John and I kind of have a thing for granola bars. It started when we discovered the glory that is Trader Joe’s Apple (Pie) Bars. Then, we got into more basic versions with rolled oats. But somewhere along the line we got suspicious of the ingredients – namely high fructose corn devil – and strayed away from them altogether.
However, sometimes you really just need a snack that has some serious staying power. And being that this is Minimalist Baker, you know I wanted something simple. Enter: The 5-Ingredient (No-Bake) Granola Bar. Things are getting seriously minimalist right now.
How to Make Granola Bars
The base for these bars is dates – the natural sweetener supah powah. Then we add almonds, oats, peanut butter, and maple syrup (or honey or agave) and mix it all together!
That’s it. Just 5 ingredients, no baking involved (unless you want to toast the oats and almonds) and they’ll keep in the freezer for-ever (that is, if you can resist them for that long).
Substitutions
If you can’t jive with peanut butter simply swap in almond, sunflower or another nut/seed butter. To keep these vegan, stick with maple syrup or agave instead of honey. And to keep them gluten-free, use GF oats. Simple, customizable, delicious!
Speaking of delicious, these little guys are dreamy.
Simple flavors, wholesome ingredients, salty-sweet and lots of crunch. I made a batch last week and am already down to one-quarter of ONE bar. How I exercised the self control to save one quarter of a bar is beyond me. But by tomorrow it likely won’t be there, if I know myself at all.
These really are the perfect bar for a hearty snack because they keep you full for hours and don’t provide a sugar overload. Plus, they pack in plenty of healthy fats from the almonds and peanut butter, and lots of fiber from the oats. Afternoon and mid-morning snack, solved.
More Granola Bar Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Granola Bars
- Super Seedy Granola Bars
- Crunchy Baked Granola Bars
- Peanut Butter Granola Bars
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
September 23, 2016: Video added and recipe updated to include slightly more dates so the bars stick together more easily.
Healthy 5-Ingredient Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup packed dates (pitted // deglet noor or medjool)*
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey if not vegan)
- 1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
- 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds (loosely chopped // see instructions for roasting nuts)
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters)
- Chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc. (optional additions)
Instructions
- Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a "dough" like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball.)
- Optional step: Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw – I prefer the toasted flavor.
- Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl – set aside.
- Warm maple syrup (or agave or honey) and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
- Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8×8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars // adjust size of pan if altering batch size).
- Press down firmly until uniformly flattened – I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.
- Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares // as original recipe is written). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with maple syrup and unsalted peanut butter.
Sophia says
Amazing! Kept us full on a backpacking trip and are a great midmorning snack for day to day life as well! I wanted to spice things up a little so I added some orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to the PB and honey mix and it made them even better! I look forward to adding some apricots and shredded coconut next time!
Teyebeh says
I love making these bars but I find them too sweet for me:( I would prefer just s touch of sweetness. Any recommendations on how I can get it to be the right texture so they can hold well while cutting back on the honey or dares? Thank you!
Amy says
I just made these last night and they are so good! I am trying to cut out added sweeteners so I didn’t put the honey or agave in which made it so the bars didn’t stay together. But I just eat it like trail mix and it is just the sweet fix I need!
Pooja says
I made them this morning with a pack of muesli I had been too lazy to consume over the past month….roasted the muesli and even the almonds….the bars turned out really crunchy and delicious. My 2 year old is gorging on them since morning. Thanks a lot for this simple yet nutritious recipe
Dana says
oh yea! Forgot to add to my post, this truly is a picker upper. I made this last night and we ate it this morning. I was not feeling well and lets just say this truly was a picker upper. I have a great deal of more energy. I believe it was the combo of the ingredients and knowing it was homemade. This was also very convenient so I did not have to make breakfast this a.m. for hubby since I was sick. Knew this would hit the spot with him also. Thanks again Dana and John.
Dana says
Thank you soooo very much Dana for this delectable, easy and healthy granola bar (oops…meal). I made this for my husband and he yelled this was delicious and that I get brownie points. Thanks so much. Brownie points are always a good thing in a happy marriage (lol…wink). It is very filling, nutritious, and appealing to the eyes. I don’t have to be concerned about all the other junk that companies put into their granola bars to maintain shelf life. Thank you for that. I did add vanilla extract, 2 Table Spoons of ground (I ground the seeds) chia seeds, and chocolate chips. Didn’t have dates…so I used raisins and minced it in the blender. Just awesome. From one Dana to another…YOU ROCK!!!
Jamie says
What a wonderful recipe! I just came across your site and love it very much! My son has food allergies, so I subbed Sunbutter for the nut butter and pumpkin seeds for the almonds. I am so happy my little guy can have these nutritious (and travel-friendly!) granola bars. I had all the ingredients in my pantry and they took just a few minutes to prepare. Thank you!
Sarah says
Just made these, they are delicious. I used pecans as I didnt have any almonds and they go so well with maple syrup. They are still a little soft so hoping an overnight in the fridge will firm them up. First time to visit this website and excited to try other recipes!
Judy says
Sounds good but 1 serving is 9 Weight Watchers points. That’s almost 1/3 of my daily points.
Carrie says
I made these successfully with regular raisins! I soaked them in hot water for 20 min or so and added just a little of the soak water to the food processor with them. I toasted the oats on the stove top in my cast iron skillet. I otherwise followed the recipe, except for reducing the honey a wee bit and adding chocolate chips. The hot pb/honey mixture melted the chocolate chips a little so the chocolate was well-incorporated into the bars instead of being individual chips and I think this also helped hold them together when it hardened. YUM!!!
George H says
Not sure if a lot people agree this is “healthy”. Very rich.
Karen says
Hi There,
Is there anything else we can substitute for the dates? Im low fodmap, so I can’t have the dates.
Thanks
Nothing I can think of, other than another dried fruit, like figs or cherries.
Cookie2 says
Can’t figure out what went wrong. I followed the recipe using already chopped dates combined with apricots in the food processor till they formed a ball. But the bars did not stick together. So I ended up with a large jar of super soft granola. It’s good but I prefer crunchy. Now I’m wondering if I make this again using whole dates if there will be a difference. What will make the bars crunchy instead of soft.
Maria T. says
I just made these and they turned out great and we’re super easy to make! I didn’t have a food processor so I just chopped the dates into oblivion, lol, which didn’t take took long and I did it while the oats were toasting anyway. Thanks a bunch!
Adam says
I do have a question- Would replacing the peanut butter with Greek yogurt work?
I don’t think so.
Meli B says
Best granola bar recipe EVERR! I added mini chocolate chips which gave these bars a “no-bake cookie” flavor. Perfect grab-and-go breakfast.
Tiffany says
I made these earlier this year and I am going to make again. I love, love, love this recipe. I had no idea about pitted dates and how versatile they are. This recipe is extremely versatile.
I used sun butter and added flax seeds and a few other nuts.
Perfection!
Momatduke says
Made these last night. I made a double batch and they look exactly like the picture. I concur with another post that adding the date “dough” to the warm peanut butter and honey was easy. The whole process took about 15 minutes including toasting the oats and nuts which I did in the same pan I eventually pressed these into. I had wax paper under the pressed bars which made removal easy. Mine were rolled thinner by a bit which is our preference and it made it easier to cut (for us older folks.). I had some leftover white baking chocolate and did a very light drizzle. Mine he’d together just fine with 20 minutes in the fridge. I wonder about ratios when I add dried blueberries.
Jessica C. says
This recipe is wonderful! Five delicious ingredients pack a whole lot of flavor.
I didn’t have dates on hand so I used a cup of currants instead. I ended up letting it chill in the refrigerator for over an hour. I used a pizza slicer to cut them into bars. I think I will coarsely chop the almonds next time just to incorporate them into the bar a little more…just my preference. My husband has requested I make these often. Thank you for sharing! :)
Susan says
Have made these 3 times. Very versatile recipe. I have tried subbing out half tahini, and also used raisins in place of half the dates which worked well. I even used some peach preserves in place of half the honey. So far, I’ve used almonds, pecans and walnuts. My favorite tweak is a good sprinkle of sea salt on top. Thanks!
Mukti says
Hi I tried granola bar very first time with this recipe. I didn’t know that making bar is that much simple!!!
Thanks for sharing.
Rosie Smick says
I guess I’m the only one that this did not work for! I used almond butter and honey. Nothing is sticking together. I kept adding more almond butter and even some peanut butter. Packed this into a greased glass dish, chilled. I went to cut them and everything crumbled and fell apart. Do I need to STILL add more almond butter or just eat this with a spoon? Thanks, Rosie
Tiffany says
Lovin’ these bars. So easy and delicious! I’m keeping them in the freezer and defrosting one at a time for breakfast so I don’t devour them all at once.
Susan says
Forgot to rate, 5 our course!
Susan says
I am TOTALLY addicted to these! But I add high cocoa content semi sweet chocolate chips at the end and my husband enjoys them too. This is my go to snack and sometimes breakfast on the go. Thank you so much for sharing all these wonderful recipes. I bought your electronic book too but have not had the time to use it yet. We are always looking for new, healthier alternatives to things we normally eat.
Naveen says
I’ve wanted to make a granola bar for a while now and found this recently. I made them yesterday with raisins and pecans instead of dates and almonds (it’s what I had laying around). I toasted the oats. The raisins worked great to bind it though it took work in the skillet to get everything mixed together. I put it in a pan with enough parchment paper I could wrap the top as well and really squish it down. I had no trouble with it firming up, though I did leave it in the fridge over night. They were great! Then I froze them.. just had one and couldn’t leave it at one! I love it. The texture and firmness of these frozen is fantastic. Reminds me of something I can’t quite place yet, I think a sesame candy (taste and texture from the oats I suspect).
Thanks for sharing! This looks to be a very flexible recipe and I’ll definitely be making it more.
Lance says
I make my own peanut butter so this was a natural for us. Wow, very tasty and the bar is large enough to be really satisfying. Easy to throw together. We took a walk and came back to cut and eat.
Chris says
I made these today! They are GREAT! And I don’t even like dates but you can’t even taste them! I ate almost half of them already!
I’ve been practically living off your blog lately, I’ve made many of your recipes and there’s not one that I don’t want to try again! I love them all! Always so easy and tasty! So big thanks to you Dana!
Keep up the good work (pls do cos sometimes I worry what will happen if you stop blogging new recipes!!)
So kind! Thanks Chris!!
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking Disorder says
We made these for a community health hair and these are a big hit with the homeless and underserved! I’ve made and adapted your recipe so here it is! Thanks so much :)
mj says
Hi there!
Help please! I can’t stand oats. Can i replace this with other seeds? Will it stick ??
Alyson says
What would you recommend to substitute the dates? These look perfect but my husband is allergic to dates.
Sehrish says
Turned out perfect! SOOOOO DELICIOUS! Go through these so many times that I have made them three times!
Megan says
I made these last night and they are soooo good. The only problem I’m having is that they don’t seem to bind together well. I’m keeping them in the freezer, but if I leave them at room temp for more than a few minutes, they get really crumbly. Any suggestions?
Dates are the glue! Add more and make sure they’re fresh and sticky moist.
Stephanie says
I loved this recipe! I used my Smoothie2Go blender and had a bit of an issue with the dates. I ended up adding water, a little bit of oil, honey, and the peanut butter to give it a little liquid to help it out. Then I rolled in the oats and almond slivers. Mine are a little too wet because of the added water- so next time I’ll add some more oats in.
I opted for no salt added peanut butter- but I think you really do need the salt – otherwise this can be a little too sweet. Great snack though. I love dates!
Great! Yes, the dates are the key ingredient, and often the most finicky. They need to be moist and sticky! Glad you were still able to figure it out, Stephanie!
Deanne says
Dana, my darling, I am officially adopting you as my daughter. You are a genius with soul, a brilliant food artist, and a KC girl to boot (1976 Shawnee Mission South grad here). I will introduce you to your new siblings when I kidnap you and bungee cord you to our home. You may never leave. We live on your five-ingredient granola bars. We start every day of our lives with these indescribably yummy and wholesome little frozen wonders. Your new sister is getting her Master’s in Holistic Nutrition – I think the two of you will share a bedroom and be up all night talking and giggling. More great recipes will emerge, I am certain. (I will make another room for John. He seems nice enough.) You will need to make one adjustment in your new life here – we quadruple all your recipes. They still only last a day or so. Thank you for all your goodness, Sweetie. We adore you.
So kind! And so funny, ha! Thanks for sharing, Deanne! So glad you love these bars! And I’ll let you know about the adoption. I don’t think my mom would be too happy about giving me up ;D
myblog says
It seems simple enough that I might be able to do it.
Thank you for sharing.
Willow says
I had to make these nut free so I could send them to school with my children, so I used pumpkin seed butter (for the first time) instead of peanut butter and I toasted some green pumpkin seeds instead of the almonds. I thought these changes might results in a less tasty bar but they are delicious!! I have tried about 50 different bar recipes since boycotting store-bought and they all had a flaw (in my opinion), such as too crumbly, too hard, too sticky, not yummy enough for the kids, ingredients I’m not thrilled about….but alas, my search is over!! I will be using this recipe often and plan to try variations so the kids don’t get board. Also, I’m a minimalist too, so I have a feeling I’m going to like this site. Thank you!!
Lucy says
Blooming love your recipes, so pleased to find your site. Just made these bars and they look and taste amazing. Yum. Thank you.
Charlie says
I absolutely adore this recipe! These granola bars are my favourite travel snack ever. Completely delicious and they stick together unbelievably well :)
Raquel says
I would like to make them nut free for my son to take to school. So I will use sunflower seed butter and was wondering if I could use raisins instead almonds? How long do they last in the fridge? Thanks
Nina Hamid says
i tried and and the result is WONDERFUL!
Note: i dont have creamy peanut butter so i used crunchy peanut butter and the incorporate well. yums!
Sara says
These granola bars turned out great! My roommate and I loved them. I’m making them for my Family and Consumer Sciences Education food demonstration tomorrow morning. I was worried how the dates would taste since I don’t like them, but I couldn’t even taste them. I added chocolate chips on top before putting in the freezer and it was so good. Maybe next time I will add the chocolate chips in when mixing to get them all the way through. Love how customizable this recipe is.
So great! Thanks for sharing, Sara!
Abby says
These looks great. I would imagine that the dates add quite a bit of sweetness (not to mention sugar content). Is the honey necessary?
I think it adds more creaminess to the “wet” mixture, but feel free to try it without!
Sophie says
Just made these and are delicious except that i burnt my nuts!!!! They kinda taste like popcorn… guys make sure when you’re toasting nuts to watch them!!!
Thanks for the recipe :)
Erin says
I made these today and they turned out fantastic!! I added some dark chocolate chips which melted beautifully into the bars with a touch of sea salt! Perfection! Thanks for the recipe!
Robyn says
These keep you going all day long! I made a few changes – we used peanuts instead of almonds, and I cut them into squares and then baked them. Next time I am going to add some quinoa and see how that tastes. Great recipe – thanks for sharing!
Laura says
A friend made these and I thought they were genius! I made a batch this weekend and instead of bars, I have crumbly, gooey oatmeal. It tastes delicious, but is definitely not a portable snack. Thoughts about where I could have gone wrong? Thanks!
Spalva says
Just made them! Had all the ingredients on hand for something else I never made, so I was motivated. I know my girls will love them.
Perhaps add a little note about the pressing part…to remind readers that boiled honey (if you turned around and it started to boil) is just as hot as sugar syrup. Ask me how I know!
Kari says
I always mix it with my hands to make sure the oats are fully moist before pressing into the pan. I recently made it with shredded sweetened coconut pressed into the top. Delicious alternative..
sneha says
I love these and so does my family. To make a nut free version I substituted out the peanut butter for soy butter and put in chocolate instead of the almonds. Perfect for the kids lunches! Thanks again for the idea and the yummy at home original peanut kind!
April says
I use prunes as a cheaper alternative to dates, I also add sunflower seeds, a few tablespoons of chia seeds, and a small handful of chocolate chips. I like to use the raw honey from my local market and not heat it up too much. My bars crumble easily, perhaps I need to increase the amount of prunes and nut butter.
Hilary says
I love your recipes! Just a heads up I’m pretty sure Lauren gleisberg uses your recipes (with tiny tweaks) and sells them!
Thanks for sharing, Hilary. People are always looking out for us!
Rhonda Roker says
I made a batch of the granola it came out good I read a couple of comments it thickens when you put the oatmeal in oven for 15 minutes I mix it with honey my other mixture I cut up cherries sunflower seeds cut up walnuts the cherries I put in oven to harden with the oatmeal then I combined with peanut butter and then put in freezer for 15 to 20 minutes they came out good also they are filling for a couple hours. THANKS!!!
Chris says
I just have one question about the list of ingredients for this great looking recipe. Is that one cup of dates measured with the pits still in, or is it 1 cup of dates with the pits already removed? Thanks for the help. :)
Kathleen West says
I just made these for a Labor Day beach trip coming up! I subbed pecans for almonds and raisins for dates and they worked great! My friend has made your original recipe too and they are also awesome!
I put a link to the recipe in my blogpost from yesterday! I appreciate simple recipes like this one for sure!
So glad you enjoyed them, Kathleen! Thanks for sharing!
madmadjudy says
These are great! Loved the simplicity of ingredients. In addition to the roasted almonds, I added pecans and pumpkin seeds. Next time, I’ll mix in a bit of chia and flax. And be sure to measure out 1 cup of PACKED dates – the extra will help bring the dry mixture together. Thanks so much for this fabulous recipe.
Benjamin says
I made a double batch of these for a three day hiking trip with some friends in the Czech mountains, tasted great and full of energy! I added a cup of sultanas and substituted some figs for dates because I didn’t have enough (for a double recipe). I can’t wait to try more of the granola recipes.
Does anyone have a recommendation on food processors? I live in Germany for reference if that makes a difference.
So glad you enjoyed these, Benjamin! I don’t know if you can get Kitchenaid in Germany, but it’s a reputable brand in the U.S.!
James says
I made these last weekend as I was spending a fortune on cereal bars to keep me going at work, and because our bairn has got a dairy allergy which means my wife is off dairy. These bars are amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe! I used the toasted oats, and after the first batch to the recipe, made double the next time round, with some prunes as well as dates, and some dark chocolate for wickedness. They’re fabulous, and I’m going to have to make some more tomorrow.
For the gentleman in Germany, I recommend Magimix food processors; they’re expensive, but mine has been worked hard for years and is still going strong.
Holly Ward says
You and your recipes have changed my world! I have found that I can make food that “Wows” my Family and Friends. Food that doesn’t take all day to make leaving me wiped out and unable to enjoy my company. Food that smells, tastes, looks and feels fantastic!!!!!
You are my new Guru. Thank you as I have been searching my entire life for recipes like these.
Bake On,
Holly Ward
Minnesota
So kind! SO many hugs to you, Holly. I’m so glad to hear you and your family and friends having been enjoying the recipes! This truly made my day. And yes, I’ll keep baking on!
-Dana, xo
Brooke says
Great flavour but doesn’t stick together! Followed the recipe exact but turned into a crumble when I cut the slices.
Brooke! Add more dates next time! And make sure they’re sticky and fresh. They’re the glue that holds it together.
Sunita Sitara says
These are *Amazing*! Today, I made my second batch, I doubled the recipe. I am not a baker so this was right up my alley. I needed something that is wholesome and not processed. These bars fit the bill. I added dried banana chips and dried pineapple, that gave it a tropical kick.
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Emma says
Made these this afternoon and added mixed dried berries…amazing! Definitely won’t last long! Thank you :-)
Stephie says
I just made them and they are awesome! I have a 16 month old so I did not include almonds. I added dried apricots and (a few) mini chocolate chips. Next time I will double or triple the recipe. I know these will not last long!
Tia says
These are wonderful! I make them for my husband to take to work and they are his favorite! I love how simple they are to make.
Mandy says
Just made these granola bars to replace my husband’s store bought peanut butter almond granola bars.
These came out great (even my teenage soccer son liked them). Can’t wait for my husband to try them too, though I’m not going to mention that there are dates in them…
Thank you for the recipe!
Yay! So glad you all enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing, Mandy!
jin says
Mine did not hold together at all!!!! I ended up baking it – still waiting for it to be cooled. The cooking time listed here is VERY inaccurate, baking oats and heating up the oven itself took 20+ min., plus cutting/mixing time, pressing, cooling all together took a far more than an hour. And finally discovered that IT DOES NOT HOLD GETHER!!! I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS HALF BAKED RECIPE TO ANYONE – DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME.
Yikes! Sorry you had trouble, Jin! It seems to me the trouble you faced was likely the dates, which provide binding. Were they dry or old?
Theresa says
WOW! Thank you. My son who is a recovering cancer patient loves it and has become one of his favorite snacks.
CoolOnions says
Just made these and my husband, who has eaten and made countless versions of granola bars over the year, says they’re the best ever. I toasted the oats and almonds (and added some toasted pumpkin seeds) and it gives them great flavor. Will definitely make these again.
Leann Bach says
Has anyone added protein powder to these to help increase the protein content?
I have vanilla vegan protein powder (we aren’t vegan, but the powder is good).
My thought was to add it to the peanut butter mixture in the pan and fold it into the peanut butter as it heats.
Any thoughts from anyone?
Andrew says
Amazing! I have tried over 20 different granola recipes and this is one of my faves! Seriously these are so easy to make and delicious – I can’t believe how sweet they taste without any processed sugar!!!
Two suggestions I would make to the above recipe are:
1.) Where you mention toasting the oats, you forgot to mention to toast the almonds. I didn’t read all the way though the recipe (my bad) and I toasted the oats and turned off the oven and then saw the almonds were in the recipe, I’d be nice if you added “Optional: toast oats and almonds” on one line.
2.) 15 mins to toast the oats was way too long of a time for me, mine burnt, I know each oven is different, you may want to suggest 7-15 mins, and to stir the oats halfway through.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! Yummy!!!
Esther says
Hi Dana!
Another superb recipe, thank you!
I’ve made these granola bars a few days ago and it was such a hit!! at home and at work! yeah colleagues are asking me now when I’ll bring some more haha.
Such a satisfaction to know what I am eating and how they keep me going all through my busy mornings at work.
Making them again today :)
Once again thank you very much x
Terri says
I’ve made this twice. It’s absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe both times.
I have a question, mine didn’t stick together at all. I did substitute raisin & cranberries for the dates.
I don’t mind them not sticking to form a bar but, I wonder if I’m doing something wrong?
It’s the dates that probably weren’t sticky enough OR you didn’t add enough dates. Try that next time!
Kim says
Healthy, tasty, and easy – what more could you as for! Kids (and husband…AND relatives) LOVE ’em. Oh, and so do I!!! =)
Kate says
These are so good! I used maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan granola bar. They’re so sweet from the dates and syrup! I also added coconut, quinoa, hemp hearts, and vegan chocolate chips.
Dana says
I can’t wait to try your recipe. It sounds wonderful.
Another Dana & John
haha yes! Best names ;D
Ana says
I used figs, as I didn’t have any dates….its great!!!
Katie says
Just made these– so easy and delicious! I added some course sea salt and unsweetened shredded coconut to the top; great additions I’d say. Thank you for the recipe, these have just become a staple in our home.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing your experience, Katie!
Mei says
I just made the Chocolate Chip Almond Butter Granola Bars and liked them so much that I turned around and made this recipe. I used maple syrup, almond butter, toasted almonds and dried cherries. I followed a Commenters suggestion and tossed in 1/4 cup of the oats when processing the dates. I also put on a pair of surgical gloves, wet them and mixed the batter by hand. Wetting the gloves helps so sticky batter doesn’t stick so much to the gloves. I firmly pressed the mixture into the pan with a jar to ensure the bars would not crumble.
Both this recipe and the variation are very easy and delicious. Will certainly be the go to granola bar in our home. Thanks again Dana!!!
Haley says
Thanks! I just tried a variation of this over the weekend, adding in cacao powder, coconut flakes, and chia seed- amazing! Very satisfying for snack time and chocolate time :)
Trudy says
Without doubt the best Vegan food blog I know of! I always become inspired (and hungry) when visiting your blog. Keep up the good work :D
Ah, best comment ever! Thanks Trudy! xoxoxoxo
Anna says
Hi,
These look lovely! I have been looking at granola bar recipes and some instruct to bake and some are no bake. The ingredients seem to be similar. I am wondering why some bake and some do not?
Mary says
These sound wonderful. I just bought a box of raisins, could these be subbed for the dates?
Thanks!
Yes, I think so!
Nina S says
These are seriously good!!! I’ve tried *so many* different recipes, but always the bars turn out too sweet for my liking. Not so with these guys. I did add rice crispies to make them a little lighter (and upped the peanut butter and honey a bit to make up for it) but I’m sure the recipe as is is just as delicious. And to make it even better? They even get a healthy rating on my food tracker. How much better can it get? :)) Thank you!!
Ana-Marija Spajic says
I love this recipe! I’ve been eating these granola bars nearly every day since finding the recipe, it’s so quick and easy and delicious! I take it with me when I’m going out for a long walk or bike ride, for a snack if I get hungry. Or I’ll eat it between meals as a snack.
I didn’t have dates for the newest batch this morning, so I used the same amount chia seeds with vanilla flavoured soy milk (very little milk so it got the same gooey consistency of the dates). It’s less sweet but pretty nice, if you want to try it!
Dels says
More dishwashing and overall work than I anticipated because of the separate steps of toasting the oats, chopping nuts, warming the syrup, grinding up the dates… but ultimately the flavors are nice together. Makes for a good afternoon pick me up treat.
It’s a little work, but it’s worth it in my opinion. Glad you agreed, Dels!
sunit says
Just made mine-they came out awesome!! I did add some walnuts and I would say about a tablespoon of extra almond butter. My dates were pretty moist and I mixed everything pretty thoroughly with my hands :) Love it!! Thanks!
Meghan says
Can you replace the something for the peanut butter? Like Nutella?
sunit says
I used almond butter.
Pallavi Bohra says
Very delicious and easy recipe. I was looking for some health food between my major meals gap. This is a perfect food. Thanks for sharing
Amy Basso | Amy's Apron says
These look scrumptious! Going to make a version of these for camping this weekend!
Deborah Coburn says
Ok. This is just ridiculously delicious. I just made this quickly this morning before work and I ate half of it before it even hit the fridge! It was THAT good! Ha! I will NEVER buy granola in the store again. What a great way to start my day! Thank you for making my tummy happy Dana! lol
Angela Jorden says
I’ve been dying to try your recipes and I finally gave this one a whirl today. Had to make a few substitutions because I couldn’t find dates and I wanted to use some toasted sesame seeds that I had in the pantry. Wow. So good! I used dried apricots and golden raisins instead of dates, tahini paste instead of peanut butter, agave instead of honey, and added some of the toasted sesame seeds to the oats and almonds. Man, these bars are yummy. Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing and for the kind words, Angela!
Farha - faskitchen says
Love the visual treat and the step by step instructions… granola bars are a fav any time of day.. but wow.. i can make it now with 5 ingredints.. amazing
Danielle says
Absolutely love, love, love this recipe. I’ve made this so many times now, but I’m still yet to tire of it! (Don’t think I ever will, lol.) Adore your blog Dana, it’s my go-to site whenever I’m looking for healthy recipes!
Hugs and all the best!
So kind! Thanks Danielle! xoxo
MARVA DREHER says
I received this recipe today from an email I received. I want to make these but must know the cholesterol count. I am really watching the cholesterol count in everything I eat so I won’t have to take a pill. Since I am 83 I watch everything and want to be on your site to receive more of your recipes. I am not vegan but do not eat red meat.
Thanks
Elisa says
I’ve already made them once and today I’ve made them and instead of putting them in the fridge I baked them for 20 minutes. Still super gooey and oh so good. Such a mega cool recipe :D I’m gonna bring them to work tomorrow, but I already know that they’ll be loved ;)
J. Rachel says
Mmm. So tasty! I cut them into smaller pieces because they’re very sweet and satisfying.
Lona says
I made these yesterday and they are soooooo good! I used agave syrup instead of honey and subbed chocolate PB2 for peanut butter. I also added unsweetened coconut flakes-heavenly with the chocolate PB2. Very easy to make, great recipe!
Erin says
I tried these granola bars last night and they are incredible! I can’t stop eating them. Since my dates weren’t soft and moist as per the instructions, I soaked them in water I boiled in the kettle a few minutes before for about 7 minutes. Then I laid them out on a paper towel and soaked up the excess moisture. I toasted my oats with sunflower and pumpkin seeds and then added craisins and already toasted walnuts. These have a great texture and the perfect amount of peanut butter, it’s not too sweet or too salty. I would definitely recommend these and look forward to trying them with dried figs and other extras!
Sabrina says
This is the second time I have made these. A tip I learned this time. Heat the dates up w the honey and peanut butter. Makes then softer and easier to spread out. That way dates are throughout and not clumpy. Great bars. I freeze and eat one a day for a healthy snack. Thanks for the great recipe
Nice tip! Thanks for sharing, Sabrina!
Sara says
Love this recipe esp with the toasted oats and swapping out for almond butter. Added sunflower seeds too for dynamic flavor! I want to make some and mail to my mom, do you think I can ship a box of these goodies from Chicago to SF? Should I freeze them or no? Anyone have experience with this?
Thank you!
Kelly with little vegan boy says
I first must say thank you for all the great recipes and fabulous photos you share!
I have a little boy whom is allergic to eggs, dairy and peanuts. I have tried several other recipes (from other resources), for all sorts of dishes, which have either egg and dairy replacements or both. None of these recipes worked very well or tasted delicious. It was very frustrating. Then I discovered your blog – the vegan baked beans was the first recipe I tried. It worked for my little allergic boy and for the rest of the family. Brilliant! I wasn’t cooking different food for him to the rest of us.
Your blog is now my go-to resource for most of my cooking. I do replace the peanut with almond (which he can eat) but other than that the recipes are as is.
You really have made my day so much easier! I am happy I can cook one meal that works for all the family and I am thrilled it all gets eaten!
Thank you and keep the delicious recipes coming.