Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars, an easy homemade plant-based granola bar recipe made with peanuts, peanut butter, rolled oats, dates, vanilla, and chocolate. Great to prep ahead!
Equipment
- 1 food processor
- 1 9x5 inch baking pan
- 1 parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup roasted peanuts unsalted
- 1 cup medjool dates pitted
- ½ cup peanut butter creamy or chunky
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Blend peanuts: Add peanuts to a food processor or blender and pulse to chop.
- Blend bar ingredients: Add dates to the food processor with the chopped peanuts and pulse to completely mix. Then add peanut butter and vanilla extract, and pulse again until completely mixed. Finally, add rolled oats, salt, and half of chocolate chips (1/2 cup as written is written) and mix until combined. (The mixture should very slightly wet and very thick, not crumbly. If the mixture is crumbly then the bars will not set, so add a small amount of liquid like more peanut butter or even a tablespoon of water and blend ingredients again until the mixture is sticky but firm.)
- Press ingredients into pan and chill: Add parchment or wax paper on top of an 9x5 inch baking pan so that the edges of the paper extend beyond the sides of the pan (so it is easy to remove after). Then place the bar ingredient mixture in the pan and use your fingers to press it to the bottom of the pan. Then place the pan inside the freezer for 30 minutes to allow the bars to chill and the ingredients to harden.
- Cut bars and drizzle with chocolate: When the bars are done chilling, remove the pan from the refrigerator and lift the parchment or wax paper from the pan and lay flat on your countertop. Then the bars into 1-2 inch sections (should be about 6 bars, as recipe is written). Then place the remaining chocolate chips in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds until smooth, or heat over a pan of hot water in a double boiler. Then drizzle the chocolate on top of the bars and let dry until the chocolate is solid.
- To store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat, as the bars will become very soft when left at room temperature.
Notes
- Make ahead: These homemade granola bars are great to make ahead and eat for breakfast, as a snack, or a sweet treat throughout the week. They’re also great for freezing, so make a big batch and eat for months to come.
- Leftovers and storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to eat, as the bars will become very soft when left at room temperature. Store in a freezer-friendly bag for 2 months, then pull the bars out to room temperature a few hours before eating.
- Nutrition notes: Nutrition information is an estimate and includes all ingredients listed. This recipe uses only plant-based ingredients, so it is suitable for vegan diets. To make it gluten free, make sure to purchase gluten free oats.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 369kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 10gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 243mgPotassium: 454mgFiber: 4gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 37IUCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
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