John and I have an obsession with granola bars. We started with Trader Joe’s Apple Pie Bars. We then tried more basic versions made with rolled oatmeal. We began to be suspicious of these ingredients, namely the high fructose corn devil.
Sometimes, you just want a snack with a lot of staying power. Since this is a Minimalist Baker, I wanted to make something simple. Enter the 5-Ingredient Granola Bar (No-Bake).
How to make Granola Bars
Dates, a natural sweetener called supah Powah, are the base of these bars. Almonds, oats, and peanut butter can also be added to the mix, along with maple syrup, honey, or agave.
That’s it. There are only five ingredients, and no baking is required (unless you toast the almonds and oats). They’ll last in your freezer forever (if you can resist).
Substitutions
If peanut butter isn’t your thing, you can substitute it with almond, sunflower butter, or any other nut/seed spread. If you want to keep them vegan, use maple syrup or agave in place of honey. To keep them gluten-free, use GF oats. Simple, customizable, delicious!
Salty-sweet, simple flavors, and wholesome ingredients—lots of crunch. I made this batch last week and have already used up one-quarter of the bar. It’s beyond my comprehension how I managed to conserve a quarter of ONE bar. If I knew myself, it’s likely that tomorrow, the bar won’t even be there.
They are a great snack because they will keep you satisfied for hours without a sugar rush. Thanks to the oats and almonds, they also contain a lot of fiber and healthy fats. You can now enjoy a mid-morning and afternoon snack.
Ingredients
- One heaping cup of dates (pitted or Medjool/deglet noor)*
- 1/4 cup maple or agave syrup (or honey, if you’re not vegan).
- 14 cups natural salted peanut or almond butter
- Roasted almonds, unsalted (loosely chopped; see roasting nuts instructions)
- Roll oats, 1 1/2 cups (gluten-free for GF eaters).
- Chocolate chips, dried fruits, nuts, banana chips, vanilla, etc. (optional additions)
Instructions
- In a processor, process dates until only small pieces remain (about one minute). It should have a dough-like consistency. Mine was rolled up into a ball.
- Optional Step: Toast oats and almonds in an oven at 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for 10-15 minutes or until they are golden brown. If you prefer the raw flavor, then leave them out.
- Set aside a large bowl of oats, dates, and almonds.
- Combine maple syrup (or honey, agave, or agave) and peanut butter in a small pan over low heat. Pour the mixture over the oats and mix. Break up the dates and distribute them evenly.
- Transfer the mixture to an 8×8-inch baking dish or another small pan lined with plastic wrap. A loaf pan will work, but the bars will be thicker. Adjust the pan size if changing the batch size.
- Use a flat object, such as a drinking cup, to flatten the bars. This helps them stay together.
- Cover with plastic or parchment wrap and allow to firm up in the fridge or freezer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the bars from the pan and cut them into ten bars, nine or nine squares (as per the original recipe). Store in an airtight container for several days. They were kept in the fridge, but that is not necessary.
