Today we’re making Chocolate Chip Granola Bars that are vegan and no-bake.
If you have been looking for no bake vegan granola bars that are easy to make and also delicious, here they are!
You may also enjoy my baked chocolate granola recipe. Or maybe these spent grain granola bars are more up your alley. Chewy, chocolatey, and studded with tart cherries and chocolate. For ease of browsing, you can find all my breakfast recipes in one place. Thanks for visiting!
Pastry Chef Online Participates in Affiliate Programs. If you make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a small commission. For more information click to read my disclosure policy
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, At a Glance
These no-bake granola bars are really tasty, y’all.
Here’s a short overview of what to expect from the recipe.
✅Skill Level: Beginner
✅Skills: Mixing, Pressing Dough into a Pan
✅Type: No-Bake granola bars
✅Number of Ingredients: For the bars: 12, For optional topping: 3
✅Prep Time: 15minutes
✅Chill Time: 4 hours
✅Yield: 10-12 bars
Jump Straight to the Recipe
About Pacari Chocolate
I used Pacari chocolate for this recipe. Here’s a bit about Pacari.
All Pacari chocolate is organic and vegan.
It is also nut-free (although the packaging must say there is a risk for liability issues). They also have a line of raw chocolate including cacao powder (hello, superfood!), nibs, chocolate drops (chips) and bars.
Pacari makes sure to source as many ingredients locally as possible. And for Pacari, local means Ecuador.
Their chocolate bars come in such sophisticated flavors as lemongrass (perfectly balanced), Andean mint (unlike any mint chocolate you have ever tried before, I guarantee), Andean Rose (indescribably perfect), Passion Fruit (which smells so incredible I want The Beloved to wear it as cologne) and my personal favorite, Raw Chocolate with Andean Salt and ground Cocoa Nibs.
The sensation as this chocolate melts on the tongue is hard to describe. The slight crunch of the nibs, the creamy, mellow chocolate and the spark of the occasional salt crystal combine in what is probably the best bite of chocolate I’ve ever had.
Aside from the divine chocolates, there are many things to love about Pacari as a business as well. Allow me to quote from the Pacari website:
Santiago Peralta and Carla Barboto built a business based on socially and environmentally sustainable principles to ensure that their products support the well-being of the land and the community around it. Combining a passion for sustainable business and a commitment to preserving the native Arriba Nacional cacao, they developed Pacari Chocolate – the first single-origin organic chocolate made entirely in Ecuador. –Pacari Chocolate, About
Santiago and Carla realized that none of the cacao farmers that they spoke to had ever eaten a finished chocolate bar.
While they may have known that the beans they harvested and exported wound up in “candy,” they had never tasted chocolate themselves.
Francisco said that was one of the main reasons Pacari got started, to keep the farmers involved every step of the way.
Making Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Friends, as you’ll see in the video, these bars are easy to make.
Just a few steps:
Would you like to save this post?
Enter your email address below, and don't forget to check the box!
- Mix the binding ingredients
- Add the mix-ins
- Press into a pan
- Top as desired (or not)
- Refrigerate
Done!
Getting Acquainted with Raw Vegan Granola Bars
Note, you do not need to make these bars as raw food, but if you want to, you certainly can.
Vegan/quasi-raw was completely new territory for me, so I did some searching and found a simple recipe for Five Minute, No-Bake Vegan Granola Bars.
I also looked at The Minimalist Baker’s Healthy Brownie Granola Bars.
For those who are interested, I was looking for proportions of “gluey” ingredients to “main ingredients.” Once I got a handle on that, it was on, and I even finally got to use the very cool date syrup that my friend Stacy from Food Lust People Love sent me all the way from Dubai. Thank you, Stacy!
I think the bars I’ve come up with are the best (mostly) raw no-bake vegan granola bars I’ve ever had.
Okay, they’re the only (mostly) raw no-bake vegan granola bars I’ve ever had, but still. They’re pretty delicious, and this is coming from a girl who loves her baked goods, her refined sugar and her butter.
Do give these vegan granola bars a try. They are seriously good and really easy to make.
They’re also perfect for making in the summer since you don’t have to bake them. Nice!
If you’re looking for a super crunchy, delicious granola, try my friend Beth’s Homemade Olive Oil Granola.
Questions?
If you have any questions about this post or recipe, I am happy to help.
Simply leave a comment here and I will get back to you soon. I also invite you to ask question in my Facebook group, Fearless Kitchen Fun.
If your question is more pressing, please feel free to email me. I should be back in touch ASAP, as long as I’m not asleep.
Love These No-Bake Granola Bars? Please Rate and Review. Thanks!
It will help me and other readers so much if you take a moment to rate and leave a review for this recipe.
You can use the stars to rate 1-5 (5 is best), and leave a review in the comments. It helps me make adjustments if any are needed, and comments help others decide whether the recipe is worth making.
Other ways to share include pinning, and/or sharing on your favorite social media platform.
Thank you so much for taking the time!
Chocolate Chip Granola Bar Recipe (No Bake, Vegan)
Video
Would you like to save this post?
Enter your email address below, and don’t forget to check the box!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats toasted or not.
- ½ cup lightly salted almonds lightly salted almonds (you can also use raw almonds)
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup date syrup
- ⅔ cup almond butter (nothing but almonds in the ingredient list)
- 2 Tablespoons liquid coconut oil (will keep them firmer in the fridge)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup cacao powder or cocoa powder
- ¼ cup cacao nibs
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ cup dried cranberries or your favorite dried fruit/s
To Finish (Optional)
- 1 Tablespoon dark chocolate chips
- 1 Tablespoon dried cranberries or your favorite dried fruit/s
- a couple of pinches of coarse-grained flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare an 8"x8" or 9"x9" pan by lining the bottom and up two opposite sides with non-stick foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the oats and almonds in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Thoroughly stir together the maple syrup, date syrup, almond butter coconut oil (if using), vanilla, and salt.
- Evenly mix in the cacao powder, nibs, chips, and dried cranberries.
- Scrape the cacao mixture into the bowl with the oats and almonds.
- Fold together thoroughly until all the oats and almonds are well-coated.
- Press the stiff dough evenly into the prepared pan.
To Finish (Optional)
- Evenly sprinkle on the chocolate drops, dried cranberries and salt. Press down gently so they adhere.
- Press plastic wrap down on the surface of your granola and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours.
- Slice into bars of your desired size.
- Store in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or freeze for longer storage.
Did You Make Any Changes?
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, y’all! I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and hopefully also learned a thing or two.
If you like my style, I invite you to sign up for my occasional newsletter, The Inbox Pastry Chef.
Expect updates on new and tasty recipes as well as a bit of behind-the-scenes action. I hope to see you there!
And thank you guys for spending some time with me today.
Enjoy the chocolate chip granola bars. Take care, y’all.
Join in Today!
These look incredible!!
Definitely going to try these for a yummy back-to-school snack.
And Pacari Chocolates are Kosher Pareve! Can you see my happy dance?
🙂
Hi, Leah! I’m so happy you’re going to try them! And I hear you’ve been making tons of the coconut avocado ice cream. So glad you are enjoying it!
Healthy energy bars – I’m in! Bookmarked the recipe as we’re all about no bake desserts atm – it’s too hot to turn the oven on.
True–it is so hot here, too! I think you’ll love these, and of course you can sub in whatever goodies you like for what I used in mine. Enjoy, Oana!
I HAD to eat a Pacari Aji (chilli peppers and spices) bar while reading this fabulous post. Pacari hit the lottery when you were assigned as their Brand Ambassador at the Food and Wine Conference. The chocolates are as divine as you describe and I love how creative you got here. Not surprised in the least!
Aw thank you, Betsy! And that chilli one is fantastic! The Lemongrass? I die! You have to go get All The Chocolate! =)
Wow, these turned out great! Love that you put chocolate & cocoa nibs in them. I love granola bars with chocolate in them, and from what you’ve mentioned about the company, I think the Pacari chocolate is the perfect chocolate for this kind of no-bake treat
P.S. Glad you snuck in some butter 😉
Thank you so much, Janice! Yes, I am so impressed with Pacari, both the chocolate and the business! I didn’t use butter because I was trying to remain true to the vegan chocolate, but that doesn’t mean the next time I make them I won’t add some. Or that I’m not thinking about espresso shortbread studded with those raw chips… =)