Who else loves granola bars in the summer? They are the thing that I always had growing up on road trips or as a late night snack after playing outside all day. Now that I am older, you can bet they are the first thing I pack before a long hiking trip.
As much as I love trying all the different protein bars on the shelves of Whole Foods, paying $2.99 per bar isn’t going to make my wallet very happy. Turns out, homemade granola bars are a whole lot easier than you might have guessed. Lets make some mountain granola bars!
As you’ll see in the ingredients list for these bars, my recipe is super customizable. I simply shared Mark & I’s favorite combo. This includes gluten free oats, cashews, and walnuts (because these are two of favorite nuts and Mark is allergic to almonds). My homemade granola bar recipe also includes sunbutter—which is basically blended sunflower seeds. It is inexpensive, loaded with protein, and has a delicious flavor!
Hiking mountains, playing sports, and road tripping across the country in the summer can be exhausting—which makes my homemade granola bars are perfect for all your long days. They are packed with healthy fats, and 100% naturally sweetened (which most conventional granola bars cannot boast).
Give my Mountain Granola Bars a try. Customize the recipe the way you like it, and be sure to leave a comment below letting me know how you made yours!
Mountain Granola Bars
My homemade Mountain Granola Bars are healthy, easily customizable, made with only 6 ingredients, and perfect for all your summer adventures
Yield: 12 bars
Materials
- 1 cup dates firmly packed (I used medjool)
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats gluten free for gf eaters
- 1/2 cup roasted cashews or sub other soft nut like peanuts or macadamia nuts
- 1/2 cup roasted walnuts or sub other hard nut like almonds or pecans
- 1/4 cup dried blueberries or sub raisins
- 1/4 cup honey or sub maple syrup for vegan
- 1/3 cup sunbutter sub other nut or seed butter
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender*, pule dates into very small pieces—a ball should start to form.
- Dump dates into large bowl. Add oats, cashews, walnuts, and dried blueberries.
- In a small saucepan over low heat, combine honey and sunbutter. Heat only until completely melted and smooth—do not boil!
- Carefully pour liquid mixture over the dried ingredients. Stir until completely combined—ensure that dates are broken apart and oats are well dispersed.
- Line a small pan (such as an 8x8inch baking sheet) with parchment paper (this helps the bars lift out easier—though not necessary).
- Dump mixture into pan and press until firmly packed.
- Let bars sit in refrigerator or freezer until very firm—about 15 minutes. Remove and slice into bars or desired size (I cut 12).
- Store bars in airtight container on counter for a few days, in refrigerator for a week or in freezer for a couple months.
Notes
*A food processor will work better here. If using a blender, scrape mixture as needed until desired texture is formed. I love my 7-cup KitchenAid food processor and strongly suggest investing in one if you don’t have one yet!
Nutrition
Sodium: 35mg | Sugar: 16.6g | Fiber: 3.3g | Calories: 211kcal | Saturated Fat: 1.6g | Fat: 10.1g | Protein: 6g | Carbohydrates: 28.1g
