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No-Bake Granola Bars

These bars are perfect for school lunches because they are nut-free and pack very well. Plus, they are pretty simple to put together!
Course baking, Snack

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
  • 1/4 cup (packed) coconut butter see note for substitution
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut optional
  • 1 1/2 cups natural brown rice crisp cereal
  • 3 tablespoons nondairy chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

  • Line an 8” × 8” pan with parchment paper. 
  • In a medium saucepan over medium/medium-low heat, add the brown rice syrup, coconut butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and cinnamon.
  • Stir until well combined and the coconut butter has melted.
  • Add the rolled oats, and stir through, allowing to cook for 2–3 minutes in the low heat.
  • Add the oat flour and shredded coconut and stir through.
  • Remove the pot from the stove.
  • Then, quickly stir in the cereal, and transfer the mixture to the pan.
  • Press the mixture evenly into the pan (using a nonstick spatula or piece of parchment paper to press the mixture without sticking).
  • Wait just a minute or two, and then sprinkle on the chocolate chips (you can choose to cover whole bars, or just a portion), and press those into the base.
  • Refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 1/2 hour), then cut in squares or bars.

Notes

  • Coconut Butter Note: Coconut butter works well here because it is so dense and helps bind the bars. Because coconut is not botanically a nut, these are also perfect for school lunches. However, if you want to substitute a nut butter, choose one that is very dense, like cashew butter.
  • Idea: Try some of these flavor variations:
    • Raisin-spice: Try substituting raisins for the chocolate chips (and adding them with the coconut and oat flour, rather than at the end), increase the cinnamon to 1/2 teaspoon, and add 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon of allspice.
    • Cranberry–pumpkin seed: Try substituting dried cranberries for the chocolate chips (and adding them at the same time as the oat flour), and substitute 2–3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for the coconut.
    • Cocoa-hemp: Substitute 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds for the coconut, and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder when mixing in the oat flour and hemp seeds. Keep the chocolate chips, and add in raisins if you like!