This is my go-to recipe for granola bars – no baking required! No bake granola bars require only grinding up nuts and oats, stirring in dried fruit and other additions. A mixture of honey, peanut butter and coconut oil keeps the mixture together. Then simply chill, cut into bars and enjoy!
No bake granola bars are a staple in our household. They are an essential snack for not only the farmers but also our children. What I love about these bars is that they are full of flavor and nutrition but also taste very indulgent. In the heat of the summer and the chaos of spring, I appreciate that I do not need to turn on my oven in order to crank out a batch of these bars. I love snacking on them alone or serving them with yogurt. Be sure to try my recipe for Honey Almond Granola as well!
HOW TO MAKE NO BAKE GRANOLA BARS
- 1. First honey, peanut butter and coconut oil are melted together.
- 2. Next, whole almonds, cashews and oats are pulverized to small pieces.
- 3. Additional oats, dried fruit and other additions are added.
- 4. Then the melted honey, peanut butter and coconut oil are poured over the dry mixture and stirred together. The mixture is cooled first before adding chocolate chips.
- 5. The bars are pressed into a 9 x 13″ baking pan and chilled.
NOTES & INGREDIENTS
- Honey, peanut butter & coconut oil: In place of honey, brown rice syrup can be used. I have not tried maple syrup. Another creamy nut butter can be used in place of peanut butter. I recommend sticking with coconut oil because it solidifies at room temperature and helps the bars hold their shape. Ghee could also be a good alternative to coconut oil.
- Whole almonds and cashews: Walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts or brazil nuts can be used in place of almonds and cashews. Feel free to experiment! Do not pulverize the nuts completely in the food processor. A little texture is helpful.
- Ground flax seeds: I enjoy using flaxmeal or ground flaxseed for the nutritional benefits. Almond meal, almond flour or oat flour can be used instead.
- Dried cranberries and raisins: Other dried fruits can be used. I recommend chopping larger dried fruits up into small pieces.
- Other additions: As mentioned above, chocolate chips can be stirred in once the mixture has cooled a bit. Other options include sunflower, sesame, flax or chia seeds.
No Bake Granola Bars
A recipe for homemade granola bars – no baking required!
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 small saucepan
- 1 whisk
- 1 heat proof spatula
- 1 9 x 13 baking pan
- parchment paper
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 ruler optional
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup (95 grams) whole almonds
- 2/3 cup (75 grams) whole cashews
- 1 1/2 cups (128 grams) old fashioned oats, divided
- 1/3 cup (35 grams) ground flax seeds
- 1/3 cup (35 grams) dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) raisins
- 1/3 cup (115 grams) honey
- 3/4 cup (200 grams) creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp (28 grams) coconut oil
- 1/3 cup (60 grams) mini chocolate chips or other additions like seeds optional
Instructions
- Line a 9 x 13" baking pan with parchment paper and grease it lightly. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, combine the honey, peanut butter and coconut oil. Melt over medium low heat until all the ingredients can be whisked together into a creamy consistency. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, combine the almonds, cashews and 90 grams of oats. Pulse until the oat and nut mixture is broken down into very small pieces.
- Dump the oat and nut mixture into a large bowl. To it add the remaining 45 grams of oats, ground flax, dried cranberries and raisins. Mix everything well.
- Pour the slightly cooled honey, peanut butter and coconut oil over the dry mixture. Using a heatproof spatula, stir the mixture until well combined. If adding chocolate chips, let the mixture cool a bit more before stirring them in.
- Scrape the granola bar mixture into the greased pan and press it evenly. Let the mixture chill in the refrigerator for about an hour before cutting into bars. Granola bars can be kept in an airtight container the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
