Healthy Granola Bars (Gluten-Free)
This simple recipe for Granola Bars happens to be gluten-free, vegan, oil-free, and dairy-free which makes them a super healthy option for breakfast or a snack.
This delicious vegan granola bar recipe is from, The Mediterranian Plate: Plant-Based Recipe Free From Gluten, Salt, Oil, & Sugar, by Debbie Adler. It is published here with permission from the author.
If you are looking for something like protein balls that are great for traveling and snacking, give these oatmeal energy balls a try.
Technically, these are no-bake Gluten-Free Granola Bars, except for the light roasting prep I give the oats, nuts, and seeds. This small act of kindling helps bring out subtle aromatic flavors that raw doesn’t provide. And, with the copious amounts of fiber, omegas, calcium, and other vitamins these bars contain, eating them for breakfast is encouraged.
Recipe Creator, Debbie Adler
Ingredients needed for granola bars
These healthy granola bars are made with only wholesome ingredients. No oil. No dairy.
- Rolled Oats- Oats are naturally gluten-free, however, they can be cross-contaminated during processing if the facility also processes other grains. If you are gluten-intolerant, be sure any oats bought say “certified gluten-free.”
- Dates- It’s important to use Medjool dates for the perfect texture and chewiness.
- Nuts- This recipe calls for almonds and pistachios, but you can use any nuts you prefer. Be sure to get the raw, unsalted variety.
- Seeds- Pumpkin seeds and chia seeds add important omegas and fiber.
- Sweetener- Coconut nectar provides the perfect sweetness to these bars. Other options include maple syrup, date syrup, and agave nectar.
What makes these healthy?
Keeping healthy snacks on hand at all times is super important when you are living a healthy lifestyle. Snacking doesn’t have to be a bad thing because food is actually what fuels our bodies. It’s the quality of the snack that matters.
Instead of grabbing a greasy bag of potato chips, these hearty and filling granola bars (and even Homemade Oil-Free Potato Chips) are a great way to curb a growling stomach. These bars are loaded with fiber and protein that will keep you feeling full for hours. Another great granola recipe is our peanut butter granola cereal.
For those looking for more gluten-free recipes, check out these 63 Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes as well as our Gluten-Free Category Page.
How to make healthy granola bars
- Begin by removing the pit from the Medjool dates and soaking them in water for approximately 20 minutes to soften.
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 15 x 13-inch baking sheet and an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- To make the granola, spread the oats, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds in an even layer on the prepared 15 x 13-inch baking sheet. Drizzle the coconut nectar over the nuts and seeds and toss to combine.
- Bake until the oats turn a light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Add the dates to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the cooled granola mixture and pulse until everything comes together but still has texture.
- Transfer the mixture from the food processor to the prepared 8 x 8-inch prepared pan and spread in an even layer with the back of a wet spoon.
- Place the pan in the freezer for an hour. Take it out and cut it into 9 bars.
Granola bar recipe tips
- Don’t skip roasting- This step helps bring out subtle aromatic flavors that raw doesn’t provide.
- Soaking the dates- In order for the dates to be soft enough to be blended in your food processor, the dates must be soaked for at least 20 minutes. A little longer is fine.
- Sweetener- Good substitution options for the coconut nectar are maple syrup or date syrup.
- Chilling process- As much as you will want to eat these right away, don’t skip the chilling process. They need time and a cooler temperature to help them hold together well.
- Storage- Keep the bars individually wrapped in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months
More healthy snack recipes
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Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- ½ cup raw unsalted almonds
- ½ cup raw pistachios
- ¼ cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons coconut nectar or date syrup, maple syrup, agave nectar
- 15 Medjool dates pitted and soaked for 20 minutes and drained
Instructions
- Begin by removing the pit from the Medjool dates and soaking them in water for approximately 20 minutes to soften.
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line a 15 x 13-inch baking sheet and an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- To make the granola, spread the oats, almonds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, and chia seeds in an even layer on the prepared 15 x 13-inch baking sheet. Drizzle the coconut nectar over the nuts and seeds and toss to combine.
- Bake until the oats turn a light golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Add the pre-soaked dates to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the cooled granola mixture and pulse until everything comes together but still has texture.
- Transfer the mixture from the food processor to the prepared 8 x 8-inch prepared pan and spread in an even layer with the back of a wet spoon.
- Place the pan in the freezer for an hour. Take it out and cut it into 9 bars.
Video
Notes
- Don’t skip roasting- This step helps bring out subtle aromatic flavors that raw doesn’t provide.
- Soaking the dates- In order for the dates to be soft enough to be blended in your food processor, the dates must be soaked for at least 20 minutes. A little longer is fine.
- Sweetener- Good substitution options for the coconut nectar are maple syrup or date syrup.
- Chilling process- As much as you will want to eat these right away, don’t skip the chilling process. They need time and a cooler temperature to help them hold together well.
- Storage- Keep the bars individually wrapped in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About the Chef
Debbie Adler is a plant-based chef, bakery owner, and the award-winning cookbook author of the critically acclaimed Sweet, Savory & Free: Insanely Delicious Plant-Based Recipes without any of the Top 8 Food Allergens, and Sweet Debbie’s Organic Treats: Allergy-free & Vegan Recipes from the Famous Los Angeles Bakery.
Debbie is a plant-based cooking and baking instructor and her popular online courses Plant Powerful Life GPS, Quintessential Health 360° and The Complete Plant Powerful Weight Loss System have been taken by hundreds of students worldwide.
She has been interviewed on NBC’s Nightly News, ABC-7’s Eyewitness News, CBS Los Angeles and the national superstationWGN.
Debbie has been featured in the Los Angeles Times and on NPR’s radio show Here and Now. Her recipes have been published in national publications such as Pilates Style Magazine, Naked Food Magazine, Allergic Living, Living Without, Simply Gluten-Free, Delight Gluten-Free, Ventura Blvd, and Low Sugar Living, as well as on popular websites and blogs such as Cosmopolitan, One Green Planet, The Kitchn, Chic Vegan, Austin Food Magazine, and Self.
Follow Debbie:
Is there a sub for coconut nectar or can it be left out? I’m not sure what other recipes I can use it for
The recipe creator, Debbie Alder, suggests maple syrup or date syrup as a substitute for coconut nectar. I’ll add that information to the article.
Terri
I made this recipe today and used maple syrup per your suggestion and it was delicious! Toasting everything first gives it a perfect crunch! Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Beth- So glad that you liked these! Debbie Adler has other great recipes like these in her book, The Mediterranian Plate: Plant-Based Recipe Free From Gluten, Salt, Oil, & Sugar.
Hi Terri! At first blush I wasn’t sure I was going to remake these bars. But after consuming a few, straight out of the freezer, I was hooked. Great way to ingest magnesium and seeds for gut health and more. Consuming with a daily smoothie is a good meal substitute 🙂
I must say, I like the granola a lot before processing it, as a ‘bark’ , but I don’t know how that would hold up.
Don’t doubt the process people, it works!