Vegan Chewy Oat Bars (Printable Version)

Chewy oat bars loaded with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit for a wholesome snack or breakfast boost.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups rolled oats
02 - 1/2 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
03 - 1/4 cup sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
04 - 1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates)
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/2 cup smooth almond or peanut butter
08 - 1/3 cup maple syrup or agave syrup
09 - 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How To Make:

01 - Set oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, stir together oats, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cinnamon, and salt until evenly mixed.
03 - Whisk almond or peanut butter, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet mixture over dry ingredients and gently fold until fully incorporated.
05 - Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and press down firmly to create an even layer.
06 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until edges turn golden brown.
07 - Allow bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into 12 portions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They hold together beautifully once you learn the pressing trick, and they actually keep you full until lunch.
  • You can swap in whatever nuts, seeds, or dried fruit you have, so no two batches taste exactly the same.
  • They taste like something from a fancy health food store, but they cost a fraction of the price and take less than ten minutes to mix.
02 -
  • Pressing the mixture down firmly is the single most important step, because loose packing leads to crumbly bars that break apart in your bag.
  • Let them cool completely before cutting, or they'll turn into a delicious but messy pile of oat crumbs.
  • If your bars are too dry, you didn't use enough wet ingredients, so add an extra tablespoon of nut butter or syrup next time.
03 -
  • Toast your oats in a dry skillet for five minutes before mixing to bring out a deeper, nuttier flavor.
  • Use a mix of dried fruits instead of just one kind, because the combination of sweet, tart, and chewy makes every bite more interesting.
  • Line your pan with parchment paper that hangs over the edges, so you can lift the whole slab out in one piece and cut clean bars without wrestling with a spatula.

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