Vegan Granola Bars are one of the simplest snacks you can make, but don't let the simplicity of this recipe make you think they're just basic granola bars, because they're anything but basic.
So what makes this recipe for vegan granola bars not basic?
Well, you control what the add-ins will be.
They're a regular on my homemade school snack rotation, and I think the reason for their popularity (other than being so tasty!) is that they're different every single time I make them.
So you control the add-ins to make your bars unique. If you want to use all nuts, go for it! All dried fruit? Sure! A mix of the two? No problem.
The combination possibilities are endless. Every time you make these bars, the end result can be different. But always just as delicious.
In the bars pictured here, I used dark chocolate chips, shredded unsweetened coconut, raisins, and cranberries for my add-ins.
What are some add-ins I can add to my vegan granola bars?
Here are some add-in ideas:
- walnuts
- pecans
- almonds
- slivered almonds
- dark chocolate chips
- dried cranberries
- raisins
- chopped dried apricots
- chopped dried cherries
- shredded unsweetened coconut
- hemp hearts
- chia seeds
- sunflower seeds
And those are just a few examples. Whatever you do choose to add in, just make sure the combination equals one cup.
In addition to the add-ins, the recipe includes spices, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, and coconut oil as the wet ingredients to sweeten things up a bit and to make everything stick together nicely. (If you aren't familiar with brown rice syrup, read this to learn more about it.)
Because my kids' school is a nut-free school, I save the nut versions for at-home snacks, and the nut-free versions become school snacks.
Once you make a batch of these bars and you see how easy they are (and how fast they're devoured!), I'm pretty sure you'll never go back to buying granola bars at the grocery store again.
Oh, and they're called "bars," but you can cut them into squares like I did in the pictures if you'd like. It doesn't make any difference to the finished recipe.
If you make these vegan granola bars, tell me in the comments what add-ins you used!
Even better, tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #delightfuladventures (I'm @delightfuladventures over there!) with a picture of your creation, I'd love to see what you came up with!
If you're looking for more school snack ideas, check these out:
- Bite-Size Brownies
- Easy Kale Chips
- Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Old Fashioned Cake Doughnut Mini Muffins
- Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
- 35 Delicious Vegan Gluten-Free School Snack Recipes
Vegan Granola Bars (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats (not instant, gluten-free if needed)
- ⅓ cup oat flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons whole flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup of any combination of add-ins (see suggestions above)
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown rice syrup
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Line an 8” square baking dish with parchment paper. Let a bit of excess paper hang over the sides to serve as handles.
- Add the oats, oat flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, whole flax seeds, ground flax seeds, salt, and add-ins.
- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and brown rice syrup.
- Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix well until all the dry ingredients have been coated.
- Put the mixture in the prepared pan, pat down and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.
- Using parchment paper handles, remove and place onto a cutting board.
- Cut into 12 bars or squares. Fully cool off and store in an airtight container.
Recipe Notes:
- See above for some add-in suggestions. Whatever combo you choose, make sure it all adds up to 1 cup.
- Nutrition info is for 1 of 12 bars with ¼ cup each of: dark chocolate chips, shredded unsweetened coconut, raisins, and dried cranberries. Nutrition info will vary depending on the add-ins you use. Click to learn how calorie counts are calculated on this website.
Mahima says
Hi,
love these bars, can i make a bigger batch and store them for a month
if yes, how to store them for a month
Gwen says
Hi Mahima, I'm very glad to hear you love the bars! You can definitely double, triple, or even quadruple the recipe and have it work the same. To store them for a month, you will have to freeze them individually. I have never done this, but a quick Google search brought me to this page that outlines how to store them properly so they are perfect after defrosting. Let me know how it goes!
Tina Dahlby says
I want to make these but I cannot find brown rice syrup. Is there a substitute that is vegan that I could use? Just found your blog and it's been an adventure working through your recipes. So far all have been successful!
Gwen @ Delightful Adventures says
Hi Tina! I'm so glad you found my blog and that you've been working your way through the recipes with success! 🙂 I've never substituted anything for the brown rice syrup myself but I *think* maple syrup may work. Keep in mind that the thick consistency of the brown rice syrup plays a big part in holding the bars together (the consistency is thick like honey), so the thinner maple syrup may make the bars a little loose. I would be curious to hear about your results if you do go ahead and try it with the maple syrup, though. So please come back and let me know if you do try 🙂
Angelica says
My kids used to love granola bars but once they started eating gf they couldn't have them as often. Those that we found decently priced could not go to school and the gf and nut free were wildly expensive. I never realised how easy they were to make. After perusing your site I will definitely have some ingredient shopping to do.
Gwen says
Hi Angelica,
Yes! Granola bars are so easy to make and the best part about this recipe in particular is that you can change the ingredients each time you make them. If you do end up making them, I hope you and your kids like them 🙂
Peady @ Tempered with Kindness says
I can't wait to try these!
I really need a "Go To Gwen File". Seriously!
I love that they're squares, even. No fussy "bars", you know?
Weekend project!
Gwen says
They are 100% "no fussy bars" 🙂 Let me know if you try them!
Leah M @ love me, feed me says
These look so awesome! I've been wanting to make my own granola bars for a while now, but after a failed recipe I had given up. But theeeeese! These look great and I love all the ingredients!
Gwen says
Leah, there is no way this recipe will turn into a fail. It's super easy! And of course, delicious. Hope you love them as much as I do!