Description
This easy no-bake granola bars recipe combines hearty oats, flavorful mix-ins like nuts and dried fruit, and a sticky, sweet binder made from nut butter and honey or maple syrup. Perfect for a quick snack or breakfast on the go, these bars require no oven and come together in just 20 minutes plus chilling time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups mix-ins (nuts, seeds, chocolate, shredded coconut or dried fruit)
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the baking dish. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with two strips of criss-crossed parchment paper, fitting them neatly against the base and sides. This will make it easier to lift and slice the bars later.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, ground cinnamon, and sea salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
- Process the mix-ins. Chop the mix-ins into small pieces smaller than a pinky nail. Use a food processor or blender, pulsing nuts first for a few seconds, then adding remaining mix-ins and pulsing until finely chopped. Pour the mix-ins into the bowl with the oats.
- Prepare the wet mixture. In a 2-cup measuring cup, combine the nut butter, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. If needed, gently warm the mixture to make blending easier, but ensure it cools to near room temperature before combining with dry ingredients.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients bowl. Stir vigorously until all oats are coated and no dry patches remain. Add additional oats if the mixture feels too wet and cannot be thoroughly mixed.
- Transfer and press the mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish, spreading evenly. Use the bottom of a flat, round object like a glass to firmly and evenly press the mixture down.
- Chill the bars. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least one hour or preferably overnight to allow the oats to absorb moisture and firms up the bars.
- Slice and store. Use the parchment paper to lift the chilled mixture out of the dish. Slice into 16 bars by cutting into 4 even columns and rows. Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap or parchment to prevent sticking. Store at room temperature for several days, refrigerated for up to two weeks, or frozen for months.
Notes
- Mix-in options can include almonds, pecans, walnuts, pepitas, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and dried fruits such as cranberries or cherries. Chop to pieces smaller than a pinky nail for best texture.
- For smoother, less chewy bars, pulse old-fashioned oats a few seconds in a food processor before mixing.
- To sweeten naturally with Medjool dates, soak 12 dates in hot water for 10 minutes, pit, and blend with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey until smooth, then use instead of the syrup.
- Use certified gluten-free oats to make the recipe gluten-free.
- For a nut-free version, omit nuts, use seeds like pepitas and sunflower seeds, and replace nut butter with sunflower seed butter.
- For a vegan version, substitute maple syrup for honey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 11 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
