds fiber and binding
- 200 ml Full-fat canned coconut milk , shake can and stir before measuring
- 30 g tapioca starch , helps set the coconut-ube custard
- 5 ml Vanilla extract , approximately 1 tsp
- 3 g fine sea salt , about 1/2 tsp, divided
- 30 g toasted shredded coconut , optional, for garnish (optional – can be omitted)
- 1 20 x 20 cm square baking pan , lined with parchment with 2 overhangs for easy removal
Instructions
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1
Cook the purple sweet potato: place the peeled, chopped sweet potato in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until fork-tender, 15–18 minutes. Drain well, mash until very smooth, then transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 120 minutes (this cooling increases resistant starch).
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2
Make the flax 'eggs': whisk the ground flaxseed with 72 ml water in a small bowl and let sit until gelled, about 10 minutes.
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3
Preheat the oven to 175°C. Line a 20 x 20 cm square pan with parchment, leaving a 2–3 cm overhang for easy removal; lightly grease the paper if desired.
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4
Prepare the crust: in a food processor pulse 150 g of the rolled oats to a fine flour. Transfer to a bowl and stir in almond flour, 50 g whole oat flakes, psyllium, 3 g salt, the prepared flax mixture, 45 ml maple syrup and the melted coconut oil. Mix until the dough holds when pressed (add a splash of water, up to 15 ml, if too dry). Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
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5
Par-bake the crust: bake the pressed crust in the preheated 175°C oven for 12 minutes to set and slightly toast. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature remains 175°C (no change).
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6
Make the coconut-ube filling: while the crust bakes, whisk the chilled mashed ube (from step 1) with coconut milk, 60 ml maple syrup, vanilla, tapioca starch and a pinch of salt until very smooth. If the mixture is very thick, thin with up to 30 ml water; it should pour slowly but not be watery.
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7
Assemble and bake: pour the filling over the warm par-baked crust, smooth the top with an offset spatula, and return to the oven. Bake at 175°C for 28–32 minutes until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle (it will firm while cooling).
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8
Cool and chill to finish: remove from oven and cool on a wire rack 60 minutes, then refrigerate the pan for at least 60 minutes (chilling helps the custard set and improves resistant starch benefits). After chilling, lift the bars from the pan using the parchment overhang and slice into 12 squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut if using.
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9
Storage: keep bars refrigerated in an airtight container up to 5 days or freeze individually wrapped up to 2 months; thaw in fridge.