• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Live-In Kitchen logo

  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Resources
  • Contact
  • Work Together
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Vegetarian Snacks

    Chewy Granola Bars

    Lindsay Moe

    902 shares

    These Chewy Granola Bars are a sweet and healthy breakfast or snack!

    image of chewy granola bars on wooden surface
    Jump to Recipe

    Ever since we’ve made the switch to eating more whole foods, I feel my tastes have changed.

    Fruits taste sweeter, savory foods are more satisfying, and milk chocolate has really lost its luster.

    Still I can admit that there are a lot of foods that taste amazing in packaged form. Not to mention it’s so much easier to open a package than to cook something from scratch. I could seriously go to town on a can of frosting but would inevitably have a huge stomach ache (full of trans fats) when I was done. I could also make fresh pasta, knowing everything that went into it, but is it really worth the time and effort every single time?

    image of five granola bars on wooden surface

    This recipe comes to you courtesy of a request by my friend Erica. Here’s what Erica had to say:

    I need a simple and (relatively) heathy chewy granola bar for my husband to eat in the mornings. He eats the box ones like they are going out of style and ain’t no body got time for that!

    I assume what Erica means is, ain’t nobody got money for that. The boxes start adding up quick when you’re going through a few bars a day. I’ve been there, and I love those chewy little bars. Still, it’s good to have a copycat on hand once in a while, for both health and wallet reasons. While I’m still in love with this nutty granola bar, I’ve come up with a chewier version that is sure to please.

    This granola bar is totally customizable. They’re already vegan (if you use vegan chocolate or omit the drizzle). Use gluten free oats if you need to. Use almond or sunflower butter instead of peanut butter. Add raisins, peanut butter chips, or chocolate chips to the mix. You can also make a double batch and freeze the extras to have on hand any time you need them.

    side image of five granola bars on wooden surface

    What do you wish you could make from scratch instead of getting from a box?

    If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!

    sign up for our newsletter graphic
    a stack of three chewy granola bars on a wood cutting board

    Chewy Granola Bars

    These chewy granola bars are both sweet and wholesome, making them the perfect breakfast or snack!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 232kcal
    Author: Lindsay Moe

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups old fashioned oats
    • 1 cup firmly packed pitted dates
    • ½ cup raw cashews
    • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • ¼ cup natural creamy peanut butter
    • Pinch of salt
    • 2 ounces dark chocolate

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread oats evenly on a baking sheet and toast in the oven 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. When done toasting, transfer the oats to a medium bowl.
    • Place dates in a food processor and process until well chopped and dough-like (about 1 minute). Add dates to the oats in the bowl along with cashews, vanilla, maple syrup, peanut butter, and salt. Mix thoroughly, breaking up the dates until well incorporated throughout the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a parchment lined 8×8 baking dish and press down until evenly flattened.
    • In a small bowl, melt chocolate carefully in the microwave. Drizzle over the top of the bars. Transfer the bars to the freezer for 10 minutes to set.
    • Use the parchment to lift the bars out of the pan, then cut into 10 even bars. Store in an airtight container for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for several months.

    Notes

    Adapted from my Nutty Chocolate Chip Vegan Granola Bars, originally from Minimalist Baker

    Nutrition

    Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 33mg | Potassium: 298mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 16g | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @theliveinkitchen or tag #theliveinkitchen!

    More Snacks

    • Homemade veggie nugget dipped into sriracha ketchup.
      Homemade Veggie Nuggets with Sriracha Ketchup
    • three chocolate oat bars with oatmeal on a wood cutting board
      Chocolate Revel Bars
    • Maple nut breakfast cookies on a plate next to a mug of coffee and a bowl of nuts.
      Pillowy Maple Nut Breakfast Cookies
    • A close up image of apple honey goat cheese appetizer.
      Apple and Honey Goat Cheese Appetizer

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Kendra says

      November 08, 2013 at 11:11 am

      Pasta – I know I could make it but it takes SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO long to do. And I may try these – we go through granola bars like crazy!

      Reply
    2. Samantha says

      December 29, 2013 at 5:14 pm

      Thank you for this beautiful recipe. They are so delicious! <3

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        January 06, 2014 at 10:22 am

        I’m glad you liked them!

        Reply
    3. Mary Byrne says

      January 03, 2014 at 9:05 pm

      I’m looking up different store-bought stuff I can make homemade and these bars look delicious! I’m going to try and do this recipe substituting prunes for dates.

      Reply
    4. Mary Byrne says

      January 03, 2014 at 9:08 pm

      How long do you think these would last unrefridgerated or not in the freezer? I want to make vegan granola bars and snacks for an overnight trip and my friend is vegan. the trip is 2 nights.

      Reply
      • Lindsay Moe says

        January 06, 2014 at 10:23 am

        I think they would be ok for 2 nights. They would probably last 3-4 days out of the refrigerator if kept in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

        Reply
    5. taylor @ greens & chocolate says

      January 08, 2014 at 11:54 am

      Umm, YES! I am making these as soon as I am able to get my hands on some dates. These look delicious!

      Reply
    6. Harriet Emily says

      September 08, 2014 at 3:15 am

      I love granola bars! These look delicious and so much better than any store bought ones!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    lindsay moe in a kitchen with glasses on shelves behind her

    Hi, I'm Lindsay! I've been creating easily customizable vegetarian recipes since 2011. I love the outdoors, brownies, and brand new books. I live and work in La Crosse, Wisconsin and founded Wild Flour Media to expand on my love for food photography and videography to my community and beyond.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • single serving vegan cookie dough on a spoon
      Vegan Cookie Dough for One
    • featured image of two shot glasses with buttery nipple shot
      Buttery Nipple Shot
    • zesty cream cheese stuffed mini peppers close up
      Zesty Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers
    • single serving lemonade in a glass with lemons
      Single Serving Lemonade

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • About Lindsay
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Extras

    • Newsletter
    • Resources
    • On the Side

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work with Me
    • Wild Flour Media

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 The Live-In Kitchen

    Please read my Privacy Policy.
    902 shares