These chewy no-bake almond and cranberry granola bars make a healthy, satisfying snack made all in one pot with with NO butter, have no REFINED SUGAR added, and are VEGAN and GLUTEN FREE with certified gluten free oats.
Granola bars are one of my favorite easy snacks I turn to when I want to fuel up quickly after a workout. I make a different batch every week depending on what I have on hand.
I’ve been trying to come up with a healthier no-bake version that still tastes great with that perfect chewy texture.
Plus, it was important that this would remain an easy recipe that you can make all in ONE POT and without having to use a FOOD PROCESSOR. One of my least favorite things to do is having to wash 5 bowls just to make granola bars.
These Healthy Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars with Almond & Cranberry were one of the batches that met all of those criteria the best!
They come together easily in ONE POT and are sort of a cross between a Lara, Kind and Cliff bar combined in one.
They only contain a few ingredients that you can find easily with:
NO white flour
NO added butter
and NO added refined sugar.
With this batch, you get soft and chewy with crunchy almonds in every bite.
Peanut butter gives these that nutty flavor as well as protein to give you energy to start the day. Sub in almond butter or any other nut or seed butter if you don’t want to use peanut butter.
Plus, they’re also gluten free depending on the brand of oats you buy.
The cranberry and almond flavor work extremely well together in here but you can leave out the dried cranberries if you prefer. You can always toss in some dark chopped chocolate or even add cocoa powder and cashews to mix them up if you’d like.
And I find these bars are the perfect amount of sweetness even without any refined sugar. I wanted to keep my bars sugar-free but if you prefer your granola bars on the sweeter side, you can definitely add in the sweetener of your choice.
These bars give you that energy boost you need for a pre/post workout snack and make a healthy and hearty grab-and-go breakfast/snack that the entire family will love!
Add-ins for these Healthy Chew No-Bake Granola Bars
Feel free to use the ingredients and brands you love and have on hand. I am only sharing what I used to show that granola bars can be made healthier.
- rolled oats (I used certified gluten free oats)
- oat flour – (I made my own from certified gluten free oats)
- unsweetened shredded coconut (I used unsweetened organic coconut flakes)
- pitted dates – mixed with water to create a paste (I used medjool dates)
- coconut oil (I used organic extra virgin coconut oil)
- peanut butter (feel free to sub in your favorite nut or seed butter) (I used natural organic smooth peanut butter)
- almonds (again feel free to sub in your favorite nuts)
- sunflower seeds (feel free to sub in your favorite seeds or leave out entirely)
- dried cranberries (I used organic dried cranberries,refined sugar free) (optional – you may choose to leave these out or use your favorite dried fruit)
- ground cinnamon
- ground flaxseeds
Kelly
Yields 12-16 bars
These chewy no-bake almond and cranberry granola bars make a healthy, satisfying snack made all in one pot with with NO butter, have no REFINED SUGAR added, and are VEGAN and GLUTEN FREE with certified gluten free oats.
Save RecipeIngredients
*Homemade Date Paste
2 cups of pitted dates
1/2 cup of water
Granola Bars
Homemade date paste from amounts above (equals to about 1 cup)
1/2 cup of peanut butter or nut butter of your choice (preferably creamy and unsalted)
1/4 cup of coconut oil
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup oat flour (you can also make your own by blending rolled oats in a food processor)
1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon of ground flaxseeds
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of salt ***(leave out the salt if your nut butter is salted)
2 tablespoons of raw almonds, divided
1 tablespoons of dried cranberries, divided (use organic if needed)
1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds
Optional add-ins(All add-ins should add up to a maximum of 1/3 - 1/2 cup or else bars may not hold up very well)
Dried organic fruit of your choice
Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds)
Chia Seeds
Dark Chocolate, chopped finely
Unsweetened all natural cocoa powder
Instructions
- Line a 9x9 square pan (for thicker bars like in the pictures) or a 9x13 rectangular pan for thinner bars with parchment paper or foil that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray leaving an overhang over the pan for easy removal of bars.
- Add dates and water to a medium pot on medium low heat. Mash down with a fork and continue stirring and mashing while the mixture heats up. The dates should soften after about 3-5 minutes. Continue mashing and stirring until paste becomes smoother and uniform. It is okay to see some chunks still - as long as it is a uniform paste then it is ready to use.
- Make the granola bars
- Once the date paste is smooth and softened, add peanut butter and coconut oil to the pot. Stir constantly to combine and remove from heat once the mixture is smooth and the coconut oil has melted (about 1 minute). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Pour in the oat flour, shredded coconut, ground cinnamon and salt (if using) and mix in gently.
- Toss in the rolled oats and flaxseeds and combine gently with a spatula or large spoon. Fold in the sunflower seeds and half of the almonds and cranberries.
- Pour granola mixture into prepared pan.
- Spread evenly and press down firmly using a flat spatula. Sprinkle remaining almonds and dried cranberries evenly. Press down firmly again with spatula or your hands to flatten and bind together. Chill in the freezer for 1 hour or refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight to set.
- Remove from the freezer or fridge and use the foil overhang to transfer the uncut bars to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into even rectangles.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you have to stack them, be sure to use parchment paper or foil in between the layers, otherwise they'll stick together. Bars are best enjoyed straight out of the fridge since they tend to soften up at room temperature.
Notes
**Use certified gluten free oats if needed
**Use organic or sugar free products as needed
These bars aren't super sweet, so if you prefer something sweeter you can always add a touch of sweetener.
I used a 9x9 square pan for the bars as pictured since I like them thicker. You can choose to use a 9x13 pan if you like thinner bars. I find the thicker bars hold up better.
Bars are best enjoyed straight out of the fridge since they tend to soften up at room temperature. If you have to stack them, be sure to use parchment paper or foil in between the layers, otherwise they'll stick together.
They keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or store in freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
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