Granola Bars
Categories: All, Breakfast Treats, Recipes, Snacks, Treats
Tags: , Allergy Friendly, Breakfast, Dairy Free, GFCF, Gluten Free Oats, Gluten Free Snacks, Granola Bars, Healthy Recipes, Vegan
The impending occasion of Father’s Day seems as good a time as any to share this awesome chewy granola bars recipe with you! I don’t know what it is about Father’s Day, but all the stores promote buying Dad some soon-to-be forgotten gadget, gaudy tie or otherwise not-needed accessory. In my family, we try always to make something homemade as at least part of Dad’s gift — a card, a craft, a special food — it doesn’t have to be fancy, but it shows that at least he’s worth the time it takes to plan and make something special for him!
I wish I still lived close to my dad. I would definitely make these treats for him this year — I know he would love them! They’re portable and easy to eat on the run, since my dad never sits still (unless he’s reading yet another book); they’re full of nutrition and yummy energy, which my dad needs to run, play tennis, golf, roller blade, swim … and work as an emergency hospital veterinarian; they’re super tasty, since he won’t compromise on taste; and perhaps most importantly, they’re gluten-free, since he shares absolutely everything with my celiac mom!
Come to think of it though, there’s one more great thing about these bars: they’ll ship! Dad, you might be getting these for Father’s Day, after all!
So make these for your dad or special someone … or for yourself! Since you’re in charge, add the ingredients you like or have on hand, and choose only the ones that meet your family’s dietary requirements. Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, easily nut-free, but oh so full of flavor! Feel good about all that healthy fiber and nutrition you’ll be getting from gluten-free oats, nuts, flaxseed meal, veggies and fruit, all packed into portable yumminess!
Enjoy!
(Note: this recipe was previously shared by NFCA during their webinar, “The Gluten-Free Athlete: Improving Performance Through Diet“ and this recipe, as well as over 149 more, is also available in my new cookbook, Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy!)
Chewy Granola Bars
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
- ½ cup Jules Gluten Free™ All Purpose Flour
- 3 cups certified gluten-free rolled oats, rice flakes, or quinoa flakes (Jules Gluten Free™ Certified GF Oats)
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 cup grated carrots
- ¾ cup baking raisins (or boil raisins in water, drain, then add to the recipe) or sultanas
- ½ cup dried apples, chopped
- ½ cup dried bananas, chopped
- ½ cup figs, chopped (approximately 5 figs)
- ½ cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
- ¼ cup dates, chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries, blueberries, cherries or other dried berry of choice
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped (if making nut-free, substitute with sunflower seeds)
- ½ cup agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup Blackstrap molasses
- ½ cup sunflower nut butter (if making nut-free) or “natural” peanut, almond, or cashew butter (Earth Balance® Natural Peanut Butter with Flaxseed)
- ½ cup unsweetened apple juice or cider (Vruit® Apple-Carrot juice)
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Line a jelly roll baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flaxseed meal, gluten-free flour, oats, cinnamon, fruits and nuts of your choice (in similar proportions to those listed above). When fully combined, stir in the agave nectar, applesauce, molasses, nut butter, and juice, mixing with a large wooden spoon until totally incorporated. The mixture should be wet enough to press together for baking.
If you like your granola bars with lots of crunchy texture, use this wooden spoon or stand mixer (with flat paddle) mixing method. If you prefer a smoother texture, where the individual ingredients are more integrated, use a large food processor to combine all the ingredients — if your processor bowl is 14 cups or smaller, this may have to be done by dividing the ingredients in half and mixing in two batches.
Scoop the combined mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and press down with the back of a rubber spatula or your wet hands. Bake for 30 minutes or just until the edges begin to brown slightly.
Remove from the oven and cut into bars using a pizza cutter before fully cooled. To remove bars when cooled, simply lift the foil edges out of the jelly roll pan and store the cut bars in a zip top bag at room temperature or freeze.
Yield: approximately 28 chewy granola bars
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Pam Greenfield said: on June 16, 2011
Would it be possible to make it without the coconut? I would think that would help “glue” it together – but my family isn’t a big fan of it…..
Jules said: on June 16, 2011
Pam – absolutely you can make without the coconut. This recipe only uses 1/2 cup anyway; just try to keep the proportions roughly the same between flour, oats, fruit. That’s one reason I love this recipe, because you can really pick and choose ingredients!
Cheryl Kelly said: on June 17, 2011
Going to try this on the wknd Jules! Thanks so much- I can tolerate those Glutino bars, but they’re so expensive and your recipe sound way healthier! (I might have to pop in a few Ecuadorian chocolate chips though)
Thanks!!
Jules said: on June 17, 2011
OOh Cheryl, Ecuadorian chocolate chips?!?? I’m drooling! ; )
Michelle E said: on June 17, 2011
This sounds great! Do you have any idea where I can find nut-free dried fruits, though. The cranberries and the raisins shouldn’t be a problem, but in the past I have had a hard time with things like dried bananas and apples.
Jules said: on June 18, 2011
Michelle – I’ll look around for you and see what I can find. Luckily, apples and bananas are super easy to dehydrate yourself! Also, you can sub out those ingredients in this recipe for other dried berries, figs, etc. and still make the recipe deliciously, but safe for you.
Lana Sparks said: on June 18, 2011
These look absolutely awesome! Can you post the nutritional facts on these as I am counting carbs, fat, protein and fiber while losing weight and these look so good I want to make them so bad but can’t until I know the facts…please do share! Thanks so much!
Jules said: on June 18, 2011
Lana – I will try to get the nutritionals for this recipe for you. I would love to get nutritionals for all my recipes … we’ll see if I can pull that off someday! : )
Tracy said: on June 20, 2011
I’m also wondering about gluten-free dried fruit. We have a local store that sells “homemade” dried fruit. What should I be asking to find out if it would be gluten-free?
Jules said: on June 20, 2011
Tracy- you’ll want to be sure they are not dusting the fruit with any flour to keep it from sticking together. They could use corn starch instead, but you need to ask to be sure.
Jean Cutter said: on June 21, 2011
Can you make this recipe without flaxseed meal or substitute with some other ingredient? I cannot tolerate flax.
Jules said: on June 21, 2011
Jean- you absolutely can make a substitution in this recipe for flax. That’s one of the neat things about this recipe is its versatility (and forgiving nature!). You could leave it out altogether, or add extra chopped nuts or coconut … whatever suits you!
Lucille Balko said: on July 5, 2011
I notice in the recipe it says that it makes 28 bars. However, in the nutritionals, it says 40 servings. Does that mean each bar would have 195 calories?
JoAnne said: on July 16, 2011
these bars are great! this week I tried a higher protein version: I cooked 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water. Then I spread the quinoa on a parchment covered jelly roll pan and dried/toasted it in a 375 degree oven until it was a nice golden color and crisp. I ended up with 2 cups crucnchy quinoa. I then used 1 cup oats and the 2 cups quinoa in the bars. Quinoa flakes are expensive. These turned out great. Thanks for the recipe Jules.
Jules said: on July 16, 2011
JoAnne- I LOVE your modification! I’ll have to give that one a try, myself! Thanks for sharing!