Nut Free Granola Bars

These Nut Free Granola Bars are chewy, crispy, and SO delicious! My kids are obsessed with this easy, nut-free, back-to-school snack!

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Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

• The texture of these granola bars is absolute PERFECTION, balancing the chew of the oats and the crispiness of the crisp rice cereal.
• So kid-friendly — my pickiest kiddo is absolutely obsessed with these.
• They’re delicious, without being overly sweet.
• Using wholesome ingredients like oats and sunflower seed butter make these bars incredibly nourishing and filling.
• You cut them into squares or roll them into balls, too.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions:

For a full ingredient list with quantities, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Sunbutter – we keep these granola bars truly nut-free by making sure there’s not even coconut oil (kind of up for debate if it’s nut-free, but technically it’s classified as a nut by the FDA, so I wanted to go without!). You can use any other seed butter you prefer (or even a creamy nut butter, if that works for your family/ school).
• Honey – adds a delicious sweetness and helps bind the bars together. I do use a little less sweetener than other recipes call for, so feel free to add a little extra if you prefer, but truly, neither my kids or I felt they needed it. You can substitute maple syrup or brown rice syrup, too
• Vanilla Extract – I’m a big believer in adding vanilla as much as possible. Adds a little extra flavor and cozy factor.
• Quick Oats – I prefer the texture of quick oats, or instant oats, in these granola bars, compared to rolled oats.
• Crispy Rice Cereal – I am the BIGGEST fan of crispy rice cereal in granola bars – it creates an amazing texture!
• Mini Chocolate Chips – a little goes a long way with the mini chips! I save a tablespoon to sprinkle over the top, too. I’ve found that my kids especially eat with their eyes first. 😉

How to Make

For complete instructions, please check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Start by stirring the wet ingredients together, then mix in the dry ingredients (reserving a tablespoon of mini chocolate chips to put on top).

Place the granola mixture into a lined baking pan, and firmly press them into an even layer. Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top and gently press them into the bars. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and slice into 12 bars. Enjoy!

Tips and Variations

• Line the baking pan with parchment. This makes it SO much easier to remove the bars to slice — you just have to lift them out!
• The mixture should hold it’s shape. If you were to squeeze some of the mixture into a ball, it should hold its shape. If your seed butter is on the dryer side, or if using a different cereal, you may want to add a little extra seed butter or honey until the mixture sticks together.
• Press the granola firmly into bars. You want them pressed firmly together into an even layer. If not, they’ll crumble apart.
• Save some chocolate chips to sprinkle on top. If my kids see the chocolate chips more on top, it’s like they think there’s more chocolate in them than there actually is.
• Swap your toppings! Do a drizzle of chocolate or white chocolate instead, or swap in dried fruit or sprinkles instead of chocolate chips.
• Add cinnamon. If your family enjoys cinnamon, we’ve also enjoyed these bars with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon mixed in, too.

Granola Bar Storage & Freezing

While there are no ingredients requiring refrigeration, I still don’t recommend storing these granola bars at room temperature, at least no more than a day. They tend to fall apart faster the longer they stay at room temperature, especially in more humid environments.

I recommend storing the sliced bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

You can also freeze your homemade granola bars, too! I like to wrap them individually in parchment paper and then store in an airtight container, or package individually in freezer-safe bags. Then they can be frozen for up to three months. They can honestly be eaten straight from the freezer for a chilled snack, or you can let them thaw at room temp for 15-30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).

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