These no-bake granola bars are the perfect thing to pack for hikes and camping. They're loaded with dried fruit and nuts, have plenty of fibre, and are easy to pack. While the recipe calls for walnuts, pumpkin seeds, goji berries, and raisins, any nuts and seed combo would be a perfect match, so mix it up!
If you love hiking as much as we do, you know you always need good snacks. Try my 4 ingredient sprouted manna bread, gluten-free buckwheat banana muffins, and almond butter energy balls to pack in your bag.
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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Crispy rice cereal: this is a big textural ingredient. While you can sub puffed rice or quinoa, you won't get that same crunch as with crisp cereal.
- Walnuts: sub cashews, hazelnuts, or any other nut you like. If you can't have nuts, replace with more seeds.
- Pumpkin seeds: the ideal substitute is sunflower seeds, but you can also use more nuts.
- Dried fruit: replace the raisins and/or goji berries with dried cranberries, chopped dried dates, figs, or apricots, or any dried fruit you like.
- Nut butter: substitute a seed butter like sunflower if you can't have nuts.
- Brown rice syrup: this is a sticky syrup to bind the bars, and shouldn't be replaced with something like maple syrup.
Step by Step
No-bake cereal bars are ready from start to finish in just over half an hour, including chilling time. Just mix, press, chill, and slice!
Step 1: add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl and mix to combine.
Step 2: heat the wet ingredients just until it becomes runny, then mix with the dry ingredients.
Step 3: press firmly into a lined square tin, then chill to set.
Step 4: drizzle the bars with melted chocolate before serving.
Top Tips
- Move quickly: the brown rice syrup mixture needs to be mixed into the dry ingredients pretty fast, before it starts to cool down too much.
- Grease your hands: to get a nice flat surface and well compressed bars, rub a little oil on your hands before using them to press the bars into the tin.
- Switch it up: these bars are really flexible, and you can definitely change up the flavours by switching the seeds and nuts to what you have on hand.
How to Store
Storage: these don't need to be stored in the fridge (that's what makes them so great for packing) but should be if you want to keep them for longer. Store for about 3 days at room temperature, and up to a week in the fridge.
Freezing: transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
FAQ
Why do my no bake granola bars fall apart?
For perfectly sliced no bake granola bars, make sure you use the liquid ingredient specified (don't change out the sweetener) and measure the dry ingredients carefully to be certain you're not adding too much.
How do you bind granola bars together?
The best way to bind granola bars is with a nice sticky sweetener, like brown rice syrup or honey!
What is crispy rice cereal?
Crispy rice cereal is rice that's been puffed and then toasted to give it a crisp texture. You can find it in grocery stores and bulk food shops.
If you make these No-Bake Granola Bars or any other vegan snacks on Wholehearted Eats, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more WHE, follow along on Instagram or subscribe for new posts via email.
Recipe
No-Bake Granola Bars
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 8-inch square tin
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups Crispy Rice Cereal
- 1 ½ Cups Rolled Oats
- ½ Cup Toasted Coconut
- ½ Cup Toasted Walnuts Chopped
- ½ Cup Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
- ¼ Cup Hemp Hearts
- ¼ Cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Goji Berries
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 tablespoons Ground Flax Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ½ Cup plus 2 tablespoons Brown Rice Syrup
- ½ Cup plus 2 tablespoons runny Nut Butter natural, unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- ½ Cup Melted Chocolate for topping, optional
- Hemp hearts, Cacao Nibs, Bee Pollen, Goji Berries, or Calendula for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl toss together the rice cereal, oats, coconut, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, salt, flax, and cinnamon.1 ½ Cups Crispy Rice Cereal, 1 ½ Cups Rolled Oats, ½ Cup Toasted Coconut, ½ Cup Toasted Walnuts, ½ Cup Toasted Pumpkin Seeds, ¼ Cup Hemp Hearts, ¼ Cup Raisins, ¼ cup Goji Berries, ½ teaspoon Sea Salt, 2 tablespoons Ground Flax Seeds, 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- Next line a 8 inch square pan with parchment and set aside.
- In a pot combine the brown rice syrup (greasing the measuring cup first helps), nut butter, and oil. Heat over low just until it becomes runny (try not to let it boil at all). Take the syrup off the heat and add the vanilla.½ Cup plus 2 tablespoons Brown Rice Syrup, ½ Cup plus 2 tablespoons runny Nut Butter, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
- Moving quickly, add the syrup to the dry mix and stir to combine. After its all mixed together, scoop it into the prepared pan and using greased hands press down firmly to make a nice flat surface.
- Set the bars in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so to firm up.
- Next, heat the chocolate over a water bath and get any toppings you'd like ready.
- Slice the bars into 12 pieces, drizzle with chocolate, and sprinkle with toppings. Let the chocolate fully set before packing the bars in an airtight container. They'll keep for a few days at room temperature and up to a week in the fridge.½ Cup Melted Chocolate, Hemp hearts, Cacao Nibs, Bee Pollen, Goji Berries, or Calendula for garnish
These are delish! I've made them several times now. Kiddos love them and the mix-ins are endlessly variable. I get 24 bars from this recipe, not 12, so your servings must be very filling!!
Thanks for a wonderful recipe.
I am sitting here drooling over all of these posts, Sophie! I am always up for trying a new snack bar recipe and these look like they are packed with so much good stuff. Your trip exploring America as a child sounded magical. There is indeed so much beauty in this world to be enjoyed.
I couldn't get mine to set. The only thing I did differently was substitute molasses for brown rice syrup. Do you think that may have been the deal breaker?
It might have been, Amy. The brown rice syrup is super-duper sticky and kind of gives these a rice crispy treat consistency. I hope it tasted okay, nevertheless. You might want to stir in some more nut butter and see if you can roll them into energy bites. Best of luck <3
Thanks, Sophie! I will use brown rice syrup next time. I did add more molasses and sunflower butter and they ended up setting enough, just crumbly. Nonetheless, my family came into town right after I made these and they gobbled the entire batch up over the sink to catch the crumbs. They loved them! Thank you for posting the recipe.
These look amazing! I've been obsessed with having bars like these on hand lately. Especially if you store them in the freezer - they last longer and are like a frozen treat? Must try these! xox
Oh, I'm so thrilled you are bar obsessed too, Julia. They are a favourite around here for sure. I hope you enjoy these ones as much as we do:)
Oh your words (and photos).. They are SO beautiful.
Having visited Vancouver (and the area), I know how beautiful it is. I am so glad that the blogger community is raising their voice on the subject.
These bars look so SO good. I am pinning to try sometime next week.
Cheers!
Oh, I am so trilled to hear you liked the post, Aysegul. It is truly special when we can come together over causes we all agree on <3 xox
Thank you for sharing your heart, Sophie. So much here and so much love. Thank you for sharing both your story and these scrumptious bars. <3
Thank you so much, Traci! What a brilliant group of people to be included with 🙂
Your great grandma was onto something for sure. Stunning photos, beautiful words and such a cool idea.
Ah, I'm so happy you enjoyed the post, Ruby! It was truly a delight to be included with such a wonderful array of people. xox
Girl, I love your photos (and words!) so much! These bars looks heavenly, can't wait to make them soon. Since I've got a huge pack of puffed amaranth I'm thinking about using them instead of puffed rice, but, a part from this, not going to change a single ingredient!
Oh, Marta! Thanks a million! I think amaranth would be a great addition. I am totally going to try adding some puffed quinoa next time I make these (which will probably be soon becuase we already ate them all 🙂
I would adventure just to eat these bars, girl!
lol! I love it! Happy (almost) camping season!!! xox
Loving the words of your great grandma! The recipe looks great, too! Thank you.
Awe, thanks Elsie! She was a wise woman for sure <3
Our words (and these bars!) are beautiful. I love this testament to our Earth <3 thanks for sharing
And by "our" words, of course I mean your words. -__-
I'm so happy you enjoyed the post, Natalie! Happy Earth Day to you <3
Thanks so much for joining us today. These bars look amazing and your words couldn't be more heartfelt and true. Thank you!
Thanks for including me on such a awesome project, Sasha! I can't wait to head south and explore some of the
gorgeous parks that were shared. xox
Yes yes yes! Celebrate mamma earth and all she has to offer. BIG BIG love for this one, Sophie - these bars look like the ultimate adventure fuel. Love this initiative by all these lovely bloggers, food and the earth are so connected in every way. Gosh this makes me want to get outside! Happy Earth Day (today and everyday). x
Ah, thank you Jodi!! Happy earth day to you too! I hope you get to head out and hit the trails soon! xox