5 Ingredient Granola Bars with Dates, Almond Butter and Steel-Cut Oats

by | Jan 7, 2015 | Uncategorized | 57 comments

BOOM. I’ve finally created a packable homemade snack that knocks it out of the park! Sure, I’ve made regular granola bars before– with the typical combination of honey and rolled oats. And while they were delicious, they just didn’t fill me.

Anyone who’s into healthy eating probably knows that steel-cut oats are better for you than rolled oats. In addition to a higher nutrient content, they’re also considered more filling. Win!

Search for granola bar recipes and you’ll find plenty of different ways to turn rolled oats into a snack– even recipes with dates. But steel-cut oats? That’s my contribution.

All you need are 5 ingredients:

Dates
Steel-cut oats
Honey
Almond butter
Dried cranberries

5 Ingredient Granola Bars with Steel-Cut Oats

A note about sweetness…

Americans LOVE sugar– but unfortunately, it’s a toxin. And humans are just not designed (or evolutionarily equipped) to handle massive amounts of it.

Concentrated sweetness is rare in nature. Sugar, as you probably know, is extracted from a highly-fibrous, tough plant, meaning that granulated sugar is not a whole food and totally inaccessible to wild animals.

The sweetest whole foods out there (meaning they’re super sweet in their natural form) are probably honey and dates. And both of those have at least a few positive nutritional properties. Why not replace sugar (or high-fructose corn syrup, another unnatural extract) with these yummy whole-food substitutes?

Eating Clean

So, when it comes to snacking, I’m all about eating clean. Goodbye, packaged store-bought crunchies that last forever! I’d rather make snacks myself. Why?

1. No Additives.

I recently read the label of a packet of Trader Joe’s granola bars. Healthy, right? Actually, the first ingredient listed was Brown Rice Syrup. More syrup than oats? No, thanks! And what is D-Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate and where can I get some??

 

2. It’s fresh and perishable.

Sure, some things are much more perishable than others. Grains, dried beans, spices, honey and other whole and natural products don’t spoil quickly– but they do eventually spoil. A good rule of thumb is to eat only items that will eventually spoil.

3. It’s customizable.

Ever had a store-bought snack that you thought was just too salty or too sweet? When you make your own snacks, you can tweak all that! It’s so much fun. If you’re in a chocolate mood, add chocolate chunks! Dried fruit or nuts? Throw them in! The possibilities are endless.

5 Ingredient Granola Bars with Almond Butter

In case you can’t already tell, I’m so excited to share these bars with you. They are:

Extra-chewy.
Clean.
Irresistible.
Whole.
Satisfying.
Simple.
No-bake.
Packable.

All right, on to the recipe. I should add that when it comes to using dates in cooking, you really need a sturdy blender or food processor. It’s somewhat bad news because I know that some people don’t own these appliances. If you just don’t have access but still really want to make granola bars, I recommend this basic rolled-oats granola bar recipe. I’ve never tried it with steel-cut oats, but it’s pretty good!

5 ingredient granola bars with steel-cut oats - Simplicity Relished

5 Ingredient Granola Bars with Dates, Almond Butter and Steel-Cut Oats

Ingredients (for about 10 bars):

1 cup of moist dates (try medjool), pitted
1/4 cup honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
1/4 cup almond butter
1.5 cups steel-cut oats
3/4 cup dried cranberries (or topping of your choice)

Instructions

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt and mix the almond butter and honey until combined. Do not let it boil.

After pitting your dates, place them in your food processor (or sturdy blender) along with the warm almond butter- honey mixture. Blend until combined and no large chunks of dates remain.

Scoop out the blended mixture into a bowl and add the steel-cut oats. If you have a stand mixer (or high-quality electric mixer), I strongly recommend using it now. If not, use a wooden paddle or your hands if necessary. Stir the contents of the bowl until combined into a dough-like mixture.

Prepare an 8×8 square pan (or other similar-sized pan of your choice) by lining it with either plastic wrap or parchment paper. Press the granola mixture evenly into the pan with your fingers, making sure it’s relatively the same depth all around.

Add your cranberries evenly on top. Push them into the sticky mixture so that they don’t fall off. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour for best results before cutting.

Once chilled, the bars will be pretty firm and easier to cut. Lift them from the pan and remove the lining you used, placing the large granola bar onto a wooden cutting board. Slice into bars (carefully!).

To store, you can keep these refrigerated in an airtight container or wrapped individually in plastic wrap, ready to go. These should last about 1 week– but they won’t because they’re so delicious!

5 Ingredient Granola Bars with Dates, Almond Butter, and Steel-Cut Oats

 

57 Comments

  1. Sarah-Joy Brown
    Sarah-Joy Brown on August 20, 2017 at 6:05 am

    These were great! Also D-Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate Is Vitamin E. 🙂

  2. Leona
    Leona on February 12, 2017 at 8:21 pm

    We made these tonight. We use steel cut oats a lot and make oatmeal with them often, but even as steel-cut-lovers I felt like they could have used some additional processing to make them more palatable in this recipe. Maybe soaking as others have suggested, or a rough grind in the food processor before adding to the wet ingredients. Also, I added some cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg for extra flavor!

  3. Maria Heaman
    Maria Heaman on December 8, 2016 at 4:42 am

    Why should you soak the oats w/apple cider vinegar or lemon? And just a drop for the whole recipe?

  4. jamie leigh
    jamie leigh on September 1, 2016 at 3:21 pm

    These look great and I make something similar,I love the idea of almond butter.The steel cut oats should be soaked with a drop of culture like Apple cider vinegar or lemon for around 8 – 24 hours then rinsed.

  5. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on September 23, 2015 at 8:40 am

    On second thought, if toasting the oats counts as cooking them (and brings out more nutrition), you can definitely do that! I’m not sure how heat impacts nutrition, but you could try that!

  6. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on September 23, 2015 at 8:38 am

    Hi Jen,

    Thanks for your question! To be honest I’m not a nutritionist– just a food enthusiast! I haven’t had an issues with eating raw oats (lots of commercial granola bars are unbaked), but if you’re unsure then maybe this isn’t the best recipe for you. I think if you soak the oats the bars will be quite soggy, so I wouldn’t recommend doing that! Hope that helps.

  7. jen
    jen on September 23, 2015 at 8:08 am

    I’ve read that eating oats raw is harsh on your stomach/system and as many nutrients won’t be absorbed. Do you recommend using these completely raw or soaked?

  8. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on September 10, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    They’re raw! If they’re a bit too grainy for you, try using rolled oats instead!

  9. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on September 10, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    Hi Brianna,

    Nope! these granola bars do turn out a bit gritty and crunchy. If you don’t love it, use rolled oats!

  10. rachael h
    rachael h on September 10, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    Hi, i’m a granola bar rookie….so this question may seem dumb, but are the steel cut oats cooked or raw?

  11. Brianna
    Brianna on August 21, 2015 at 4:48 pm

    Do you need to do anything to the oats so they aren’t gritty?

  13. Niamh Osborne
    Niamh Osborne on January 10, 2015 at 7:35 pm

    These look amazing Daisy!

  14. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on January 8, 2015 at 10:36 am

    Yeah– I’ve found that the key is having a strong enough binding agent. Dates and almond butter are pretty sticky, so your bars will definitely stick together. And keeping it in the fridge is a must, since we don’t add any stabilizers or other chemicals to our homemade bars! I hope you enjoy these Catherine, let me know what you think 🙂

  16. ashortblonde
    ashortblonde on January 8, 2015 at 10:23 am

    Yum! I tried making granola bars once but they just never formed properly. I’m going to give these a go.

  21. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on January 8, 2015 at 12:07 am

    Thanks Alison!! 🙂 I’m hoping to continue inventing recipes– I hope you do too!

  22. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on January 8, 2015 at 12:06 am

    Thanks Rachel! They travel really well, especially when they’re wrapped and chilled overnight.

  25. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on January 8, 2015 at 12:06 am

    Thanks Chelsea!! Good for you– I’ve heard great things about Paleo 🙂

  27. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on January 8, 2015 at 12:05 am

    Yess… ingredient lists can be scary! And local honey is the best, good for you!

  32. Daisy @ Simplicity Relished
    Daisy @ Simplicity Relished on January 8, 2015 at 12:04 am

    Oh yes, these would be perfect! You can even swap out almond butter for peanut butter to up the protein!

  40. shannon
    shannon on January 7, 2015 at 12:40 pm

    I need to go get some dates and cranberries and then I am definitely making these. They look delish! Great recipe Daisy.

    Shannon
    Clothes & Quotes

  42. Rachel Keeth
    Rachel Keeth on January 7, 2015 at 11:45 am

    These do look delicious! Thank you for sharing! They would be great for road trips, or just shopping trips around town. I want these now.

  44. Megan Sybrant
    Megan Sybrant on January 7, 2015 at 11:32 am

    I definitely want to try these! Looks so good!

  46. Shannon Jenkins
    Shannon Jenkins on January 7, 2015 at 10:39 am

    Yum these look amazing!! I pack my lunch every day so these would be perfect for a snack!

    <3 Shannon
    Upbeat Soles

  47. Kiki
    Kiki on January 7, 2015 at 9:57 am

    These sound fantastic! I love granola bars but cringe when I read what I’m eating. I use honey in just about everything. We even buy a specific brand because it’s made locally. (:

    http://www.accordingtokiki123.blogspot.com

  49. Shannon
    Shannon on January 7, 2015 at 9:29 am

    These look great! I am always looking for gluten free options for granola bars and a lot of these would work!

  51. Nabihah
    Nabihah on January 7, 2015 at 7:26 am

    Can’t wait to try this out, I’m always looking for ways to add fiber and fruit into my diet! Being a chocoholic, I’ll definitely be adding chocolate chips and maybe some sliced almonds!

    thesundaywardrobe.blogspot.com

  52. Jenna Brussee
    Jenna Brussee on January 7, 2015 at 6:57 am

    I’ve been looking for a healthy snack like this! Ever since I started working out, I find that I need a good snack around 3pm or so, and I generally go with a protein bar. I worry about what’s really in the store bought version, though. I’ve been wanting to make them myself. I’ll be trying this soon!

  53. Charity
    Charity on January 7, 2015 at 5:51 am

    Steel cut oats are the best! These look delish…

  54. Joanna
    Joanna on January 7, 2015 at 5:07 am

    I’m getting hungry just reading through this recipe 🙂 These sound and look incredible!

    lovejoanna.com

  56. Joanne
    Joanne on January 7, 2015 at 4:07 am

    Ahh, this is a great post that I’m totally saving for later on! I adore granola bars. Love the idea of honey and almond butter and dates. That must be so yum, thanks for sharing! <3

    http://thoughtsintiffanyblue.blogspot.com/

  57. Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons
    Amanda @ Rhyme & Ribbons on January 7, 2015 at 3:34 am

    I love, love, love almond butter. I’ll definitely be making these! x