The alternate title for these bars was: ultra dense, doughy, chewy, soft, seedy, hearty, protein-and-fibre-packed granola bars, sweetened naturally with dates!
I can be a bit wordy at times. Anyway, these are not your average granola bars! Bursting with chia, sunflower, and pepita seeds, they pack a hefty amount of protein, fibre, and omega fatty acids and are naturally sweetened with date paste (a simple blend of water and pitted dates) instead of sugar. I like to think of these as an “adult” granola bar or a muesli breakfast bar of sorts, although I could also see my hockey-loving nephews enjoying these as fuel for the game. For those with nut allergies, you’ll be happy to know these are totally nut-free, just like my Super Power Chia Bread which this recipe is adapted from. If you’ve enjoyed the Super Power Chia Bread, the texture of these granola bars is the same – very soft and like an ultra dense, doughy bread.
I didn’t feel like calling them “chia bread” though due to the sweetness; granola bars just seemed to make more sense in my brain. I also debated calling these “energy bars” because they are packed with so many good-for-you ingredients and I’ve been enjoying them after exercise for a little pick me up. As you can see, deciding on a title is not my strong point! Whatever you call them, I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Soft + Chewy Baked Granola Bars
Yield
10-12 bars
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Dense, chewy, soft, doughy, seedy, hearty, protein-and-fibre-packed granola bars, sweetened naturally with dates! Try them spread with nut or seed butter for a fun treat or just enjoy them plain. Adapted from my Super Power Chia Bread.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ground into a flour
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 cup packed pitted Medjool dates
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9-inch square pan with two pieces of parchment paper, one going each way.
- Add rolled oats into a high-speed blender. Blend on highest speed until a fine flour forms. Add oat flour into a large bowl.
- Add water and pitted dates into blender. Allow the dates to soak for 30 minutes if they are a bit firm or your blender has a hard time blending dates smooth. Once they are soft, blend the dates and water until super smooth.
- Add all of the ingredients into the bowl with the oat flour and stir well until combined.
- Scoop the mixture into the pan and spread it out with a spatula as evenly as possible. You can use lightly wet hands to smooth it down if necessary.
- Bake at 325F for about 23-25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then lift it out and transfer it to a cooling rack for another 5-10 minutes. Slice and enjoy!
- I suggest freezing leftovers to preserve freshness.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
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Recipe looks great, but I must ask what is/are the advantage(s) of using gluten-free oats (or gluten-free anything, for that matter) if one does not have symptoms of celiac disease? Aside from addressing celiac disease, I see no clinically supported reason to avoid gluten. I’m open to going this route, but I’d like more practical information on this trend. Thanks!
My husband and kids and getting bored of the current granola bars I make so I want to give these a try! Do you know where to buy (or what brand) sells unsweetened dried cranberries? Thanks!
These just didn’t do it for me. Bland and unappetizing. I was so looking forward to them, too.
These look delicious but I struggle to understand how you can call them sugar free when they use dates? Dates are packed with sugar.
Hi Maddy, It means the recipe is free of processed or added sugars, not natural sugars which occur in fruit. Hope this helps!
Excellent recipe.. simple and elegant just like any creative dish should be. Great to share!
For 10 Bars…
Calories 97 Calories from Fat 28
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3.1g5%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 1mg0%
Total Carbohydrates 16.1g5%
Dietary Fiber 2.7g11%
Sugars 8.7g
Protein 2.6g
Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 1%
Calcium 3% • Iron 7%
Nutrition Grade B-
Was wondering if you have nutrition info on these, even if only calories!
THanks! Sue
I so want to make these bars but being a diabetic, dates and raisins are a big NO NO for me. Angela would you have any suggestions as to a replacement for the dates?
Have transitioned to plant based eating. These recipes are wonderful. Thank you
Most dried cranberries sold in the grocery store have a sugar coating. Where do we find ones without?
I come here often and totally pre ordered the book, can’t wait to have it in the kitchen! I actually had all this stuff in the kitchen and made these today, so easy and delicous. I subbed golden raisins for the cranberries. They firmed up just fine and have a great texture – almond butter on top was fabulous! Plus it will be a great breakfast for my track star son, bonus! Thank you for this wonderful site.
And as Dan said:
“Recipe looks great, but I must ask what is/are the advantage(s) of using gluten-free oats (or gluten-free anything, for that matter) if one does not have symptoms of celiac disease? Aside from addressing celiac disease, I see no clinically supported reason to avoid gluten. I’m open to going this route, but I’d like more practical information on this trend. Thanks!”
Everywhere I look I see “gluten free” so often that I’m starting to think I should avoid gluten too, even though I don’t have celiac disease. I have to avoid dairy, yeast and sugar and processed foods, due to a full body candida yeast infection, but I don’t have celiac disease. Does this mean I can use regular flour with baking soda, for example?
Appreciate any info from anyone. Gracias.
Does anyone know how substitutions are on this? Could I use quinoa and popped amaranth with a fig paste? I need to cook to a specific diet.
Also when I searched out sugar free I was hoping for a binder/additions that weren’t fruit. Any sugar has to be cut back hard.
Hi Angela – I already have oat flour. How much flour does the 3/4 cup of rolled oats give when ground? Sorry if this is a silly question or if I’ve missed the info in the post, but I want to get the recipe right. :) Thanks!
It’s a straight conversion – one cup of oats makes one cup of oat flout.
Hi Angela,
Dates are hard to come by in my neck of the woods. I assume you use them to glue the whole thing together. Any suggestions on substitutes for the dates? Dried plums? Since I don’t like nutbutter in any form, I am really looking forward to try these out.
Thanks
J
I am trying to find a recipe for a bar that mimics one I bought at Costco and devoured the entire box in 2 weeks.
What I’m looking for:
Soft and chewy texture
Use of dates and/or prunes and/or raisins for sweetness
Will hold up to the addition of nuts/seeds/ chocolate chips (The ones I bought were white chocolate macadamia!!!)
No use of nut butters
Can add protein powder
The recipe you share above hits all but the protein powder, and I’m wondering if you’ve tried adding it, and how you would adjust the liquid to accommodate?
Thanks!!
These are incredible! They are essentially a Lara bar, but cost about 1/4 the price. I lead a healthy cooking club at the middle/high school where I teach, and it was amazing to find a granola bar recipe with no added fat or sugar AND no nuts (we have some allergies) that the kids could make easily and enjoy. Of course, I promptly went home and made a quadruple batch for myself! Thanks– I will be passing this one along to many people! Any idea of weight watcher points (I’d like to share with my mom!)?
Yum! Finally got around to making these! :D I’m a huge fan of your previous Chia Bread recipe (in fact, it’s the first of your recipes that I tried!) So when you posted this back at the beginning of January I was very excited to try a sweet version!
I followed the recipe except I subbed the cranberries for dried blueberries (I just can’t abide cranberries. DX Wish I liked them, but I just don’t) and doubled the cinnamon. Sliced them into 12 and enjoyed one straight out of the oven. It tastes so awesome plain, and it’s also wonderful topped with strawberry jam. Thanks for posting this, I’ll be making this — as well as the original Chia Bread — many many times. :D This’ll especially make a great pre-run or work snack :D
This is yummy but I thought it was too soft, more like a stiff date square filling. I keep the leftovers in the freezer and it oddly doesn’t freeze, just perfect out of the freezer for eating. It is also a bit too sweet for me. If I try it again I would add more oats to stiffen and reduce the sweetness. Anne
These are the best bars ever!
I made them a while ago, but I am super excited to make them again :)
A friend just told me about your web site; I had never heard of it before. My daughter has Fibromyalgia, Celiac Disease, and is gluten intolerant. We have been vegetarian, mostly, for many years. I’m looking forward to some new recipes.
Sincerely,
Nancy
Welcome Nancy! I hope you enjoy the recipes :)
Hi, Angela – This is a fabulous recipe. It is both healthful and versatile. I made some substitutions for ingredients not on hand (ground almonds in place of the chia seeds; diced, dried cherries and apricots in place of the cranberries; dried plums in place of half of the dates). It is so nice that your recipes are easily adaptable. I could pour over your colorful recipes all day; such complex flavor and textural variation in all your dishes. Best, Shanna (from Curls and Carrots)
HI Angela,
I was thinking of using Prunes instead of the dates. Do you recommend soaking them as well?
Thanks!
Made these over the weekend but forgot the chia seeds, they were a bit too doughy but my bad because the seed to flour ratio was off. Will definately make again, but remember the chia seeds :D
HI there, i love how they look and im pumped to try them out but can i use just the natural flavour quick oats without grinding them i just moved and i dont have many appliances yet!
I made the recipe to a “T”. I’m not a vegan…I’m not healthy at all. So keep that in mind as I write this..my tastebuds are still primed to salty/sugary foods. I would make this again and adjust somethings to make it more “transitional” for my kids and I. I think it needs a bit more salt, maybe more cranberries. It’s just missing the sweet and salty we’re used too from our normal granola bars. So WHEN I make this again…I’d like to increase those things because it’s SOOO much healthier than what we’re used to (store bought j-u-n-k), that I think that adding more salt and cranberries will get it closer to that flavor to transition my kiddos and I. I can tolerate it as is…but I chase it with milk or banana. lol.
I LOVE THIS RECIPE because I needed something to start with and this is super easy to make. I had sticker shock with the bag of raw pumpkin seeds.
Any other suggestions to make it a bit sweeter/saltier?
Thanks so much.
It’s very hard to find recipes for bars that don’t include peanuts or tree nuts, thank you.
These look delicious.. I really have to give this recipe a go! – It’s hard to get a lot of these ingredients down under in Australia – try this website .. I usually shop from there http://naturalfoodsonline.com.au
My fiancé has been struggling with digestive issues for a while and after doctors had no clue after running a million test we have decide to really clean up our diet and cut out sugars and processed foods. These have been such a hit with my fiancé and provide enough substance for him to snack on and be satisfied even though he trains full on as a US Team athlete for whitewater kayaking (he is always hungry!!!). The possibilities are endless with this recipe. Every time I make it (which is a lot because they don’t last long) I change up the recipe. I’ve added nut butters, different types of nuts, and different dried fruit so far. All have been great! My next experiment will be to add some ginger or maybe cayenne for a little bit of heat and digestive helper.
Hi do you just do an equal sub for the dates/water when using nut butters? I would love to try it with some soy nut butter. Thanks in advance!
This is to die for! Just made it, and it smelled so good I couldn’t wait for it too cool before I tried it.
I subbed the sesame seeds for the chia, and half/half of brown rice flour and buckwheat flour for the oats, and it gave it a lively nutty taste.
Definitely becoming a regular snack. Thanks for sharing!
These bars are so good! I made them a couple days ago, and have a pack of them at work. I eat them when I feel hungry in between meals. I am pregnant, so it is nice to have something really healthy to snack on that tastes so good!
Hello,
Thanks for the recipe. Do you know How long these last? Can I eat them all week as my breakfast?
Hi Angela,
Do you have the nutritional break down for all your recipes online? I see it for some recipes like the green monster, but am looking at other recipes for instance the Soft & Chewy Sugar-Free Baked Granola Bars? I am wondering about the calories, carbs, protein content, etc as I am looking for high energy, low sugar recipes to give my 12 year old son who is heavy into sports and needs the proper amount of protein, carbs and fat in each of his meals/snacks. I would love to let him try some of these recipes….especially the snack/drinks he can take on the go!
Can you use whole oats instead of grinding into flour?
Hello! Do you think I could omit the cranberries?
Hello
Only recently discovered your site and have already recommended to others. I also just received your book which I have tried a few recipes already. I do have a question for you though! I seem to be putting on weight with this food! Yes I feel great after eating your recipes and do not get a bad stomach feeling as I do with a lot of food – but I was hoping that I might lose weight too without having to watch calories! What has been your experience of switching to your lovely food?
Many thanks!
They are in the oven now! First time trying them! Crossing my fingers……
They look amazing in the photos so my expectations are high ;)
I have made these three times so far. Love them
I love this recipe! I’ve tried it many times and appreciate how versatile the ingredients are! I’ve substituted pecans for the pumpkin seeds and it was still delicious.
I shared a link to your recipe on my recent blog post: thenutritionedge.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/the-versatility-simplicity-of-nutritious-foods/
Thanks,
Liz Erker, RD
Love the blog and cookbook. Congrats on growing your family! Your recipes are my go-to for healthy snacks for my two year old twins. Can’t thank you enough for all the great recipes. We cook from the cookbook and blog at least 4 times per week.
Laura
Has anybody tried taking these traveling? I’m looking for a bar to make and bring with me when I go to cuba in two weeks time. Any ideas whether these will survive the journey?
Thanks
x
Hi.. i just made these bars and the inside is quite sticky. is that how it is supposed to be?
This recipe looks great, was wondering if you have the nutritional information on it? Thanks muchly!
I have been making these for an on-the-go breakfast option and they are AMAZING! My husband even requested them again this week! A couple substitution ideas:
–I’ve used orange cranberries, dried cherries, and goji berries…all taste great!
–I’ve added dark chocolate bits (taste great but they are a little more dessert-like)
I have had success both refrigerating and freezing them so those who wonder if they “keep,”…yes they do :)
These look to die for! I can’t eat dates because I get sever migraines from them. Can I replace them with something else? Peanut butter? Almond butter?
Can I freeze these??? Have you tried that before??
What is the nutritional value in these? Calories?
These look great! Only problem is that I don’t have a 9-inch pan. Do you think they’d be alright in an 8×8 inch pan? Would I need to bake them a little longer?
Thanks!
Hi!
I made these today. Followed the recipe excactly.
The pictures showed then as crunchy but mine came out soft n dough like
What is the intended consistency I
Was hoping for a crunchy one. Please help!
Just made these bars and they are amazing! Yum! Would it be possible to use date paste instead of brown sugar with some of your other protein bar recipes? I have a low tolerance for sugar in general. Love the flavor of date paste. Also, any thoughts about Yacon syrup? It has a very low glycemic index. Dr. Oz recently had a segment about it on his show. Thanks!!