Yesterday.was.nuts. Almonds… not peanuts 😉
I know I said I was looking forward to getting back into a normal routine after the holidays, but yesterday was not normal — either that or I lost some of my work-related fitness after taking a few weeks off for Christmas vacation. Should have been doing [number] crunches or something. Dang. But I digress.
I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve posted a recipe here on Spoons, and that’s probably because… well… it has been [what feels like] forever. The last one was the holiday cookie energy bites that I posted waaaaaay before Christmas, so I’m well overdue for another — especially since my goal this year is to share more recipes. So… here’s one for granola bars! (how’s that for an intro? 😉 )
And because that picture makes them look kind of puny and insignificant, here are some better ones…
Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about… It almost looks like those one of those fancy glamour shots they take of McDonalds’ Big Macs… Except that when you make these, they actually come out looking like they do in the picture, and not like that sorry excuse for meat, lettuce, and bread that they throw at you and try to pass off as a burger. But I digress.
I’m picky when it comes to my granola bars, and it pains me to say that none of the pre-packaged ones have been able to live up to my standards. Okay, that’s not even close to being true. The reality of the matter is that it pains me to say that I have no idea whether or not the pre-packaged bars would live up to my standards because I can’t eat 99.99% of them — let’s just say that “may contain traces of peanuts” is definitely up there on my list of phrases I hate to hear the most. But, again, I digress. The point is… what? (brain fart). AH! The point is, if I want a bar, I have to make a bar; and when I make a bar, it has to be juuuuuuuuust right.
This means: soft, chewy, dense, chocolatey, nutritious, and filling. In other words, these:
I’d love to know if you make this (or any!) recipe! Tag @runwithspoons on Instagram and Twitter, and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy and delicious recipes straight to your inbox!
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Soft and Chewy Protein Granola Bars
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups (160 g) quick oats
- 1/2 cup (40 g) vanilla protein powder
- 2 Tbsp (14 g) ground flax
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (64 g) almond butter (or any nut butter)
- 1/4 cup (80 g) honey, or brown rice syrup if vegan
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips (dairy-free if vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare an 8×8 (20x20cm) baking pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, protein powder, flax, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine almond butter, honey, almond milk, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined. Pour wet mix into dry mix and stir until fully incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared baking pan. Using a spatula or your hands, spread the mixture evenly in the pan, pressing down firmly.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 20 minutes before cutting into bars.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
Click here for nutrition facts.
Bars are one of my favourite snacks because of how portable and filling they are. I’m sure there are a lot of great storebought bars out there, but for those of us who have allergies, or who are looking to save some money, homemade bars are the way to go — not only are they a breeze to whip up, but you can customize them to your heart’s content… Not feeling chocolate? Toss in some raisins, dates, or dried cranberries instead. Need a little extra oompf? Add some nuts, seeds, or coconut shreds. The possibilities are endless, and the results are delicious.
Enjoy your Tuesday, friends! And don’t forget to start Thinking Out Loud 😀
I made these for my husband and he loved them! Can you tell me what the nutrition label of these protein bars are?
These came out super yummy and my son said they were better than any store bought granola bars. I do agree with commenters about them being not really being protein bars. After adding sunflower, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and omitting chocolate these bars were only 6grams of protein on MFP. None the less it has given me a good foundation for experimenting. Thx!
I have to say, calling them Protein Bars with only 5 grams of protein is a bit of a stretch. Most store-bought bars advertise 10-18, and the super expensive ones are 20+. Of course making them at home with ingredients that we can pronounce is a big bonus, but I wonder how we can make these a better source of protein, not just incidedntal?
So I am super bummed as I entered in the recipe to my fitness pal and it only came up as 8g of protein. The nutrition listed at the end of this recipe says way higher?! Did anyone else find this?
These look great! Do they need to be refrigerated?
Do these need to be refrigerated?
How long are they good for and how do you store them for freshness? Thanks.
Hey, thanks for such insightful recipe. Would definitely love to try this. I’d try this protein granola bar with True Elements Rolled Oats and let’s hope it turns out to be super delicious. Do give it a try 🙂
Why do bloggers write recipies these days? It used to be chefs who wrote recipies. Woe is me holding onto the old world.
Can I do without the protein powder?
Is flax necessary for the composition of the bars? I have to be careful, for functional reasons.
I used half the honey as the protein powder is sweet enough for me. I added dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds too. Delicious. Crispy on top and soft and chewy inside. Top recipe
Such a great recipe. Better than any store bought and super chewy! I added some chia seeds to my bars to give them more nutrition and it works out great!
That’s an amazing recipe. I have to try it tonight for my family. Thanks for your sharing and love your site
These are delightfully chewy, filling, and mildly sweet. I think I will try almond extract next time instead of vanilla, and see if it brings out the flavor of all the nuts a little more. This is the best granola bar I’ve tried making yet! Thanks!
Mine feel apart… Not sure why??
I put some dried mango in??
Any suggestions on this???