Hello friends! How was your weekend? Awesome, I hope.
John and I did some relaxing, brunching, pizza-ing, and working on a new food photography product. I also bought and returned a pair of overpriced yoga pants out of sheer buyer’s remorse. Does that ever happen to you? Sometimes, we just have to make mistakes like that in life.
It’s been a week since I’ve eaten ALL of these granola bars, but I’m still dreaming about them and peeking in the freezer to make sure I didn’t overlook one last piece. They’re that good.
These brownie granola bars kind of started out as a failure. The idea was to make date-sweetened brownies and I resorted to adapting my go-to Vegan GF Black Bean Brownies. Problems ensued. I ate one and had to throw the rest away. Not good. Not good at all.
Back to the drawing board.
In life do you ever find yourself trying to fit a square peg in a round hole? That’s what I was doing with these brownies. I wanted date-sweetened brownies but the blog universe was telling me something different.
When I’m trying to fit my square recipe into a round hole, I rethink it. The result was a simple, naturally-sweetened, healthy granola bar that was a little on the decadent side – just the way I like it.
These bars DO indeed taste like a raw brownie.
They require just 7 ingredients.
They’re no bake, aside from toasting your oats and nuts (an optional step).
They’re loaded with antioxidants, fiber, protein and healthy fats.
They’re incredibly satisfying.
They’re perfect for breakfast, dessert or a quick snack.
They’re freezer-friendly.
They’re uber chocolaty.
They’re really just kind of perfect.
So what do they taste like? Supreme awesomeness. They’re
Rich
Dense
Moist
SUPER chocolaty
Nutty
Oaty
Slightly crunchy
Perfectly sweet
& Mega filling
I did have one for breakfast and found it quite filling. But for the most part I ate these as a healthy dessert. I’d go to the freezer, break off 1/3 and snack. Then repeat for the next 30 minutes until it was gone. Self control comes in waves, people, especially with these bars.
You MUST try these bars and let me know what you think! Tag a photo (#minimalistbaker) on Instagram or @minimalistbaker on Twitter so I can see how lovely yours turn out. Happy brownie making!
Healthy Brownie Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (GF for gluten-free eaters)
- 1 cup raw nuts (roughly chopped // I used half almonds, half pecans)
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 2 cups pitted dates (soaked for 10 minutes in warm water then drained)
- 3/4 cup cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/4 cup natural salted almond butter (or peanut butter)
- 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
Instructions
- Optional step: Toast your oats and pecans in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw – I prefer the toasted flavor.
- Process walnuts in a food processor until a loose meal is reached. Remove from bowl and set aside.
- Add dates and process until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a “dough” like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball).
- Add walnut meal and cocoa or cacao powder back in with the dates and process to combine.
- Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and add the (toasted) oats and nuts and stir to combine. You may have to use your hands to really incorporate the mixture well.
- Next, warm honey and almond butter in a small skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until combined and pourable. Pour over brownie mixture and then thoroughly stir using a wooden spoon. (I opted to put plastic bags on my hands and mix that way to better incorporate the mixture.)
- Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to a 9×13 dish (or similar size pan // adjust if altering batch size) lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily.
- If using a 9x13, ONLY USE 3/4 of the pan so they have the proper thickness. Otherwise they’ll be too thin. Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and press down firmly to even out the top. Freeze for 15-20 minutes to harden.
- Lift bars from pan and chop into 12 even bars (or more if you prefer). Store in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge to keep them extra fresh. They will get a little sticky when left out at room temp.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Adrienn says
Lovely recipe, it’s not easy to properly mix it up, but really worth. Very tasty!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Adrienn. Are you using a powerful food processor?
Adrienn says
Yes, there was no issue with the food processor part, where I felt need to ask a bit help, was to mix the dates/walnut with the oat/almonds/pecans. But my partner helped me out to get a nice result
quicker :)
Thanks for sharing, Adrienn! Glad you got it sorted out!
Lu says
yes totally agree. this is one of the best granola bars i have ever eaten.
great texture. but it was a lot of messy work to get it working.
i only made 1/2 batch and enought for snack for 2 people for the whole week.
thanks for this delight !
Thanks for sharing your experience, Lu!
VICKY says
Great texture and flavor! Great healthy dessert or snack!
So lovely! Thanks for sharing, Vicky!
Fritch says
This recipe is so good! Its actually addictive! Thank you! A
We’re so glad you enjoy it! Thanks for sharing, Fritch!
Cathy Mahoney says
Haven’t made it yet but I definitely will. Love a recipe that doesn’t have coconut oil in it
Thank you
Enjoy! xo
EvaZag says
Great recipe, easy to make. Definitely recommend it when you are craving something sweet but healthy!
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Joanna says
Absolutely delicious! I roasted the oats, almonds and pecans as suggested and I think that really added to the flavour. It’s a thick mix but well worth the effort to mix well. Excellent recipe!
Great! Thanks so much for sharing, Joanna! xo
Emily says
This recipe is great! I made it for a friend who’s vegan and everyone, non-vegans included, loved them. I followed the recipe pretty much to a T, except I used roasted walnuts instead of raw, and used roasted, salted mixed nuts in place of the pecans/almonds and added sunflower kernels as well. It was difficult to mix and took some time to get everything incorporated, but it was worth it in the end and I’m glad I didn’t add any more liquid or it wouldn’t have stuck well, I think. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Emily! Thanks so much for sharing!
Lidija says
I was so excited to make these that I just rushed through the recipe without reading I instructions properly and ended up placing all nuts in a food processor.. but it still tasted great! Next time I will try with almond butter or something else to substitute for peanut butter that I put it because I felt that peanut butter was overpowering…
Kat says
These bars are delicious!!! I followed the recipe and toasted the oats and nuts and I used crunchy peanut butter and maple syrup which I warmed in the microwave. The bars are super yummy and satisfying in a way that many healthy snacks aren’t. I can already tell this recipe will see a lot of use. I might experiment with adding coconut, pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds next time just to see how it turns out. Thanks for another great recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Kat! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Jade says
Woah! Just discovered your page and looks great! I love the feature where you can adjust the servings. I definetly see myself using your website to help me in the kitchen. Thank you!
We’re so glad to hear it, Jade! Enjoy! xo
Mary says
Can i sub the dates for anything?
Perhaps another dried fruit? But we haven’t tried it and can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Shelby says
Thank you!!! I’ve recently started a WFPB diet to for health reasons (and I feel fantastic!) but I was missing sweets. I made some dreadful banana and oat “cookies” from another site that made me lose hope. Thanks for bringing back my hope! I used different nuts and seeds that I had on hand, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T and it turned out amazing.
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoyed these ones, Shelby! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Laura says
Hello, I am planning on making this they look wonderful. But I cannot have seeds or nuts. Is there a way to omit them or a substitute? Thanks!
Hmm, you could just try more oats instead?
Kiara says
Hi! Can we remove the butter??
We wouldn’t recommend it as they may have trouble staying together. You could maybe sub a different nut/seed butter.
Kate Berliner says
Could I sub figs for dates?
Hi Kate, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! Our only concern is that they wouldn’t be quite sticky/moist enough to help everything stick together. Let us know if you give it a try!
Barbara says
We can’t do “cocoa or cacao powder” in our family. Will this change the recipe drastically if omitted, or is there a substitution you can suggest? Thanks.
Hi Barbara, they will probably end up too moist/sticky unless you play around with proportions. You could reference this or this recipe though! Let us know how it goes!
Lucy says
Hi Barbara, you could use carob powder. I’m going to make these this week with carob so will let you know how I get on.
Barbara says
Thanks Lucy. Looking forward to learning how they came out.
Lindsay says
These are decadent enough to be dessert. I wrapped them individually in tinfoil and they will be perfect for a grab and go in the morning. I absolutely love this recipe. I used dark chocolate cocoa powder.
Great idea, Lindsay! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Raphi says
Hi Dana! Thanks for the yummy recipe! I would like to create the exact same bar except sugar free (so remove dates as well), do you know if this is feasible? Can I replace it with Stevia or anything else? Thanks!!
Hmm, not sure! This is our closest thing to it!
Haysa says
Hello from Australia!
Thank you very much for sharing this awesome recipe! I definitely recommend :D
You can easily adapt this recipe to anything (seeds, nuts) you have in the cupboard.
So, I used 250gr of dates paste and added some coconut oil. I did not use maple syrup/honey/agave. Instead of 3/4 cup of raw cacao powder, I used a little over 1/4 of a cup. Next time I will use 200gr of dates and add some more coconut oil and some vanilla extract.
I love when I don’t need to convert every single ingredient to metric system, thank you ;)
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Haysa! We’re so glad you enjoyed them and find the metric measurements helpful!
Ania says
I second that!! Yours is my go-to website for vegan inspirations, and hassle free thanks to recipes in grams <3
xoxoooo!
Irene says
Can you suggest ways to recreate this BTS snack idea so that they are nut free? Specifically, the brownie granola bars.
Thank you in advance!
Irene
You could replace with the nuts with seeds! Probably hemp, chia, or sunflower.
M Smith says
WOW these are really good. I used a combination of walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds for the nuts and it worked fabulously. I also added some coconut oil since mine were having some trouble sticking together. Definitely worth making!
Anneke says
Hello
I’m really looking forward to making these. Do you have the breakdown of the macros for it please?
Thanks. Anneke
Hi Anneke, you can find the nutrition information below the notes section of the recipe. Hope that helps!
Emily Ria Hilverda says
These are so so good! One of my favourite recipes! I have both with and without the maple syrup (I did a sugar free month) and its delicious both ways. Highly recommend!!
Isabelle Ivors says
These are amazing!!
To me they are like the healthy version on a Snickers bar.
Even my husband and few friends have tried them and think the same.
Love it!
Thank you!
Jess says
These are really easy to make and are definitely approved by all people in my house both big and small! I added a little coarse sea salt on top for a little extra indulgence.
Shprintza says
THIS IS THE MOST DELICIOUS DATE RECIPE I HAVE EVERY MADE!!!! Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Aww thanks so much! Happy cooking!
Gaby says
I made this into two dozen power balls using a block of date paste so I didn’t need to drag out my food processor. They’re great and toasting the oats helps with both taste and texture.
I’m a midwife and need a healthy, energy filled treat when I leave the house at 2am and these fit the bill!
Laura says
I just discovered this recipe and am excited to try it. However, my husband is allergic to walnuts (and only walnuts). What would you recommend as an alternative to the walnut meal? Thank you!
Hi Laura! You could try something like hazelnut meal, perhaps? Otherwise, sunflower seed meal may be a good option.
Danielle Lewis says
I’m not the biggest fan of dates in my food. Can this be made without them or can you not taste them?
We wouldn’t recommend omitting them, as the dates help hold the bars together! Along with the other ingredients, you will find that they don’t have an over-powering date flavor. Hope this helps!
Barbara Cohen says
Thank you very much for this recipe! I’ve been wanting to make something treat-full and tasty and these are great! For the nuts I used cashews, almonds, and walnuts. I think next time I will add flax. I cut them in chunks since they are so filling. Thank you for all your great work!
Thanks for sharing your changes, Barbara! We are glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
Jane says
Very tasty. In Canada we have a chocolate bar called an “Eatmore”. This taste just like an eat more and I have to say, that is what we did.
Maria Justel says
My husband and I loved these! Such great flavors. I toasted the nuts and oats and sprinkled pink sea salt on the finished product. We decided to cut them into small bite size pieces because they are filling. Glad I tried this recipe in my search for cocoa bars first! It’s a winner.
Shelly F says
I would like to make this “un-vegan”. What would the swaps be specifically for the dates? I love the concept but would love both options to see which I prefer ;o)
Honey, perhaps?
Stine says
I made these yesterday, and after 1 bite both my husband and I got a headache! I used Cacao instead of cocoa, don’t know if that made a difference, but it was very disappointing cause they were tasty!
cathy says
These don’t just look appealing to the eyes, I think they are tasty and to top it- it s a truck load of nutrition!
Yay! We’re glad you enjoyed them, Cathy!
Mark says
I switched out the dates for two bananas and it worked a treat. My wife doesn’t like “grown up” snacks but even she enjoyed them.
Glad to hear it, Mark!
Sadie Savant says
This is my go-to template for what I now call “Kitchen Sink Bars”… sometimes I replace half the dates with dried apricots (etc.). I throw in rolled barley if I’m out of oats, or do half & half… any nuts or dried fruit I have around, shredded coconut, hemp hearts, sesame seeds, etc. I will combine the scrapings of pumpkin, almond or peanut butter on hand…. it’s perfect!
One question: if everything I use is stored in cupboards, why such a short shelf life in the fridge?
Keep it up! Good stuff!
We’re glad to hear it, Sadie! When all of the ingredients are combined together, it shortens their shelf life vs. being kept separate which is why we recommend keeping them in the freezer or fridge to keep them freshest! They will keep in refrigerated for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to 1 month. Hope this helps!
Abigael says
Hi Dana,
I am from Dubai and I came across your website while searching for raw bars. And I must say this recipe is so delicious!!! I managed to make them today. And waiting eagerly to take them out of the fridge. I had a good spoonful before they even went in and I’m so bawled over! Btw I will be doing a video of them and will be linking your website to that video so people can see your recipe. Thanks again!
Maria says
I was a little skeptical at first but when I tasted these bars… OMG!! I will surely be making these every week (if they last that long ?). I added a little coconut and a sprinkle of cinnamon on top before pressing the parchment paper and it was great! Thanks for the recipe!!
Alice says
Hi Dana, thanks for this simple yet wonderful recipe. I used raw cashews and golden syrup. Your tip about using gloves to combine ingredients was very helpful. I’ve eaten quite a few while ‘putting them away’ into Tupperware to share!
CRYSTAL DAWSON says
Just finished making these, they are now in the freezer so not sure how they turned out. I was not sure if I should drain the dates or keep the water. They look amazing so I’m hoping they turn out
Sidra Abid-Alexander says
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! had to hide it from the kids so it wouldn’t finish in one sitting. I added 2 cups of mixed nuts and seeds instead of the walnuts and compensated for this by adding double the almond butter and honey. I also lightly processed ALL dry ingredients so my kids wouldn’t pick out pumpkin seeds or the oats. Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe
James says
These are amazing. Highly recommend toasting the nuts and oats and eating the bars frozen ?.
Sue says
These exceeded my expectations. I don’t usually like raw bars. Toasting the oats & nuts made them so good.
Brenna says
Can I use pre-made almond meal instead of walnuts? My husband is allergic…
Hi Brenna! The texture may be a little different but I think that should work!
CCR says
Just made these! Delicious! My freezer is just little though so in fact I had to bend the sheet of pressed ‘dough’ to make it fit… do you think it would work okay balled up into little spheres?
Are you thinking like energy bite balls? I think that would work!
Gabby says
Wow, delicious but definitely messy when scraping the dates out of the blender, took a while but the time was worth it! Also, I made a few substitutions: I didn’t have any pecans nor walnuts so used instead 1 cup of almonds, 1/2 cup of almond meal, and 1/2 cup of flax seeds. I let them burn just a tad which gave an awesome kick. Also, no need for the honey or sweetner, the dates are already so sweet and high in sugar on their own! Lastly, I had some chocolate/date mix leftover and realized it tasted just like how I imagine vegan fudge so I set some aside as a separate dessert. Oh, and for sustainability, zero/waste purposes, I don’t use parchment paper, turned out perfectly fine without.
Liz says
How long do they keep in the fridge?
1 week, or 1 month in the freezer.
Louisa says
I’ve made these several times now. There are delicious and they take the edge off my very sweet tooth. My 5 and 7 year old love them too
Sharon says
My daughter and I make these every 2 weeks. She does most of the assembly work and I do the cleaning, so it’s a win win for us! We either eat these on the way to workout in the morning or as soon as we’re done. We don’t stray from the recipe too much as we love it but have been known to throw in some coconut and puffed quinoa. Thank you so much for an amazing recipe!!!!
Coral says
I love these! I substituted the oats with popped amaranth because I had some to use up. It worked really well. I like the fact no oil is needed. They’re very rich too so I am less likely to overindulge :-) and it’s great that they can be stored in the freezer. Thanks for the recipe.
Marie says
I don’t eat dates what could I add in instead
Hi! Any other moist dried fruit should work, raisins and dried cherries being the best options. Hope that helps!
Marie says
I don’t eat dateses, what could I add in instead?
Hi! Any other moist dried fruit should work, raisins and dried cherries being the best options. Hope that helps!
Katelyn says
My husband, who prefers brownies and cookies for breakfast, said these were awesome. Toasted oats, always
Ashlee says
These are so tasty ! And so decadent. Very happy with this recipe ! I might just buy a big bag of mixed nuts next time, nuts aren’t cheap to buy individually so hopefully a bulk bag will be !
Erin says
What would be the best way to decrease calories and increase protein? Read that someone added some protein powder and decreased the cocoa powder, but really how many calories are in cocoa powder? (Rhetorical question:) It seems the dates have the most calories. . . any suggestions?
Hi! Adding a scoop of protein powder will up the protein in your brownies for sure! The almonds and dates are the two higher calorie ingredients in this recipe, but the almonds are high in protein (and lots of other good stuff!) and the dates bind the granola bars together. If you do try adding some high protein ingredients, consider nut butters as well? Happy baking!
Nyna says
DANA MY HERO! These, like every other recipe I’ve made from your blog (and I mean EVERY one I’ve made), are AMAZINGLY delicious and awesome and a number of other positive adjectives that I will spare you from having to read. I made these with ingredients that I had on hand, so i ended up subbing half almonds and half hazelnuts instead of walnuts for the meal. And TOASTING the nuts and oats beforehand: I’ve died and gone to granola bar heaven! These are perfect for just grabbing and bolting out the door when I’ve slept in 10 minutes too long and don’t have time to make a smoothie or eat a bowl of cereal, and they are approximately 8,496 times more delicious than any store-bought granola bar could hope to be. Crumbly yet gooey, chocolate-y and oat-y, on-the-go granola bar perfection. 10/10.
Thanks Nyna! xoxoxo
Mollie says
These are the best thing I’ve ever made! As a university student I find it difficult to find cheap, healthy vegan snacks- but with the ingredients totalling up to £10 and being bulk bags, they’ll last me forever! Thanks MinimalistBaker, I’ve posted a photo of them on my Instagram and they look delicious! The only difference I made was adding dedicated coconut instead of walnuts- cheaper and a nice twist on things- and subbing nuts with needs. Amazing!
Rob says
I saw the word healthy and thought worth looking at this to replace the high sugar granola bars at 13.6g of sugar.
These are 25g of sugar – no wonder they taste good, moment on the lips…..
Cath MacAdam says
These are amaaazing! My teenage boys need good nutrition on the run between dance and theatre rehearsals. And your bars are perfect. They usually turn up their nose at muesli bars but the choc flavour and sweetness won them over. I’m playing with shredded coconut and toasted pumpkin seeds to give them a bit of a coating. Also perfect in ball shape. Winner! Thank you so much :)
deb says
Just made these last night, they were epic. Only thing I did differently was used all pecans, instead of mixed nuts, as thats what I had, as well as the walnuts…I also microwaved the peanut butter and maple syrup, took 10 seconds to get to a good consistency. Got 12 bars from this. It was hard not scoffing 2!!! They are very very tasty.
Alyssa says
These look so delicious!… except I don’t eat nuts. :( Any suggestions for substitutions?
Hi Alyssa, I would substitute the nuts for seeds and extra oats! Maybe try a mix of sunflower, pumpkin, and flax? Let us know how they turn out!
Miran says
Oh I couldn’t believe how it turned out!!! So good. Rich chocolate flavores with goodness. I made these without nut butter and add more maple syrup.
Thanks for sharing the recipe! ?
Miran says
Hi I’m so glad to find your blog from Korea. It’s full of happiness and love! (Food)
Can I use more maple syrup or Sth else instead of almond butter? I don’t have nut butter.can you suggest me Sth else plz?
Naomi says
These are amazing! I am bringing them to an event tomorrow and I am sure they will be gone ASAP.
For those of you that were brought here looking for a healthy snack (as I was) I was still a little concerned in the beginning. I made sure that all the nuts I bought were raw, but next time I would make it without the pecans and add healthier nut (pecans are probably the reason these have such a high calorie count). Similarly, I chose to use a raw almond butter to get rid of salt. I would be careful when you’re buying the almond butter. The healthy brand I bought (Barney Butter – Sprouts) was 190 calories per 2 tbs. For this recipe you need 4 tbs which is a lot of calories. When you break it down to individual bars the calories from the Almond butter I used is about 30 per. The rolled oats come out to 30 per. Dates =34 per. Almonds = 6 per (if you measure them whole as I did). Walnuts 10 per. Cacao power: 4 per. Honey= 24 per. So in the end (without pecans and with good peanut butter) its only around 128 calories and very low sodium. This is almost three times less then a cliff bar.
This is assuming also that you get 12 bars out of the recipe. I finished with 16 so it may be a little less per bar depending.
I popped in some flax seed and chia seeds for extra health in the end as well :)
Laura says
Everyone saying these are ‘healthy’ – they are 353 calories each according to the recipe? That is more than:
2 slices of white bread toast with butter and jam
A blueberry muffin st Starbucks or Costa
A sandwich for lunch
A bowl of soup
A subway 6″ chicken teryaki.
They are indeed lovely don’t get me wrong – but if you snack on these as part of a calorie controlled diet you would have to leave out a meal at this amount.
Courtney says
These were absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for clear instructions… I get nervous when making things, but your descriptions and pictures really helped me out!
Sarah says
Recipe was brillant. I didn’t have any peanut or almond butter so I used a banana to get everything to stick. Worked a treat, thanks ! :)
Kaireen says
I just made these and they are amazing!! I love the toasted taste they have. Total chocolatey goodness!
Steven says
I make these for my 6 year old for school lunches and she loves them, a great alternative to store bought and I replace pecans with Brazil nuts too as pecans are very expensive in NZ. Thanks again
Luci says
Hi Dana! Can I use carob powder?
Dev says
I would love a nut free granola bar as my kids school is totally nut free and only really bad granola bars with a ton of sugar and other crap seem to be fully nut free and my kids love granola bars! Do you have a nut free version or any ideas for what I can substitute the nuts for? Thanks so much!
Lorraine says
I loved the texture of these and, of course, the chocolate, but I felt like they could use a bit of salt.
Laura says
I’ve made these twice now and am so impressed! I added a bit of chopped up dark chocolate as well and serve them up for a healthy pudding! Thank you!
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says
These bad boys are dangerously good. I’m in love!
Sarah says
BEAUTIFUL!!! I’m cutting down on sugar and have fallen in love with these. I added some macadamia and roasted hazelnuts which give them a gorgeous nutella-y flavour ans added just 1/8 cup of fruit syrup. Sooooo delicious. Love all your recipes. Thank you.
Jo says
I have made these many times for group potlucks and everyone loves them! I have been told by a number of people that they taste like an Eatmore chocolate bar….and I would agree!
Samantha says
Just made a batch of these and OMG amazing! Thank you for a great recipe that’s healthy and the kids love it!
Helen says
Do you think it will mess up the texture/consistency if I made these without the agave/maple or reduced it by half? I really like this recipe and want to make it for breakfast, but my doc’s having me lower my carbs in the morning.
I’m sure it would, but let me know how it goes if you try it! You can use this recipe as a guide.
Toni says
I just made these and they are FANTASTIC!! Totally satisfies the chocolate/sweet fix and yes only need a small square..rich and filling!
Jesse says
Hello! I was wondering what you would recommend as a substitute but instead of walnuts ? I really want to try these but am allergic to any nuts shaped like little brains lol.. So pecans as well. I’m not deathly allergic but I do get quite itchy! I want to give these a try just not sure what other nut you would recommend that would still get me the ground up walnut consistency! Originally I was thinking maybe almonds and peanuts until I saw that you grind up the walnuts ! And I don’t think ground peanuts would be quite the same lol… Any suggestions there ? Thanks ! These look amazing !
Jesse says
And by Substitute but I meant substitute nut.. Lol
Monica says
I just made these for the second time and I really enjoy them! Such a great, simple recipe that allows room for customization to your own taste. Thank You! :)
Beka says
I want to make these but I don’t have cocoa powder. Can I use melted chocolate chips? How would you recommend going about that?
Carmen says
I made these today and they are DELICIOUS. They have a really rich chocolate taste just like actual brownies, and the toasted flavour of the nuts is so delicious. Both my parents agreed.. I don’t think they’re going to last long :)
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Carmen!!
Alison Romanowski says
Would I be able to use dried dates instead?
It depends on how dry they are…You may want to soak them in warm water for 10 minutes to soften them up, otherwise, they can be too firm to blend.
Risa says
I made these this weekend…we may never make another bar, other than these. They’re so good…my boys gobble them up, not knowing they’re good for them. Thank you for this!!
So great! Thanks for sharing!
Julie says
I am so making these!!!!!!!!!!
Sam says
Yes!!!!!!!! Delicious……made some today……perfect for after HITT class…..do I need to keep in the freezer or will the fridge do?
Chelli says
I made these today and they came out amazing. I toasted the pecans and oats, which I highly recommend because you can really taste it, toasted pecans remind me of pecan pie. I used maple syrup to keep the recipe vegan and dark cacao powder. I forgot to roughly chop the pecans and almonds but they still were great. I calculated calories for myself and came to about 230 per bar when cut into 14 equal pieces. Great recipe, my first time making granola anything and I’m excited to try out more recipes!
Wonderful! thanks for sharing, chelli!
Carol says
It says they have 352 calories! Is that correct? Sounds like a lot!
Risa says
I use them as a meal replacement, or for a snack for my very active kiddos.
Laura says
It is way too much and therefore it can’t be quoted as ‘healthy’
It’s more than a Starbucks muffin.
Laurie says
I made these granola bars recently and substituted pistachios for the other nuts. They were so delicious! I shared them on my blog today. Thanks for another great recipe!
lauren says
LOVE the way these granola bars tasted- however mine turned into more of a crumble than a bar formation. Is there any reason why this happened and why it didn’t stick together as well?
Perhaps you didn’t mix your dates enough? Or the dates were too dry?
Kendra says
myndaughter is TN allergic. Would these still work leaving out all nuts?
Sam says
Just made these for a camping trip… soooo good! They really do taste like brownies!
Nisha says
Im really loving this recipe, but i would like to omit dates or dried fruits altogether. Would increasing the honey-butter fraction make up for it to the the binder?
Maybe but I haven’t tried! Let me know if you do.
mark says
love these granola bars!! so chocolatey with out all the guilt :) i sprinkle flakey course sea salt on top … takes these to a whole new level of yumminess :)
molly says
I already have almond meal. Would i still need a cup or less?
I’d start with 3/4 cup and add more if it’s too wet!
Sanda says
I made these last weekend. They are just divine. I have guests staying in the appartment this week and they really enjoy them each morning. I love the idea, the simplicity of the taste and the little surprise every time I bite into a toasted pecan or almond! Love it!
Zahn says
Hi, my daughter gave me a Bobos Oat Bar and it was very good. This caused me to search for a healthy bar to make. All of your comments are very good and I will try these. I really need something healthy and being Diabetic, do not want anything too sweet.
Thanks for sharing. Hope mine come out as good as yours.
Siham says
I want totry this recipe but I don’t like walnuts, canI replace or omit them?
Replace them with almonds!
Gerilynne says
i made these one day when I was craving brownies. These are the best!!! My entire family loved these! My husband liked them so much he took a bunch to share at work. I made a double batch and it disappeared within a couple of days. Just enough sweetness to cure that sweet craving, and the rest of the raw, healthy food is a must in my diet. Making another double batch today. Thank you for sharing!
rahmah mohammad says
Believe it or not this recipe took hours! I made them while multitasking…such a no-no for me. We took the batch minus the oats to a friend’s house. The wife said I think you left out the oats… I was baffled by my pudding aka granola bars and took them home. I get home and in the oven is the dish of roasted oats! I mixed them into the pudding and whalah! Healthy brownie granola balls! :-) the husband of the above mentioned wife came later in the week and took all but five balls! Thanks so much
Melissa says
Thank you for these. I didn’t make them though into bars, but put them in a mini muffin pan for granola bites. Eating 1-2 is perfect for my sweet craving. My daughter loves them too.
VJ says
Thank you so much for this recipe! I can’t stop making them! Amazingly delicious snack and pre-post workout sustenance. A sweet treat for life!
Julia says
I didn’t follow the recipe exactly– having a baby is distracting work lol, and by the time I realized my mistake, all I could do was press on and hope it was still good.
I just put everything in my food processor and blended it into a semi-smooth dough(y substance). So even though it doesn’t look like the above pictures, it’s still DELICIOUS!! This is definitely something I’m going to make again and again.
Abby says
Made a mixed up version of these and the Super Seedy bars (with 1/2 cup protein powder subbed out for 1/2 cup of oats). For those with nut allergies, you can definitely replace the nuts with equal parts seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia, hemp – any combination) with really good results!
Best ever snack, workout fuel, and dessert. The best part? All the girly-hip-lovin’ fats we need.
Jen says
I made these last week and they are all long gone. I used honey and didn’t bother toasting anything, just used them as is. It was super quick and easy. I stored them in the freezer and we all just ate them that way without defrosting. Surprisingly very filling for a quick breakfast on the run as well.
Jo says
I’m allergic to nuts and soya (but not peanuts) and I always find granola bars tricky because they always require nuts of some kind. So I substituted the nuts with roasted chickpeas and the walnuts with roasted sunflowers seeds. Worked very well although I assume the flavour is slightly different. Anyway, wanted to share because I think it’s a good tip for all nut allergy people out there. :)
Betsy says
Thank you!! I am allergic to walnuts!
Brooke says
Thank you!!!!
Malin says
I just made these, followed a link here from Buzzfeed, and OMG they are so delicious! Since I’m swedish I had to convert the recipe but the ingredients were easy to find here as well. Best part is, my fiance didn’t like them because I used a rich, dark, high-quality cacao powder. I have them all to myself, moahaha ;)
Jade says
I’m not a big fan of dates so do you have any idea of what I could use as a substitute? Thanks :)
Jo says
Maybe dried figs? Or dried plums? I think you need some sort of chewy and sticky fruit to give it that binding property.
Melissa says
We used raisins.
Risa says
You totally can’t taste the dates in these bars. They really just add sweetness and the necessary stickiness. My husband and sons don’t like dates either, but they eat these bars like someone was gonna steal them!
Cendall says
I made these as both bars and as bite-size balls. Delicious!
Jackie says
Hi there!
I make my own vegan granola but have never taken the time to make my own granola bars (why? I have no clue! it’s all the same amount of work!). I came across this recipe on Buzzfeed and it is GOLD! Thank you SO much for sharing it! Now, I make my own **vegan** granola bars all the time, thanks to this recipe!
I’m a university student, so eating healthy and making sure I’m not just grabbing the easiest (and unhealthiest) food during crunch-time (i.e. exam time!) is so important! This recipe is a godsent and I even make more batches for friends :)
FYI, I use coconut milk and almond butter as the binder, and add a little bit of hand-ground chai-tea mix to give these bars a Christmas-y taste :) YUMMY!
Thanks again for creating these!
Ellena says
About how many calories per bar?
You can see that in the nutrition box.
Sarah says
Yum! Very tasty. Great idea for a healthy gluten free snack.
Lisa says
These sound delicious! Unfortunately I’m a broke college student with no access to a food processor or blender. Do you have any suggestions for how I could adapt this for a simpler kitchen?
If you’re willing, you can just use a sharp knife and a cutting board to finely mince, chop everything together!
Jackie says
I didn’t use a food blender or processor! So chopping everything up works perfectly!!!!
Ziya says
Hello and thank you for this awesome recipe ! :D
I can’t wait to make these bars but as I’m French, my English is quite bad haha so I guess I’ll have to translate the whole recipe ! Anyway, these bars seems sooo tasty and really nutritious. Thank you once again !
Vanessa says
This was perfect! I substituted the pecans with cashews because I don’t like pecans and I used dark chocolate cocoa powder. I’m having a tough time trying not to eat them all in one sitting! They taste amazing!
My podcast “Common Room” is going to feature your bars on our next episode. We are doing a feature on ‘space food’ so I needed something that was nutrient rich (high protein, fat) yet tastes good and could stay together in low/zero gravity. These sounded perfect! And they are! Thanks!
Great, thanks Vanessa! SO glad you liked the bars :D
Vanessa says
You guys are featured here and they episode F3 Ep 18 should be up by the end of the week. I may have gushed ALOT! Thanks again! Best find!
Anabel says
Hello! I made your chocolate chip almond butter granola bars last night and they are so good! My question about this recipe is whether you used sweetened or unsweetened cocoa powder. Thanks in advance!
Unsweetened!
h.betsie@gmail.com says
So good! I tried chocolate chips and chopped apricots, and it worked out great!
Amanda says
I made these and they turned out great although mine was a slightly different version. I forgot to buy walnuts so I didn’t have them in my recipe. I used the oats to make the “meal” since I didn’t want the whole oats in there anyway.
amanda says
These look amazing!! Would sunflower butter work instead of almond or peanut?
Maria says
Dates are quite expensive in my country.
Any other options?
Can’t wait to try this out!
Any other moist dried fruit should work, raisins and dried cherries being the best options. Hope that helps!
PatrickGSR94 says
Just made these and they are sooooo yummmmmyyyyyy!!!!! :-)
I didn’t have quite enough dates left on hand (after making the 5-ingredient bars last time hah) and also didn’t have quite enough nuts on hand. I used only about 1 cup of oatmeal to try to match the amount of dates and nuts, and also less cocoa powder. I did add dried apples and dried cranberries in, though. I also added in 1 scoop of protein powder for a little extra punch. Then I used the regular amount of peanut butter and honey. I was trying to keep it from being too dry and crumbly which was my problem on the 5-ingredient bars. I think it came out just perfectly. I put it in a 9×9 dish and into the freezer for 20 minutes, and they all cut perfectly. I got maybe 10 or 12 bars out of it. Much better than the store where you only get 5 per box!
Lara says
Do you think you could swap the dates for prunes?
Jen says
oh.my.goodness! Thank you so very much! I made these heavenly bars yesterday, and actually have to talk myself out of the entire kitchen! The pull is strong!!
Everyone loves them – friends, neighbors, my husband, everyone! It was hard letting any go, but I knew I had to, or some serious damage would be done in the wee hours…
Thank you!
I want one…or all that remain…now!
; )
haha, that was my issue, too! had to share them with friends right away!!
Amanda says
Awesome! Bars are in the freezer… ate some of the mixture before pressing it into bars and was very impressed. What a perfect consistency. I’m a pretty avid bar maker (eat them before the gym), and am super excited about these.
About the digestibility thing… I’m not too strict with the “no raw grains” etc., stuff, but in this case instead of using rolled oats I used buckwheat groats that I had sprouted and dehydrated previously. I do this often and keep them stored for recipes like this after dehydrating. I do this with nuts too (sometimes). You could always soak and rinse your rolled oats to promote digestibility, but it might make your bars mushy without dehydrating after. I haven’t tried! Or, just go along with eating raw stuff as long as your body feels ok :)
thanks for sharing! I don’t cook with buckwheat much but will look into it more, especially the sprouting thing. Interesting info!
Melinda says
These bars are DECADENT! I have made them a few times, and most recently substituted 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder for chocolate protein powder. They were just as delicious! They always get rave reviews, and I love making them for/with my clients. Thanks for a keeper!
yay! So glad everyone likes them!!
Theresa @ Two Much Fun says
Wow! Absolutely delicious. I’m sure they would have been even better if I didn’t rush through reading the recipe (I was trying to get the noisy stuff done before nap time). In my haste, I toasted all of the nuts and oats together, and then still rushing I poured the entire baking sheet into the processor and processed the oats, the walnuts, the pecans and the almonds. As I was pressing them into the pan, I finally noticed “hey that doesn’t look like a granola bar- it almost looks like a Larabar” I quickly reread the recipe, and of course I immediately saw my mistakes. Well, mistakes aside this is delicious! I’ll definitely be trying your recipe again, the CORRECT way, once this batch has been devoured, which should be in a couple of days. Thanks again!
Katie M says
I made these a couple of days ago, and I have almost single-handedly finished the whole batch! ;) This recipe is absolutely delicious, very customizable (I didn’t have pecans or almond butter, so I used chopped almonds and peanut butter, and it turned out great!), and so nutritious because of the raw cacao powder.
However, I am aware that medjool dates are particularly high in calories and (natural) sugar. I wonder if mashed bananas could be used in replacement of the dates?
Cri says
I just found and prepared this recipe for the first time, and it is delicious! I am wondering if the banana would completely change the consistency since the dates are the primary ingredient? Have you had a chance to try it with banana yet?
Katherine B says
Yumm, these look great and I’ll have to try making them! I bet you could grind up some raw oats and coat the outside of the bars in them so they don’t get as sticky!
laurasmess says
These look seriously amazing Dana. How is it possible that something so super-deliciously indulgent can also be healthy? You’re a miracle worker, my friend! Definitely trying these xx
Samina | The Cupcake Confession says
Whoaaaa!!!!! I could have 10 of these every single morning!!!!! So indulgent yet soo soo healthy!!!! <3
Right? Mine are all gone (cue: weeping) time to make another batch! ;D
Meriem @ Culinary Couture says
You had me at BROWNIE. Btw, do you get your dates wholesale?
I get mine at Aldi’s for super cheap (deglet nour), and for medjool Trader Joe’s has great quality ones in the refrigerator section. Most health food stores carry them, too.
Sasha says
It’s also great to get dates at an Arabic grocer. Typically, dates from the gulf are vacuum packed and soaking in their own juices! The come out gooey, completely caramelized and incredibly sweet. They are perfect for recipes because they don’t require soaking and you can use half the amount :-) making these bars now and the “batter” tastes ridiculous!
April says
I saw this recipe, got excited/started drooling, already had all needed ingredients, so went ahead and made these last night! I cut them this morning and ohhhh my goodness. Total yumfest. I’m glad I took your recommendation of toasting the oats & pecans – the flavor it adds is awesome! I used an 8×8 pan and ended up cutting my bars thin and got a ton out of this recipe. My almond butter was raw unsalted so I threw in some sea salt (& sprinkled some on top before I froze). Great recipe! Y’all def need to make. This will be seen again in my kitchen for sure. Perfect amount of crunch, chocolate and toasted oatiness. Glad this “mistake” happened!
Kate says
I’ve never made granola bars! These look like a hearty, delicious snack. Re: yoga pants, Old Navy makes amazing yoga pants and you can get them for $15 a piece if you buy them at 30% off. I might own six pairs…
NICE. That’s what I need in my life. To Old Navy I go! Thanks friend :D
Susan Pantle says
These look so good! And a few preceeding recipes I have not had a chance to say “Yum” to!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
These are like larabars on steroids!! YUM!
Kate @Almond Butter Binge says
I’ve made something like this before, but I have to say, yours look so much better! I love the texture you have going with the larger nut chunks. And pecans and oats, too? Yum! Thanks so much for sharing.
Sher says
re: dates question above
I am in Oregon and have bought dates at Fred Meyers and Haggens Grocery stores no problem. Freddies even has them in the bulk section!
My question is…
I have always wondered about eating oatmeal RAW
is that ok?
hard to digest?
or good and fiberfull etc
idk :)
Sher, good question! To be honest, I’m probably not qualified to answer a question about digestion. If you’re worried about consuming them raw, definitely toast them up for easier absorption. I prefer their flavor/texture this way anyway. Hope that helps!
Sher says
Thanks Dana :)
PS I just LOVE your photos…all of them!
sometimes I don’t have time to read everything but I ALWAYS look at all the pictures :)
Janet says
how long do these bars last…should I keep in frig….or store on counter?
They are delish!
Hi Janet! Store in an airtight container in the freezer or fridge to keep them extra fresh. In the fridge, 1 week, or 1 month in the freezer.
Frank says
I eat raw oats every morning in my yogurt. I’ve never had a problem.
Kristina says
Where do you buy your dates? I found that in Washington state it’s not that easy to buy them, or maybe it’s just my amazing searching skills… I know they sell them at winco idk if you know winco but it’s kinda low quality store, not sure if I should buy them there.. Or it doesn’t matter?
Kathy says
I just got some at Costco that are really good. If you’re in the Seattle area try Pike Place Market, or PCC.
Matt Robinson says
These are so incredible, can;t imagine how good they taste. And healthy too! WOW
Shonalika says
Argh, I feel for you there. One of the things I really can’t stand is wasting food, so its an absolute nightmare when I screw up a recipe and have to throw it away! (Not that it happens often, but still. xD) Especially since its only ever really with oven/batch-based things that it happens, so high quantities of good ingredients are wasted… Not to mention the money and time. But I guess chucking the result and washing your hands of it is better than forcing yourself to eat it just out of guilt/to get rid of it and trying to create the delusion that it tastes ok… that’s nasty and I’ve sworn never to do it again. XD
I love the idea of combining chocolate brownies and granola bars! These look so rich and delicious, and not dry in the slightest, which is the one thing I’m sometimes less keen on with granola bars:D
danielle says
Raw brownies – Im in!!
Abbie @ Needs Salt says
Raw brownies are so amazing, aren’t they? I think everyone in my family can agree that the best brownies I’ve made are raw + vegan. (which is awesome!) These brownie bars look incredible. Like, seriously. Perfect.
Pinning!
Millie l Add A Little says
These look super tasty, and no bake just means its an added bonus! :)
Kathryn says
Oh goodness me, these look totally ace. I can see them becoming my new go-to snack. Love it.
Ali | Gimme Some Oven says
Love your styling on these. These look GREAT!!
Thanks friend! I’m surprised I had time to style these without eating them all ;D (no seriously)
Sharon says
Can these no-bake brownie granola bars be baked so as to be more like granola bars? I don’t think I would care for the taste of raw brownies.
Trish says
Hi I forgot to soak dates in warm water what can I do ?
Kelli says
Oh these look soooo good! I can’t wait to try them!
Abigail says
This looks so yummy! I love a good homemade granola bar.
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
Happy accidents are the best! I love what these turned into. :)