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!
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 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.
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.
More Nut-Free Snacks to Make
- Stovetop Popcorn with Nutritional Yeast and Herbs
- Oven Baked Zucchini Bites
- Cookie Butter Muddy Buddies
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!
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Nut-Free Granola Bars
Chewy, salty, and sweet, these homemade nut-free granola bars are a dairy-free snack safe to send to school!
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
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In a large bowl stir together 1 cup sunflower butter, ½ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon salt.
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Once smooth and well mixed, add 2 ¾ cup oatmeal, ¼ cup mini chocolate chips, and ¼ cup sunflower seeds.
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Stir until well combined.
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Pour into an 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment paper and press until even.
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Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
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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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