Easy Chewy Double Chocolate Granola Bars: Allergy-Friendly, Gluten-Free & Vegan Options (No-Bake!)

Discover an incredibly easy, homemade granola bar recipe that perfectly satisfies your chocolate cravings and yields a generous batch! These delightful bars are the ultimate snack for school lunches or a quick grab-and-go option. Crafted to be nut-free and allergy-friendly, they’re packed with wholesome ingredients like oats, honey, coconut oil, hemp seeds, and flax seeds. Plus, we’ve included simple variations to make them entirely gluten-free and vegan, ensuring everyone can enjoy!

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If you’re just joining us, you might not know the challenging journey my family faced with food allergies. My son, at the tender age of one, had only ten safe foods due to a rare allergic condition known as Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). Navigating this condition meant meticulously avoiding numerous allergens and constantly advocating for his health. Thankfully, with diligent care and time, he has steadily been able to reintroduce more foods into his diet, a testament to his resilience and our family’s unwavering hope.

Among the many foods we longed to bring back, oats held a special place. For years, I yearned for the day we could enjoy oats again. They are truly a magnificent grain – incredibly filling, deliciously versatile, and naturally endowed with a good amount of protein. The thought of baking comforting oat-based treats or simply enjoying a warm bowl of oatmeal was a distant dream we cherished.

Our prayers were finally answered this August when my son successfully outgrew his oat allergy! It was a moment of immense celebration in our household, and we’ve been making up for lost time by exploring every oat recipe imaginable. As we discover new family favorites, I’ll be sharing more oat-centric recipes on my site. One recipe that quickly became a beloved staple is our gluten-free oat muffin recipe, which features bananas and chocolate chips, and can even be effortlessly prepared in a blender for ultimate convenience.

When thinking of quintessential oat recipes, granola bars immediately come to mind. So, naturally, developing a perfect granola bar recipe was at the very top of our priority list. But I wasn’t looking for just *any* granola bar recipe. My ideal creation needed to be chewy, require no baking, and, of course, be generously laden with chocolate. And when I say chocolate, I’m not talking about a few meager sprinkles of chocolate chips. I envisioned a truly decadent double chocolate experience – every component coated in rich cocoa powder, further enhanced by an abundance of melty chocolate chips. Given our family’s specific allergies, it was imperative that this be a completely nut-free granola bar. However, as you’ll soon discover, this recipe is remarkably adaptable and can be easily customized to fit various dietary needs.

Crafting the Perfect No-Bake Granola Bars

One of the best features of this recipe is that it’s entirely no-bake! We love enjoying homemade granola bars throughout the year, and I certainly don’t want to heat up my kitchen during warmer months or wait for an oven to preheat. The secret to achieving perfectly structured, no-bake granola bars lies in how the wet ingredients are prepared. By gently melting all the liquid components together on the stovetop, not only do the sugars dissolve beautifully, but it also creates a rich, cohesive coating. This ensures that the oats and other dry ingredients bind together firmly, resulting in a delightfully chewy bar that holds its shape without ever needing to see the inside of an oven.

Effortless Gluten-Free Granola Bars: A Simple Guide

Granola bars are inherently a straightforward recipe, and making them no-bake, as detailed below, simplifies the process even further. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can whip up a batch of these wholesome treats.

Begin by simply stirring together all your dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Next, melt the liquid ingredients gently on the stovetop until well combined and smooth.
Pour the warm liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.
Finally, press the mixture into a greased cookie sheet, allow it to cool completely, then cut into bars and savor every bite!

For those needing certified gluten-free chewy granola bars, the modification is incredibly simple: just ensure you use certified gluten-free oats. Additionally, double-check that your crispy rice cereal is indeed gluten-free, as not all brands are. Look for options like Malt-O-Meal Crispy Rice cereal, which is a reliable gluten-free choice.

Are These Granola Bars a Healthy Snack Option?

Absolutely, I believe this recipe stands out as a genuinely healthy granola bar option. We’ve intentionally minimized processed sugars, primarily relying on the natural sweetness of honey (or maple syrup for a vegan alternative). But the health benefits extend far beyond just the sweetener. These bars are packed with protein from the nut or seed butter, essential fatty acids provided by hemp seeds, powerful antioxidants from ground flax seeds, and abundant fiber courtesy of the oats. It’s a snack that truly checks many boxes for a better-for-you treat.

If you’re looking to further reduce processed sugar, feel free to experiment with the ratios of brown sugar and honey, adjusting to your personal taste preference. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. When my kids or I reach for these chewy granola bars, I feel completely at ease. I know exactly what nourishing ingredients went into them, and with nutrient-dense additions like hemp seeds and flax seeds – which we might not always incorporate into our daily meals – these bars offer valuable dietary variety and a fantastic boost of goodness.

Transforming This Into a Vegan Granola Bar Recipe

Making these delicious granola bars entirely vegan is incredibly straightforward and requires only two simple ingredient swaps:

Replace the honey with an equal amount of pure maple syrup. Maple syrup offers a similar binding and sweetening quality, making it a perfect plant-based substitute.
Ensure you use vegan or dairy-free chocolate chips. Many excellent brands are available on the market today that cater to dairy-free diets.

With these quick adjustments, you’ll have a batch of delectable vegan granola bars ready to enjoy!

Can I Substitute Peanut Butter for a Seed Butter in This Granola Bar Recipe?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, due to severe peanut and tree nut allergies in our family, we exclusively use SunButter (sunflower seed butter) in our granola bars. Opting for a nut-free granola bar offers a significant benefit: peace of mind. If you’re packing these for school lunches, you won’t have to worry about potential cross-contamination or if your child’s friends have nut allergies, a common concern in many school environments that are often designated as nut-free.

SunButter has become widely accessible; I frequently find it at major retailers like Wal-Mart, Smith’s, and, of course, online via Amazon. I particularly favor the natural variety of SunButter because its slightly runnier consistency makes it easier to stir and incorporate evenly into the mixture. If almonds are safe for your diet, almond butter would also be a delicious alternative. This recipe is quite forgiving, so if you find that your chosen nut or seed butter has a significantly different consistency – perhaps runnier or thicker than traditional peanut butter – you can slightly adjust the amount. Add a little more for a firmer coating or a bit less if it’s too thick, ensuring your mixture is perfectly cohesive and stirrable.

Are Rice Krispies Cereal Gluten-Free?

This is an important distinction to make for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease. No, the popular Kellogg’s brand Rice Krispies cereal is generally not gluten-free because it contains malt, which is derived from barley and therefore contains gluten. While I still use the term “rice krispies” informally in the recipe instructions as it’s the widely recognized name for this type of puffed rice cereal, it’s crucial for allergy-friendly purposes to specify. For a truly gluten-free option, I highly recommend purchasing Malt-O-Meal Crispy Rice, which is certified gluten-free. This specific brand is also perfect for making our beloved allergy-friendly rice krispies treats!

Can This Granola Bar Recipe Be Made Allergy-Friendly and Top 8 Allergen-Free?

Absolutely! These chewy granola bars are designed with adaptability in mind, making them easily allergy-friendly and suitable for those avoiding the top 8 allergens. By implementing a few straightforward ingredient substitutions, you can ensure they are safe and delicious for your family, just like ours!

Use certified gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination with wheat or other gluten-containing grains.
Opt for SunButter (sunflower seed butter) as a safe and delicious alternative to peanut or tree nut butters.
Choose a gluten-free crispy rice cereal, such as the Malt-O-Meal brand, which guarantees no malt-derived gluten.
Incorporate allergy-friendly chocolate chips, like those from Enjoy Life, which are typically free from dairy, soy, and nuts.

These simple swaps empower you to create safe and enjoyable granola bars for everyone, regardless of dietary restrictions or food allergies!

Choosing the Best Oats for Granola Bar Recipes

When it comes to crafting the perfect granola bar, the type of oats you choose can make a difference in texture and integrity. Generally, you’ll encounter two main varieties: quick oats and old-fashioned rolled oats. For my granola bar recipe, I strongly prefer old-fashioned rolled oats. They are larger, providing a more satisfying mouthfeel, and their sturdy structure helps the bars hold together better, resulting in that ideal chewy consistency.

If you require this recipe to be a gluten-free granola bar, it’s paramount to use certified gluten-free oats. This ensures that the oats have been processed in facilities free from cross-contamination with gluten-containing grains. However, if I’m simply grinding oats to create my own oat flour for recipes like these Gluten & Dairy Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, then either quick oats or old-fashioned oats will work perfectly fine, as they’ll both be finely ground in the blender.

Are Oats Inherently Gluten-Free? Understanding the Nuance

The question of whether oats are naturally gluten-free is indeed a bit nuanced. Technically, yes, pure oats are naturally gluten-free. However, the complexity arises during processing. A significant amount of commercially available oats are processed in facilities that also handle wheat, barley, and rye. This shared equipment can lead to cross-contamination, meaning that even pure oats can pick up traces of gluten.

For individuals who require strict avoidance of gluten – such as those with Celiac Disease, a diagnosed wheat allergy, or severe gluten sensitivity – it is absolutely essential to use certified gluten-free oats. These oats come from companies that adhere to rigorous protocols for preventing cross-contamination, including dedicated gluten-free processing lines and stringent cleaning procedures. Always choose the type of oats that best aligns with your specific dietary needs and health requirements.

Are All Chocolate Chips Dairy-Free?

Unfortunately, no. The standard, conventional chocolate chips you typically find in most grocery stores are made with dairy ingredients and are therefore not dairy-free or vegan. To ensure your granola bars are truly dairy-free and suitable for vegan diets, you’ll need to seek out specialty brands of chocolate chips. Our family’s go-to choice is Enjoy Life chocolate chips, which are reliably free from common allergens, including dairy. These allergy-friendly brands are becoming increasingly available in mainstream supermarkets, even at places like Wal-Mart, but if you can’t find them locally, Amazon always offers a convenient option to stock up.

Expert Tips for Storing Homemade Granola Bars

One of the many benefits of this homemade granola bar recipe is how wonderfully chewy they remain, even when left out at room temperature for a short period. For the first day or so after preparing them, I often leave the entire pan lightly covered with wax paper or plastic wrap on the countertop. This makes them easily accessible for quick snacking.

After we’ve enjoyed a few, I typically portion out the remaining bars. For optimal freshness and portability, I recommend individually wrapping each bar in plastic wrap or placing them into small, sealable plastic baggies. This method ensures they stay fresh, prevent drying out, and are perfectly ready to be dropped into school lunches, gym bags, or grabbed for a snack on your way out the door. While we tend to gobble these up too quickly to ever need to freeze them, I believe they would freeze beautifully. If you wanted to prepare a large batch far in advance, you could individually wrap and freeze the bars. Simply allow them to thaw at room temperature for a convenient and delicious snack whenever you need it. These bars will keep well for up to one week at room temperature when stored properly.

Essential Ingredients for These Allergy-Friendly Granola Bars

Gathering these simple ingredients will set you on your way to making a batch of delicious, wholesome, and allergy-friendly granola bars:

Brown sugar
Honey (or pure maple syrup for a vegan adaptation)
Coconut oil
Salt
SunButter, peanut butter, or your preferred nut/seed butter
Vanilla extract
Crispy rice cereal (ensure it’s gluten-free if needed)
Old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if needed)
Ground flax seeds
Hemp hearts
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate chips (choose vegan/dairy-free if needed)

Looking for More Homemade Healthy Snack Ideas? Try These:

If you’re eager to expand your repertoire of wholesome, homemade snacks, consider these other fantastic allergy-friendly options from our kitchen:

Nut-Free Trail Mix: A safe and satisfying blend for adventurers of all ages.
Allergy-Friendly Snacks List: A comprehensive guide to both homemade and store-bought items, making snack time worry-free.
Vegan Muffins: Delicious and versatile, with options to easily make them gluten-free too!
Gluten-Free School Lunch Ideas: Creative and delicious lunch solutions that are also free of many other common allergens.

Easy Chocolate Granola Bars (Gluten Free & Vegan Options)

Yield:
27 granola bars

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
10 minutes

Additional Time:
1 hour

Total Time:
1 hour 20 minutes

An easy, homemade granola bar recipe that fills your craving of chocolate, and makes a ton! These chewy granola bars are nut free and allergy friendly packed with good stuff like honey, oats, coconut oil, hemp seeds and flax seeds. There’s also a gluten free and vegan option to include all!

Ingredients

4 cups rice krispie cereal (for gluten free version use Malt-O-Meal brand)
2 and 2/3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (use gluten free if needed)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 and 1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan version)
1 cup SunButter/peanut butter/nut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
Chocolate chips to taste (vegan chocolate chips if needed)

Instructions

Grease a cookie sheet pan (also known as a half sheet pan, 18×13 inches) with a non-stick spray (we use canola).
In a large bowl, combine the rice krispies, oats, flax seeds, and hemp hearts and stir to combine and then set aside.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add the coconut oil, honey, SunButter, brown sugar, cocoa and salt. Frequently stir until everything is melted and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture will be thick. Take the mixture off the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Pour the melted mixture over the dry cereal mixture and stir immediately. Keep stirring until everything is covered and evenly distributed.
Pour the combined mixture onto the greased cookie sheet. With greased hands, gently push the mixture until it’s flat and even along the entirety of the pan.
Next, take your desired amount of chocolate chips and spread it on the top of the granola bars.
Measure out enough wax paper to cover the entire 13×9. Place that on top of the granola bars and then with another 13×9 or other large, flat pan, press down. This will embed the chocolate chips into the mixture.
Allow the contents to completely cool at room temperature.
Once cool, I make three cuts across the width and 9 cuts across the length to make 27 even bars.
To store, either keep the wax paper or plastic wrap on the top of the entire pan, or separate into individual bars and either wrap them in plastic wrap or drop them into sealable plastic baggies. Bars keep up to one week.

Notes

Refer to the comprehensive Q&A sections above for detailed answers to frequently asked questions – most common queries are addressed within the post!

Recipe adapted with inspiration from the fabulous Granola Bars by Clean Monday Meals.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bellemain Heavy Duty Aluminum Half Sheet Pan, 18″ x 13″ x 1″
Reynolds Cut-Rite Wax Paper, 75 Square Feet

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 27 bars
Serving Size: 1 bar

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 412Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 106mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 9gSugar: 9gProtein: 15g

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