Vegan Granola Bars Recipe

By Sophia DeSantis, Reviewed by Anjali Shah on July 15, 2025

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Breakfast in my house hasn’t been the same since I introduced these healthy homemade Vegan Granola Bars recipe. They’re the perfect grab-and-go snack for busy mornings, made with wholesome ingredients like oats, crispy rice cereal, and nuts.

A stack of granola bars on a black plate laying on a kitchen towel

Mornings used to be total chaos trying to get the kids ready and figure out breakfast at the same time. Ever since I started making these healthy breakfast bars things run way smoother. I love knowing breakfast is already handled before I even roll out of bed!

Table of Contents hide

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

🍽 Serving Suggestions

🧊 Storage Directions

❓Recipe FAQs

🥣 More Healthy Breakfast Recipes!

📋 Recipe Card

I’ve been on a little mission to come up with easy breakfast snacks my boys can grab anytime. We’ve already got vegan protein banana bread and my vegan overnight oats in rotation, but these homemade vegan granola bars were the real win. The boys love them any time of day, and I get a kick out of sneaking a few into their lunch boxes.

👩🏽‍🍳 Why I Love This Recipe

I love that I can create endless granola bar flavors just by switching up the add-ins and keeping the same base of rolled oats, protein-rich nuts, and natural sweeteners. Last week, I made three batches: pecan banana, peanut butter, and cranberry coconut. Everyone got their favorite! My boys actually stay full and energized between meals with these granola bars, unlike store-bought ones loaded with ingredients I can’t pronounce.

As a busy mom, I love that I don’t have to think about breakfast with these healthy baked granola bars! I prepare them after putting the boys to sleep so they’re ready for the morning by baking the oats, rice cereal, and almonds for 7 minutes until toasted, then mix with the other ingredients and press the mixture into a pan. It’s so simple, and I can create other flavors depending on what’s in the pantry.

My homemade gluten-free granola bars actually stay together and taste so much better than anything you can buy from the grocery store. They have a chewy, naturally sweet texture that is kind of hard to stop eating once you start eating. Ha! My neighbor tried one last month when she stopped by for coffee and immediately asked for the recipe. Now she sends me photos of her own variations 🙂 The bars store for up to a week in an airtight container, though they rarely make it past day 2 in our house. That’s when you know a recipe is a winner!

🥘 Ingredients

I love that is simple to change up the taste by using different add-ins, but these are the basics I always start with for this recipe:

Dry Ingredients: I use rolled oats, crispy rice cereal, and sliced almonds to give the bars the perfect chewy crunch. They keep things light but still filling.
Wet Ingredients: Maple syrup and almond butter help bind everything together and add a natural sweetness. A splash of vanilla add that nice flavor my kids love.
Chocolate and Salt: Just a pinch of sea salt and I mix in dairy-free chocolate chips to make them extra tasty and snack-worthy.

🔪 How To Make

These healthy plant-based granola bars are super simple to make, and I love that there’s no baking involved. Here’s how I do it:

Toast the dry mix: I place the oats, crispy rice cereal, and sliced almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake them just until they’re lightly golden.

Baking sheet with oats, rice cereal and sliced almonds on it

Make the wet mix: I stir together the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a bowl until everything is creamy.

Wooden spoon mixing a caramel mixture in a glass bowl

Combine everything: I pour the toasted oat mixture into the bowl with the wet mix, then add the chocolate chips. I stir it all together until everything is evenly coated and sticky.

Spatula mixing oats and a brown sticky mixture in a bowl

Press into the pan: I transfer the mixture to a parchment-lined square pan and press it down firmly with a spatula or my hands.

A granola bar mixture pressed into parchment paper in a glass pan

Chill and slice: I pop the pan in the fridge and let it sit until the mixture is firm. Then I lift it out and cut it into bars. Serve!

Homemade granola bars cut on a piece of parchment paper

💭 Expert Tips

My #1 Secret Tip for making these vegan granola bars is to check your maple syrup before you start. If it’s too runny, the bars won’t stick together well. I always warm it with the almond butter for a few minutes until it thickens up. That little step really helps everything stick perfectly.

Other Tips To Keep In Mind:

Use parchment paper to press: I lay a sheet of parchment over the top of the mixture and press it down firmly with my hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. It helps pack it in tight without sticking.
Let it chill fully: I always wait at least two hours before slicing. If I try to rush it, the bars don’t cut as clean and tend to crumble.
Use a sharp knife: When it’s time to slice, I use a long, sharp knife and clean it between cuts. It keeps the edges neat and the bars looking nice for snacks or lunch boxes.

📖 Variations

As I mentioned in the intro, I love that I can try different flavors. Here are my favorites that I just have to share with you. I hope you give them a try!

Nut-Free Version: I swap the almond butter for sunflower seed butter and use pumpkin seeds or coconut flakes instead of sliced almonds. It’s perfect for school lunches where nuts aren’t allowed.

Tropical Vibe: I mix in shredded coconut and chopped dried pineapple or mango. It gives the bars a fruity flavor that my kids love.

Berry Blend: I add in a handful of dried cranberries or chopped dried blueberries in place of the chocolate chips. Sometimes I do half and half for a mix of sweet and tart.

Pumpkin Spice: In the fall, I stir in a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg and use chopped pecans instead of almonds. This one is my favorite!

🍽 Serving Suggestions

Whether I want to serve these breakfast bars for breakfast, snacking during the day, or lunch with friends, they pair well with so many recipes.

On weekends, when I have more time in the morning, I’ll serve these healthy homemade granola bars with an energizing green kale smoothie for a boost of vitamins or my favorite vegan smoothie bowl for something more substantial.

For school, I always pack one or two of these bars into my kid’s packed lunches with apple slices or air fryer banana slices paired with a hearty sandwich to get them through their school day. And when my friends come over for afternoon tea, they go hand-in-hand with a slice of vegan coffee cake, which is perfect for my gluten-free friend!

🧊 Storage Directions

Refrigeration: I store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. They stay firm and chewy, just the way we like them.

Freezing: I freeze some between layers of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. They keep well for up to three months.

Reheating: These don’t really need reheating. If they’re frozen, I just let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

❓Recipe FAQs

What kind of oats should I use?

I always use old-fashioned rolled oats because they give the best chewy texture. Quick oats are a bit too soft and mushy for this recipe, and steel-cut oats stay too hard and don’t really mix well with the other ingredients. Rolled oats hold their shape and absorb the syrup mixture perfectly, so the bars stay together and taste great.

Do I have to toast the dry ingredients?

You don’t have to, but I really recommend it. Toasting the oats, cereal, and almonds gives them a warm and nutty flavor that makes the bars taste like they came from a bakery. I usually just pop them in the oven for a few minutes while I’m getting the wet ingredients ready.

Why did my bars fall apart?

If your bars are crumbly or falling apart, the syrup might be too thin. I’ve had that happen when I used a brand of maple syrup that was more watery. Now, I always check that it’s thick and sticky before using it. If it seems runny, I warm it on the stove with the almond butter for a couple of minutes to help it thicken up. That makes it easier to mix and helps everything hold together once it chills.

Hand picking up a granola bar from a stack of them

🥣 More Healthy Breakfast Recipes!

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