These healthy nut-free granola bars are no-bake, naturally sweetened, vegan, gluten-free, and made with just 6 wholesome ingredients. Pack them in your child's lunchbox or take them with you on your next hike for a healthy homemade snack!
If you've been looking for a nut-free granola bar recipe that doesn't contain any butter or brown sugar, this no-bake recipe is a great healthy alternative to the ones you'll find at the grocery store.
These healthy granola bars are naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup, and because they contain no peanut butter or nuts, they are perfect for school lunches and children with food allergies. They are also really tasty, and super easy to customize.
We haven't eaten any store-bought granola bars since we started making our own, and we don't feel like we're missing out one bit!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Healthy ingredients: Unlike a lot of the other recipes out there, these chewy granola bars don't contain any butter or sugar—instead, they are naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup. They also don't contain any of the preservatives that you'll find in store-bought snack bars.
- No-bake: You won't need to bake these granola bars in the oven, which means less time and hassle for you! I did toast the oats and seeds before combining them with the wet ingredients, but you don't have to.
- Food restriction and allergy friendly: This recipe is vegan, nut-free, gluten-free and refined sugar-free, which makes it suitable for a variety of diets.
- Perfect for school: Whether your children's school has a "no nut policy" or they happen to have friends with nut allergies, these school-approved granola bars would make a great school snack for you to pack in their lunchboxes.
Looking for more wholesome snack ideas? Try these Sour Watermelon Cherry Gummies made using real fruit!
Required Ingredients
- Rolled oats: I like rolled oats best, but if you don't have any, you can substitute quick oats—just keep in mind that they are smaller and break down more easily, so they will impact the texture and toasting time. I don't recommend using steel-cut oats for this recipe. If you need the bars to be gluten-free, buy oats that are designated gluten-free.
- Raw sunflower seeds: Make sure you buy shelled sunflower seeds, which have the dark outer shell removed. If you don't want to have to toast them, buy roasted (shelled) sunflower seeds instead.
- Raw pumpkin seeds: You may know these as "pepitas". Once again, you'll need to get the shelled kind. To avoid having to toast them, buy roasted pumpkin seeds rather than raw.
- Pitted dates: I typically use Medjool dates, but you may be able to use another type as long as they are sweet and somewhat moist. The dates don't need to be extremely soft and moist, but they shouldn't be hard and dry, either. (I buy mine at my local bulk food store.) If the dates are very dry, check the Helpful Tips section to learn how to prep them.
- Maple syrup: I use pure maple syrup. If you don't have or can't find any, agave syrup is the best substitute. You can also use honey, but the recipe will no longer be vegan.
- Sunflower seed butter: SunButter, store brands and even homemade sunflower seed butter will all work for this recipe. I usually buy mine at my local bulk food store. If you don't like the taste of sunflower seed butter, you can try a different type of nut-free spread like WOWBUTTER or pumpkin seed butter.
- Mix-ins (optional): The are lots of options here, including dried fruits (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, apples, bananas, raisins, figs, etc.), chocolate chunks or mini chocolate chips (dark, white or butterscotch), roughly chopped dark chocolate, or shredded coconut. For a fun treat, you can even throw in some not-so-healthy items like caramel bits, mini marshmallows or M&M's.
The full ingredient list, quantities and instructions can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Healthy Nut-Free Granola Bars (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Toast oats and seeds (optional). Spread the oats, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on a large baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until golden.
Step 2: Pulverize dates. While the oats and seeds are in the oven, place the dates in the food processor and run it for 30-60 seconds, until the dates form a dough-like consistency.
Step 3: Add maple syrup. Add the maple syrup and run the food processor until the ingredients have been fully combined, stopping to scrape the bowl of the food processor as needed.
Step 4: Add sunflower butter. Pour in the sunflower seed butter and run the food processor again until the ingredients are just combined.
Step 5: Combine wet and dry ingredients. While the oats are still warm, place them in a large mixing bowl and add the date mixture (along with any mix-ins—let the oats cool slightly if adding items that melt). Stir the ingredients together with a spoon, finishing with your hands if needed.
Step 6: Prep baking dish. Grab some parchment paper or plastic wrap and use it to fully cover the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish.
Step 7: Press granola bar mixture into dish. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and use a wooden spoon, the bottom of a glass cup, or even your hands to press down onto it and make it as compact as possible.
Step 8: Let harden & cut granola bars. Place the tightly packed granola mixture into the fridge for 30 minutes to let it firm up, then pull it out in one piece by pulling up the parchment paper or plastic wrap, and use a large kitchen knife to cut it into 12 bars.
We love taking these granola bars on road trips, or packing them in our kids' lunchboxes. They are so much better than store-bought granola and muesli bars—and a lot healthier, too!
Helpful Tips
- Toast the oats: While toasting the oats and seeds in the oven is optional, I highly recommend it because it gives the granola bars a nuttier, more complex flavor. If you're short on time and you decide to skip this step, try using roasted (unsalted) sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead of raw.
- Line the baking dish: Before you add the granola mixture to the baking dish, don't forget to line it with parchment paper or plastic wrap—this will allow you easily remove the granola bars from the pan. If you don't have parchment paper or plastic wrap, wax paper should work too.
- Soak dry dates: Moist dates will help hold the bars together. They don't need to be extremely moist, but if they are dry and unlikely to form a dough, you can soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes and fully drain it before placing them in the food processor.
- Choose the right mix-ins: The bars are quite tasty as-is, but if you wish to add mix-ins like chocolate chips or dried fruit, make sure not to add too many—especially dry ingredients like shredded coconut. The bars are held together by the date mixture, and they won't hold together as well if you add too many dry ingredients without increasing the amount of wet ingredients.
- Pack the bars tightly: When pressing the granola mixture into the baking dish, make sure to pack it as tightly as possible to help hold the bars together. To do this, you can press down the mixture using a wooden spoon, the bottom of a glass cup, your hands, or anything else that works for you.
These granola bars make a great snack, but they're even healthy enough to eat for breakfast. If you have any oats leftover and you're looking for more wholesome breakfast ideas, you can also try these Superfood Overnight Oats!
Storage Instructions
These granola bars can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. If you aren't planning on eating them all within 7 days, you can freeze them instead (instructions below).
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that wasn't answered here? Let me know in the comments and I'll be happy to help!
If you have tried this Healthy Nut-Free Granola Bars or any other recipe on our website, please let us know how it went in the comments below. We can't wait to hear from you!
Healthy Nut-Free Granola Bars (Allergy-Friendly!)
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 baking sheet optional
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 square baking dish (9 x 9 inches)
- plastic wrap or parchment paper as needed
- 1 cutting board
- 1 large kitchen knife
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds shelled
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds shelled
- 1 cup pitted dates Medjool or similar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup sunflower seed butter
- mix-ins: dried fruit, mini chocolate chips (white or dark) or roughly chopped chocolate, shredded coconut, etc. optional
Instructions
- Spread the oats, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds on a large baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, until golden. (This step is optional—skip it if you don't want toasted oats.)
- Meanwhile, place the dates in the food processor and run it for 30-60 seconds, until they form a dough-like consistency. Add the maple syrup and run the food processor until the ingredients have been fully combined, stopping to scrape down the bowl of the food processor as needed. Add the sunflower seed butter and run the food processor until just combined.
- While the oats are still warm, place them in a large mixing bowl and add the date mixture (along with any mix-ins—let the oats cool slightly if adding items that melt). Stir the ingredients together with a spoon, finishing with your hands if needed.
- Line the bottom of a square 9x9 baking dish using parchment paper or plastic wrap. Pour the granola mixture into the baking dish and use a wooden spoon, the bottom of a glass cup, or even your hands to press down onto it and make it as compact as possible.
- Place the baking dish in the fridge for 30 minutes to let it firm up, then pull it out in one piece by pulling up the parchment paper or plastic wrap, and use a large kitchen knife to cut it into 12 bars.
Notes
- Toast the oats: This is optional, but enhances the flavor. You can also use roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead, and leave the oats raw.
- Line the baking dish: To easily remove the granola bars from the baking dish, line the bottom with parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap.
- Soak dry dates: The dates should be most enough to form a dough-like consistency when pulverized in the food processor. If they are too dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and fully drain it before placing them in the food processor.
- Choose your mix-ins: Don't add too many mix-ins, especially if they're dry, as it may prevent the bars from holding together.
- Pack the bars: Press down on the granola mixture using a wooden spoon, the bottom of a glass cup or your hands in order to pack it as much as possible and help the bars hold together.