No-Bake Granola Bars

These no-bake granola bars are both delicious and nutritious. They have the perfect combo of protein, fiber-packed carbohydrates, and nourishing fats that will give you that burst of energy you need when emergency hunger strikes and keep you feeling full and satisfied long after eating!

If you’ve been around here for a while, you know I love snacks! As a registered dietitian, I know there is a lot of contradictory information out there around snacks (like snacking is ‘bad’ for you or only eat snacks that are high in protein and low sugar). So I want to start with saying  – snacks are your friend! If you’re having afternoon energy crashes, feeling intense cravings throughout the day or getting overly hungry between meals, having a snack or two throughout the day can be a total game changer!

These no-bake granola bars are the perfect snack – quick and easy to make, nutrition-packed and full of flavor (my hubby Meik said these are the best bars I’ve ever made). They require less than 10 minutes of hands-on time to yield 16 bars and require just 8 simple pantry staple ingredients that will satiate your hunger while keeping your blood sugars stable.

I like to keep a stash of grab and go options in the house, so I recommend meal prepping any home made snacks by doubling the recipe and freezing half. Every time I do this, I thank my past self (and I’m pretty sure you will too!). 

How to Make Home-Made Granola Bars

Home-made granola bars are really easy to make – 8 ingredients and zero oven time – yes please! 
To  start, add the nut butter and flavor boosters to a medium saucepan (I use peanut butter and vanilla) and cook on medium heat until it reaches a smooth consistency. Remove from heat and stir in your honey (or an alternative binder/sweetener but I find honey works the best with its stickiness) and finally add your mix-in ingredients. This recipe calls for rolled oats, almonds, chia seeds and salt but you can use any of the ingredients listed here or any other combo you might love! Finally, pour mixture into a parchment lined 8.5 x 11” pan, press down firmly and put in the freezer or fridge for 1-2 + hours. Cut into 12-14 pieces and store in an airtight container or reusable storage bag in the fridge or freezer and enjoy!

Are Granola Bars Healthy? Nutrition Explained!

Before we dig into the nutrition side of things, I want to talk about the word healthy and how we use it here at Make Food Feel Good Wellness. Diet culture has turned it into a buzzword designed to make you feel that ‘health’ looks, eats and exercises a certain way. Well, we don’t subscribe to that narrative. When we use the word ‘healthy’, we’re encompassing physical, mental AND emotional health (and without one we don’t have the others). 

Yes! Granola bars are packed full of nutrition and flavor. They have the perfect balance of protein and satiating fats from the almonds and peanut butter plus fiber, vitamins, and minerals from the oats, chia seeds and honey (which also adds the perfect touch of sweetness – and no, sugar is nothing to fear! More on that below).

Rolled Oats: I always have a package of rolled oats on hand. They’re a great source of energy and are high in soluble fiber (great for blood sugar control and can also help lower cholesterol) and a variety of vitamins and minerals including magnesium, B vitamins and zinc.   

Peanut Butter & Almonds: Full of protein and healthy fats, nuts are known for their staying power. They slow the rise of blood sugars and give you longer lasting fullness and energy. 

Chia Seeds: They may be small but they pack a powerful (nutrient) punch! These little guys are full of fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acid and a multitude of vitamins and minerals including calcium. Try them in your morning oatmeal, yogurt or add them into a green smoothie!

Honey: This sweetener not only adds flavor it helps the bars to bind together.

As a dietitian, I am often asked about sugar. “Is sugar bad for me?” “Should I eliminate sugar from my diet?” It’s gotta be one of the most confusing topics for our clients and I don’t blame them, there is so much contradictory information out there. So let’s start with a breakdown of the types of sugars. 

Your Sugar Questions Answered

Sugars are broken down into two categories – natural and added. Natural sugars are found in whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. They’re unrefined (unprocessed) and an additional benefit to these foods because they contain a slew of other benefits like vitamins, minerals and fiber.  

Added sugars are not naturally found in food, they’re added in to boost an item’s sweetness, flavor or texture. While honey comes from a natural source, it is considered an added sugar. Added sugars can be unrefined (think honey, maple syrup or agave) or refined (brown and granulated sugar). 

Remember, healthy food is not just about nutrients. It’s about how it makes you feel mind, body and soul. Sometimes it means saying yes to a piece of cake for a friend’s birthday and other times it looks like grabbing a juicy orange for an afternoon snack. 

How Do You Make Granola Bars Stick Together? 

One of the tricky things about granola bars is making sure they hold their shape. We’ve all had those granola bars that fall apart as soon as you open them and, while I love a good crunch, I don’t always have time to vacuum myself after eating a snack. 

To keep everything together, you need a sturdy base and a binder (the ingredient that will hold it together). While there are several base and binder combinations you can use (see substitutions here), I used quick oats and honey.

Quick oats are the star in a lot of my snack recipes (like these coconut lemon energy balls and these soft and crispy oatmeal almond butter cookies). Not only are they a pantry staple in our household, they’re also a great source of energy and absorb the flavor of the other ingredients they’re mixed with. Honey is a perfect binder because it maintains its consistency at room temperature and adds a tasty sweetness to the bars.

Can You Make No Bake Granola Bars Vegan?

You can easily adjust this recipe to make it vegan by replacing the honey and chocolate with vegan-friendly alternatives.

Honey

There are many vegan sweeteners that you can use like coconut palm syrup, brown rice syrup or date syrup. They have similar sweetness profiles as honey and will help hold everything together. 

Dark Chocolate

Most dark chocolates are vegan however there are some brands that use dairy products. Always check the ingredient list first and look for chocolate with 55% cacao/cocoa or higher. Alternatively, you can replace it with any other vegan friendly topping options like a dairy-free caramel, cranberries or shredded coconut.   

Granola Bar Ingredient Substitutions

In the Make Food Feel Good Program, we teach our members to look at recipes as templates instead of mandatory scripts you have to follow. Once they feel comfortable in the kitchen, I encourage them to make substitutions based on personal preferences, ingredients readily available or just because! It’s amazing how creative you can get when you remove the pressure of following a recipe 🙂

Here are a few ideas for you to try out!

Mix-In Ideas and Substitutions

To mix things up, try replacing any of the below ingredients for one of the suggested swaps! 

• Chia Seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds
• Almonds: Cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pecans 
• Peanut Butter: Almond butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter
• Honey: Coconut palm syrup, date syrup, brown rice syrup
• Vanilla Extract: Almond extract, orange extract, peppermint extract
• Oats: Your favorite cereal like cheerios, rice krispies or rice puff cereal

Topping Ideas and Substitutions

• Dried fruit: Cranberries, blueberries, apricots, goji berries, freeze dried strawberries
• Chocolate: White Chocolate, milk chocolate, crushed chocolate bar of your choice, caramel sauce or melted nut or seed butter 
• Other: Shredded coconut, edible flowers, lemon zest, & orange zest 

Best Granola Bar Ingredient Combinations

The best part about these no-bake granola bars is that you can hand pick your favorite ingredients and combos! 

Some of my favorite combos are:

• Dark Chocolate Sea Salt
• Chocolate Cranberry
• White Chocolate & Apricot
• Sea Salt & Caramel 
• Trail Mix: Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Cranberries

How to Store

This recipe stores well so you may even want to double it and keep half in the freezer!

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Freezer: Store in a reusable storage bag or airtight container for up to 3 months. I recommend placing parchment paper between layers of the bars to prevent them from sticking together.

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