Homemade Nut-Free Granola Bars

Salty meets sweet with these delicious homemade nut-free granola bars. This no-bake recipe for peanut free granola bars comes together in minutes for a delicious and healthy safe for school snack!

A cream plate topped with homemade nut-free granola bars on a white counter.

This recipe has been well over 2 years in the making. While nursing my first born I found my hunger was insatiable. I kept a cart filled with snacks to the left of my nursing chair and ate round the clock (“mama eats when baby eats”).

One of the snack bars I kept on repeat were these Simple Truth Organic Dark Chocolate Sunflower Butter Granola Bars. I liked the chewy texture, the salty but sweet flavor, and honestly how delicious and addictive they were.

Unfortunately they weren’t the cheapest thing to keep on hand and after a while I felt like I could make a version on my own with far fewer ingredients.

Why We Love these Peanut Free Granola Bars

This homemade granola bar without nuts is made with simple ingredients and perfect for a number of different reasons!

  • No baking. Simply mix, press, and chill.
  • Salty + Sweet. The salty sunflower seeds balance out the sweetness of the honey and vegan chocolate chips.
  • Nut-Free! Perfect for anyone with peanut or tree nut allergies and great for sending with your kid to school!
Nut free granola bars on a wooden cutting board.

Nut-Free Changes to Homemade Granola Bars

Three ingredients keep this homemade granola bar without nuts nicely nut-free!

  • Sunflower Butter– A great nut-free alternative to peanut butter, sunflower butter is made from sunflower seeds.
  • Sun Flower Seeds– Adds a salty crunch much like a nut without any of the unwanted allergens.
  • Free-From Chocolate Chips– Using a vegan, free-from chocolate chip brand like Enjoy Life is a great way to keep these nut-free granola bars truly free-from any nut-based allergens.

How to Make Nut-Free Granola Bars

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Sunflower Butter– A nut-free alternative to bind together the granola bars.
  • Honey– Used to sweeten the granola bars without making them too sticky.
  • Vanilla– For a little boost of flavor.
  • Salt– Balances out the honey.
  • Oatmeal– Regular, old-fashioned oats work best in this recipe.
  • Mini chocolate chips– I like to use Enjoy Life’s Free From mini chocolate chips.
  • Sunflower seeds– Shelled and unsalted work best in this recipe.
Ingredients for nut-free granola bars on a white counter.

Step-by-Step Directions for Granola Bars without Nuts

  • Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl stir together sunflower butter, honey, vanilla, and salt.
  • Stir in dry ingredients: Once smooth and well mixed, add oatmeal, mini chocolate chips, and sunflower seeds.
  • Mix together: Stir until well combined.
  • Press into a pan: Pour into an 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment paper and press until even.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
  • Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a week.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

To make these simple nut-free granola bars, here are some tools you might find helpful.

  • Mixing bowls– Great for stirring these no-bake granola bars together.
  • Rubber spatula– Helps to scoop out the sunflower butter and honey as well as mix the granola bars together.
  • 8×8-inch pan– Used to shape and mold the granola bars into a perfect handheld treat!

Storing, Freezing, and Packaging Tips

I highly recommend keeping these homemade granola bars in the refrigerator. They are softer than traditional granola bars and get a little bendy at room temperature.

  • Storing– Keep in an air-tight, refrigerator safe container for up to one week.
  • Freezing– Store in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
  • Packaging– Place in a zip top bag or a small Tupperware when packing for a snack or lunch.
A small glass container with four dairy-free and nut free granola bars.

More Nut-Free Snacks to Make

If you tried these no-bake nut-free granola bars please let me know in the comments below!

You can also share a picture of it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy so I can see all of your life after dairy adventures!

Looking for more delicious dairy-free recipes and tips? Sign up for my newsletter below to get the most helpful recipes, tips, and products for your life after dairy.

A hand holding a chocolate chip studded nut-free granola bar.

Nut-Free Granola Bars

Chewy, salty, and sweet, these homemade nut-free granola bars are a dairy-free snack safe to send to school!

Course Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword Dairy-Free, No Bake, Nut-Free
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 12 granola bars

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Sunflower Butter
  • ½ cup Honey
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 2 ¾ cups Oatmeal Old-Fashioned
  • ¼ cup Mini Chocolate Chips dairy-free
  • ¼ cup Sunflower Seeds unsalted

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl stir together 1 cup sunflower butter, ½ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon salt.

  2. Once smooth and well mixed, add 2 ¾ cup oatmeal, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, and ¼ cup sunflower seeds.

  3. Stir until well combined.
  4. Pour into an 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment paper and press until even.
  5. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
  6. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for a week.

Recipe Notes

If you use salted sunflower seeds I would recommend reducing the added salt from ½ teaspoon to ¼ teaspoon. 

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