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    Home » Recipe Index » Dessert

    Nut-Free Granola Bars (Gluten-Free and Vegan)

    Published: Oct 4, 2021 · Modified: Jan 30, 2023 by Jessica

    JUMP TO RECIPE PIN SHARE

    These easy one-bowl nut-free granola bars are so tasty, chewy and loaded with good-for-you ingredients. They include dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, crunchy pumpkin seeds and also chia seeds to boost the protein content of these bars. They make for a healthy school safe snack that's fully plant-based and gluten-free.

    Overhead view on a few homemade nut-free granola bars place on a parchment paper covered wooden board. You can see nicely the ingredients within the bars being oats, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and cranberries.

    It's finally the back-to-school time of the year! BUT, nut-free plant-based lunch boxes are such a challenge, aren't they? I use nut butter in sweets so much as it brings natural fats to the recipe and has a sticky nature that helps things hold together.

    I have done my peanut butter rice krispie treats and vegan almond butter blondies using a seed butter instead to make them nut-free and although it worked out pretty good, I now wanted to make a recipe that's made nut-free up front, no substitutions necessary.

    So, to make these bars completely free of nuts, I used a pumpkin seed butter that not only brings the essential stickiness, but also added amazing flavor.

    Front angle view on a few vegan nut-free granola bars filled with chocolate chips and cranberries that are placed on a wooden board covered with parchment paper.

    And no wonder these nut-free granola bars are so good. They are packed with chewy tart cranberries, dark chocolate chips, sweet vanilla and lightly sweetened with maple syrup. They make for a softer kind of granola bars, which I prefer since our kids are still young, but still are composed with different textures that makes them super fun.

    Plus, making your own nut-free granola bars will ensure that you know what's in there, meaning no refined white sugar, no preservatives, no high-fructose corn syrup, just good-for-you ingredients! The combination of oats, pumpkin seed butter, chia seeds and whole pumpkin seeds makes these bars ultra rich in fiber, plant-based protein, healthy fats, antioxidants and all sorts of vitamins and minerals, such as lots of magnesium and zinc provided by the pumpkin seeds.

    So, wether you have school age kids running around in your house or not, make your next snacking session much more delicious, nourishing and healthy! Adults love them too 🙂

    Why you will love these nut-free granola bars

    • Easy and quick one-bowl recipe.
    • Fits many diets: dairy-free, gluten-free and oil-free.
    • Makes for a nourishing breakfast, snack or even dessert!
    • Safe for nut-free schools and daycares.
    • Kid-approved.
    • Healthy alternative to store-bought granola bars.
    • Made with wholesome ingredients and high-in-fiber.
    Overhead view on a few homemade nut-free granola bars place on a parchment paper covered wooden board. You can see nicely the ingredients within the bars being oats, chocolate chips and cranberries.

    Ingredients you'll need

    • Pumpkin seed butter: important sticky ingredient, but also adds lots of healthy fats and extra plant protein.
    • Vegan milk: adds moisture to the rolled oats, which helps the bars hold together after baked. I love to bake using oat milk, although any kind of plant-based milk will work.
    • Maple syrup: acts as a binder, but also sweetens the bars in a healthier way.
    • Vanilla extract: brings amazing flavor in these bars.
    • Rolled oats: bulk ingredient for this recipe, adds lots of fiber to the bars plus a nice chewy texture.
    • Pumpkin seeds: they add a crunch and extra nutrition.
    • Chia seeds: once soaked in the milk, they swell and help the bars stick together. Also add lots of healthy omega-3 and fiber.
    • Dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips: such a yummy combo! We use the mini dark chocolate chips from the brand Enjoy Life as they are both vegan and nut-free. Mini chips also works well for these bars.
    Overhead view showing the ingredients needed to make this recipe: rolled oats, pumpkin butter, vanilla extract, vegan milk, maple syrup, chia seeds, cranberries, pumpkin seeds and chocolate chips.

    How to make nut-free granola bars

    This is such an easy recipe! All the ingredients go in one bowl, then bake. Not much hands-on and great for meal-prep.

    Before you get started, pre-heat your oven and cover a 8 x 8' square baking dish with parchment paper.

    Step 1- Combine the ingredients

    In a large bowl, add the pumpkin seed butter (stir well in the container first) with the vegan milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Use a whisk to stir so the pumpkin seed butter dissolves nicely into the liquid.

    Then, add the oats, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Stir well.

    Step 2- Press

    Pour the mixture over your prepared baking dish and spread everything nicely over the whole dish so it is even. But most importantly, PRESS on the mixture. It might take a minute, but use the back of a large spatula or the bottom of a glass and squeeze all the ingredients in as tight as you can. Make sure to also flatten the edges.

    Step 3- Bake

    Bake the bars until nicely golden brown, about 25 minutes.

    Step 4- Cool down and cut

    Once baked, let the dish cool down at room temperature for a few minutes and then, transfer to the fridge. The bars need to set first before you cut and eat. If you cut right away, they won't hold as well.

    Once fully chilled, then cut the bars INSIDE THE SQUARE DISH. This will also help not to break them while cutting. Once cut, pull on the parchment paper to take them out.

    In process picture: there is a whisk that's stirring inside of a large mixing bowl.
    Overhead view on a large mixing bowl that contains oats, dried fruits, nuts and chocolate chips.
    In process picture: there is a oat mixture that's being poured over in a square dish.
    There is a spatula that's pressing on a oat mixture placed in a square baking dish.

    Watch how to make them

    YouTube video

    Tips to make them hold well

    These granola bars are healthy and homemade, which can make them more gentle. But here are a few tips on how to make yours hold well:

    • Be sure to take some time to flatten and tighten the bars before baking them. Use the bottom of a glass if needed.
    • Let the bars completely cool down in the fridge before cutting, this is essential! They need to rest so the oats soak up on the moisture and chilling them will firm up the seed butter and maple syrup, which will create a sticky base for everything to hold nicely.
    • Once fully cooled down, then cut the bars right into the container. It contains the mixture in a tight space and prevents the bars from breaking up while cutting.
    Overhead view on a few nut-free granola bars piled in a rectangular white plate. There is a white and blue hand towel on the side as well as a cup of tea.

    What kind of oats to use

    You really want to be using a thicker kind of oats to make these bars. Look for either old-fashioned or rolled oats and avoid quick cooking oats.

    Thicker oats will soak the moisture better to create a bar that holds well plus provides more interesting texture. I used the rolled oats from Bob's Red Mill. Also, use a certified gluten-free oats if necessary.

    Which pumpkin seed butter to use

    Pumpkin seed butter is not always easy to find, especially the healthy kind. I usually make my own pumpkin seed butter using a food processor. It is really not that hard and you can make a larger batch and freeze some for later.

    You can also buy some online, like this pumpkin seed butter from Jiva, if you don't want to make your own seed butter.

    In any cases, be aware of the ingredient list. Aim for a pumpkin seed butter made without any additives!

    Can I use sunflower seed butter instead

    I also tried this recipe using the sunflower seed butter from Once Again and it worked out good too. Although I preferred the flavor from pumpkin seed butter, I found that the bars were holding pretty well together using sunflower seed butter as well while keeping these bars completely nut-free.

    Overhead view on a few homemade nut-free granola bars place on a parchment paper covered wooden board. You can see nicely the ingredients within the bars being oats, pumpkin seeds, chocolate chips and cranberries.

    Variation to the recipe

    • Add some spices: I love these bars with vanilla flavors, but feel free to add some cinnamon, pumpkin spice mix, cardamom, etc.
    • You can use different dried fruits such as dried cherries, blueberries, apricots or simply raisins. Chop the dried fruits in smaller pieces if necessary.
    • Use other kind of seeds than pumpkin seeds, such as sunflower or hemp seeds. You could also do a mixture of a few seeds if you want.
    Front angle view on a few vegan nut-free granola bars filled with chocolate chips and cranberries that are placed on a wooden board covered with parchment paper.

    Storage tips

    I recommend to keep them in the fridge as they will stay fresh longer. You can cut the bars and pile them in a container so they are ready to go. Separate them with layers of parchment paper if needed to prevent them from sticking together.

    Again, these bars are homemade and thus, more fragile, so be gentle when packing them to go.

    Can I freeze them

    You can freeze these bars too. Make sure to cut them ahead and even, pack them individually. Add them frozen in lunch boxes in the morning so they will defrost for a snack later.

    Front angle view on a few vegan nut-free granola bars filled with chocolate chips and cranberries that are placed on a wooden board covered with parchment paper.

    Other nut-free sweet treats you might like

    • Vegan apple bread
    • Nut-free peach muffins
    • Beet and chocolate muffins
    • Vegan strawberry mufffins
    • Lemon shortbread cookies
    • Vegan raisin zucchini muffins
    • Nut-free chocolate oatmeal bars
    • Chocolate covered chickpeas
    • Chocolate vanilla cookie sandwiches

    Try these bars next

    • Strawberry chocolate bars
    • Vegan blueberry cheesecake squares
    • Pear and cinnamon oatmeal bars
    • Vegan millionaire shortbread
    • No bake peanut butter fudge

    I hope you enjoy this nut-free granola bars recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

    Let's stay in touch with Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Also, don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter to be sure not to miss anything.

    📖 Recipe

    Front angle view on a few vegan nut-free granola bars filled with chocolate chips and cranberries that are placed on a wooden board covered with parchment paper.

    Nut-Free Granola Bars (Gluten-Free and Vegan)

    5 from 1 vote
    These easy one-bowl nut-free granola bars are so tasty and filled with chewy dried cranberries and dark chocolate chips. They make for a healthy school safe snack that's fully plant-based and gluten-free.
    PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time35 minutes mins
    Servings 10 bars
    Author Jessica laroche

    Ingredients
      

    • ¾ cup vegan milk - soy or oat, choose nut-free
    • ½ cup pumpkin seed butter
    • ½ cup maple syrup
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 3 cups rolled oats
    • 2 tbsp chia seeds
    • ⅓ cup dried cranberries - or raisins
    • ⅓ cup chocolate chips
    • ⅓ cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds

    Instructions
     

    • Pre-heat the oven to 350º. Line a 8 x 8 square pan with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, combine the vegan milk, pumpkin seed butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk well so there are no pumpkin seed butter clumps anymore. Then, add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine.
    • Transfer to the prepared pan, press using a spatula or the bottom of a glass (it needs to be super tight and make sure to press the edges too!) and bake for 25 minutes.
    • Let cool completely in the fridge before cutting (and cut while still in the mold, they will keep their shape better).

    Video

    YouTube video

    Notes

    • The secret to make these bars hold well is: 1- press tightly before baking, 2- cool completely in the fridge before slicing and 3- slice right into the baking dish to contain them when pressing with your knife. Don't skip on these tips!
    • I love to make my own pumpkin seed butter when making this granola bar recipe. You can use sunflower seed butter too, although I found the overall taste better when using pumpkin seed butter (personal preference).
    • Store the bars in the fridge so they stay fresh longer (4-5 days). You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
    • Feel free to swap the dried cranberries for other dried fruits such as blueberries, raisins, apricots or cherries. Chop them if too large so they are about the same size as the chocolate chips.
    • Nutrition: please note that the nutritional information is an estimate per serving provided for informational purposes only (calculated by software) and accuracy is not guaranteed. Consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if you need precise nutrition calculations for health reasons.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 276kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Asanda says

      March 03, 2025 at 11:06 am

      Hi there .
      Great recipe 🤗, I just wanted to ask if I could replace the chocolate chips with anything you recommend?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        March 03, 2025 at 12:58 pm

        Hi Asanda! I think dried raisins would be great! 😊

        Reply
    2. Becky Enman says

      December 08, 2024 at 12:18 pm

      Can you use almond butter instead of pumpkin seed butter?

      Reply
      • Jessica says

        December 08, 2024 at 4:00 pm

        Hi Becky! Yes, it should work! 😊

        Reply
    3. Julia says

      October 11, 2021 at 7:54 pm

      5 stars
       Delicious bars, my kids loved them 

      Reply

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    ABOUT JESS


    Profile picture for Plant Based Jess in the kitchen.

    Hi there! I’m Jessica, a pasta obsessed French Canadian now living in beautiful Maine. I’m a mom of two, experienced foodie and ninja meal planner. I believe everyone can make stress-free plant-based meals with wholesome ingredients that your family and friends will love. 

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