These no bake gluten free granola bars are easy to make and let YOU decide which nutritious ingredients YOU want to add in!
All the dry ingredients are mixed together, then the wet ingredients are briefly warmed to mix up and throw on top!
Granola bars have always been an easy, inexpensive, and healthy snack in our house, much like our favorite baked kale chips.
When we had to cut out dairy and gluten, it became more challenging to find commercially made granola bars that tasted good, were free of allergens, and didn’t break the bank.
I like this recipe because it lends itself to a lot of variation, a personal taste tweaks!
We pick the dried fruits that we like best, the types of cereal, and then WE decide if we want chocolate or not (we always do!).
Sometimes we decide nuts, and mommy almost always decides to add flax meal or chia seeds. Use your favorite ingredients to make an affordable and delicious granola bar.
These homemade granola bars are SUPER easy to throw together, and my kids beg for them, and I think yours will too!
Storing no bake gluten free granola bars:
These work great individually wrapped and placed in any lunchbox!
Once the bars are fully cool, cut them into desired shape, then individually wrap for quick grab and go lunchbox fillers, or keep them cut in an airtight container to grab and put in a container of your choosing!
No bake granola bar mix in ideas:
The way to make ANY granola bar your favorite is to play with things you throw in! Here are some ideas to get you going!
- Dried fruit: no more than 1/2-to 3/4 cup. If it is a larger dried fruit like an apricot, be sure to cut them up into small bite sized pieces first. Consider raisins, cranberries, apricots, cherries, or apples.
- Chocolate: Am I the only one with a household of chocoholics?! You easily mix in your favorite chocolate chips, or for a sugar free version, some cocoa nibs. Also consider melting a favorite 1/2 cup chocolate with a teaspoon or two of coconut oil to drizzle over the top!
- Nuts: Small bits of any nuts can add a lovely crunch. I prefer to use toasted varieties.
- Seeds: I love using seeds for their fiber, nutrients, and crunch! Try no more than 1/4 – 1/2 cup of any seed like chia seeds, pepitas, or hemp hearts.
- Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger all come to mind. Pumpkin pie spice too!
Additional healthy snack ideas:
- My soft and chewy granola bars are another variation to try!
- These DIY Larabars use sunflower seeds to keep them nut free!
- I want to try these gluten free pizza waffles!
- Peanut butter dip is lower in fat because it uses peanut butter powder!
No Bake Gluten Free Granola Bar Recipe:
If you try these wholesome granola bars, be sure to come back and leave a start rating and comment!
Gluten Free No Bake Granola Bar
These no bake granola bars are loaded with the things YOU love and contain no refined sugars! Gluten free and vegan snack-a-licious
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 16
Calories 226 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal or other crunchy cereal
- 2 cups quick-cooking gluten free oats or if you don't stock the quick variety like me, whir the rolled oats in your coffee grinder a bit to break them down just slightly. Good toast your oats for additional flavor too.
- 1/2 cup flax meal or chia meal
- 1/2 cup dried fruit bite sized, optional
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional
- 1/2 cup nuts bite sized, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup almond butter OR peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, etc.
- 1/2 cup palm sugar or other granulated sugar like brown, demerara, raw, or sucanat.
- 1/2 cup sticky sweetener brown rice syrup, honey, maple syrup all work.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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Mix the cereal, oats, dried fruit, chocolate chips, chia seeds, and nuts (if using) together in a large bowl.
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On the stove top, put the sugar, honey, and nut butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat.
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When softened, mix until smooth and add in the butter/oil and vanilla.
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Pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well until it is well incorporated and moistened.
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Press FIRMLY into a 9 x 13 pan, using a Siplat to press into the pan and keep your hands clean!
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Let the bars set for at least 1 hour and then cut into desired shape! Store in airtight container.
Recipe Notes
nutritional info includes all suggested add in options.
Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free No Bake Granola Bar
Amount Per Serving
Calories 226
Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 104mg5%
Potassium 161mg5%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 140IU3%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 76mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Another yummy home run lunch box snack! Thumbs up from the family too! 🙂 My first batch is a tad crumbly so will let you know how the 2nd turns out when I make them again. 🙂
I LOVE these bars! I make them once or twice a month for all the Celiacs in my family. They are delicious in every combination I’ve made and last for a long time–or, at least, until they are all devoured! They do tend to be a bit crumbly, regardless of what kind of nut butter I use. Pressing them into a 13×9 really forcefully helps a bit, though. Thank you for the recipe!!
Thanks for your feedback Emily!
Chewy bars are my favorites and I love that these are so versatile. It will be fun to make them in many different ways. Thanks!
Yes, these are soft. The KIND-Of Bars on my site are crunchy. I have been playing w/ crunchy granola bars, so when I find one worthy, I'll post it!
Hi Tessa – these seem like they would be soft/chewy vs crunchy no? I like the ingredients and the fact that there is a lot of versatility here… so many variations! Thanks for sharing this. I've had a couple of friends ask me for egg free options and I think this is a good place for them to start playing 🙂 Grazie!! claudine