Loaded with texture, crunch and bursts of sweetness, these homemade vegan granola bars are easy to make and a zillion time better than anything you can buy at the store!
Okay, question: can you even buy granola bars at the store? I legitimately don't know.
I mean, I know there are plenty of granola bars available, but I'm guessing most of them contain honey, and probably a few have dairy as well. I'm also guessing you can get vegan ones at places like Whole Foods, but I didn't check.
In fact, I haven't really looked at granola bars at the supermarket in years, because they're my weakness. I know if I buy a box I'll gobble them all up in like, 24 hours.
So what did I do? I just went ahead and made my own vegan granola bars, with my own recipe. Smart.
And to my dismay, these things were way more addictive than store-bought granola bars. SO GOOD! I have no plans on making them regularly because I sure can't resist them.
So take that as fair warning. If you're a snack bar addict like me, maybe hold off on making these until you have a special occasion where you can feed them all to other people, like taking them to your kids' soccer practice for teammates...that kind of thing.
But definitely save one for yourself.
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Ingredients You'll Need
There are lots of options for substitutions in this recipe, so feel free to customize it to suit your taste!
- Rolled oats. Quick oats should also work, but the texture may be slightly different.
- Creamy almond butter. Another nut butter could be used, such as peanut butter. Use tahini or sunflower seed butter for nut-free granola bars. Whatever you use, make sure it's creamy (not crunchy) and of the natural type (runny, and not semi-solid like conventional peanut butters).
- Brown rice syrup. This particular ingredient is non-negotiable. Brown rice syrup is thicker than other liquid sweeteners, so it's necessary to help bind our vegan granola bars together. Look for it near the other sweeteners or in the natural foods section of your supermarket.
- Vanilla extract.
- Ground cinnamon.
- Salt.
- Almonds. You can substitute your favorite type of nut here. Cashews, peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans and walnuts would all be excellent. Try sunflower seeds for nut-free bars.
- Vegan mini chocolate chips. I used Enjoy Life brand.
- Dried cranberries. Or your favorite dried fruit! Raisins, cherries, apricots (chopped), and black currants would all work.
How They're Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Briefly toast your oats in the oven. Spread them on a baking sheet and pop them into a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
- They won't look much different when they're done — maybe a smidge darker. But toasting will bring out their flavor and enhance their texture.
- Stir your almond butter, brown rice syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
- Now add your dry ingredients: oats, almonds, chocolate chips, and dried cranberries.
- Mix it up! This can take some elbow grease. I start by stirring, but then dig in with my hands. You want the ingredients to be nice and evenly distributed.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan that's been lined with parchment paper. Use a lot of pressure. I like to place a sheet of parchment paper on top, then use a flat object such as a cookbook to press down on the mixture to get the top nice and even.
- Let the granola bar mixture sit in the pan until the bars are set. This should only take an hour or so, unless it's very warm in your kitchen.
- Once the mixture feels set, pull up on the parchment paper liner to release the mixture from the pan. Slice it into bars and enjoy!
Shelf-Life & Storage
Store your homemade vegan granola bars in an airtight container or sealed bag.
They'll keep at room temperature for about 1 week, in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks, or in the freezer for about 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are if you use certified gluten-free oats!
You shouldn't, unless it's very warm in your kitchen. You can optionally place it in the fridge it to speed up the setting process.
Please don't! Brown rice syrup is the only sweetener I've found that's thick enough to really hold these bars together.
More Sweet Vegan Snacks
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The Best Vegan Granola Bars
Loaded with texture, crunch and bursts of sweetness, these homemade vegan granola bars are easy to make and a zillion time better than anything you can buy at the store!
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup creamy almond butter (see Note)
- ⅔ cup brown rice syrup (no substitutions)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup roasted and salted almonds
- ¾ cup vegan mini chocolate chips
- ½ cup dried cranberries
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Spread the oats in an even layer on a baking sheet.
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Bake the oats for 10 minutes, keeping an eye on them and making sure to take them out of the oven before they darken much.
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Place the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let the oats cool for a few minutes. They don't need to cool completely.
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While the oats cool, line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave a bit of paper hanging out over the edges.
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Stir the almond butter, brown rice syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
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Add the oats, almonds, chocolate chips, and cranberries.
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Mix the ingredients well, using a spoon and then digging in with your hands. The mixture will be very dense and thick.
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Press the mixture into the prepared baking pan. You can use your hands for this, or place a sheet of parchment paper on top, then use a flat, heavy object such as a book to compress the mixture and flatten the top.
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Let the mixture sit in the baking pan until set, about 1 hour.
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To remove the granola mixture from the pan, grab opposite ends of the parchment paper and pull up.
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Slice the granola block into 12 bars. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
I've only tested this recipe with natural (runny) almond butter. You can substitute other runny nut or seed butters, but I'm not sure how the recipe would work with semi-solid varieties containing hydrogenated or coconut oils.
Great recipe. Thanks! Added some hemp seeds, chia seeds and sub'd walnuts for almonds. Wow. Definitely a home run here.