Making Gluten Free Granola Bars
In times past I have attempted to lighten up this recipe by cutting back on the sugar and oil, but the texture just would never come out the same. The dense, chewy texture of these bars is what I love most about them, so I decided to leave the sugar and oil ratios alone, instead I subbed some allergy friendly and slightly healthier versions of ingredients.
And instead of the wheat germ in the original recipe, I use ground flaxseed in our gluten free granola bars. This has three purposes: it adds fiber, it adds moisture, and it acts as a binder since there is no gluten in these bars .
This recipe can easily be doubled to bake in a 9×13-inch pan, just watch the baking time to make sure they get cooked through but dont get burned. You dont want to over-cook these granola bars or they will become pretty hard. Just cook until they have a nice golden color around the edge of the pan.
Check out our other great snack recipes!
And make sure not to wait till they are completely cool before cutting them. Once these come out of the oven, let them cool a little bit, then remove them from the pan and cut while still slightly warm, then cool completely. Once they are completely cooled, they are harder to cut.
We recently revamped this post originally published March 2013, here are a few of our old photos:
How To Help My Peanut
These granola bars are healthy and homemade, which can make them more gentle. But here are a few tips on how to make yours hold well:
- Be sure to take some time to flatten and tighten the bars before baking them. Use the bottom of a glass if needed.
- Let the bars completely cool down in the fridge before cutting, this is essential! They need to rest so the oats soak up on the moisture and chilling them will firm up the seed butter and maple syrup, which will create a sticky base for everything to hold nicely.
- Once fully cooled down, then cut the bars right into the container. It contains the mixture in a tight space and prevents the bars from breaking up while cutting.
Bear Naked Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Granola
Ingredients: Whole grain oats*, cane sugar*, hazelnut butter*, expeller pressed sunflower oil*, whole oat flour*, hazelnuts*, semisweet chocolate* , sunflower seeds*, honey*, pumpkin seeds*, chocolate*, sea salt, rosemary extract* for freshness.
Is your sweet tooth hankering for a Nutella on toast breakfast? Skip the nutrition-void combo and opt for Bear Naked’s dark chocolate hazelnut granola. It’s packed with healthy-fat-filled hazelnut butter, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds and will nix your chocolate craving right in the bud!
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What Can I Use Instead Of Brown Sugar Or Coconut Sugar
Ive tried these nut-free granola bars with coconut sugar and while they worked, they were indeed more fragile than the brown sugar version. But they were still super tasty and could be transported just not as well.
If you used white granulated sugar, youd probably have the same result. It might work but the bars will likely be more brittle and drier.
Are Chocolate Chips Dairy Free
Regular, run-of-the-mill chocolate chips that youll find at regular grocers are not dairy free, and therefore also not vegan. To find dairy-free chocolate chips, you have to buy a specialty brand. We love Enjoy Life. They are starting to become more available, like at Wal-Mart, but if not theres always Amazon.
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Easy Homemade Granola Bars 12 Varieties
Granola bars are one of those snacks that everyone loves. There are plenty of brands that make great granola bars, but nothing compares to these easy homemade ones! Theyre so fresh and flavorful, and you can make them exactly how you like them.
You can enjoy these bars for breakfast, as a pre-workout snack, in a packed lunch or really whenever!
There are lots of baked and no-bake options here, and some of the granola bar variations can be made either way. Each recipe is gluten-free and refined sugar free, and there are also some delicious options for vegan, nut-free, low-carb/keto and completely sugar-free granola bars!
Heres The Lowdown On This Recipe:
These truly are superfood bars with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax, chia, quinoa and oats! Its the perfect energy bar!
This recipe is allergy friendly just make sure you are using gluten free oats and vegan chocolate if you are making it for someone with an allergy.
The bars are soft and chewy with a little hint of crunch from the quinoa & seeds.
These bars are basically no bake! All you have to do is toast the quinoa, oats & seeds.
Hope you love these bars as much as I loved making them. Keep the requests coming it inspires me to create fun goodies for you.
If you make this recipe, Id love to see a photo! Snap a pic, upload it to instagram and tag #ambitiouskitchen!
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Freeze For Later Cooking Day Directions
These directions help you cook or prepare this meal PRIOR to being frozen for serving later .
Why Make Your Own Granola Bars
Sure you can easily pick up a granola bar at the store. But have you read the ingredients on some of them? By making your own healthy granola bars at home, you know exactly what is in them plus:
- You can control the ingredients that go into your soft and chewy granola bars
- Save money and time. No need to run out to the store!
- Any dietary restrictions can be accommodated!
- Make a few batches for the week for a quick and easy grab and go / after workout snack and add some to your lunchbox arsenal on your Sunday meal prep day.
Having an arsenal of quick and healthy snacks are definitely the way to go, especially during the busy months of back to school season and after the new year in January and February.
Energy bites,breakfast cookies and granola bars are one of our favorite easy snacks to make when were meal prepping on Sunday.
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Nut Free Granola Bars
While we often love nuts in our granola bars, schools and allergies do not. That’s why we came up with this nut free granola bar recipe. It’s the perfect snack to slip into your kids’ lunch box.
The bars are chewy and taste like a real treat. They are made with dates and a little maple syrup, which will win over any sweet tooth.
But don’t worry, you can feel great knowing the sweetness comes naturally from dried fruit and just a little unrefined sugar .
Gluten Free Nut Free Granola Low In Sugar Or Sugar Free
You have a variety of keto approved sweeteners to choose from: monk-fruit extract, stevia or erythritol. But if youre are not looking for a keto granola recipe you can also use date sugar, maple sugar or coconut sugar, which are better than refined sugar. These granulated natural sweeteners will definitely enhance that crunchy granola feel.
To make a grain free sugar free cereal, leave the added sugar out and use only a few dried fruits or freeze-dried fruits of your choice.
The best low glycemic fruits to add to your homemade vegan keto granola, are: berries like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and cranberries.
I like the freeze dried fruits because their antioxidants are preserved while freezing and also have no added sugar, no oil or preservatives unlike their heat dried counterparts. Plus their shelf-life is considerably longer.
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Can I Omit Or Use Something In Place Of The Crisp Rice Cereal
I wouldnt recommend omitting it. Then youd have too much of the wet mixture.
Anything you substitute wont be an exact sub. Whatever it is wont absorb liquid just the same, meaning how well the bars hold together would be affected.
If you absolutely cant use the cereal, omitting it would be preferable to trying to find a sub.
Why These Gluten Free Granola Bars Are Great:
Not only are these granola bars full of flavor, but they are also refined sugar-free! If you are looking for a healthy, gluten free sugar-free breakfast bar, this is the recipe for you. The ingredients are fully customizable so you can use the ingredients your kids love most.
If you love oats as much as we do, you will want to make my Gluten Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies too!
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Homemade Granola Bar Tips
Dont forget to chill. These bars need time to set up in the fridge so dont cut them right away. Give them a good hour or even overnight before slicing and eating the bars.
Store them in the fridge. Speaking of keeping things cool, youll want to store these in the fridge in a container for about a week. You can freeze them, just wrap them in a bit of wax or parchment paper before storing in the freezer. And make sure to let them thaw in the fridge or countertop before eating. Dont chip a tooth over these frozen granola bars.
Glutenfreeda’s Apple Almond Honey Granola
Ingredients: Certified gluten-free oats, apples, almonds, honey, flax seeds.
Bits of apples and almonds give this granola a hearty vibe. We love that this breakfast pick is made with just five wholesome superfoods. Sprinkle a serving atop mashed sweet potatoes for a killer casserole. Another genius idea? Blend some granola into your morning smoothie!
RELATED: This 7-day smoothie diet will help you shed those last few pounds.
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Gluten Free Dairy Free Nut Free Granola Bars
The Cook
You can rest easy with this recipe for Gluten Free Dairy Free Nut Free Granola Bars that is also free of eggs and can be soy free too, not a common combination for a granola bar. And they are delicious, too!
- 1 ½ cups peel and mash Banana
- & frac13 cups melt Coconut Oil
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ cups Rolled Oats, Gluten Free
- ½ cups Pumpkin Seeds
- 1 cup Cranberries, Dried
- ½ cups Chocolate Chips, Dairy Free
How Can I Turn These Into Vegan Granola Bars
To make these nut-free granola bars vegan, just use brown rice syrup in place of the honey. I much prefer maple syrup as a sweetener so I tried that.
The result was dry and crumbly. The taste was great but they didnt hold together.
If you really want to use maple syrup, I recommend finding another recipe.
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Granola Bar Customization Ideas:
- Swap sunflower butter for another seed butter like pumpkin or hemp
- Add cinnamon to the mixture or other spices like allspice or ginger!
- Use some vanilla extract or other flavorings to change things up!
- Never say no to some allergy-free natural sprinkles!
- Use a different size pan or cut them into squares or fun shapes with cookie cutters!
How To Make Nut Free Granola Bars
What I love about this recipe is how easy breezy it really is. Only 3 steps are between you and your granola bars.
First, stir together the wet ingredients of sunflower seed butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and vanilla extract.
Next, add in all the remaining ingredients. Give it a good mix! You might think its too thick and wont come together, but I promise it will. Just keep mixing!
Finally, press your granola into a lined container and chill in the fridge for about an hour.
How easy is that??
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Faq + Tips For The Best Soft Granola Bars
WATCH THE BOILING TIME. You really want to follow the directions and let the mixture boil 3-4 minutes before pouring it into your oatmeal mixture. If you boil it less, they may not hold together as well. If you boil it too long, the mixture may be thicker, and the granola bars will end up more dry and hard.
PACK THEM TIGHTLY. The other important tip for perfectly soft, chewy granola bars is to pack them as tightly as you can. The more densely you can pack them into your container, the better theyll stay together as they cool. If you dont pat them down at all, theyre more likely to fall apart when you pick them up. If you pack them down, you shouldnt have any trouble slicing them into bars or squares once theyve set.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS. We store our soft granola bars in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator or freezer after slicing them. The less air exposure, the softer theyll stay. Theyll keep for 4-5 days in the fridge and about a month in the freezer.
GLUTEN FREE NOTES. If youre gluten free, be sure youre using certified gluten free oats and certified gluten free crisp rice cereal. Neither oats nor crisp rice contain wheat gluten themselves, but theyre often processed or grown in ways that can cause cross-contamination. Certified GF is the way to go if youre intolerant!
Are Homemade Granola Bars Healthy
There are so many “bars” out there. From granola bars, protein bars, meal replacement bars. The store-bought market is crazy saturated with choices and 90% of them are pretty much garbage. They’re either 500 calories , contain loads of sugar, have every allergen under the sun, and not to mention…a single bar can get pricy! Homemade granola bars, on the other hand, specifically these gluten-free granola bars ARE healthy!
- Packed with complete plant protein from the quinoa flakes and sunflower seed butter These is about 88g in this entire recipe!)
- Healthy fats from the sunflower butter for lasting satiety.
- Complex carbohydrates from the whole grain quinoa flakes .
- Fiber, potassium, B Vitamins, and Vitamin C from the banana.
- Lots of iron from the quinoa flakes and sunflower butter.
- No added sugar, just the natural sweetness of ripe bananas.
- Easy on the tummy and not rough to digest.
- Gluten-Free, Vegan, Oat-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Egg-Free, Corn-Free, Sesame-Free, Coconut-Free, !
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More Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas
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