So, another day, another delicious, healthy vegan snack! This time, I will be telling you guys how to make chocolate chip granola bars. And seriously, these are made with no oil, no refined wheat, and no refined sugar. They’re also completely no-bake, so no oven needed.
I’ve tested this recipe a few times, and these bars hold together, stay chewy, and taste like a treat.
These are great for hiking, an at-home snack, or putting in the kids’ lunchbox.
Why You’ll Love This
If you’re a fan of granola bars, you’ll love these. They are chewy, have the perfect amount of sweetness, and the flavors are just great. Plus, the texture is on point thanks to a special ingredient—crispy quinoa.
They are super simple to make, better than any of the bars in the store, and they actually hold together—no more crumbly “granola dust” bars. Gotta make your own!
What You’ll Need
Special Equipment:
- Food processor (essential for breaking down the dates into a sticky paste)
- Small saucepan (for gently heating the wet ingredients)
- 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking pan (for shaping the bars)
- Parchment paper (crucial for easy removal!)
- Silicone spatula (helps press the sticky mixture down firmly)
The Ingredients:
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted (approx. 10–12 dates)
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats (old-fashioned, gluten-free if needed)
- ½ cup crispy quinoa (this is different from puffed quinoa; it gives a great crunch)
- ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- ½ cup vegan chocolate chips
- ½ cup cashew butter (creamy)
- ⅓ cup date syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla bean powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Let’s Get Cooking!
1. Process the Dates
First thing is to take the pitted dates by themselves, put them into the food processor, and grind them until they break down a bit and kinda stick together into a big clump, like a little date ball.
Breaking them down now makes it a lot easier to mix them later. Set this date ball aside.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, crispy quinoa, chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, cinnamon, and vanilla bean powder.
3. Warm the Binders
In a small saucepan over low heat, add the cashew butter and date syrup. Warm them gently just until they are softened up a bit (do not boil them!). This makes it a lot better for mixing everything together.
4. Mix Everything
Add the processed date ball and the warm liquid mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients.
5. Knead It Well
Mix and knead thoroughly. This takes a little effort because the date and nut butter are pretty sticky! You want to make sure the sticky date paste and nut butter coat every single oat and crispy quinoa piece.
If the mixture feels too dry and crumbly, add 1–2 teaspoons more date syrup. If it feels too wet and loose, sprinkle in 1–2 tablespoons more oats and mix again.
6. Press It Down
Line your square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang so you can lift it out later.
Dump the mixture into the pan. Using a silicone spatula (or the back of a measuring cup), press the mixture down very firmly. You want it compact and even so the bars don’t fall apart.
7. Chill
Place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 1–2 hours. By doing that, it’s gonna cool down the nut butter and the date mixture, and these are gonna get nice and firm—but not too firm. They’re gonna be just perfect to make a nice, chewy granola bar.
8. Cut and Serve
Lift the block out using the parchment paper. Slice into bars or squares and enjoy!
FAQs
Can I make these nut-free for school lunches?
Absolutely! you can simply replace the cashew butter with a seed butter, like sunflower butter. And instead of walnuts, you could do some type of seeds, like pumpkin seeds. Then this would be completely nut-free and safe for school!
Why are my bars falling apart?
If they are crumbly, you usually didn’t press them down hard enough! You really have to compress the mixture into the pan nice and firm. Also, make sure you let them cool down completely in the refrigerator so the nut butter and date mixture can set. If they still feel dry, you can add a tiny bit more date syrup next time.
Where do I find crispy quinoa?
It’s really good stuff! If you don’t have it at your local store, you can order it online—just search for u0022crispy quinoa.u0022 It takes the place of that puffed rice texture you get in store-bought bars. Don’t swap it with puffed quinoa; it won’t give the same crunchy bite.
Can I use regular vanilla extract instead of the powder?
You can, but vanilla bean powder is the way to go! It carries the flavor so much better, and it doesn’t have the alcohol. But if you only have extract, just use a teaspoon of that.
How long do these last?
I keep them in the refrigerator because it keeps the texture nice and firm. They will last about two weeks in the fridge in an airtight container, but honestly, you and the kids will probably eat them way before then!
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Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (No-Bake & Vegan)
Course: SnacksCuisine: Vegan, Health FoodDifficulty: Easy12
bars, depending on how big you slice them15
minutes5
minutes210
kcal1
hour1
hour20
minutesDelicious, chewy, and healthy homemade granola bars made with oats, dates, crispy quinoa, and cashew butter. No oil, no refined sugar, and completely vegan. Perfect for lunchboxes or hiking snacks.
Ingredients
- Equipment Needed
Food processor
small saucepan
8×8 inch baking pan
parchment paper
silicone spatula
- Ingredients
1 cup (175 g) Medjool dates, pitted
1 ½ cups (150 g) rolled oats
½ cup (30 g) crispy quinoa
½ cup (60 g) walnuts, chopped
½ cup (85 g) vegan chocolate chips
½ cup (125 g) cashew butter
⅓ cup (110 g) date syrup
½ tsp vanilla bean powder
½ tsp cinnamon
Directions
- Place the pitted dates into a food processor and process until they break down into a sticky ball.
- In a large bowl, mix the oats, crispy quinoa, walnuts, chocolate chips, vanilla bean powder, and cinnamon.
- In a small saucepan, combine the cashew butter and date syrup. Warm over low heat just until softened and easy to pour (do not boil).
- Pour the warm wet mixture and the processed dates into the dry ingredients.
- Mix and knead well until everything is combined and sticky. If too dry, add 1–2 teaspoons more date syrup; if too wet, sprinkle in 1–2 tablespoons more oats.
- Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
- Transfer the mixture to the pan and press down very firmly until even and compact.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 2 hours) to set.
- Remove from the pan using the parchment overhang and slice into bars.
Notes
- Nut-Free Option: Replace the cashew butter with sunflower seed butter or tahini, and swap the walnuts for pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Vanilla Bean Powder: If you don’t have this, you can use vanilla extract, but the powder carries the flavor much better without the alcohol.
- Crispy Quinoa: Do not skip or swap with puffed quinoa. Crispy quinoa replaces the puffed rice in store-bought bars and gives that necessary crunch.
- Storage: Store these in the fridge to keep them firm, or wrap them individually for a lunchbox. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
