Vegan Granola Bars (Chewy + Healthy)
These vegan granola bars are soft, fudgy, chewy, and easy to make! They require 9 simple ingredients that magically blend together to create an explosion of flavor. And you can enjoy them without even turning the oven on. Filled with protein, fiber and free from refined sugar, they are the perfect everyday snack or breakfast on the go.
Servings: 10 bars
Calories: 280kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates - (around 12 Medjool dates), pitted
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup dried fruits
- 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder - (or vanilla extract)
Instructions
- Lightly oil an 8-inch square pan and cover the bottom and the sides with parchment paper. Make sure to leave a bit of excess paper to make it easier to remove the bars from the pan.
- Add the pitted dates and 2 tablespoons of water to a food processor and blend until the dates become like a dough-consistency paste (see note 1).
- Place the oats, nuts, dry fruits, seeds, vanilla, almond butter, and date paste in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Transfer the mixture into the pan, and press it firmly using your hands or something flat like a measuring cup or a spatula.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours or put in the freezer for 30 minutes until set.
- Remove from the pan using the extra parchment paper hanging from the sides, and slice into granola bars with a sharp knife into 10 pieces.
Notes
Note 1: I always use Medjool dates in my recipes, as they are much softer and taste so good. But if you can only find regular dates, make sure to soften them in warm water for a few minutes before processing them.
Note 2: If you prefer crunchy granola bars, you can bake them in the oven. Preheat the oven at 350F (180C) and bake the bars for 20-30 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Let them cool down completely before cutting them.
How to store: You can keep the granola bars at room temperature for 3 days or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate per servings.
* Total time includes resting time in the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Sugar: 15g