Chocolate Chip Chia Seed Granola Bars
These yummy, vegan chocolate chip chia seed bars are easy to make with just a handful of basic ingredients.
Features
- Dietary features: vegan, gluten-free, refined sugar-free, can be nut-free
- quick and easy: 1 bowl, no-bake, no blending, just 6 ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- oats – I suggest quick oats because they help the bars hold together better, if you only have rolled oats that’s ok…or you can give them a quick pulse in a food processor to slightly break them down closer to a quick oat consistency
- peanut butter – use natural peanut butter, sub with almond butter if needed or for nut-free bars, use sunflower seed butter
- chocolate chips – I like Enjoy Life and Camino brands, you can use Lily’s for a sugar-free option or chopped dark chocolate for a lower-sugar option
- coconut oil – this is essential to the recipe and can’t be substituted, if you’re looking for an oil-free bar, browse all energy bars here (most don’t use oil)
- maple syrup – can be subbed with agave but I like the consistency and flavour of maple syrup here best
- chia seeds – for crunch, binding, texture and nutrition!
Step by Step Method
Step 1. Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl and use a spoon to mix until it’s uniformly combined into a crumbly dough.
Step 2. Line a 7-8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper so the edges of the paper stick out over the sides of the pan.
Firmly press the dough into the pan, taking a few minutes to really work it into the corners and get it nice and flat. This will ensure they hold together well
Place the entire pan in the freezer for at least 30 minutes then use the parchment paper to lift out the pan. Slice and enjoy!
Notes and Tips
- Storing: These need to be kept cold to hold together properly. They’re okay at room temperature for a while but as the coconut oil starts to melt they won’t hold together very well, it will stay in bar form but be a little crumbly as you eat it. They’re absolutely awesome straight from the fridge, so stick to that for best results!
Related Recipes
- Chocolate Coconut Chia Bars
- No-Bake Apricot Granola Bars
- No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- No-Bake Oatmeal Bars
- Paleo Energy Bars with Cashew and Coconut
Did you try this recipe?
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I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review and be sure to tag me @runningonrealfood if you post it on social media.
Chocolate Chip Chia Seed Granola Bars
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These simple, homemade granola bars feature just a handful of healthy ingredients. No baking required, vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1/2 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix well until thoroughly combined into a crumbly dough.
- Line a 7-8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper so the edges stick out over the sides of the pan and then firmly press the mixture into the pan. Spend a few minutes really pressing it in there, this will help them hold together properly once they’re done.
- Place in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm.
- Cut into 10 bars.
Notes
Please note these need to be kept cold to hold together properly. They’re okay at room temperature for a while but as the coconut oil starts to melt they won’t hold together as well. They’re absolutely awesome straight from the fridge, so stick to that for best results! They will keep in a well-sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 281
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 57 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4.5 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
Keywords: chia seed bars, chocolate chip granola bars
HI! Deryn, good to know about chia seeds granola bars. I always wanted healthy sweet recipes for my kids and here i got it. Keep on sharing stuff on seeds like apricot, pumpkin, hemp etc. because seeds are loaded with fibers.
For more information on Healthy Seeds, you may read from http://www.wellbeingart.com
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These taste fantastic!
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Hi, just wondered if anyone knew an alternative to the peanut butter as I have a nut allergy, but otherwise these sound awesome, can’t wait to try
Any other nut butter will work, or sunflower seed butter if you can’t have nuts! Or even tahini!
We used almond butter successfully. I am sure any other nut butter, or tahini or us butter will work
I am curious about the nutritional/calorie info….. Can you provide that information?
I’m sorry, I don’t actually have that. But you should be able to enter the ingredients into My Fitness Pal and get the nutritional info. Thanks!
Could I use old fashioned rolled oats instead of quick oats?
I’ve used rolled oats before but found they don’t hold together very well.
Oh, okay. Do you know if I could make quick oats from rolled oats by just pulsing them in the processor a couple times? I’ve never done it but I’ve heard that was a thing… I just don’t want to buy separate quick oats for one recipe. Thanks!
This is one of the best and easiest recipes I have found on Pinterest lately. Can’t believe how easy the reipe is and how good the granola bars taste! Have made them several times now and I keep being asked for the reipe because they’re so delicious. 🙂
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Oh, that’s awesome! I’m so glad you enjoy them!
I just made these for my 3 year old and my husband and they are amazing. I like the sweet love, not too sweet. I added pumpkin seeds, ground flax Seeds, and hemp protein. I also made them with coconut peanut butter. They came out a bit crumbly but it was the additional dry stuff I put. In the future, I will add more peanut butter to compensate for the additional ingredients I added. So easy!! Thank you for sharing.
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That’s so great! I’m so happy you enjoyed them.
These are wonderful. How many calories and/or carbs?
I entered everything into my app and this recipe is going to be approximately 364 calories if you make 8 bars, or 182 calories per square if you make 16 squares. This number will of course vary by brand.
Thank you for adding that information! Appreciate it.
Any ideas as to something Gluten Free to sub in for oats? I react to them.
Quinoa flakes? Or gluten free oats like Bob Red Mills?
Yes quinoa flakes should work…or if you can do GF-certified oats.
Yum! These are so good and I love how quick and easy they are to make! They are my new go to granola bar. A favourite in my house. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I made these with coconut butter instead of oil, and they are *fantastic*! Thank you for the recipe.
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Did they stay together? Vsheavenly68@yahoo.com
Thank you for this recipe! Now I don’t have to feel guilty about eating chocolate. 😀 Plus, we don’t have an oven so this is perfect, thank you! And chia seeds, yes please!
We love how simple the ingredient list is. And no bake?! You can’t beat it! Excited to try these!
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I love using chia seeds in recipes! These bars sound so simple and delicious.
I am unable to find GF oats in my town here in Cen.Am. I am wondering if cooked quinoa would be a good sub? Also, any suggestions for veggie add in’s to punch up the nutrition.
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Hopped over here from Gena’s weekend reading round up, and I ever glad she shined a spotlight on this recipe. I’m currently without an oven, so I’m thrilled to find a healthy sweet treat I can still make! I just need to get coconut oil and I’m in business.
This is a great & simple recipe! I am currently following a low sugar diet.. Could I use honey instead of maple syrup.. or coconut nectar? Any suggestions? Thanks! 🙂
I want to know if I can use honey, too.
That should work fine. Thanks!
Love adding chai seeds to my smoothies because of all the reasons you listed! This will be great when I don’t feel like drinking my breakfast… and plus chocolate!
THESE LOOK SO GOOD!!!!
Mmmmm!