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Healthy vegan date sweetened chewy granola bars with strawberries and chocolate chips! Easy, 8 ingredients, gluten-free, oil-free, no bake, and the perfect snack!
If you need a quick and healthy vegan snack, this recipe is a must try! When I first made these vegan date sweetened chewy granola bars, they tasted EXACTLY like Chewy granola bars, but so much better! We were totally hooked on these and I made batch after batch. My toddler, of course, LOVES them. I can personally say that these chewy vegan granola bars make the perfect snack for kids AND adults, because my husband and I also found them irresistible.
At first we were just making them with the chocolate chips, but we have recently been enjoying snacking on freeze dried strawberries and I knew that they would make the perfect addition to these granola bars! The chocolate, strawberry and coconut combination is so delicious.
I absolutely love when I veganize or healthify (those aren’t really words, but they are for my blog post) recipes and they come out tasting JUST like the classics. This recipe is no exception. These healthy vegan granola bars are:
gluten-free
naturally sweetened with dates
WFPB (whole food plant based)
healthy
oil-free
soft and chewy
hearty and filling
so easy to make requiring only 8 ingredients!
They make a great healthy vegan snack option, or even the perfect on-the-go breakfast! My favorite part about these chewy vegan granola bars is that they are made with only plant based whole foods and they taste WAY better than any store bought granola bars I’ve tried!
Ingredients
These vegan date sweetened granola bars contain only 8 healthy whole food ingredients!
Medjool dates
Canned coconut cream
Vanilla extract
Rolled oats
Salt
Mini chocolate chips
Freeze Dried Strawberries
Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
If you are wondering how so little ingredients can have so much flavor, read on.
Let’s Talk About Medjool Dates
Medjool dates are the star of the show. Not only are they soft and plump and (when mixed with vanilla and coconut milk) hold these bars together, they are incredibly tasty and healthy. If you have never tried medjool dates before, you are in for a treat. They are sweet and have a lovely caramel flavor.
When they are blended with vanilla extract and coconut milk, the result is a delicious thick “date caramel” that gives these granola bars a warming, sweet, vanilla and cream flavor. SO good.
This is important: your medjool dates should be plump, moist and sticky. The soft and sticky texture is absolutely imperative for these date sweetened granola bars to stick together! Some dates feel more dry than others. If your dates feel dry and hard & look wrinkled, soak them in hot water for about 10-15 minutes, drain the water, then proceed with the recipe.
How to Make Vegan Date Sweetened Chewy Granola Bars
First, line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
Next, check your medjool dates. You want to make sure they are plump, moist and sticky. If they feel dry and hard & look wrinkled: soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes, drain the water, and proceed with the recipe.
Add your medjool dates, coconut cream and vanilla extract to a food processor and pulse for a minute or so until you get a thick caramel like texture. Make sure to stop every so often and scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor and down toward the blade.
Next, remove the blade and add the rolled oats, salt, freeze dried strawberries (use your hands to break them into small pieces) and mini chocolate chips (I use these). You can also transfer everything to a large bowl and mix. Stir very well until everything is combined and the mixture is sticking together. I like to mix AND press down into the mixture with a rubber spatula so everything sticks.
Take out the granola bar mixture with your hands, squeeze to stick together and place in the baking dish. Press down with your hands or a spatula in a tight, even layer. Top with shredded unsweetened coconut and extra freeze dried strawberries and mini chocolate chips (gently press the toppings into the bars with a spatula or your fingers so they don’t fall off).
Freeze for 20 minutes, cut into bars and enjoy!
How to Store Vegan Date Sweetened Chewy Granola Bars
I recommend storing these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a maximum of 4-5 days. I haven’t tried freezing them, so I am unsure about that.
These vegan chewy granola bars will keep their shape at room temperature, but they will be extra soft and chewy.
More Vegan No Bake Date Sweetened Recipes
Vegan No-Bake Lemon Cookie Dough Balls [GF]
Vegan No Bake Brownie Truffles [GF, Oil-Free]
Vegan No Bake Cinnamon Donut Holes [GF, Oil-Free]
Vegan Chickpea Cookie Dough [No Added Sugar, Oil-Free]
FAQ
No, I do not recommend that. Medjool dates are more plump and sticky and they hold these bars together. Deglet noor dates would be too dry and the bars wouldn’t stick.
If there is a coconut allergy in your house, simply swap out the canned coconut milk for either another plant-based milk or water and omit the shredded coconut on top. I prefer to use the canned coconut cream because it adds a tasty flavor, but you can easily leave it out.
For a lower sugar option, you can omit the mini chocolate chips and add in cacao nibs.
PIN IT for later!
If you make this recipe, I would love a rating and comment below! Don’t forget to take a photo and tag @wholesome.crumbs on Instagram!
Vegan Date Sweetened Chewy Granola Bars [GF, Oil-Free]
Equipment
- You will need: a food processor, an 8×8 baking dish and parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted medjool dates, packed
- 2 & 1/2 tbsp canned unsweetened full-fat coconut milk use the thick cream on top!
- 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 & 3/4 cups rolled oats certified GF if needed
- 1/2 cup freeze dried strawberries, broken into small pieces plus extra for topping
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips plus extra for topping
- 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- shredded unsweetened coconut, for topping
Instructions
- First, line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. Next, check your medjool dates. You want to make sure they are plump, moist and sticky. If they feel dry and hard & look wrinkled: soak them in hot water for 10-15 minutes, drain the water, and proceed with the recipe.
- Add your medjool dates, coconut cream and vanilla extract to a food processor and pulse for a minute or so until you get a thick caramel like texture. Make sure to stop every so often and scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor and down toward the blade.
- Next, remove the blade and add the rolled oats, salt, freeze dried strawberries and mini chocolate chips (you can also transfer everything to a large bowl and mix). Stir very well until everything is combined and the mixture is sticking together. I like to mix AND press down into the mixture with a rubber spatula so everything sticks.
- Take out the granola bar mixture with your hands, squeeze to stick together and place in the baking dish. Press down with your hands or a spatula in a tight, even layer. Top with shredded unsweetened coconut and extra freeze dried strawberries and mini chocolate chips (gently press the toppings into the bars with a spatula or your fingers so they don't fall off).
- Freeze for 20 minutes, cut into bars and enjoy! Store the bars covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
- See above for substitution information and FAQ
Hi! What can we use to replace the coconut cream?
Just use water instead 🙂
How would these taste without the chocolate chips? I cannot have cocoa at all and especially not chocolate chips which tend to have sugar in them. So happy to find a bar that is sweetened with dates instead of liquid sweeteners. Do you think raisins or another dried fruit might work instead of the chocolate chips?
Is it cool to leave the chocolate chips out of these bars? I can’t have cocoa powder or sugar.