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.
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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 325°F 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 325°F 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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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