Have you ever made granola bars that were so good you couldn’t stop eating them? Yeah, these are those granola bars. 
I have been loving making variations of our Healthy 5-ingredient Granola Bars. They’re so simple, quick and satisfying, I can’t help but dream up new flavors. Chocolate Chip Almond Butter? Yep. Healthy Brownie? Uh huh. Super Mega Seedy? Yeah, this is happening. 
It starts with seeds, and lots of them! Seeds are an essential part of a plant-based diet. They’re like little nutritional powerhouses.
- For instance, flax and chia seed are incredibly high in fiber and healthy fats, including Omega 3s.
- Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin E, magnesium and selenium – nutrients that protect virtually every square inch of our bodies.
- And hemp seeds – the healthiest of the bunch – are a complete protein, loaded with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and contain all 19 essential amino acids, which are essential for optimum health.
What’s not to love about these bars? Oh, and I didn’t even talk about the oats and nuts! So many nutrients. 
These bars get their sweetness from two sources: dates and agave nectar – two sweeteners found in nature that I love using in place of processed sugar whenever possible. The combination of the two not only provides an irresistibly sweet bite, but also acts as the glue that holds it all together. 
My favorite part about making these? You get to use your hands and feel like a kid again. I love using my hands to mix the wet with the dry ingredients. Even though my hands are a sticky mess afterwards, it’s so worth it. Look at these beauties! 
You’re going to love these bars. They’re:
Oaty
Nutty
Hearty
Crunchy in all the right places
Perfectly salty-sweet
Loaded with good-for-you ingredients
MEGA seedy
Satisfying
& Ridiculously delicious
These bars are perfect to make ahead of time for snacking when you’re short on time. I like to keep a batch in my freezer in case I have to run out the door and know I’ll be hungry later. Please tell me I’m not the only childless person who packs snacks for outings? Please?
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know in the comments! Or, take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram. I want to know if it’s love at first bite (which, I suspect it will be). Cheers! 
Super Seedy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (gluten-free for GF eaters)
- 1/2 cup raw almonds, walnuts, or pecans (roughly chopped)
- 1 heaping (seriously) packed cup dates (pitted // deglet noor or medjool)*
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds (roasted or raw)
- 2 Tbsp flax seeds (ground or whole)
- 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or honey if not vegan)
- 1/4 cup creamy salted natural peanut butter or almond butter
Optional Additions:
- Chocolate chips, dried fruit, other nuts, banana chips, etc.
Instructions
-
Toast your oats and almonds in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 13-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown.
-
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).
-
Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl. Add seeds and set aside.
-
Warm agave and peanut or almond butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout. Use a spoon or your hands to thoroughly mix.
-
Transfer to an 8×8 dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (Or use 2/3 of a 9×13 // as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size)
-
Cover with parchment or plastic wrap and press down with something flat, such as a book, to get them really packed tight. This will help them from being crumbly. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes to harden.
-
Remove bars from dish and chop into 10 even bars (as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). 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.
Notes
*If your dates don’t feel sticky and moist, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes then drain before processing. This will help hold the bars together better.
*Adapted from my 5 ingredient granola bars
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 10 bars)
- Calories: 238
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated fat: 1.2g
- Sodium: 18mg
- Carbohydrates: 33.8g
- Fiber: 6.2g
- Sugar: 19g
- Protein: 6.8g
These bars are delicious and super easy to make! I subbed in pepitas for the sunflower seeds and half the flax seeds, and added an extra tbsp of hemp seeds to make up for the last tbsp of flax. I just mixed with my hands and I can’t imagine being able to mix that date paste with a spoon! We only have a 9×9 pan, so I just sort of shaped them in that with a couple inches of open space in the pan at one end. I froze them and would grab one each morning for a quick breakfast, always perfectly defrosted after my bus ride. Will be making again this week!
Made these today but added goji berries and cranberries, my wife and I are addicted. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Gary & Carmen
Kalgoorlie
Western Australia
We’re so glad you both enjoy these! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi, is it ok to substitute the maple syrup with pancake syrup since that’s what I have currently. I am aware that it contains high fructose corn syrup which is unhealthy (also I can’t use honey). Will the results be the same?
It should!
Delicious!
Great easy recipe, just a bit too sweet for my liking.
This recipe is so delicious, it is nutty & chewy in just the right way. Perfect for a healthy snack on the go. To shake things up you can always change the almonds to your favorite kind of nut. I will make this again and again. Very easy to make!
So glad you enjoyed them, Diane! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Mine have just gone into chill – I put dark choc chips in – obv tastings as I went – Delicious!! I ate too many dates so I substituted some apricots –
Thinking dried cherry & chocolate next time –
Thanks x
Yum! Great ideas, Natasha! So glad you enjoyed these! xo
Yum. I was looking for a healthy snack which used as many seeds as possible. Have made them twice now. First batch I thought could have been more moist so second time around I added a little more dates and wet ingredients. Oh I also added pistachios.
So glad you enjoyed these, Lisa! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
I love this recipe! I’ve made these three times and they’ve come out great each time. I use honey and skip the hemp seeds since I can’t find them where I live. The first two times I used medjool dates without soaking them and found it a bit difficult to blend them in the blender (don’t have a food processor) so I just tried soaking them in hot water for a few minutes before blending and it was much easier. The bars came out way stickier and thinner! Still yummy but just a whole different texture. I hope to get a food processor soon to be able to experiment more ?
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Isabel. We are so glad you enjoyed 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
Great recipe thank you, just what I’ve been after but haven’t been able to find!!
How can I use 7-grain cereal in this recipe? I have a few bags that I don’t eat as hot cereal. Originally, I bought them to make dakota bread, but I like chewy granola better. Thanks.
Hi Thea, we haven’t tried it, but it might work to replace 1/2 cup of the oats with the cereal. Let us know if you give it a try!
These were good but would not stick together !!! My dates were very sticky and I ended up adding about 3/4 cup of peanut butter and 1/2 cup of maple syrup to get them to stay “sort of “ together ☹️
Hmm, strange! Perhaps your dates were not very fresh? Or they did not get blended very well? Maybe next time try adding a bit less seeds!
Easy to make and dense nutrition. I keep them in freezer to take on longer day hikes. Great to replenish protein & carbs on the go. Delish!
Will these bars keep longer if I bake them instead of freezing them?
I’m not sure – if you give it a try let us know!
These are fantastic! I made them exactly as per recipe the first time round, second batch I added zest of one lemon and one large orange to the mixture which made them even more spectacular, if that’s possible! Me, husband and kids wolfed them down!!
I have made this recipe over and over. All the teenagers in my house love!! I don’t make any changes to the recipe, perfect as it is
Thanks for sharing, Miranda!
I made these and they taste great! I substituted cranberries for the dates. They are very crumbly. Should I add more peanut butter or honey?
Cranberries aren’t as sticky as dates, so that makes sense that they are crumbly. Adding more peanut butter and honey should help!
Hi, are these freezer friendly?
Thanks!
Yes- up to 1 month!
What is the term of expiration for these bars?
3-4 days in the fridge or up to 1 month in the freezer. Hope that helps!
Love this recipe! I make a triple recipe and freeze them for a quick, grab and go, breakfast.
Can we eliminate hemp seeds ?
That should be okay. You might want to replace them with another type of seed though. Hope that helps!
I have made these yummy and nutritious bars several times over the last year. I use pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds if I have them. I don’t do well with flax so I don’t use them.
I prefer almond butter in my diet so use that and maple syrup.
The recipe doubles nicely and the bars keep well in the freezer.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Made these and also added in 2 teaspoon of mexican vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of diluted espresso and a pinch of salt and these are now my go to snack for the week!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Dre!
I went wfpb last summer. I can always find awesome recipes on your blog. I made a batch of these amazing granola bars to accompany me on my international flight. I am sitting in Oslo sipping a soy latte and eating these delicious granola bars. I am so happy I didn’t leave any behind for the folks back home!!! I’m lovin’ every scrumptious bite. Thanks for the recipe and the amazing blog.
This recipe sounds incredible! Can you use dry roasted almonds instead of raw?
I’m making these today for my boyfriend as he just LOVES nut bars!
Thanks in advance ♥️
Hi! I made these bars this weekend and they are great. However, I replaced the dates with craisins and the bars wouldn’t still together. Thoughts?
I’ve made these multiple times and they are delicious!
These bars are a wonderfully nutritious treat when you can’t eat sugar or gluten, and they are so easy to make. I added 14 dates (which I blended with the honey and vanilla in my nutribullet) and 2 Tbsp. cocoa which resulted in a very tasty and less crumbly bar and added a boost of magnesium!
Used dried dates and rehydrated them for about 15minutes in hot water, used more sunflower seeds instead of hemp seeds since I didn’t have any, used sliced almonds since I didn’t have them whole (toasted them along with the oats) and used honey since I’m not vegan. They were amazing!! I could eat this forever!
Smart! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Catherine!
Could i replace the dates with prunes?
Yes!
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Mmmmm! These held together really well, and the taste was amazing! Toasting the almonds is a MUST, they are seriously so nice roasted. I added some cacoa nibs on top and cut it into 12 bars, and because I didn’t have flax I just used a seed mix for the flax and sunflower seeds. I also boiled the dates for 10 minutes. These were very sweet- could I sub some of the maple syrup for water or almond milk or something? Also are these shelf stable and suitable for transport?
I highly recommend this recipe for anyone. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Hi Sarah-Beth! Glad to hear you enjoyed these! I wouldn’t recommend subbing some of the maple syrup for water as it is used as a binder in the recipe. If anything, feel free to cut back the maple syrup a bit. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. We kept ours in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn’t necessary.
Hi Dana,
What would be a healthy gluten-free “glue” for sunflower and sesame seed bites, with no sweetener? (Dairy-free would be great, too.) I would like to make something similar to Somersaults sunflower seed crunchy bites, which are more of a savory, salty snack.
Thanks!
I absolutely love these bars! They are easy to make and taste amazing. I would like to know is there anyway to cut down on the sugar. I make them for someone who works out but is diabetic and the nutritionist said that 19g of sugar is too high. Please help! Don’t want to sacrifice taste and texture.
Thanks!!
Hmm you could try cutting down the agave nectar/maple syrup perhaps?
Wow! Have made them over and over again! I use walnuts instead of the almonds and they are the most delicious, on-the-go snack! Always have a batch in the fridge!
Hi, I was wondering if these travel well? I am going on a bike tour but don’t want them to like..totally melt in my pannier bag. But I really love your date bars so I am thinking of maybe just winging it. What do you think?
Yes! Totally travel well.
I made these bars and added pepitas, sunflower seeds, choc chips for hubby and walnuts. I loved them but unfortunately they gave my hubby bad indigestion which I’m guessing was the dates. Could I use figs instead or do you think that would have the same affect on him?
Figs will work! Scan the comments above for tips :D
If only I could get this recipe in metric!!?
Hi Christian! Hold tight as we are currently working on converting all of our recipes to metric as well!
these were great. I modified because I didn’t have dates and I don’t like things very sweet. Replaced dates with 50% dried apricots and 50% raisins. added 1/4 cup of coconut, some sesame seeds, pumpkins seeds, doubled the recipe and then had to add more peanut butter and agave/honey/maple syrup. I keep them in the freezer as most people said that was helpful to set them and then found good to keep them there pre-sliced so they are fresh and ready to go with me to work with my smoothie every morning. Thank you their terrific.
Thank you for sharing your recipe changes, Angela! Glad you enjoyed them!
Can’t thank you enough for this recipe. I make a double batch (9X13″ pan) just about every week. At this point, I only follow the recipe basics. I like honey instead of agave and often use almond butter in lieu of peanut. I have used walnuts or pecans, sometimes both as well as almonds. I give these away for the holidays and have a friend that begs me for them. I almost always use chia, flax, sunflower, and pepitas, but have only recently got my hands on some hemp, I don’t like raisins so I usually use craisins, and I think I might try using prunes sometime instead of dates (we’ll see). I wrap some of the bars individually in either wax paper or aluminum foil for a quick grab when heading out the door.
We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing the changes you made :D
I’ve just made these bars (no dates as can’t eat them but put thin layer of dark chocolate on top instead). So delicious and so tasty. I will definitely be making these for my mid morning snack.
These bars look absolutely fantastic. Beautiful photos, too. I look forward to trying this. My wife would love it!
Great recipe and super good eats! Thank you for being perfect with the measurements,
I made these! They are quite fun. I made them with pumpkin instead of sunflower seeds and extra hemp instead of flax. I used pecans as the main nuts and toasted them with the oats, which made all the difference. Next time I may want to toast the pumpkin seeds too – not sure how long to do that for. Medjool dates worked really well, and the crunch of the chia was quite fun. Next time I would likely double the almond butter instead of adding maple syrup as they were slightly too sweet for me. I’ll also add some sea salt because I forgot that my almond butter was unsalted. I think it would be fun to use salted pecans or almonds in them instead of adding salt too.
Hi. These look great. I can not have that much sugar. Do you think I can omit the Dates? I am only permitted 6 grams of sugar in a nut seed bar.
Hi Stacey! We wouldn’t recommend it as it is key to the recipe!
So these must be very small bars. The size would end up being 1.5 x 1.5 inches? Seems like a lot of calories for such a small piece.
I’m sorry, I’m English and can cope with cups instead of grams but how much is a ‘heaping’ of dates?
Hi! Heaping cup = not a level cup, but one that is packed full and beyond a true cup. Hope this helps!
Update:
Figs and apricots made a superb sub for dates.
I now have shared this site, plus samples, to a friend with one celiac child and one stricked vegitarian/vean child. They all enjoyed the bars. This is so benneficial to folks with food requiements and choices.
I made these today, I doubled the batch and everyone at my house loves them…great way to eat seeds and nuts. we will be making more for sure!
I just made these and sat down to look more closely at your pictures. You used hemp hearts in your photos, but cited hemp seeds. Which is the correct ingredient? Or does it matter? For the record, I used hemp seeds, but in general prefer hemp hearts.
Ok, so i went ahead and made these since i was in such a need of a snack solution. I used what i had on hand and did a bit of adjujusting to turn down the dile on sweetness. I only had the chia seeds and all other seeds i subed sesame (brown, black and white – toasted them). I added a bit extra pb salted no sugar and an extra grinding of rock salt. I also increased…by a lot the amount of seeds. The consitancy was soft and yet stayed together quite well. Taste was nice but still too sweet for me. I like a snack that cannot be subbed as a dessert. Next time i will try soaked figs instead of dates, they seem less sweet to me. But all in all a great and easy recipe that can be molded to ones own prefrences. I am quite a minimalist baker fan. Thanks for all doing all the leg work
I am looking for a healthy protien and calorie rich snack bar that is not too sweet. I dont like candy bars and normally store bought bars are too sweet for me. How sweet do these taste? Is there a way to lower the sugar and still stay packed into bars?
I’ve made these twice. They are delicious. I didn’t have quite enough dates the first time I made them so I added prunes. They stuck together really well so I made them again that way. I also treated the mix like a dough. I briefly mixed the “sauce” with the seeds before adding the oats. This kept the dates from forming clumps and it was easy to stir in the oats last. Then I dumped it onto a rimmed baking sheet that was lined with parchment. I used wet hands to form it into a rectangular shape, topped it with another sheet of parchment, and used a rolling pin to get it to a uniform thickness.
Again, thanks so much for the recipe.
Loved this recipe. especially because it was too easy. I am too lazy to look at complicated ones. I made this and came out really well. My husband loved it!! Thank you so much Dana :)
Love, love, love this recipe! I added goji berries & coconut and I can’t make them fast enough – the family loves them. Definitely need to make sure the dates are moist enough or it can turn into a yummy granola & not a bar? So much better than any of the organic bars I bought.
I made these using honey and almond butter, and a mixture of the nuts mentioned – really lovely, thanks for the recipe!
I made this today for my hubby and he likes it but asked to make it less sweet? I’m stumped on what to on it or substitute! Do I have to use pnut butter? Can I sub dates for something like raisins or some other fruit instead?? Overall great and easy recipe! I know my 4yr old loves it!
Hi there! You can use more peanut butter in place of dates!
Yum, Yum, YUMMY! These were awesome. I ran out of dates, so supplemented with figs, and guess what? They were seedier!! I used cashew butter, and a mixture of honey/agave/pure maple syrup for the sweetener. I feel like a bird. The PERFECT consistency and Oh so filling. THANK YOU!!
Really tasty. My husband likes them too! He doesn’t like chia seeds, so I toasted quinoa with the almonds and oats.
I’ve been making variations of these incredible bars since I found the recipe! I change the nuts and seeds according to what I have one hand. I especially love the flavor of toasted sesame seeds!
Thank you for a great customizable recipe!!!
Holy cow!! These are so delicious! I cannot stay out of them! They hold together beautifully! They are chewy and moist but to me they taste like those hard sesame snap candies! They are super easy to make and will not disappoint. I won’t make less than a double batch from now on! Thank you for this tasty recipe!
These were absolutely DELICIOUS! I love the fact that these were so easy to make and that now? I don’t have to buy them. :) Thanks and keep up the good work! :)
Can I make these without the peanut/almond butter?
Yes, but you’ll need to add something else in its place for texture.
can i use tahini instead? cant wait to go grocery shopping and dont have other nut butter :)
Others had success with this! Check the comments for tips. It will alter the overall flavor, but will work.
I just tried this but instead of almond butter I added tahini, 1 tsp vanilla, and the zest from two lemons. Has a nice citrus kick. Delicious!
I just made these, and they are delicious!! Thank you!
I don’t have a food processor.. do you think a blender would work for the dates? Also, what about cranberries as a substitute? The new mom I am making this for loves cranberries.
food processor/blender/chopper did not work for me as the dates were too hard. I just chopped them by hand (and then i saw the suggestion about soaking in water, i’ll try that next time!). bars turned out great, but chopping was a bit tedious… I also needed to use more peanut butter/maple syrup to hold everything together – probably also b/c the dates were dry.
I used a blender to process the dates and it worked perfect !:) kinda scared me when it started to ball up in the blender but thats what you want it to end up as.
literally delish!
I keep ’em in my freezer and grab one for snack on college-days:-)
thank you for this heaven healthy easy recepie!
BL
I actually have a question. A friend shared these granola bars with us. I thought I would find it in the Minimalist Baker’s Cookbook, which I just received in the mail, but it wasn’t (it looks like an awesome book, however!). I wondered if this recipe is in a cookbook of yours.
Thank you.
Thanks for an awesome recipe. I was so tempted to make this even when I had no dates in the pantry. Instead, used raisins. Followed the recipe largely with some variations/additions like: 73% dark chocolate pieces, coconut flakes and cinnamon. It turned out good and is so addictive. Next time, I will try with dates and hope it will be less crumbly. Simple Love it…
I would like to share the picture…. if its possible… I couldn’t see any pic upload link
I just made these and they are amazing! The one substitutions I made were coconut nectar instead of maple or agave and pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds.
These bars looks great. I’m going to try and make them this weekend. Is there a way to keep these bars longer than a couple of days without freezing them? What do other companies that make preservative free all natural bars (e.g. Kashi, Kind) put in their bars so that can keep for several months?
I have been looking for some type of healthy lunch bar for my upcoming 12 day canoe trip from Fulton GA to the Gulf of Mexico on the Suwannee River. I think I have found it.
High calorie breakfast and high calorie dinner – light snack for lunch.
Question: what kind of care do these bars need so that they will not spoil during the twelve day trip? Will dividing them up into small zip bags and putting in a cooler work? Do I need to worry about keeping them cool at all? Thank you in advance.
if i don’t have almond butter (or any nut butter), can i change it with coconut oil? Thanks
Hi Natasha, I think the nut butters help to act as a binder for the rest of the ingredients, so I don’t think substituting it with coconut oil would work!
Holy moly! Made these for an upcoming road trip and have to restrain myself from eating them all before the actual trip! Delicious. A perfect healthy, portable snack for someone like me who has food sensitivities and can’t grab any old thing at a gas station! Plus who would want a store brand bar after tasting these babies? Thanks Dana!
Hi! May I just check if it’s alright to leave out the hemp seeds? :)
I just made these after having this recipe saved on Pinterest for a long time!
They are so amazingly delish….I am probably going to eat them all myself within the next few days. An awesome sweet treat for me that I can feel good about eating. Thank you so much!
I made these today and the were delicious. I didn’t have any flax seeds so i replaced with pepitas and since being in australia hemp seeds are illegal so i replaced with desicated coconut. They are very peanutty but very nice. Well done!
These bars are so delicious and great for people trying to eat more non-processed foods! Only complaint is the little seeds get everywhere when you eat them but they’re totally worth the nutrition! I tried the five-ingredient bars and loved those too.
I love what’s in this recipe. Can I replace or add protein powder to this recipe to make it high protein? If so, how would I do that?
Hmm, maybe! Maybe mixing it in with the nuts and oats?
Made these with the almond butter and maple syrup. Really tasty and will make again. Highly recommend.
Just reading Susan’s post and will try with no or very little maple syrup next time around! Thanks for that tip, Susan!
These were ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. I’m vegan and I eat extra-clean and healthy, so I won’t be using these as a snack or a treat, but as the perfect food to bring along when I’m out hiking, or on those days when I need a light meal to have before a 6 PM film or class. I made them without any sweetener, because I feel that dates are already very sweet, and I added some raw hulled hemp seeds and some toasted coconut. This is the best recipe I’ve ever found online: no fat, no stupid empty carbs, nothing artificial, and no need to add any sweetener. Thank you for this!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Susan!
Quick question Dana, I don’t own a food processor? What can I do or add to modify that step? Just add more peanut butter? One of you newest followers, Sheila
Hi Sheila! Welcome. Just finely chop everything and do your best to mix with a spoon More peanut butter and dates will help bind. Good luck!
This was gorgeous. Lots of leftover seeds and nuts too. A bit sweet for my taste but I wager that’s easily fixed next time.
Thank you kindly for this recipe and all your others. :)
I love this recipe! Thinking of adding some plant protein powder for some extra morning boost. Would that throw the recipe off? Maybe adding more almond butter to hold it all together better?
Love these! I added toasted walnuts and sesame seeds, and cut the into 15 pieces. They kept very well in a covered container in the fridge for over a week. I will make these again, having fun with variations!
I would love to make these for an upcoming trip but wonder about the oats. I can’t have oats even GF ones but it seems all the recipes I find have oats?
Try just using seeds, maybe add some almond flour instead of the oats?
Hi!
You could also try rolled buckwheat, crisp rice cereal and/or coconut cereal instead of the oats.
Hope that helps!
I need to send these on a camping trip – will they stay together unrefrigerated? Do you have a cooked bar with eggs which I could make? I am looking to make something low glycemic, high protein/fat for diabetics who are hiking.
Hi these sound delicious but can I substitute different seeds for the ones I can’t find locally?
Hey! I’m excited to try these. Question first: are they more chewy or crunchy? I’m more looking for soft & chewy because I have bad teeth.
Hello! Thank you for your recipe
I was wondering if I could substitute dates with prunes.
I’m very excited to prepare my first home-made bars!
I always use prunes!
There seems to be no instruction on adding the seeds.
Hi Anna! The seeds should be added in step three.
I’ve made these a handful of times and they’re delicious! However, I’d like to make them for someone who doesn’t like chia seeds. Can I substitute flax meal for the chia seeds? If so, how much should I use? Or should I just leave them out? Thanks!
I found this recipe while trolling the internet for “chia bars” and made them this weekend.
I followed the recipe to the letter except, the only item didn’t have in my pantry was hemp seeds, I subbed hemp powder and it worked out fine. These were delicious and I will definitely a make them again.
Made these for my very fussy eating daughter and she loves them, me too. Thanks so much.
I have prepared several versions of these, incorporating coconut, apricots, and even chocolate (unsweetened, of course!) These are delicious – and very forgiving to make.
These are delicious. I left out chia seeds because I didn’t have them, used regular peanut butter because it’s what was in the pantry and I replaced 1/4 cup of the oats with quinoa (which I also toasted) because I love quinoa. They turned out really nice. Maybe a bit sweet for me but I think next time I will use the natural peanut butter or almond butter that’s called for to help with the sweetness. Thanks!
This is the exact same recipe Nigella Lawson had on her show.
Thank you for sharing.
Oh My gosh.. sounds so good. Definitely making these.. I don;t have any dates?
My favorite bars yet! My kids will eat anything I give them, but my husband is tough to convince when I’m trying to substitute a store bough conventional item, like granola bars. He loved these! I used pumpkin seeds instead of sunflower seeds because it’s what I had. These are so delicious. Mine still fall apart a little, but not like other bars. And if they’re kept frozen or really cold they don’t fall apart at all. So when you say you throw one in your bag for a snack….does it fall apart once warmed up or do you keep it cold on ice?
Thanks for the great recipe!
These are fantastic!! My sister said they were the best granola bars she’s ever had!!
Just made it this morning. It was so great! I have to watch my blood sugar level so this will foot the bill. I think I’ll add the dark cinnamon powder from Costco to it next time to help with blood sugar. Thanks so much for this recipe! Regards, Henry
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Oh my goodness.
My kids, husband, friends devoured these bars and couldn’t believe how moist, chewy, delicious they were for being oh so simple.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us and making our family eat better!!! :)
These were amazing! I love granola bars but I will never buy anymore after trying this easy and delicious recipe! I too keep snacks with me at all times and they are usualy some type of granola bar. These keep in the freezer well and I can basically put anything into these bars!! 5 stars from me!
If you don’t like dates, what can be used instead to create the glue effect.
I currently make a granola bar that is similar, but uses honey, oil and packed brown sugar melted to a boil for the glue effect, but of course want to make a healthier version.
These look amazing
This is a great base recipe that takes alterations beautifully. My favorite is adding toasted coconut and cardamom for a little South Asian flair. YUMMY!
Hands down, the BEST granola bars I have ever made. I’ve tried again and again and they never came out quite right. But these are PERFECT. It’s like eating a candy bar. The one thing I am going to try next time is double up on the nut butter in place of the sweetener. I love that I can mix and match seeds and nuts. Thank you so much for this!
Amaaazing! I didn’t think my husband would like them as he likes the sugary chocolate dipped ones, so I made it for myself as a post-workout snack. Hubby mentioned how good it smelled in the kitchen and later he helped himself while the bars were cooling down in the fridge. I will not be buying granola bars from the store anymore! Thank you!
I’ve made these for when I was travelling with my boyfriend. They were a total hit. Super easy and super delicious! I was surprised by how well they sticked together. Just like a store bought granola bad. Now I need to try your other granola bars as well. Thank you!
These are literally to die for! Just made them and lovvveeee them. I used natural maple syrup – most amazing flavor. I added pepitas and cacao nibs and it just tasted divine. I have been searching for the perfect granola bars that actually taste amazing and I’ve found them! Thanks :).
I made these bars and they taste delicious (as do your 5 ingredient granola bars)! Next time I think I will add more oats, because they seem to need some more dry ingredients…love your recipes!
These were so easy and so good!! I like that this recepie is so flexible with ingredients that I already have. I added pumpkin seeds instead of flax and added 1/4 cup of raisins because I was low on dates. They turned out amazing! I love your recipes because of their simplicity and with making healthy meals and choices!
Great!
I’d like to share what I did different. And in the same breath say thank you, everything turned out really nice.
As you suggested, I soaked my dates, I think this helped a lot in keeping things “together.” I also added a hand full of raisins to the dates and then ground it all up in the food processor.
The oats I toasted in a skillet, for me, it is quicker, and I get a little more control. The almonds I did in the stove, but in the future I think starting with the oats in a skillet and then when the timing is right, add the almonds (almond slivers for mine).
Another step I added was to do a quick pulse of the oats and almonds in the Food processor (before you do the dates and raisins), dry before wet. I think this helped keep everything together. Also added a handful of walnuts (my love :) at this point in the journey.
While warming the honey and peanut butter on the stove, I added a “pinch” of salt. About a 1/4 tsp to it.
I followed your directions fairly closely, and it all came together very nicely, I like the crunch of those little chia seeds :)
Everything is cooling now so in a few minutes I get to partake, yum.
These look terrific and I’m going to make some! The only thing is that I think you should include some text about how these are very (VERY) calorie dense bars. This is fine if you do a lot of exercise – perfect in fact for after running or a weight session, however if you don’t do exercise then they should be eaten in moderation!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made a batch of these before a long vacation and they saved us so many times – they were perfect for preventing mid-afternoon hanger and we ate them for breakfast a few times when we were travelling and didn’t want to have to give in to getting something else unhealthy from a coffee shop. They traveled really well for over a week just wrapped in some plastic wrap, although I did accidentally smush a few in my suitcase (still yummy!).
We used almond butter, along with extra roasted pecans and pumpkin seeds to replace flax and hemp b/c we didn’t have them on hand. Getting the oats, nuts & seeds toasty made them over the top delicious when combined with the sweet dates & maple syrup.
These look amazing but I don’t have a food processor. I recently bought a Ninja Professional do you think that will work?
Keep an eye out at your local thrift stores, I found a medium sized Cuisinart FP for ten dollars, has work great so far, makes hummus really nicely. But you have to be patient for those deals, right time right place sort of thing.
My husband turned vegan earlier this year and I tried this recipe out. The only difficulty I had was converting the measurements into grams and ml (and this is the metric we use in the UK mostly) but once I worked that out, these bars were quick and ready to make. Oh, and completely delicious. Thanks, and keep sharing more recipes please :-)
My European in-laws and friends were always asking me for my recipes (back in the day when the internet was just a few boards on CompuServe) and whilst I appreciate the metric system, I found it easier to just buy them a set of nested American measuring cups and spoons, preferably metal. Saved a lot of conversion. They are often available now in stores or on Amazon.co.uk. So if you end up using a lot of recipes with American measurements, this might make it a bit easier.
We’ve made these numerous times and my BF absolutely loves them. Way better than store bought. I was slacking for a bit and he actually asked me to make them for him (which he never full out asks for anything). The only thing I do differently is add plums/dates and craisens instead of just dates. They are so good.
These are AMAZING. We are a nut free house and largely alkaline, so we use soy nut or sunflower butter with the agave with whatever array of seeds and coconut, oats, etc we have on hand. My 4 and 6 year old beg for these. So healthy and delicious!! We love them. Thank you for this great recipe!
Thank you. Have been looking for an easy and healthy snack for lunch boxes and this is fab. Kids keep asking for more and hubby and I love them too ? delicious
Whoop! SO glad it’s a crowd pleaser!
I’ve been looking at making my own healthy superfood breakfast bars for a while now and I think I’ve found the ultimate recipie…. Thank you!! I added some of my own twists like others. The one I wanted to share was that I only had dried chopped dates, but wanted to give this a go. So, combining a tip from another recipie I soaked my dates in Earl Grey for the day while I was at work. This also meant I didn’t have to chop them up and get another gadget out. Anyway, it worked a treat and I’m dead chuffed with the end result!! Thank you so much!!
This recipe was the last in a list of recipes I tried for some kind of “bar” snack, and it was my favorite. I used walnuts only and substituted flax and hemp for pepitas and added cranberries and coconut. Yowza! I made a double batch and shipped half to a friend who went bonkers over them (now I am committed to always make double and send him half). I love that, as long as the basics are met, you can improvise with what ever nuts, seeds, or other additions you want as long as you don’t add so much they don’t stick together. I wrap each bar in wax paper so I can just throw it in my purse pocket, and it works great. I have also made balls with them.
Ah, thanks Laura! So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing.
Is there something I can use as a substitute for peanut butter or almond butter? I’m not a fan of either. Thanks
Sunflower butter?
Just made these and they are currently sitting in the fridge setting, so excited to eat them all up!
I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU for coming up with this recipe! It came out perfectly and held together like a real granola bar. My 1-year old is a fan, my husband asked me if I really did make it myself (after eating 2 bars in succession). I hardly ever comment in blogs but I really love yours. It looks amazing, the recipes work and you make healthy eating so simple!
Excited to try these! Do you think I could sub pumpkin seeds for sunflower seeds, or would that change the consistency? Also thinking of adding cranberries to make it a harvest-y type bar!
That should work!
Ooe thanks so much for this !
I just made my batch, can’t wait to use it as a hiking snack :D
My bar basics were the same. Just subbed the dates with cranberries, and the combining aid with a spot of honey and a wee bit of caramel left from baking (yeah yeah a little cheat hehe)
Can’t wait to have a nibble !
Oh my!! Before they even cooled I was licking my fingers — these are AMAZING!! I added toasted coconut and used macadamia nuts instead of almonds. MMmmmmm. I think this is my new breakfast.
Thank you so much, I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
These are delicious and so easy to make
I was wondering if I could use quinoa instead of hemp? I would it work the same?
Popped quinoa, yes.
Hello! I’m planning to give this recipie a shot tomorrow. I wonder, how do you store them and long does they hold? I really love your blog and I’m so exited for doing these bars because they look FANTASTIC!
These are AMAZING. I never add the honey as I’m not much of a sweet tooth so with just the dates it’s already too sweet for me. But seriously, I could eat these for the rest of my life! Sooooo good.
So great! Glad you like them, Hannah! xo
SUPER delish! I added 4 figs to the date mixture, 2TBS of unsweetened coconut and 1TBS of mini chocolate chips to the seed mixture.
I exchanged Jerusalem artichoke for shave and added a touch of coconut butter. Tum. Thank you for the great directions.
Yup just tryed this one too! Found the site a week ago and made about 5 recipes so far! This one is great! Me and my kids loved them!
Yay! Thanks Lauren!
i’m going to make these to take on our vacation which will include lots of hiking!
they will be coming on an airplane with us. after i make them, should i just wrap them in plastic wrap individually and freeze? then when we arrive should i refreeze and take out as needed or just refrigerate?
thank you!
I made these today and they are wonderful! They have just the right amount of sweetness. I followed the recipe exactly with two small additions: about a tbsp of sesame seeds (can’t have enough seeds, right?) and a tsp of cinnamon. Those were just to suit my taste. I’m sure they’re just as lovely as is. Thanks for this great recipe!
They look yummy! GF also.
What can you add to this recipe so they are not so crumbly. I like them chewy. Any suggestions.
Thank you.
Hi Dana! I am back in KS so sad you are not here anymore. Hope you are loving Portland.
You commented that you freeze your granola bars. To eat them how do you defrost them?
Thank you! Like always awesome posts! you guys are the best.
Honestly, you can just skip the agave. They are delish as is (with a drizzle of maple syrup or raw honey). I find the dates offer enough sweetness that you don’t need any other sweetner. Yummy and so amazing as a post exercise snack. Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback, Bela!
I made these and they are VERY GOOD! Who knew I could make granola bars? I’d never puréed dates or toasted oats before either so I feel quite accomplished. I used pumpkin seeds instead of hemp seeds, and I actually added a few walnuts, cashews & peanuts. For the “agave nectar or maple syrup”, I used 1/8 cup each. I used peanut butter, and added sea salt since my PB doesn’t have salt. The bars are all things that you describe them as being! Thank you!
These are my family’s favorite homemade granola bars! I’ve made them numerous times and they always go super quick. I didn’t have any dates last time so I just substituted raisins and they were just as yummy. Thanks for sharing, your pictures are amazing by the way…makes me want to go have a granola bar right now!
Thanks Jody! So glad you all are enjoying them!
I made these granola bars, although they were tasty they were quite crumby. I did add extra nuts, would this be the problem? Should I add more dates or peanut butter to make them stickier?
:D
Yeah, the ratios are pretty spot on. Next time, if you add more nuts be sure to compensate with more dates, which will act like glue and hold them together better!
I made some modifications using what I had on hand, because I was so anxious to make these. I love the 5 ingredient granola bar too! I used raisins for the dates, maple syrup, an quinoa for the flax and hemp. They are delicious! I’m licking the sticky spoon. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Made these tonight and I’m in love! So easy, filled with so many wonderful ingredients, and a lot cheaper to make than the junk they sell at the grocery store. It helps that I can buy all the ingredients at my local bulk food store:) I’m truly in love with your blog.
These are a staple in our home now. Also wanted to share that I ran a marathon yesterday, and chopped one of these bad boys up into smaller chunks, wrapped it in plastic wrap and carried it to help fuel me. Worked like a charm! I’m always on the lookout for something that will work well for training/race day but isn’t a synthetic nasty gel.
Hello! I don’t have a good processor, but was wondering if I could use my blender instead? I have both a large container and a small bullet-like container that I could blend in. Thanks!
Just want to say it looks delicious! It is the first time I visit the site, really liked the idea and the recipes. (:
These are nice and satisfying! the dough took a bit of work to get everything incorporated but it was well worth the effort! Yum-o!
Thank you for a great recipe! I made these the other week and LOVE them! Can’t wait to try more variations.
heyy,
I am pre-diabetic and I cannot have a lot of sugar that are in dates. Do you have any low sugar substitutions? More pb?
Thanks!
I know what you mean! Carb of 33.8 is too high, esp for a diabetic. It’s more than what one should eat in a meal.
These are delicious but very crumbly. I haven’t been able to find brown rice syrup where I live. I was wondering if you could bake them and if you think that would help them hold together.
These are sooooo good. I used a little less honey than the recipe called for, and it’s still super sweet. You definitely need to have a good food processor to process the dates. I love my food processor, but even it had a hard time with this. My picky husband loves them too!
Woke up this morning and was determined to try again. “Where is my baking sheet pan?”
Oh. Cooled in the oven. With the toasted almonds and oats from last night.
Now everything turned out perfectly! Thanks again for the recipe. Humbled but grateful.
Change “healing” to “heaping” — sorry!
Hello and thank you! I made them tonight. I did have a problem though — they were extremely gooey and not able to cut them. I did not alter the recipe. Maybe I packed the healing cup of dates too densely.
The outcome was like fruit roll up texture.
I triple checked the indgredient and process but for sure I did something wrong.
Any ideas?
do you think i could use prunes instead of dates?
I do!
Hey Dana!
Can I make do without the agave nectar?
Sub maple syrup or honey if not vegan!
I seriously have to stop making these! I ate half the pan today, so delicious! My hubby and kids love them too, when they can tear them away from me! ;0)
haha, right? Granola bars can be dangerous! Glad you like them, Carrie :D
I have made your 5 ingredient granola bars twice now, and was excited to try your recipe for the seedy type. Alas, I had only a scant 1/4 cup of dates! I made them anyway, using toasted oats and almonds, chia seeds, and ground flax meal along with tahini and maple/agave syrup. Then I put them in the freezer. Well, they were quite tasty, but even the freezing didn’t help them stick together the way dates do. So, what did I do with a plate of large crumbles? Add almond milk! Yes, your granola bars are just as tasty–if not tastier–as granola cereal!
Thank you!
Just made these and can’t believe how quick it was to make a batch! So I turned around and made a second one immediately :) Did not have hemp but added roasted coconut chips to one batch and used honey instead of agave. The variations like you mention are endless. Thanks for the recipe Dana!
These bars are soooo good. You’re right, I can’t stop eating them. I knew that would be the case as I’ve made your chocolate chip almond butter version a couple of times before. Delicious. Thanks for another great recipe!
Any suggestions for replacing almonds that is nut free for my son?
Thanks
Could you sub peanuts? Otherwise, just replace the nuts with additional oats. Hope that helps!
There is way too much sweetener in these for my taste. I made an altered version using just dates and it tasted healthy….. or maybe just a little bland. For a doubled batch, 1/4 corn syrup or aguave is sufficient.
Also I would suggest baking longer than recommended (30-40 min) and covering surface with aluminum foil. The foil keeps the moisture in the mix and forces it into the dry grain. Also I process half the oats into flours. Granola is a little obsession of mine.
I’m making these today, I love anything with extra seeds and you’ve got 4 different ones here, awesome! I may sub brown rice syrup for agave
thanks for sharing a great recipe ;)
I made these TWICE this week. Haha. That’s how good they are! They’re a perfect refuel snack after cycling to work. Thank you for a fantastic recipe :) Yum yum yum!
Could I use raisins instead of dates?
No, raisins have a distinct , sharp flavor that would likely taste acrid in large doses. Dates are have lots of sugar and thus act as both a sweetener and binder.
These are amazing!! I used a combo of walnuts and pecans–yum
Our new favorite bars
Love your site too :)
Thanks Terri! So glad you enjoyed them. Cheers!
these look so, so, sooo good, yum!
xo, cheyenne
Since discovering your blog a few months ago I feel like I pin 75% of your recipes – they all look so good and easy! This is especially noticeable after vacation when I’m catching up on my blog reading! Thanks for another fantastic recipe and for ignoring my stalker-ish tendencies!
haha, thanks Tracy! No complaints here! So glad you enjoy our recipes. Cheers!
Just made these, delicious! I think next time I might cut the sweetener in half and sub in some dried fruit… Cherries could be good!
LOVE the ways these look, especially the way the turn out so perfectly imperfect! The photography highlights their simplicity and beauty – better than any bar you could get at the store, these are going on my “to-cook” list for sure!
Thanks Zach! Hope you give these a go :D
I would just like to thank you for making my family’s switch to a plant-based whole foods lifestyle a bearable one. I frequent your website often to get recipes when I need a guilt free sweet fix, which I, with slight guilt, must admit happens about every six days. I live in Joplin, MO, and actually teach a class to educate people on how getting back to their kitchen will help improve the quality of their lives’ and health. This month’s class will feature snack foods both sweet and savory, and all of my sweet recipes will be straight from your site (giving credit for your minimalist genius on every recipe print out, of course). Thank you again for all that you do here!
Sincerely,
Fan for life :)
Thanks Amber! Honored you’d share us in your course. Thanks for saying hello!
What a perfect snack!! They look great!!
I like everything about these except the agave. (I’ve read everywhere that it’s basically highly processed fructose. True agave syrup as used in S. American cultures is not the sweet stuff sold here.) I’m going to try these with home made coconut sweetened condensed milk made with organic maple syrup. YUM!
I recently heard that! Definitely swap for maple syrup if you’d rather. And if not vegan, honey would work great.
Thanks for this yummy recipe. They look delish!
Could you use stevia instead of agave? Is so how much would I need to use.
As I’m sitting here eating almonds I’m dying to make these. I’ve been looking for granola bars to make for hiking and biking while vacationing in the Colorado Mountains. These look perfect!!!
Let me know if you give them a go, Vicki! Good luck.
I love granola bars (especially when travelling) and these look tasty and so satisfying Dana!
Pinned!!
These granola bars look much healthier than those store-bought ones. Loving this recipe! :)
These look awesome!!
Lol, no, Dana, you are not alone. I bring snacks for myself all the time; sometimes I pack it in one of those insulated lunch bags, so I look even more absurd! :P I’d like to think that pretty soon the snack-toting thing is going to be super-fashionable, and we’re setting a trend. ;)
Yay! I’m not the only snack fiend! :D
I will definitely be making these soon! And don’t worry, I always travel with snacks (even for grocery trips!) and I am also childless ;)
They look delicious!
Ha! I just got done making granola bars and now I wish I would’ve tried these. Oh well, with ten hungry kids at my farm, they’re bound to be eaten soon and another batch of granola bars made. Yum! I wanna make a paleo/trim healthy mama version of these RIGHT NOW! Maybe I’ll post my version on my blog.
From your whole food-y!
Janie Lynn
What are the odds? At least there’s a lot of of hungry kids around to eat your current batch :D Let me know if you give these a go, Janie!
There is nothing about these that I don’t like. Delish!
Yay! I can always use a speedy recipe! I can’t wait to make them!
Seedy*
Finding a healthy bar is always a challenge (even though they’re generally labelled as healthy right?) These are spot on..with fabulous ingredients!
I haven’t made my own granola bars yet, but these look so easy and healthier than grocery store bought options that I gotta try them! Can’t wait to use up all the nuts and seeds sitting in my pantry :)
Exactly! Such a great way to use up pantry items. Hope you enjoy these, Medha!
These look awesome! Love ALL the ingredients.
Big seedy bars make me sing!! I love this recipe!
You know, it just occurred to me that store bought granola bars aren’t that healthy, like over 300 calories a piece, oops,
I love your healthy seedy version, great post workout snack! Can give to the kids instead of fish crackers.
I don’t think you can have too many granola bar recipes in your repertoire!
Dates and oats are my love language. I would totally date an oat. Not really. But damn, these babies look good.
“I would totally date an oat.” Haha, yes!
I have every ingredient here except the medjools on hand. But I have some fatty plump raisins that may work, or I can get some on my daily TJ run :) Seriously they look wonderful, Dana! Pinned
Yes! Raisins would work swimmingly I would think. Hope you give them a go, Averie! Loved your strawberry lemonade bars on the blog, by the way. Gorgeous and pinned!
I didn’t have dates either and made them without them. They came out more like granola than a bar but my kids loved them!!
These look really yummy! Your photography is beautiful!
Stephanie
Thanks Stephanie!!
These are the most amazing granola bars!!!! Added some toasted coconut one time. So good!!! Wish I could find the secret in making them not as crumbly.
Have made them three times already. Everyone I give them to loves them!!!
Freeze them .. for some reason it sets the bars.
I have to make these bars every week…my kids gobble them up!! so much healthier than packaged cereal bars, thank you for the recipe!! I was out of sunflower seeds so added raw pumpkin seeds instead and it was delish!
Hey,
english is not my first language and I don’t get what a heaping is. Is it just a overfilled tablespoon?
Thanks,
jm
Yes, an overflowing cup!