Vegan Date Sweetened Peanut Butter Granola Bars [GF, No Bake]
With only 6 ingredients, these vegan date sweetened peanut butter granola bars are easy to make, incredibly delicious and are no bake, gluten-free and oil-free!
Equipment
- You will need: a food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup medjool dates, pitted 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.
- 4 tbsp warm water
- 1 & 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter make sure your peanut butter is extra drippy. See notes!
- 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt plus more to taste if desired
- 2 + 1/4 cups rolled oats certified GF if needed
- 1/2 cup mini vegan chocolate chips plus extra 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, water and vanilla extract to a food processor and pulse for a minute or so until you get a 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 stir in the peanut butter (make sure your peanut butter is extra drippy!).
- Now add in the rolled oats, pink Himalayan salt and mini chocolate chips and mix very well until everything is sticking together. I like to mix AND press down into the mixture with a rubber spatula so everything sticks, and you can also use your hands.
- 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 more mini chocolate chips (gently press the chocolate chips into the bars with a spatula or your fingers so they don’t fall off).
- Freeze for about 20-25 minutes, slice into 8 bars, then enjoy! If they still feel too soft and fragile to cut and handle, put them in the fridge until they harden a bit more. For the optional chocolate drizzle, melt about 1/4 cup mini vegan chocolate chips in the microwave and drizzle on top, then refrigerate to set. Store the granola bars covered in the fridge, and enjoy straight from the fridge!
Notes
- Make sure to use peanut butter that has only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Also, the peanut butter needs to be drippy and well stirred. I recommend using a brand new jar, but if your peanut butter is in the fridge, let it sit out at room temp for a bit to soften.