1. 1. Preheat Your Oven and Prepare Your Pan: Begin by preheating your oven to 350 F (175 C). Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. This ensures your bars won’t stick and makes cleanup a breeze.

2. 2. Mash the Bananas Thoroughly: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until they are mostly smooth with only a few small lumps remaining. The riper the bananas, the easier they will be to mash and the sweeter your bars will be.

3. 3. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the unsweetened applesauce, milk, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Stir these wet ingredients together well until they are fully incorporated and form a smooth, uniform mixture.

4. 4. Mix Dry Ingredients Separately: In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Make sure these dry ingredients are evenly distributed to ensure consistent flavor and rise in your bars.

5. 5. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Pour the dry oat mixture into the wet banana mixture. Stir gently with a spoon or spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; just stir until no dry streaks of oats are visible. The mixture will be thick.

6. 6. Spread into the Prepared Pan: Transfer the oatmeal bar mixture into your prepared 8×8 inch baking pan. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to spread the mixture evenly into the pan, pressing it down lightly to form a compact layer.

7. 7. Bake Until Golden: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The bars should feel firm to the touch.

8. 8. Cool Completely Before Slicing: Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes. For best results, allow them to cool completely before lifting them out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and slicing them into squares or rectangles. This cooling time is crucial for them to set properly and prevent crumbling.