When I was in college I was the queen of snacks. I was away from home or my dorm 90% of the time, so I had to rely on quick meals to get me through the day, granola bars being one of my favorites.
Granola bars were granola bars, as far as I was concerned. That was, until I discovered the Larabar. Simple ingredients, naturally sweetened, amazing flavors – I was hooked after one bite of the apple pie flavor (a stellar recommendation from my sister – my longtime partner in healthy eating crime).
Though I’ve made date-sweetened granola bars in the past (see my 5 Ingredient Granola Bars, Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Bars, Super Seedy Bars, Brownie Granola Bars), I’ve yet to make a plain and and simple peanut butter version.
This simple, 3-ingredient recipe is an homage to my beloved Larabar Peanut Butter Cookie bar. After a recent trip to Trader’s left me in need of a snack, it was the first thing I reached for. As soon as I got to my car I downed that thing like a champ and thought, “Yep, these need to happen on the blog.”
Well, it’s happening NOW.
These bars are so easy it’s almost a non-recipe.
Dates pulsed in a food processor, then mixed with natural salted peanut butter and rolled oats. The result is a salty-sweet dough that can either be rolled into snack balls or pressed into a pan and cut into bars that are super handy for on-the-go snacking.
These bars are seriously magic. They’re:
Vegan
Gluten Free
Peanut Buttery
Supa moist
Naturally sweetened
Hearty
Wholesome
Salty-sweet
Healthy
Portable
& Yum yum
I thought these would make the perfect on-the-road snack for those traveling next week for the holidays. Though John and I will be cozied up right in our little Portland apartment, eating Shepherd’s Pie, and watching an Office Christmas marathon, I’m considering making another batch of these gems solely for couch-time snacking.
Consider these bars a little gift from me to you this holiday season. I hope all is merry and bright in your world, and you’re spending next week with the ones you love most.
And, speaking of gifts, if you’re looking for gifts for foodies and aspiring home cooks, check out our Simple Kitchen Essentials post! It’s a top-to-bottom account of everything in our simple kitchen.
If you make these bars, pretty please let us know! Take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers!
3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups packed dates (pitted // 1 1/2 cups yield ~32 dates)
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter (creamy, salted is best, but most any kind will do)*
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (GF for gluten-free eaters)
Instructions
- If your dates are not sticky and moist, soak in warm water for 10 minutes and then drain. Otherwise, proceed to step 2.
- Add dates to a food processor and pulse until only small bits remain – it will likely clump into a ball – that’s what you want. If any big pieces remain, use a knife or spatula to push them down, then turn the machine back on to pulse.
- Add peanut butter and oats and pulse a few more times until incorporated, stirring and scraping down sides as needed. If you prefer denser bars, add more oats.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined 8×8 dish and press down until flat, OR scoop out 1 Tbsp amounts and roll into a ball and place on a baking sheet or plate. Transfer to freezer to set.
- If making bars, slice into 8-10 bars (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and store in the fridge or freezer to keep fresh. They can be a little flimsy at room temp, so be gentle with how you stack them.
- Will keep in the fridge for several weeks and in the freezer for up to a couple months or more.
Notes
*Inspired by Peanut Butter Cookie Larabars
*Adapted from my No Bake Cookie Bars
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Phoebe says
Hello, how long would you need to defrost these, please?
Hi Phoebe, you can enjoy them from frozen or defrost at room temperature for ~15 minutes.
Natalie says
I am hoping to make these this weekend! They look sooooo good. Curious about which dates to use… Can I use either deglet noor or medjool dates or will the result change based on the type of dates?
Hi Natalie, we prefer medjool because they’re usually more sticky, helping with binding. But either should be okay!
Laurie says
Do you think I could add some reduced strawberry puree to this to make it more PB&J like?
Hmm, possibly! They might get too soggy though. We have a somewhat similar recipe for PB&J bars here that would work better. Hope that helps!
Asher says
These are gold! Thanks for a great, easy recipe!
I’m a professional dancer and always looking for easy-to-eat snacks that balance quick and sustained energy for long days in rehearsal or the theater, and these are perfect. My artistic director tried one, and she also loved it!
Full disclosure: we only had crunchy (but still natural) peanut butter on hand, so I used that, and it worked well.
Also, my rather elderly dates didn’t soften enough when I soaked them, but I found that adding a little water during the initial processing got things going just fine.
For this batch, I made bars. Next batch, I’m going to make balls and roll them in unsweetened dark cocoa powder.
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Asher!
Tracy says
These are incredible! I had trouble not just eating the entire dough ball! It tastes just like peanut butter cookie dough!
Whoop! We’re so glad you’re enjoying them, Tracy. Thank you for sharing! xo
Victoria says
Great recipe :) I rolled them into balls and found it easiest to wet my hands between each one or else it would get super sticky and impossible to do. I also rolled them in shredded coconut after I made them into balls. Very delicious!
Ooo yum! Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your modifications, Victoria!
Kk says
Great recipe as it is or to use as a base for extra additions! Kids loved it
Yay! Thank you for sharing, KK! xo
kristine Simmons says
I love this recipe! I pressed the mix into mini muffin cups and drizzled dark chocolate with sea salt on top. I keep these in the freezer for a refreshing treat that is much better than a peanut butter cup :)! My husband has a sweet tooth, and absolutely loves these! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kristine. We are so glad you and you both enjoy them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Brianna says
I’m pregnant and have been trying to find ways to eat more dates. Just made these and OMG 😍 they are SOO delicious. I can’t even wait for them to set in the freezer, I keep going back and spooning them out and eating them like batter 😂😂
Aw, we’re so glad you’re enjoying them, Brianna! xoxo
Ibtisaam says
Three ingredients. My kind of recipe. Will be making this today.
Great! Let us know how it goes!
Marjory Kopp says
I made this and added ground flax seed to up the fiber. So tasty! I loved the texture, too.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Marjory!
Gabrielle says
How much ground flax did you add? Would love to do the same :)
Marjory Mae Kopp says
Just 1-1.5 tablespoons, Gabrielle
Sandra says
Love the simplicity of these! I added a light sprinkling of sea salt and we think they taste like a Payday bar.
Brilliant! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Sandra. Thanks for sharing!
DANIEL OLSEN says
So easy and delicious! I am going to try to add a little cocoa to give it a peanut butter cup feel on the next batch….
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing, Daniel!
Shannon says
I’m a biker too! So glad I found these searching for bars to make for a camping bike trip. Love the simplicity, nutrition, and the taste is incredible. Husband loves them too! Also I’m trying to be a no plastic person and energy bars (including Lara ☹️) are wrapped in it for a single use. I followed the recipe and made them into “logs” not balls and followed another reviwer’s advice and rolled them in unsweetened shredded coconut to prevent stickiness. I’ll put them in a small Stash bag in my camelback for ride energy. Many thanks for this great, easy, healthy recipe!
Love the modifications! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Shannon! xo
Zog says
I’d like to give a feedback from a cyclist’s point of view.
I tried to do these for fueling on long solo rides (>45mi). I made 50g bars, 1/4 inch thick, and baked them as I was afraid they would melt because of the heat (I keep them in the back pocket of my jersey), 15min @ 350°C. Then I wrapped them in cling film.
The inside is still soft and somehow a bit raw (though 15 min is too much, I reckon 12 would be enough), but the baking creates an outside crust. So it doesn’t melt, doesn’t stick to cling film and is still easy to chew.
As for nutrition it gives the expected fuel boost and lasts a good 30min. Also oat contains lots of magnesium, which is beneficial for muscle endurance and cramp prevention.
So we’re close to perfection here :-) I am looking forward to trying the same with other dried fruits or nut butter !
Thanks a lot !!
Thanks for sharing your experience! xo
anne says
didn’t expect too much to be honest, but they were very nice! the given proportions work perfectly :)
BexT says
These are great! I only had 200g of dates so made it up with 100g of dried mixed berries (soaked in warm water for a few minutes). Also added a couple of tablespoons of flaxseeds. First time I’ve made them and they’re so tasty. I cut mine into 9 for a 200cal treat. I love that the sweetness comes from the fruit and nothing else. This is going to be a permanent feature in my fridge from now on! Thank you :)
Whoop! Thanks so much for sharing!
Christeen Livingstone says
Hi Dana,
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I just made these as I needed a quick study pick-me-up. These are delicious and easy to make. We are low on baking ingredients, so I appreciate that these are made with staples that most people have in their pantry. My husband also approves, so it’s a win-win.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Christeen! Thanks so much for sharing!
Diana Franco says
I made these for my husband and he loved them! I did tweak it a little and added some chia seeds, flax seeds, coconut, & cinnamon.
jeanne says
Just made this — added some flax seeds and some dried cranberries. Didn’t have enough dates so used only 18 instead of 32. Super delicious and so easy! I made them into tablspoon balls. I love that these are no sugar and no sugar substitute, too!
Kim says
Can I use almond butter instead of peanut butter?
Yes! It works great! Enjoy =)
Oliver says
This is simple and tasty ! And there is no sugar added!
Thanks, Oliver!!
Christine Teixeira says
Made this tonight and LOVE it!! I think next time I will use crunchy peanut butter or add nuts for an added crunch. But definitely enjoyed as is. Thanks!!!
Kiri says
Thank you for this amazing recipe! Made this with added coconut oil, cacao powder and nibs for a chocolate hit ? ?
Alexa says
My 5 and 10 year old just made these, they added chia seeds and cinnamon and made the tbsp balls. They love them!! Thank you for helping steer us away from store bought bars!
Whoop! Thanks, Alexa! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers. xoxo!
Greg says
I’d been buying the protein/granola bars at the store only to realize how few actually had nutritional values. Fortunate to find this recipe. Simple, detailed, easy to follow. I added apprx. 4 tbsp of whey powder to up the protein/calorie count… and was a bit worried about using a nation brand pb. Only 4 stars because, boy did it make my food processor work for it! (added two tbsp of coconut oil to loosen it up a bit) flavor was amazing! Surprised at how well dates and peanut butter go together! (okay, raised to five… I’ll see if I can find a more powerful processor as I’m sure to be making more of these)
Thanks, Greg!!
Alexandra Mann says
My daughter loves Larabars and I tried making these as a cheaper alternative. They are SO delicious and much better than actual Larabars! Perfect sweet/salty combo.
Thanks, Alexandra! These ones are also fresher in our opinion :D
Anonymous says
Very yummy!!! My husband very much approves too ?
Margaret Fehr says
I absolutely love these!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Margaret. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Teagan says
Are you able to use a blender instead of a food processor? I don’t have a food processor, but I do have a Ninja blender. Do you think that would work? It has a lot of blades.
Hi Teagan, we haven’t tried that, but have some concern that it might cause the blender to overheat. If you give it a try, we would recommend pulsing and then allowing breaks to reduce that risk. Hope that helps!
Diane says
What about Quinoa flakes?
Hi Diane, we haven’t tried that but it might work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Diane says
I made these with Quinoa flakes and sunflower seed butter. Yummy.
J. S. says
Am I reading it right? Is it one & half cup of dates ? It would be great if you could give the weight of the dates
Thanks
Hi J.S! It should be about 265g!
J. S. says
Thanks a ton☺️
Sponge says
How many cups is a ton?
Liz says
Very rarely does a recipe actually come out perfectly for me on the first try (I am an enthusiastic, but slightly culinarily challenged cook!) but these are sublime, and easy. And yum. And salty sweet. And wholesome. And vegan. And everything promised and more. I didn’t change anything in the recipe, but I should imagine adding nuts or chia seeds or something would only make them better!
Thank you sooooooo much for this wonderful recipe – I shall use it for the rest of my life and pass It on to anyone who will listen!
Xxxxxx
So glad you loved them, Liz!
Cindi says
OK. I just read the post reguarding not having a food processor to incorporate all 3 ingredients. I will have to invest in one. Thx!
Carrie says
These were super easy to make and addictive!! So good!
J says
Simply amazing. Added a heaped spoon of LSA for an extra health kick, then baked at 160^C (fan) for 10 minutes. Turned out moist, toasty, and held together perfect even at room temp.
Jenny says
This recipe is great! I have been looking for a good recipe like this for a longtime and for one that was actually tasty. This is it! No added sugars, and super yummy! :D
Sally T says
Hi, from Dorset here in England,
I don’t have a any machine that can “pulse” the softened dates. Can I chop them up finely ? Would that be ok instead? Not sure how I can get them “mushed” up enough without a machine, any ideas.
Thans in anticipation
Hi Sally! Chopping them up finely will kind of work, but you almost want to mash them up if that makes sense. I think you could achieve this by hand, but have not tried it myself! I would probably chop them finely and then go over them with a rolling pin?
Rachael Randall says
Can you use figs instead of dates?
Yes!
Brandon M says
Great recipe. I started making them for a good snack while training for a triathlon but I never get any now because my wife and kids have fallen in love with them! Time to double or triple the batches going forward!
Rae says
I just made this recipe for the first time, and I absolutely love it.
I was searching your website for something quick & easy that I could make plenty of while doing my meal prep for the week and that would satisfy my intense craving for PB&J.
I added a 1/2 cup of dried fruit to make the “Jelly,” and I used a crunchy peanut butter that has Chia and flax seed in it. They are perfect! The seeds and the dried fruit combine to make a perfectly yummy Jelly taste and feel.
I shaped them into 26 little balls and my calculations bring them out to about 80 calories each – – making them an ideal afternoon snack.
I’ll definitely be making this again soon. Next time I’m going to try adding 1/4 cup dried strawberries + 1/4 cup dried blueberries.
Thank you so much for sharing these awesome plant-based, healthy, minimal recipes.
Ashley says
I made them but with some chopped up pistachios. I dislike dates but in these balls they are very good. Its a brilliant idea. A good substitute for honey and other things.
tabea says
Hi, i see a lot of peanut butter recipes and was wondering if i can change the peanut butter with chestnut puré, because i love the taste of chestnuts?
Hmm, I think that should work!
Shannon says
Does anyone know a substitute for oats, I am allergic to oats :(
Use more nuts! Or seeds. Or coconut!
Lorna says
Hi! Do these freeze well?
Anna says
I’ve had an extra tough couple of weeks, and my husband is late coming home from work. I promised to have something for him to eat, but with life + depression I was afraid it wasn’t going to happen. Then I remembered your blog. And found this recipe. And am inspired! These look perfect and we love most of your recipes, especially the few-ingredient bars like this. THANK YOU for the awesome recipes, and for giving me the will to get off the couch.
Carole J says
Had some sad, dried dates in my pantry, reconstituted them and made this recipe today…delicious!
Question: have you ever tried baking these for a crispy granola bar? If so, how long to bake & what oven temperature?
Angela says
Just made these and added a Tbsp of Nutella, dried tart cherries, chia seeds and rolled them in hemp hearts. Best balls I ever tasted!!!!! Thanks
Leanne says
Don’t use a Vitamix to make these! The mix is too thick and your motor will shut off! I got most of it mixed together and then had to mix the rest in a bowl. I also pulsed the oats a couple of times before I added them to the mix as I didn’t want big oats in my bars. They smell incredible though – just waiting for them to set in the fridge before diving in! Yummo!
elise says
what ingredient can we replaced for dates?
Dee says
I was wondering how to make these if you don’t have a food processor ?
Thank you
It will take much more work, but you could chop everything up finely with a knife.
Alissa says
Has anyone ever tried these with Almond Butter instead of Peanut Butter? I love them with Peanut Butter, but I would love to bring them to my child’s play group, and peanuts are not allowed! :)
I have! And it works awesome.
Emily says
These are my favourite things ever! They taste really awesome cold or even frozen!
Agreed!
Wally says
Dates make a great base for a lot of my favorite things, and this looks like it will be another one. I love simple recipes so this is perfect for me!
Cheers,
lisa says
Oh my days! These are so gorgeous! Been having cravings for peanut butter for some unfathomable reason, and these really hit the spot. Thank you!
Alyssa says
Saw this recipe featured in a Buzzfeed article once, thought I’d give it a whirl while visiting my boyfriend stationed in FL… Surprisingly, he had all three ingredients though the peanut butter he had was a peanut-coconut butter mix. Um, hello, delicious!!! I’ve made your recipe both ways– regular peanut butter and the 50-50 mix– and while both are delightful, the sweetness from the coconut really makes these pop!!!
Looking forward to trying your other recipes~
Big jo says
Can you substitute the peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butter…i’m assuming yes just as long is its creamy, right?
Lori says
Delicious! I rolled them into balls and then rolled some of them into coconut to have two “flavors.” Great on-the-g0 snack for the whole family.
Lee-Anna says
These look great! Do you think we could add more nutritional ingredients? Nuts and Seeds perhaps? Has anyone tried?
Check out this recipe!
Cassie says
Delicious! I am so trying this!
Nisha says
This recipe looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Quick question do you use fresh or dried dates?
willow skylar says
hi can i substitute the dates with something else? not prunes or raisins either though. maybe with honey?
Theresa says
I am thinking about making these for a long hiking trip. Do they stick together, or could they be put in a big ziplock bag? Do you think I could add chia seeds for a little more protein?
Definitely add chia seeds! You can put them in a ziploc bag. I would just recommend wrapping them individually in plastic wrap or parchment to keep them separated. Good luck@
Theresa says
Thanks! I think I’m going to try to solve both problems by making them into balls instead of bars and rolling them in chia seeds. I’m thinking that way, they won’t stick. We’re going to be hiking in Yosemite, and the less waste we have to carry with us, the better!
Jennifer Shields says
Could i bake this slice? Would probably help keep it together?
We haven’t tried baking them, Jennifer! If you do, report back on how it goes!
Ana says
Hi!
Love the recipe, but is the same if I use steel cut oats? or it has to be the instant ones?
Ana
I wouldn’t used steel cut because they’ll be too tough and chewy. I would only used rolled oats.
Ana says
I’m glad I didn’t. Went to trader’s last night and grabbed some dates and rolled oats, and made some of this AMAZING energy bars. I shaped into balls and put some coconut on top. OMG, how good they are! I am making the ones with dark chocolate tonight.
Ps: my boyfriend is so addict to them now!
Cyndi says
I saw a bunch of boxes of dates on clearance at my job yesterday for $1.50 a pop per box, and was debating on getting some. I think this answered that question for me!
Laurel says
I made a variation on these last night. Kind of a combination of these and your 5-ingredient bars. I used prunes instead of dates (less sugar), a tablespoon of honey, almost half a cup of freshly homemade peanut butter, and a cup and a half of oats. I added in a few chopped almonds at the end, because yum. They didn’t hold together all that well (I’m thinking I probably should have used less oats…and maybe more honey?) but they taste fantastic! Do you ever use prunes in place of dates? Any tips on getting the bars to hold together better?
Brittany M says
These are amazing. Just made them. So good!
Sarah says
I just got done making these and they are fantastic! They are super easy and quick, but most importantly they taste amazing!
Ginger says
I just made them, there’re so easy AND fantastic it’s marvellous!
Thank you SO MUCH.
Whitney says
Simple, delicious and healthy, Thanks for this post!
Zoe says
For cooks who have difficulty obtaining dates, there is an absolute fun website that carries hundreds of types of fruits, nuts, a wide variety of great stuff delivered right to your door. Can either order in 1# bags or in bulk. If you’ve never shopped online at nuts.com give them a try!
Cristine says
*these
Cristine says
Does this say 32 dates? Or is that coming across my screen wrong?! Cause that would be crazy talk! Lol. Lease look great regardless…. I am on a Dell computer, so not sure if its just coming across weird, i’ll have to check my Mac!
Alicia says
These look amazing, but I have an allergy to oats. Do you think quinoa flakes would work?
Amy says
Any power bars without dates or raisins?
Alyssa says
Hello. great blog!
Can you use non natural peanut butter, or does it muck it up?
Thanks
Nina says
These are amazing! So easy to make, so healthy and so tasty. This was my first time using dates and definately not the last time!!!
Ilse says
These are so good! I used raisins instead of dates cause I dont really like dates and they tasted amazing! I dont usually like healthy stuff (oops) but these are great
Ana says
This is wonderful! Dates aren’t easy to come by where I’m from though. Any alternatives you’d recommend? Was wondering if raisins, plum or prunes would do.
Any of those should do. However, they won’t be “as” good as the dates (just a warning). Good luck!
Lee says
Non-recipes are the best! This is the best combo ever and >>>>> Larabars ;)
Cassie says
The coconut cream pie is literally life. So is chocolate chip cookie dough!
Luna says
I used this recipe as inspiration and used more peanut butter, less dates, added some agave and flax, then I used a flax-walnut-agave mixture to encrust the bottom… They came out a little dry(should’ve used more dates, but they’re sooo expensive here), but certainly a great recipe… Thank you so much!
Emma says
Yes, yes, just yes!
Camila says
Do you think I could substitute the pb for almond butter?
I do!
Heather Mason says
woa, these are amazing! I love that there are only 3 ingredients!
Glad you liked them, Heather!
Robyn @realfoodwholelife says
Thanks for such a simple, straightforward recipe. I see many of these in our family’s future!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Can’t wait to give these a try, Dana! These granola bars would make for a great activity to make together with my daughters.
Ooh, great idea, Melanie! Hope you all love them!
ClassicGrl says
These look SO good – can’t wait to try them! I absolutely love PB :)
Grace says
These look so tasty! I made a similar 3 ingredient recipe using dates (and/or raisins), oats, and peanuts (or any other nut). Just grind them up in the food processor. I love those, and they also remind me of Larabars. These look even more moist though with the nut butter instead of whole nuts ground up. Yum!
Anne says
Could you post an apple pie granola bar recipe? (:
Looking forward to making these delicious looking things!
I actually have one, and I’ll be sharing it soon. Stay tuned!
S Lauren @ Modern Granola says
These look delicious! I love how easy they are. I’ll definitely be making these to keep in my handbag for holiday errands. Thanks a heap!
LEE @ Modern Granola says
Yum! These look so delicious, easy, and healthy! A triple threat!
Ellie Down says
Aharrrgh! I am so dipping these dudes in chocolate omnomnom
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
I feel like I’m still the Queen of snacks!! And this is about to become my friend. LOVE!
The Vegan 8 says
I use to eat the peanut butter chocolate chip Larabars allll the time, so good!! So, of course I love these and how simple they are. Homemade always tastes better too, doesn’t it?!
It does! And I love that you can make them as salty or sweet as you prefer. Glad I have a fellow PB bar fan!
Karen says
Mmmm…sound good except for the dates. Unfortunately, I just don’t care for them. Do you know if it’s possible to substitute raisins? I always wonder about that when I see recipes with dates. Maybe I’ll just have to give it a try. Thanks for a great blog.
Grace says
I always use dates and raisins interchangeably or sometimes even together if I don’t have enough of one of them on hand.
Karen says
Thank you for your response. I love raisins and will give it a try.
Sheila M says
I used Sultanas and soaked in hot water for a few mins first. Perfect!
Laina Turner says
I am definitely going to try these. I love easy snacks.
Ashlee says
Yum! I love all things peanut butter and these are so simple.
Kathryn says
I’m pretty much instantly drawn to anything that has “3 ingredients” in the title. But what a tasty 3 ingredients they are! I need to get better at packing snacks for long days and this is a great place to start.
DessertForTwo says
Well these sound absolutely fantastic! And I found a random 2-pound tub of dates in the back of my pantry yesterday (who does that? Me, that’s who). I can’t wait to whip these up!
USE DEM BABIES UP ;D
Lauren @ Kale and Cookie Dough says
These are one of my favorite snacks. I haven’t made them with oats before. These look super delicious!
Danielle @.Chits and Chats and Chocolate says
I used to make these all the time, before I became too addicted, that is. So I can vouch for the fact that they a fantastic!