Quick & Nutritious Chocolate Granola Bars

Looking for a snack that’s both nourishing and easy to make at home? These Chocolate Granola Bars might be just what you need. They’re a great option for mid-day hunger pangs, kids’ snack boxes, or even a light breakfast paired with some creamy yogurt.

What makes these bars truly special is how flexible and nutrient-rich they are. You can tailor them to what you already have in your kitchen, and they come together without any baking or complicated steps. Here’s a little look into the goodness each ingredient brings:

Oats (Rolled or Instant)

A great source of dietary fiber, oats help keep you fuller for longer and support steady energy levels. They’re gentle on the stomach and form the perfect base for granola bars.

Nuts (Almonds & Cashews)

Almonds are rich in healthy fats and vitamin E, while cashews add a lovely creamy texture and provide minerals like magnesium and iron. Together, they make the bars more satisfying and nutritious.

Seeds (Sunflower & Pumpkin)

These seeds are tiny but mighty. Full of antioxidants, healthy fats, and essential minerals, they’re wonderful for overall wellness – especially for skin, hair, and heart health.

Dried Fruits (Cranberries, Currants, Blueberries)

Naturally sweet and slightly tangy, dried berries bring a burst of flavor along with antioxidants and dietary fiber. They also add a nice chewy texture to the bars.

Natural Sweetener of Your Choice

Whether you use honey, maple syrup, liquid jaggery, or date syrup, these natural sweeteners help bind the ingredients together while offering a gentler alternative to refined sugar.

Dark Chocolate

A small amount of dark chocolate adds richness and depth of flavor. It’s also known for its antioxidant properties and heart-friendly benefits – making indulgence feel a little more balanced.

Salt

Just a hint of salt brings everything together and enhances the overall flavour without overpowering it.

If you love baking with Oats, you may like these recipes:

Gluten free Oat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cooling Summer Granola

These bars are simple, wholesome, and made with ingredients you can trust. Ideal for both kids and adults, they’re perfect for busy mornings, school tiffins, or evening tea-time. And the best part? They store well and travel easily – so you can enjoy a healthy bite wherever your day takes you.

The full recipe is coming up next – it’s straightforward and won’t take more than a few minutes to put together.

Gluten-free Chocolate Granola Bars

Serves: 12 bars Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 15 mins 15 mins

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

1.5 cup - Oats

3/4 cup - Chopped Nuts

1/2 cup - Mixed seeds

1/2 cup - Dried Fruits

1/4 cup - Honey/Maple Syrup/Date syrup/Liquid Jaggery

1/8 - 1/4 tsp - Salt (based on your preference)

220g - Dark Chocolate

1/2 tsp Vanilla or Cinnamon (Optional)

 

 

Instructions

1. In a parchment lined baking tray, add rolled oats or instant oats, chopped nuts of your choice, mixed seeds, give them a good mix and bake them in a preheated oven at 160 C for 10-15 minutes, until the nuts have a beautiful golden colour and the oats have become crunchy. You can also roast them all on a pan over the stove.
2. In another bowl take dark chocolate that is broken or chopped into small pieces. Melt them on a double boiler or in a microwave.
3. Add salt, cinnamon/vanilla and honey or maple syrup or liquid jaggery.
4. Give it a good mix and add all the toasted oats, nuts and seeds followed by mixed dried fruits of your choice.
5. Mix it thoroughly until chocolate coats everything evenly.
6. Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper and transfer all the mixture. Press it down tightly and evenly. Smoothen the top.
7. Now let it set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours during summer. You can let it set at room temperature in colder weather too.
8. Take it out and cut it into 12 or 16 equal rectangles or squares.
9. Store them in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.

Notes

1. I have used equal parts of almonds and cashews here. But you can use any kind of nuts of your choice, like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts etc.
2. I have used equal parts pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. But any combination of seeds work great in this recipe like melon seeds, flaxseeds, even chia seeds.
3. Any sweetener of your choice will work in this recipe too, like maple syrup, date syrup, liquid jaggery etc. It will make this recipe vegan too.
4. Add salt based on your preference. If you use fine white salt, use only 1/8 tsp. But if you use pink salt or kosher salt, you can add 1/4 tsp.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Have you made this recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @VanillaTrails and use the hashtag #MadeWithVanillaTrails.