Granola bars that taste like a snickers bar? Yes, please! These are super simple to make vegan granola bars that are full of delicious wholesome ingredients like dates, oats, and more.
I’m convinced…. these might be the best granola bars EVER! They are super sticky, chewy, and crave-worthy! They are super easy to make and they don’t require an oven. Just whip up the mixture and pop them in a freezer. I came up with this recipe after I lived in LA during the summer and my house did not have A/C. The thought of turning on the oven was just not an option. This snack is the perfect summertime treat for that reason.
How to make them
It is so easy! Just start by pitting the dates and putting them in a bowl. Then, cover them with boiling water and let them soften for 10 minutes. Then, save the water the dates have been soaking in for later.
After the dates have softened, put in a high-speed blender with 2 tablespoons of date water and blend until it forms a paste-like consistency. If you aren’t using a strong enough blender, you can add a teaspoon of water at a time but not too much so the consistency gets watery.
Add the date paste and peanut butter to a non-stick saucepan and cook until lightly bubbly. This takes about 5 minutes and you want the mixture to be smooth and slightly runny. After it’s finished cooking, transfer to a large bowl and let the mixture cool.
Once the date and peanut butter mixture is cool to the touch, add in the rolled oats, buckwheat groats, peanuts, chocolate chips, and salt. Mix using a silicone spatula. The granola mixture will be very sticky.
Line a sheet of parchment or wax paper on a baking sheet and lay out the mixture on the baking sheet. Using the back of a spoon or measuring cup, lightly press the granola to about an inch in thickness into a shape of a rectangle.
After it’s been evenly laid out, put them into the freezer to set about an hour or until hard. Cut them into 12 equal pieces and enjoy!!
Notes
• The granola bars are very sensitive to heat, so it is best to keep them in a Tupperware in the freezer or refrigerator.
• To make the bars lower in fat, you can omit the extra peanuts for more oats.
• You can keep the granola bars in the freezer for up to two weeks in an airtight container. When you want to enjoy them, take them out of the freezer and let them defrost slightly.
No-Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup puffed rice cereal
- 1/2 cup buckwheat groats
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1/2 cup peanut butter almond butter is great as well
- 10 medjool dates
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Remove the pit from the dates and put them in a bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over the dates and let it sit for 10 minutes. Save the date water for later.
- Once the dates have soaked, pour them in a high speed blender with 2 tbsp of the date water it soaked in. Blend until smooth. If it needs more water, add in a little at a time so the mixture doesn't get too wet.
- In a pot, put the dates and peanut butter and the remaining date water. Cook for about 5 minutes or until it starts to bubble.
- Take the date and peanut butter mixture and transfer to a new bowl to cool slightly. Then add the remaining ingredients and stir until it all comes together.
- Take a piece of parchment paper and lay it out on a baking sheet. Place the granola mixture on to the baking sheet and press the mixture with a spatula or the back of a spoon. You want it to be evenly spread out to 1/2 inch thick in the shape of a rectangle.
- Pop the mixture into the freezer for 2 hours and cut into 12 equal pieces. Keep the granola bars either in the freezer or refrigerator and enjoy!
