The ultimate snack bar is here! It's made with just 5 ingredients, requires no oven time, and can be made in minutes. These No-Bake 5-Ingredient Homemade Granola Bars were made for busy days that call for a delicious pick me up!

You may know by now that I love an energy bite! These are a really awesome way to get both protein and healthy carbohydrates in for that sustainable boost of energy we all need at snack time. I recently decided to make my favorite energy bites into No-Bake 5-Ingredient Homemade Granola Bars and the results were even more delicious than I anticipated! I made sure to really push the dough into the pan so the bars hold their shape after being cut. The result is an on-the-go snack that's filled with nutrients and tastes amazing! If you make them, be sure to tag me on Instagram so I can see 🙂
All About Oats
I use quick-cooking oats for these bars. I like the texture and I find the wet ingredients incorporate better as opposed to rolled oats! If you don't have quick-cooking, you could place your old-fashioned oats in the food processor and pulse a couple times to break them down a bit. I bake with oats all the time and love them for gluten-free dishes. Oats are full of soluble fiber, and they’re higher in protein and healthful fats than most other whole grains. It's a nutritious way to get some carbohydrates in!
Almond Butter
Mmm, almond butter...I could eat it with a spoon! Almonds are low in carbohydrates and high in protein, healthy fats, iron, and vitamin E. They're also a good source of calcium and magnesium. See my complete guide on Almonds Benefits for Vegans for nutrition facts, health benefits and the many ways to incorporate almonds into your recipes!
If you have almonds on hand you can make your own Homemade Raw Creamy Almond Butter, which comes together in the food processor in a snap! Any jarred almond butter would work for this recipe, though. I always check the ingredient list to make sure there isn't any sugar sneaking in!
My favorite store-bought almond butter is Trader Joe's creamy, unsalted almond butter. Almonds are the only ingredient and they are raw (not roasted). I find the roasted flavor to be a bit strong and much prefer the mellow, sweet taste of the raw almond butter. Plus, the price is so reasonable at Trader Joe's!
Granola Bar Variations
Once you have a hearty base like this one, you can add any of your favorite granola bar mix-ins. This is also a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen and trying new foods! Some things to consider:
- Dark chocolate chips (I love Hu brand chocolate gems!)
- Dried cranberries (unsweetened)
- Your favorite chopped nuts (or seeds)
- Shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- Cocoa powder mixed in
How to Keep Homemade Granola Bars From Falling Apart
This is the hardest part of making homemade granola bars...they crumble! My solution is to push the dough into an 8x8 pan lined with parchment paper. Place another piece of parchment paper on top, then use the bottom of a small glass (or your hands and some muscle!) to really compact the bars. Squishing them together is the most important step to bars that hold their shape! I also put them into the freezer for 4 hours before cutting to really help them solidify.
Storing Homemade Granola Bars
Once frozen and cut into bars I recommend storing them in the refrigerator. This helps them keep their shape without needing time to thaw before enjoying! If you'd like them to last longer, store your homemade granola bars in the freezer, just be sure to let them thaw for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before biting into them.
More Snacks for Energy
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Energy Bites
Super Seed No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars
No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa-Chia Bites
Instant Sunflower Energy Balls
No-Bake Flourless Brownie Energy Bites
Raw, Vegan Chocolate-Filled Snack Bars
No-Bake Date Coconut Energy Bites
Easy Apple Nachos
No-Bake Quinoa Energy Bites
Almond Butter & Jelly Energy Bites
Print
No-Bake 5-Ingredient Granola Bars (vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The ultimate snack bar is here! It's made with just 5 ingredients, requires no oven time, and can be made in minutes. These No-Bake 5-Ingredient Homemade Granola Bars were made for busy days that call for a delicious pick me up!
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick cooking oats (gluten-free if desired)
- 1.5 cups raw, creamy, unsalted almond butter (ideally not roasted for best flavor)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
Optional Topping: vegan dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Place oats, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to an 8x8 baking pan lined with parchment paper. Place another sheet of parchment paper overtop and use a small glass to flatten the mixture into one even layer that covers the entire baking pan. Top with chocolate chips if desired. Place the parchment paper overtop the chocolate chips and press them into the mixture.
- Place the baking pan in the freezer for 4 hours. Remove from freezer and sliced into eight rectangular granola bars. Wrap each bar separately in parchment paper and store in the freezer or refrigerator. If storing in the freezer you will need to let the granola thaw out and soften a bit before enjoying (about 15 minutes).
Notes
For energy bites instead of granola bars: Once the ingredients are all mixed together, use a 1.5 cookie scoop to portion out 20 energy bites. Roll each bite between the palms of your hands to create a round shape. Enjoy immediately or place the energy balls on a parchment lined flat surface and freeze. Once frozen solid, transfer the energy bites to a freezer safe silicone storage bag to consolidate and store in the freezer or refrigerator. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before enjoying to allow them to soften slightly. Store in the refrigerator to enjoy immediately.
Instead of chocolate chips, you can also drizzle melted dark chocolate chip overtop the granola bars in a zig zag pattern. Sprinkle with unsweetened shredded coconut or hemp seeds if desired.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Snack
- Method: Freezer
Claire says
Hi, my son just diagnosed as Coeliac. I'm trying to replace his favourite granola bars, I think this could be the recipe. Could you give me the ingredients in grams please?
Claire 🙂
Elaine Gordon says
Hi, Claire: I hope this recipe helps. I do not know offhand the conversion for this recipe. I wonder if there is a conversion website where you could maybe input the ingredients to get them in grams? I wish I had better news for you here. I hope you can find a way to make them and that your son enjoys them! Best, Elaine