Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (Gluten-Free/Vegan)

 

These granola bars are full of healthy whole grains like oats and puffed kamut.
Enjoy the chewy chocolate chip granola bars of your childhood, now made with better ingredients!

Every generation has certain foods that remind them of their childhood. People who grew up in the 80’s remember eating Smurf Berry Crunch cereal for breakfast. 90’s babies ate Trix yogurt. As someone who was born in the 2000’s, I can confidently say that Quaker chewy chocolate chip granola bars were one of the defining foods of the era. These granola bars advertise themselves as being a “healthy” snack under 100 calories, but one look at the ingredient list tells you there is nothing natural about these bars.

Although they may not be the best for you, Quaker chewy granola bars are undeniably delicious. They’re the perfect amount of sweet for an afternoon pick-me-up. I always grabbed one of these as a snack when I got home from school! Granola bars are ultra convenient, as they’re easy to transport and can be enjoyed as breakfast or snack while on the go. That’s why I decided to make my own version of Quaker chewy chocolate chip granola bars as a recipe!

For the homemade version, I used quick-cooking oats and puffed kamut to provide a healthy serving of whole grains, and swapped out butter for coconut oil. In order to make the recipe as easy as possible, I also made it a no-bake recipe! That way, even busy parents can whip up a batch of these granola bars on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead. It’s always good to have a healthy snack option ready to go!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (Vegan/Gluten Free)

Now you can enjoy the chewy chocolate chip granola bars from your childhood, but with better ingredients! These homemade bars are vegan, gluten-free, and made with whole grains and healthy fats.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthy, Vegan
Keyword breakfast, chewy granola bars, chocolate chip, dairy free breakfast, dairy free snacks, gluten free breakfast, gluten free snacks, gluten free vegan recipes, gluten free vegan snacks, gluten-free, granola bar, granola bar recipe, granola bar recipes, granola bars, healthy sweet snacks, homemade granola bars, meal prep ideas healthy, meal prep ideas vegan, meal prep recipes, sweet snack recipes, vegan breakfast, vegan breakfast meal prep, vegan gluten free snacks
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 10 servings
Calories 180.7 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 brown sugar packed
  • 2 cups quick cooking oats ensure they are gluten free if needed
  • 1 cup puffed kamut or puffed rice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp vegan chocolate chips plus extra for topping
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  1. Lightly grease a 9" square pan and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats and puffed kamut/rice.
  3. Combine coconut oil, maple syrup, and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
  4. Pour wet ingredients over oats and rice and mix until well coated. Gently stir in chocolate chips.

  5. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and press firmly to pack into bottom and sides.
  6. Add extra chocolate chips on top and press down into the mixture. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.
  7. Set pan out at room temperature for 1 1/2 to 2 hours before slicing into bars. Store in air-right container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

 

If you prefer granola over granola bars, be sure to check out this healthy maple almond butter granola recipe!

3 Comments Add yours

  1. Me.a.g.en says:

    Love this! Can’t wait to try it.

  2. Me.a.g.en says:

    Love this! Can’t wait to try it!

    1. Ayaka says:

      Let me know how you like it!

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