These no bake granola bars are jam-packed with goodness and couldn’t be easier to make. There’s a date base which keeps it all together and wholesome ingredients like chia seeds, almonds and oats. Totally portable, these homemade granola bars make for a delicious breakfast on busy mornings or afternoon snack.
Do you love granola bars as much as we do?
Well, forget store-bought and make your own scratch-made granola bars with some simple, wholesome ingredients.
Once you make your own, there’s no going back!
Plus, this granola bar recipe is easily customizable so you can use what you have on hand or enjoy. Sound good? Let’s get to it!
If you like these scratch-made granola bars, check out this homemade granola recipe!
How To Make Granola Bars
Full details on how to make these homemade granola bars are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- To processor, add dates, almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt and vanilla. Process. Mixture will be thick and paste-like.
- Stop processor, uncover and add oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, almonds and cranberries. Process until combined. Mixture will be moist, but loose.
- Line a baking dish with parchment paper, just enough to overhang over the sides (for easier removal later) and pour granola bar mixture into dish.
- Press down hard with your hands or use a measuring cup (or the like) to really compact the mixture.
- Freeze.
- After freezing, cut into bars.
Storing and Enjoying
Store these homemade granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a week.
Tips and Variations
- The key here is to press down the mixture into the parchment paper-lined pan. Like, really, pack that goodness into the pan. Just when you think you have it packed in enough, press again.
- Don’t have almond butter on hand? Use peanut butter!
- Have walnuts on hand and no almonds? Use those!
- Rather use chocolate chips instead of dried cranberries? Go for it!
These no bake granola bars are pretty versatile, which makes it easy to use what you have on hand.
If you make this homemade granola bar recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Easy No Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups dates, pitted
- ¼ cup almond butter, or peanut butter
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 1 cup almonds, roughly chopped
- ¾ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
Instructions
- To a food processor, add dates, almond butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, salt and vanilla extract. Process until combined and dates broken down, about 2 minutes.
- To processor, add remainder of ingredients and process until combined, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- In a wax paper or parchment paper-lined freezer-safe dish (I used about a 8-inch x 11-inch dish), add mixture and firmly press down until packed into pan and level. Freeze until firm, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and cut into bars (I cut into 16 pieces, but you can do more or less, depending on the size you want). Store these homemade granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a week.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Elaine Williams
Hi, gosh these look delicious and so healthy. I’m curious about the texture, are they chewy or crispy? Thanks again for the awesome and video!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Elaine! They are chewy, but do have a lovely textural component from the almonds and chia seeds 🙂
Cindy
This is exactly what I need in my life right now. It is hot right now in SoCal and I would love to give my food processor a little workout and keep the heat out of the kitchen. Love the video, the pictures, and I am super inspired by this recipe.
Girl Heart Food
Thanks so much, Cindy 🙂
Justine | JustineCelina.com
Dawn, these look so yummy! I’m with you on recipes that are simple and approachable, so I totally appreciate the substitution suggestions you offered. I’m currently working on a loose granola recipe but totally love granola in bar form too. Great recipe!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Justine! Gotta have options, right? Have a wonderful week!
Amanda (Peppers & Pennies)
Dawn! The texture of these bars look A-MAY-ZING! I also looooove the ‘use what you’ve got’ mentality. It is a great way to save money, use up the bits and pieces from other baking projects and really get comfortable with adapting recipes to suit your needs. Keep it up!
Girl Heart Food
Yay!! Thank you Amanda!! Definitely love to use what ya got – waste not, want not, right? Have a wonderful week!
Marissa
Dawn! These look incredible. And the fact that you don’t even need to bake them!? I’m in. We love to hike and bike this time of year and this is just the kind of portable, delicious snack I want in my backpack!
Girl Heart Food
Thank you Marissa!! These would be perfect for hiking 🙂
Janice http://www.kitchenhealssoul.com/ Lawandi
As somebody who isn’t very experienced with no-bake foods, the video is super helpful to visualize the textures and how long to blend in the food processor. I’ll definitely add this one to the list of recipes to try (it’ll be a nice way to get a sweet treat and balance out all the butter in my life, hah!)
Girl Heart Food
So happy to hear you say that, Janice! Glad it was helpful!! Hope you enjoy them and I definitely understand ya about the butter – love that stuff a little too much, lol.
Katie Crenshaw
These look brilliant Dawn. I love that you don’t have to bake them and they are easy. I am always looking for a healthy snack for my husband to bring to work. I will make him a big batch of these. xoxo
Girl Heart Food
Thanks Katie! I love to make a batch every week! Hope you guys love them as much as we do! xoxo
Sarah @ Champagne Tastes
Where was this before I left on my backpacking trip a few weeks ago??? Lol. I make my own trail mix, but so far I haven’t tried making granola or granola bars.. I so should have made a bunch of these last month!
Girl Heart Food
You need to try ’em! I’m sure you’d [email protected] Maybe make for next time 😉 Thanks Sarah!