No-Bake Apple Granola Bars (Easy and Healthy Recipe!)
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This nourishing Apple Granola Bars recipe requires just 6 simple ingredients to make. They are chewy, super easy to whip up, and taste just like apple pie! Learn how to make homemade, no-bake granola bars with this quick, kid-friendly recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Granola Bars Recipe
If you have ever made homemade granola bars, you know that they are so much better than store-bought snack bars. They are less processed, less sugary and they just taste superior.
This homemade granola bar recipe is made entirely with nutritious ingredients, such as rolled oats, walnuts, dried apple, and cinnamon. Pureed dates and honey act like a glue that binds everything together, while infusing the bars with natural sweetness.
These granola bars make an ideal on-the-go snack, because they are perfectly portable and will keep you feeling full for hours. Once you try these wholesome, flavorful granola bars, you will forget about buying the boxed ones for good!
How to Make Apple Granola Bars
As a brief overview, to make this homemade granola bar recipe, simply:
- Make the date paste: Add the pitted dates and honey to a food processor. Process until they form a sticky paste.
- Combine the dry ingredients: Stir together the rolled oats, cinnamon, dried apple, and walnuts in a bowl.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together: Combine the date paste with the dry oat mixture and press into a lined, square baking pan.
- Freeze and serve: Place in the freezer until firm, then cut into bars and serve.
As always, full instructions are included in the recipe below.
Tips for Making Apple Granola Bars
Here are some pointers to ensure this recipe comes out perfect every single time:
- Use your hands to combine all of the ingredients together. The date-honey paste is super sticky, so using a spoon will not cut it! This is also a fun step that your kids can get involved in. 😉
- Firmly press the granola mixture into the baking pan with your hands, the sides of a mug or a flat dish.
- Allow the granola mixture to chill and harden completely in the freezer before cutting into bars. This will ensure that the granola bars hold together when sliced.
Optional: To enhance the flavor of the oats, you can lightly toast them on a baking sheet at 350°F for 10 minutes, just until they become fragrant.
More Healthy Granola Bar Recipes
Looking for more nutritious, no-bake granola bar inspiration? Here are some of my favorite recipes:
- School-Safe Nut-Free Granola Bars
- Easy Mango Coconut Granola Bars
- Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Recipe
- Simple Homemade Granola Bars
- Fruit and Nut Granola Bars Recipe
Where to Get the Best Healthy Snacks
Although I love to make my own snacks, I, just like you, don’t always have the time to do so. It’s perfectly fine to purchase packaged snacks, as long as you buy the right ones. My favorite source to buy healthy, junk-free snacks from is Urthbox.
Urthbox is a healthy subscription box delivery service that sends 100% GMO-free, organic and natural snacks right to your door. Their food selection includes everything from chips, snack bars, dried fruits and vegetables, sweets and chocolates, crackers, juices, and more!
You can customize your box by picking between Classic, Gluten-Free, Vegan and Diet options. They offer free shipping to the U.S. and you can cancel at any time, so there is no risk.
If you have trouble finding tasty, nutritious snacks near you – or if you want to skip the shopping AND get high-quality snacks delivered straight to your door while you’re at it – then you NEED to try UrthBox.
Click here to get $10 off your first snack box from Urthbox!
Apple Granola Bars Recipe Recommendations
Here are a few kitchen tools that I suggest using to ensure this recipe always turns out perfect:
- Cuisinart Food Processor – This is the one I use and love! I have had mine for years and it is one of my favorite kitchen tools. I use it all the time to quickly mix ingredients and to make sauces and dips.
- KitchenAid Mixing Bowls – This is a 3-piece set that is great for combining ingredients. The bowls nest together, so they are super easy to store.
- Baker’s Secret Square Baking Pan – This pan is the perfect size for this recipe. It also works beautifully for making brownies and cake.
If you make this Apple Granola Bars recipe, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating ★ below, because I love hearing from you! ♡
No-Bake Apple Granola Bars (Easy and Healthy Recipe!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed Medjool dates pitted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped dried apple
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, process dates and honey until they form a paste.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats and cinnamon. Stir in the dried apple and walnuts.
- Add date mixture to oat mixture and mix, using your hands, until well combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan and firmly press into an even layer.
- Chill in freezer for about 20 minutes until firm. Remove from freezer and lift granola mixture out of pan using overhang on sides. Cut into bars and serve.
Nutrition
Notes
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute the honey with maple syrup.
- To ensure this recipe is gluten-free, use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Leftover granola bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Your granola snack bars sound so easy to prepare! I love non bake desserts and sweets because that means there is a low chance I will mess up the recipe, haha.
Thank you Sarah! 🙂 Haha aww, yes this granola bar recipe is pretty much foolproof, so you should be just fine!
How long do these last? Do they need to be stored in the fridge?
Hi Ellen! I recommend storing them in the fridge. You can store leftover granola bars in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. They are also freezer-friendly – just wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months. 🙂