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These delicious vegan granola bars are the ultimate plant-based snack to enjoy at home or on the go! Each bite is loaded with nuts and seeds that will fill you up and keep you feeling satisfied. These super crunchy bars are easy to make and they're naturally gluten-free and free of refined sugar.
These crunchy vegan granola bars are loaded with high-fiber oats, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds. Every tasty bite is packed with sweet and salty roasted nuts that make it taste more like a dessert than a wholesome snack!
This recipe is easy to make and it's the perfect light breakfast or quick and satisfying snack for when you need an afternoon pick-me-up. These bars are great to pack for a day when you're on the go because they don't need to be refrigerated, they're very hearty, they travel perfectly, and they will fill you up!
How to Make Vegan Granola Bars
In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, coconut oil, and salt. Lay the oats on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake it until the oats are lightly golden and toasted. Next, combine the maple syrup, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a small pan on the stovetop.
Remove the tray from the oven and carefully pour it back into the mixing bowl. Lower the heat and then add the nuts, seeds, and syrup mixture that you just made to the bowl and stir to combine.
Use a large spoon to scoop the mixture out of the bowl and transfer it back onto the tray. Spread it out evenly, and use a piece of parchment paper to lay on top of the oats and press down firmly with your palm. Doing this will help the mixture stick together better and form a solid bar. Bake until the granola is golden brown.
When the bars are done baking, remove the tray from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Use a pastry cutter or thin spatula to slice the granola into 4 x 5 rows to make 20 bars. If you don't slice the granola bars now, you won't be able to later because they will be too hard.
Serving Suggestions
The bars are delicious eaten plain or you could add a dollop of peanut or almond butter for extra protein. You could also break them up into small chunks in a bowl, add your favorite plant milk, and eat it like cereal for breakfast. I do this often, it's delicious.
You could also sprinkle chunks of granola over plant-based yogurt with fresh fruit for a healthy snack. Want to make it a little more decadent? After you cut the bars, drizzle melted dark chocolate over the top. It's SO good.
How Long Will The Bars Stay Crispy?
Store the vegan granola bars in an airtight container on the counter and they will stay crispy for about four days before they start to get a little soft and chewy (but still delicious!) by the fifth day. However, I highly doubt that they will last that long in your house because they always seem to disappear by the third day at my house!
Notes & Substitutions
- Gluten-Free: If you're gluten-free, make sure to use gluten-free oats.
- Maple Syrup Substitutions: You can substitute date syrup, coconut nectar, or agave.
- Coconut Sugar Substitutions: Cane sugar or date sugar can be used instead.
- Nut & Seed Substitutions: I've made these vegan granola bars with all different types of nuts and seeds depending on what I had on hand that day. Brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and sunflower seeds are all delicious in these bars.
- Can I use quick oats? I haven't tested the recipe with any other oats besides old-fashioned (rolled) oats.
Success Tips
- If you have a newer oven (mine is older), make sure to check on the bars every few minutes to make sure they're not getting too dark. My mom loves this vegan granola bar recipe and makes it often, but she has a newer oven and she told me that she bakes the bars a few minutes less than the instructions call for.
- When you pour the oat mixture back onto the tray, try to form it to make one big solid rectangle so you can cut the bars into even pieces.
- The bars firm up quickly as they cool. If you wait too long, it will be very difficult to cut them into bars. If you do forget, it's ok, you can just break up the pieces into chunky granola.
- It's ok if any crumbly pieces break off while you're cutting the bars, you can eat them like cereal with plant milk or sprinkle them on top of a vegan yogurt parfait.
- Store the leftover granola in an airtight container on the counter (not in the fridge) so they will stay crunchy for the max amount of time.
Want More Vegan Snack Recipes?
Chocolate Peanut Butter Dessert Hummus
Crunchy Vegan Granola Bars
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- 15 x 11 Large Baking Tray
- Small Saucepan
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats (rolled oats)
- ¼ cup virgin coconut oil (cold-pressed and unrefined)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
- ½ cup almonds
- ½ cup cashews
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the old fashioned oats, coconut oil, and salt. Mix it well, so each oat is lightly coated in oil. Lay the oats on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake it for 18-20 minutes or until the oats are lightly golden and toasted. Stir halfway through.
- While the oats are toasting, mix the maple syrup and coconut sugar in a small pan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes). Once the sugar has dissolved, add the cinnamon and vanilla extract. Stir it well.
- Remove the tray of oats from the oven and carefully pour them back into your mixing bowl. I’ve found that the easiest way to do this is to carefully pick up the top and bottom right corners of the parchment paper with your right hand and pick up the top and bottom left corners with your left hand. Then create a funnel that you can use to easily pour the oats back into the bowl.
- Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees.
- Add all of the nuts and seeds to the bowl with the oats. Pour the syrup mixture you just made over the oats and stir to combine. Use a large spoon to scoop the oat mixture out of the bowl and transfer it back onto the parchment-lined tray.
- Spread the oats out evenly, and lay a piece of parchment paper on top of the oats, and press down firmly with your palm. Pressing down will help the oats stick together better and form a solid bar.
- Bake the granola bars for 24-30 minutes or until the granola is golden brown. If you see any darker spots beginning to form, rotate the tray or remove it from the oven so it doesn’t burn.
- Remove the tray from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Use a pastry cutter or thin spatula to slice the granola into 4 x 5 rows to make 20 bars. If you don’t cut the granola now, you won’t be able to later because they will be too hard.
- Let the granola bars finish cooling completely and then store them in an airtight container on the counter for 4-5 days.
Notes
- If you have a newer oven (mine is older), make sure to check on the bars every few minutes to make sure they're not getting too dark. My mom loves this vegan granola bar recipe and makes it often, but she has a newer oven and she told me that she bakes the bars a few minutes less than the instructions call for.
- When you pour the oat mixture back onto the tray, try to form it to make one big solid rectangle so you can cut the bars into even pieces.
- The vegan granola bars firm up quickly as they cool. If you wait too long, it will be very difficult to cut them into bars. If you do forget, it's ok, you can just break up the pieces into chunky granola.
- It's ok if any crumbly pieces break off while you're cutting the bars, you can use eat them like cereal with plant milk or sprinkle them on top of a vegan yogurt parfait.
Nutrition
*This baked vegan granola bar recipe was originally posted on 10/23/15 but I updated it on 12/13/20.
