My favorite ever 1 bowl homemade energy bars that are super customizable! Whip 'em up with pantry staples like oats, nut butter, maple syrup, plus dried cherries and seeds for major flavor and texture. My kids are obsessed with these and they're incredible right out of the freezer! This is also my go-to snack to make for new mamas.
It's safe to say there's more healthy no bake snacks that any other category on this blog. What can I say...snacking is a dear hobby of mine!
While I'm in a committed relationship to my no bake chocolate chip cookies (higher protein!), sometimes you want to not roll things into balls, ya know?
Gimme a nourishing bar with brain-boosting nuts and seeds, heart-healthy oats, and sweet, crunchy add ins [that I easily can slice, freeze, and call it a day].
We just made a snack SO FAST!
The low down on ingredients
- Quick oats: I find the texture of quick-cooking oats lends itself better to making bars and prevents them from crumbling but you can totally use old-fashioned if that's all you have.
- Coconut: For amazing texture contrast, but you can add more oats if it's not your thing.
- Sweetener: Use unrefined pure maple syrup or honey (I love the raw organic kind from Costco) to sweeten these just enough and help them stick together.
- Nut butter: Almond, peanut, or sunflower seed butter for nut free! It should be the natural drippy kind. Hello, protein boost!
- Super seeds: I love me some hemp, chia and pepitas to add loads of healthy fats and crunchy texture. Bonus point that they help the mixture stick together, too.
- Dried cherries: This may surprise you but the sweet tart flavor and delightful chew make these a nonnegotiable for me. You can use dried cranberries in a pinch, but trust me when I say these are the star! I use dried Montmorency tart cherries but sweet Bing one work, too.
- Salt and vanilla: Critical for balanced flavor. I like to sprinkle flaky salt on top, too.
Let's make them!
Whisk oats, coconuts, seeds, cherries and salt. Mix with with a spoon to combine.
Whisk to combine. Add nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.
Mix, mix, mix!
Spoon mixture into baking dish. Use your hands to press it down very firmly. Freeze and devour!
The clean slice of these bad boys is MAGIC. Am I the only one wildly satisfied by this?!
Store in the fridge or better yet the freezer and pat yourself on the back for living your best homemade snack life!
Print
Foolproof No-Bake Energy Bars (superfood-loaded!)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
My favorite ever homemade energy bars that are super customizable! Whip 'em up with pantry staples like oats, nut butter, maple syrup, plus dried cherries and seeds for major flavor and texture. My kids are obsessed with these and they're incredible right out of the freezer!
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
- ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup seeds (I like a mix of hemp seeds, chia seeds, and pepitas)
- ⅓ cup tart dried cherries
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup nut butter (I love half salted peanut butter, half almond butter)
- ½ cup + 1 tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Optional add-in ideas: ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, 1 tbsp cacao nibs, 1 scoop collagen peptides
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Place oats, coconuts, seeds, cherries, salt, and optional chocolate in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix with with a spoon to combine.
- Spoon mixture into baking dish. Use your hands to press it down very firmly (I like to use the bottom of a glass).
- Freeze for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour, before cutting. Slice into 16 bars. I like to store these in the freezer! You can also keep in the fridge.
Notes
Oats: You can use old fashioned rolled oats but the texture really is best with quick oats.
Coconut: I love the coconut texture but you can add more oats or a mix of oats and seeds instead.
Heather says
You had me at no-bake. These bars are amazing and couldn't be easier to whip up. Loved the texture combo and my family devoured them. These will definitely be in the weekly snack rotation. Thanks for all your efforts in continuously to develop delicious recipes.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
This is the best, thank you so much Heather!
Val says
Wow, loved these energy bars so so much!! Truly an epic combination of flavors and ingredients - a little sweet/salty, a little chewy/crunchy from the dried cherries and cacao nibs... the best of all worlds in 1! SO amazing straight from the freezer and totally adaptable for whatever mixins might be on hand. Love flexible recipes like this!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Yayyy all the textures!!!!
Chelsey says
Fantastic! I made them as written (almond butter and a mix of chia and pepita for the seeds) and they’re amazing! I made them in a smaller container and they’re a bit too thick to cut frozen, so stick with the recommended size pan.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Love this! I let mine thaw a bit before cutting, so try that!
Whitney Long says
yesss another snack recipe! I will be making these soon. I know you said you could do a scoop of collagen peptides. Could you do a scoop of whey protein? I plan on making them regardless of your response lol. Thanks so much!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Hey Whitney! Collagen doesn't absorb much liquid, which is why I suggested it here; I haven't tested it with whey but I think it'll work! If it tastes dry, you can always add a splash of water or milk 🙂