These healthy no bake granola bars are packed with protein and fibre from cashew butter and oats, making them the perfect soft and chewy snack when you're needing a boost. Try my delicious cherry pistachio or blueberry pecan variations or come up with your own flavour combinations!
This recipe and post has been updated to give a refresh to the photos and information to make it more user friendly. It was originally posted on Eat Love Eat on October 2, 2019.
These no bake granola bars are hands down the best granola bars I’ve ever made. I just love how soft and chewy they are but they're also loaded with crunchy nuts and dried fruit which makes them extra tasty! I’m a sucker for a snack but it's got to be an epic snack, you know?! These bars are it. I’ve got two variations for you; blueberry and pecan or a cherry and pistachio granola bar. Both are super tasty but my absolute favourite is the cherry and pistachio. YUM.
These bars are great to grab on the go. You can easily make them ahead of time as they store well too! So let’s get to it. I know you’ll love how easy and delicious these no bake granola bars are so be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe when you’ve made them!
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What makes these the best?
Easy - these no bake granola bars are so easy to whip up, simply combine the wet with the dry and set in a loaf tin in the fridge - that's it! Get the kids involved and enjoy making different flavours for each of you.
Satisfying - because these bars are filled with protein and fibre, it makes them really satisfying. The oats are a slow release carb as they take longer to digest, therefore giving you energy over a longer period of time.
Customisable - these no bake granola bars are infinitely customisable, you can vary the ingredients and spices, nuts and fruit to make any flavour combination you fancy. Just make sure to keep the ratios the same!
Chewy - I love mixing the oats with cashew butter, it makes the most satisfyingly chewy granola bar, especially handy if you're not super keen on those crunchy bars which can be really sharp sometimes!
Gluten free - the beauty of these bars is that they are suitable for anyone who is gluten free; as long as your oats are certified gluten free you're good to go!
Ingredients
These healthy no bake granola bars are so easy to make and you just need a few simple ingredients to make them!
Quick/instant oats - for these granola bars you need the fine, quick cooking oats as opposed to the jumbo/old-fashioned rolled oats as they absorb the wet ingredients much better than the larger oats!
Ground flaxseed - also known as ground or milled linseed, this helps to bind the bars together as well as adding extra fibre and omega-3s (always a bonus!)
Flaked almonds or shredded unsweetened coconut - I like to vary this ingredient based on the other add-ins I'm going to be using but basically anything flaked goes! Flaked buckwheat would be a delicious and crunchy addition or you could replace this element with more oats if you prefer.
Baking staples - you'll need a little fine sea salt and vanilla extract for additional flavouring.
Cashew butter - helps to bind these bars together and make them taste amazing! You can make it yourself by following my How to Make Cashew Butter post. You can also switch it out with any other nut butter you like.
Sweetness - you'll need some maple syrup as it sweetens the granola bars and adds that classic toasty maple flavour too. You could use honey or any other preferred liquid sweetener instead, if liked.
Mix ins - you'll need dried cherries and blueberries along with pistachios and pecans, these are customisable if you want to change them up.
Topping - a drizzle of melted chocolate is the perfect way to finish off these granola bars, but you can leave it off if you prefer.
How to make them
Follow these simple steps to create these chewy and soft no bake granola bars.
- Place the oats, ground flaxseed, flaked almonds (or shredded coconut) in a large bowl with the salt and stir together.
- In another bowl, add the cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Stir together to create a thick paste.
- Add the sweetened cashew butter mix to the dry ingredients and stir together until well combined.
- Add in the dried fruit and nuts and stir together until uniformly distributed.
- Place the mix into a 8 x 4 loaf tin lined with parchment paper and press out to form a flat bar. Put into the fridge to firm up. Drizzle with some melted chocolate to finish before tucking in!
Tips, tricks and customisations
Here are some suggestions for making the most of these no bake granola bars:
Full size - instead of making 8 squares you can double the recipe and put it into an 8" x 8" tin to make 16 squares of your favourite flavour combination.
Nut butter - I recommend cashew butter as it's super creamy and gives a lovely flavour to the no bake granola bar, but you can substitute it for any natural nut butter you like. Don't forget its super easy to make your own nut butter by following the instructions in this post: How to Make Cashew Butter.
Mix ins - you can change up the dried fruit to use whatever you like. I love the blueberry granola bar version and also the cherry, but you could use dried apricots, dates, raisins, dried mango, whatever you like. The same goes for the nuts, you can use any you like, though the combinations I have suggested work particularly well.
Toppings - I recommend coating the whole bar with the melted chocolate and allowing it to set before cutting into bars. You can also top with extra chopped nuts and dried fruit if you like.
FAQs
The no bake granola bars store well and will last in an air tight container in the fridge for one week in the fridge.
Refrigerator - store in an air tight container for a week.
Freezer - store in an air tight container with parchment between layers and freeze for up to 3 months. They can be eaten from frozen (slightly defrosted) or you can defrost them to enjoy whenever you are ready.
More tasty snack recipes
I hope you love these healthy no bake granola bars! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on Instagram! I'd love to see what fun granola bar combinations you come up with!
📖 Recipe
Healthy No Bake Granola Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
Cherry Pistachio
- ¾ cup quick or instant oats, (75g)
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup flaked almonds , (20g)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup cashew butter, (120g)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup, (60ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dried cherries, chopped
- ¼ cup pistachios, chopped
To finish
- 2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
Blueberry Pecan
- ¾ cup quick or instant oats, (75g)
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, (20g)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup cashew butter, (120g)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup, (60ml)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dried blueberries
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
To finish
- 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Line an 8x4 loaf tin with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, ground flaxseed, flaked almonds (for cherry pistachio) or shredded coconut (for blueberry pecan), ground cinnamon (for blueberry pecan) and fine sea salt. Set aside.¾ cup quick or instant oats, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed, ¼ cup flaked almonds, ¼ cup shredded unsweetened coconut, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In another medium bowl, stir together the cashew butter, maple syrup and vanilla until smooth.½ cup cashew butter, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Stir in the chopped dried cherries and chopped pistachios (for the cherry pistachio version) or the dried blueberries and chopped pecans (for the blueberry pecan version) until evenly distributed.¼ cup dried cherries, ¼ cup pistachios, ¼ cup dried blueberries, ¼ cup pecans, chopped
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the bottom of a glass to flatten it out evenly. Place in the fridge for at least an hour to allow the bars to set.
To finish
- Place the dark or white chocolate chips into a small heatproof bowl with the coconut oil and place over a pan of simmering water for a few minutes, stirring until melted.2 tablespoons dark chocolate chips, ½ teaspoon coconut oil
- Remove the bars from the fridge and use the edges of the parchment paper to release them from the tin. Drizzle the melted chocolate over and return to the fridge for a few minutes to set.
- Cut into 8 squares and store in the fridge or freezer as desired.
imsen says
These granola bars will certainly brighten my day!
Martin says
Interesting. Might also be good for when you're out walking! Something filling, nutricious, that fills you up before the next stop but with that chocolate on the top - but must be dark chocolate.