How To Make Granola Bars That Are Gluten and Sugar Free

These gluten free granola bars are what my friends lovingly dub as "nature cookies/bars," depending on how you form the batter's shape. With no trace of white or brown sugar in this recipe, the main forms of sweetness are found within the bananas and other add-ins like dark chocolate or dried fruit. Also, these gluten-free granola bars mainly consist of oats, which simplify the base of the granola to less than seven ingredients.   

The struggle of eating gluten-free is real—especially as a college student.  However, I found that cooking and baking my own food made cutting out gluten a lot easier. Incorporating more gluten-free foods into your diet might be hard, but this recipe, along with a compilation of gluten-free recipes, can help with the process. 

Gluten Free Chocolate Granola Bars

• Prep Time:20 mins
• Cook Time:30 mins
• Total Time:50 mins
• Servings:16
• Easy

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup oats
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• optional spices: pinch pepper and cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

• Step 1

  Preheat oven to 370°F. Assemble all ingredients.
  
  #SpoonTip: Substitute egg with 1/8 cup applesauce, butter with any other type of oil, and dark chocolate with vegan chocolate to make these bars vegan.

  

• Step 2

  Place butter and peeled bananas into a bowl. Mash bananas and butter with a fork until well combined.

  

• Step 3

  Pour in vanilla extract and mix.

  

• Step 4

  Crack in egg and mix well.

  

• Step 5

  Add in oats, salt, cinnamon, and spices. Mix until oats are covered evenly with wet mixture. For a drier bar, add in 1/2 cup more oats.

  

• Step 6

  Add in cocoa powder and mix until well combined.

  

• Step 7

  Grab some add-ins to create texture and depth to the bars. I’m using walnuts, chia seeds and dark chocolate.

  

• Step 8

  Place into a pre-greased pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on how moist you want your bars to be.
  
  #SpoonTip: Turn off the oven and keep the bars inside until the oven fully cools for more dried-out granola-like bars.

  

• Step 9

  Cut into desired shapes and enjoy!

  

This recipe is easily customizable. Just substitute butter with oil to make the granola bars vegan, or swap the oats with almond flour to make the bars paleo. You can also throw in any add-ins you want to adjust the recipe to fit you.  Gain inspiration from this pumpkin spice granola recipe for the upcoming holidays and cold weather. Find more ways to sneak granola into your daily life starting with breakfast.