Healthy Nut-Free Granola Bars (Allergy-Friendly!)
These 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!
Servings: 12 bars
Calories: 170kcal
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
1. Storage instructions: Store the granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
2. Ingredient substitutions: Rolled oats can be replaced with quick oats, but not with steel-cut oats. Maple syrup can be replaced with agave syrup (vegan) or honey (not vegan). Sunflower seed butter can be replaced with a different nut-free spread like WOWBUTTER or pumpkin seed butter.
3. Mix-in ideas: Dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, blueberries, apricots, figs, etc.), mini chocolate chips (dark, white or butterscotch) or chocolate chunks, roughly chopped chocolate, shredded coconut, caramel bits, mini marshmallows, M&M's.
4. Helpful tips:
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg