You really can never have too many snackities, ya know?
My fridge is always bursting at the seams with muffins and no-bake bites galore. I’ve always wanted to make homemade granola bars, but I could never fully wrap my head around using oodles and oodles of liquid sweetener to hold them together.
When life gives you dates, make no-bake peanut butter granola bars.
Not dates as in males. Dates as in medjool. Both types are kind of sticky and annoying, but overall pretty darn sweet in the end.
I know you guys probably want to kick me in my hiney when every recipe I post requires a food processor, which I know not everyone owns. These are glorious because you can mix them in a bowl rather than having to blend up a gazillion nuts and dates in the food processor. These do require you to blend dates and water in the itty bitty nutribullet (or blender of choice), but hey…if you don’t want a half a cup of honey in your bars, ya gotta blend up those naturally sweetened dates! Sacrifices, people.
I’m on an oatmeal kick. A gigantical one. Oats in a bowl breakfast with berries and almond butter. Oats in a bar for snack with chia seeds and peanut buttah. Oats for dessert with chocolate chippies.
Oats in ALL THE THANGS.
Let’s just say that this bod is getting its dose or three of cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber thanks to my recent oatmeal overload.
Ditch that afternoon cup of coffee and processed energy bar and snag one of these instead. Your taste buds, cholesterol, and wallet will thank ya! For more no-bake goodies, check out 15 Clean-Eating No-Bake Snacks.
P.S. Tossing in a handful or four or chocolate chips wouldn’t be the worst idea I’ve ever heard…
- 7 large pitted medjool dates(about ½ cup packed), soaked
- 5 tbsp hot water
- ½ cup peanut butter
- 3 tbsp brown rice syrup (or honey)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- Line a shallow baking dish with parchment paper (or wax paper). I used a 7x11 glass dish.
- Place pitted dates in a bowl. Cover with boiling or very hot water (I used my tea kettle). Allow them to soak for at least 10 minutes.
- Place soaked dates plus 5 tbsp of the soaking water in a blender (I used my nutribullet). Blend until combined. The mixture will be very thick.
- Place date mixture, peanut butter, brown rice syrup, and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until well-combined and heated through.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, chia seeds, and flax. Stir in wet mixture until combined.
- Spoon mixture into baking dish, pressing very firmly so mixture is evenly spread throughout pan. It should be very compact. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and press down firmly. Remove top piece of parchment and freeze bars for at least 2 hours.
- Cut into 12 bars. Store in the freezer.
This is perfect! Using dates as a binder…
Dixya@food,pleasure,and health recently posted…Announcing “Blogger of the Week” Series
They add the perfect sweetness and stickiness!
I love dates in bars!!!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted…Choose One Thing and Do It Well
Me too! You’ll adore these then!
These look fantastic! You definitely can’t have too many snacks!! 🙂
Maryea {happy healthy mama} recently posted…Sesame-Ginger Spaghetti Squash Bowl
I couldn’t agree more!
Chocolate chips are definitely going into these! love dates <3
Dietitian Jess recently posted…Parsnip, Beet, and Goat Cheese Salad
Yes please!
Hail to the oats! These granola bars look super legit! I’ve never made granola bars homemade and have been meaning to for ages. Love that I can spy layer upon layer of tasty oats in these bad boys! So perfecto for all my snacking pleashaaaa
Julia recently posted…Butternut Squash and Prosciutto Pasta with Lemon Garlic and Sage
Never?! I bet you’d make a MEAN granola bar!
I will take these kind of dates over the other kind of dates (aka numerous douchey male dates…LOL) I need to get on a oatmeal kick again…been too long. I just can’t stop the craving for Skoop smoothies!
She Rocks Fitness recently posted…She ROCKS Treadmill + Body Weight Workout
Bahaha who needs douchey male dates when there’s this kind?!
Homemade or not, I generally think granola bars are too sweet. I love the idea of using dates and just a little bit of liquid sweetener. I love forward to making them!
Dana | fresh simple five recently posted…Roasted Cajun Chickpeas
Ooh what a great idea to blend the dates with water!!
Alysia @ Slim Sanity recently posted…Weekly Meal Plan: January 11 – 17
It’s my new fave sweetener 🙂
I always have to have energy bars on hand for whenever I need a healthy sugar hit. So I must make these bars – they look and sound so delicious!
Thalia @ butter and brioche recently posted…Stone Fruit Brioche Tartlets
They’re perfect for satisfying those cravings!
These look great! So many of the “healthier” granola bar recipes I find online still have SO much honey/maple syrup/other sweetener in them. And while that’s slightly better than refined sugar, they’re still essentially sugar. Love that these only have 3 tbsp for the whole batch!
Chelsea @ Chelsea’s Healthy Kitchen recently posted…An evening at Dish Cooking Studio
Right?! They’re still sweet, just not overboard.
These look fabulous! I’m certain I would a eat at least 3 in one sitting. I tried to make granola bars last week with just a little honey but they fell apart so I know exactly what you mean about the oodles of sweetener. I love that you were able to make it work with dates! The mejdool kind. 😉
Sarah @ Making Thyme for Health recently posted…Copycat Starbucks Spinach Feta Breakfast Wraps
Bravo for making your own granola bars, even if they did fall apart 🙂 dates to the rescue!
I am in love with making raw goodies with dates! I seem to buy cups of them every week at the grocery store . . . totally worth it! These bars look awesome. Now I just need to get some more PB along with dates. Thanks for sharing:)
Laura recently posted…Sprouted Grain Applesauce Blueberry Cake
I go through tonssss of dates. I love them in smoothies!
You can never have enough snacks. My freezer is packed with health muffins! Can’t wait to try these. They look delicious! I’m assuming I can use my food processor to do this, yes?
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…15 Facts About Me, Liebster Award
Isn’t it so great to have a bunch of snacks ready to go in the freezer?! I wouldn’t blend the oats in the food proccesor since you want them whole, but you can blend the dates and water in there!
Love that there is not a ton of liquid sweetener here. I’ve mashed dates with a fork before you just have to let them soak a bit longer so that problem is solved!! Peanut butter is calling my name right now. Pinning for later!!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors recently posted…Portobello “Philly Cheese Steak” (#SundaySupper)
Nice tip on mashing the dates with a fork!
What do you estimate the calorie count to be for these?
I don’t calculate nutrition info, sorry!!
How to you find out the number of calories in these lovely creations? 🙂
Miss your posts, this was the last one on the 12th. Know how busy you are and hope to get more yummy recipes from your busy healthy days!
Hi Karen! I try to post 1-2 new recipes per week 🙂
I’m assuming that almond butter would work as well?
Yep! Any nut butter should work.