Simple Peanut Butter Granola Bars
7 min read
These peanut butter granola bars with rolled oats, peanut butter, and maple syrup are simple to make and style superb! They’re nutritious, naturally vegan, gluten-free, and have round 8 grams of protein per bar. We love them! Soar to the Simple Peanut Butter Granola Bars Recipe
We knew we had a winner of a recipe when each Adam and I stored going again to those bars within the fridge. They style nice because of peanut butter and maple syrup, however in addition they make a superb wholesome snack. We didn’t set as much as create an power bar, however because of peanut butter, oats, and flaxseed meal, these peanut butter bars do the trick! Along with wholesome fat, you will see that round 8 grams of protein and simply over 4 grams of fiber in a single bar.
Some granola bars style superb, however all of the power you get from them disappears rapidly after consuming them. These bars are completely different. They stick to you a bit longer. I’ve liked them as a more healthy afternoon snack to get me to dinner. I’d think about they’d even be good for varsity or work lunch bins.
There are just a few similarities between these peanut butter bars and our authentic granola bars recipe. So should you’ve tried that recipe and loved it, we extremely suggest placing a batch of those bars collectively.
Making Peanut Butter Granola Bars
For the bottom, you want rolled oats, flax eggs (defined under), peanut butter (attempt selfmade peanut butter), maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla. The flax eggs assist to carry the bars collectively and add a severe dietary increase. Right here’s a hyperlink to our article about flax eggs if you’re .
To make flax eggs — this recipe wants two — you stir collectively flaxseed meal and water. You are able to do the identical with chia seeds. Then set the combination apart for 10 minutes in order that the flax absorbs the water. It’s simple.
Whereas the flax eggs sit, you may get the opposite components collectively. For the perfect, most flavorful bars, toast the oats and peanuts earlier than mixing with the peanut butter. To do it, unfold the oats and peanuts onto a baking sheet and slide them right into a sizzling oven till they tackle a lightweight golden shade.
When the oats and peanuts are toasted and the flax eggs are prepared, you’ll be able to stir them into a mix of peanut butter, maple syrup (or honey), cinnamon, and vanilla. The combination is a bit sticky, however that’s a great factor! All that stickiness is why the bars keep collectively if you take a chew.
Press the granola bar combination right into a lined baking dish and refrigerate for a few hours. The time within the fridge is important because it offers the oats a while to soak up moisture and taste from the peanut butter.
Suggestions for Success
(1) Take care when urgent the granola combination into the pan. We wish to actually press the combination down into the pan. After making numerous batches of selfmade granola bars, I’ve discovered that putting a bit of parchment on prime of the granola after which utilizing the underside of a measuring cup or glass works properly to press them down into the pan.
(2) Add some mini chocolate chips. You possibly can see from our pictures that we added mini chocolate chips to our combination. Mini chocolate chips — or chocolate that’s been chopped very small — is greatest. Bigger chips or chunks get in the way in which of holding the bars collectively.
(3) Chill the bars for 2 hours earlier than slicing them. This time the fridge does a few issues: First, it hardens the combination, which makes it simpler to chop the granola into bars. Second, because the oats sit with the maple-peanut butter combination, it absorbs moisture and taste. I usually retailer my bars within the fridge. They final a couple of week.
(4) Take into account the kind of peanut butter you’re utilizing. We’ve made these bars with selfmade peanut butter, pure unsweetened peanut butter that wants stirring (Adam’s model), and a extra generally out there no-stir pure peanut butter (Pure Jif). Of all of the choices, the no-stir peanut butter made the stickiest combination, which helps the bars keep collectively. Selfmade peanut butter and the store-bought jar that requires stirring tasted the perfect however have been a bit drier. In case you are fearful your combination is just too dry when making the bars be at liberty to extend the peanut butter by 1/4 cup.
In the event you love this recipe, do that:
In the event you love peanut butter, attempt making it from scratch. It’s simpler than you would possibly suppose and tastes unbelievable. Right here’s our Selfmade Peanut Butter Recipe. We even have recipes for Selfmade Almond Butter and Selfmade Cashew Butter (all of which can be utilized on this granola bars recipe).
Simple Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- PREP
These peanut butter granola bars with rolled oats, peanut butter, and maple syrup are simple to make and style superb! They’re naturally vegan, gluten-free, nutritious, and have round 8 grams of protein per bar.
Makes 12 bars
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Want
3 cups (385 grams) old style rolled oats
1/2 cup (70 grams) unsalted peanuts, chopped
3 tablespoons flaxseed meal
6 tablespoons water
3/4 cup (190 grams) pure unsweetened peanut butter
1/3 cup (110 grams) pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (60 grams) mini chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate
1/4 teaspoon advantageous sea salt, elective, see notes
Instructions
- Make Bars
- Storing
Warmth the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line the underside and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch sq. pan with aluminum foil or use parchment paper.
Unfold the oats and chopped peanuts onto a baking sheet, after which bake for five minutes, stir after which bake one other 3 to five minutes or till flippantly toasted. Enable to chill.
Whereas the oats and peanuts bake, make flax eggs by stirring three tablespoons of flaxseed meal with six tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Place the bowl into the fridge for about 10 minutes. On this time, the flaxseed meal will take up most, if not all, of the water.
In a big bowl, stir collectively the peanut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and flax eggs.
When the oats and peanuts have cooled, stir them into the peanut butter combination. The combination will probably be sticky, you’ll want to totally combine every little thing so that every one the oats are nicely coated. If the combination appears unusually dry, contemplate including as much as 1/4 cup extra peanut butter.
Stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips — save the remaining tablespoon for the tops of the bars.
Switch the granola bar combination to the ready pan, after which use a rubber spatula or damp fingertips to press the combination into the pan. Press arduous right here. This manner, the bars will keep collectively as soon as cooled and lower. One trick is so as to add a sheet of parchment paper on prime after which use the underside of a glass or measuring cup to essentially press the oat combination down into the pan.
Scatter the remaining tablespoon of chocolate chips over the pressed granola combination, after which use a rubber spatula to push them into the highest. Cowl, after which refrigerate for no less than 2 hours. In case you are in a rush, you’ll be able to freeze them for about half-hour. The bars will probably be too mushy if lower earlier than they’re totally chilled.
Take away the chilled block of granola combination from the pan, then peel away the foil or parchment. Lower into 12 bars.
Retailer granola bars in an hermetic container for as much as one week. For the softest bars, maintain them at room temperature. For barely more durable bars, retailer within the fridge. Bars will maintain within the freezer for as much as three months when wrapped nicely.
Adam and Joanne’s Suggestions
- Whereas we’ve had the perfect outcomes with peanut butter, you’ll be able to attempt substituting the peanut butter for one more nut butter like almond butter or cashew butter. You also needs to be capable to make them nut-free and use sunflower seed butter (for nut-free bars, additionally, you will must take away the peanuts).
- Honey works nicely in these bars. Use the identical quantity of honey as maple syrup referred to as for within the recipe above.
- If the nut butter is unsalted, contemplate including 1/4 teaspoon salt to the granola bar combination.
- Diet info: The vitamin info supplied under are estimates. Now we have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values.
In the event you make this recipe, snap a photograph and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We like to see your creations on Instagram and Fb! Discover us: @inspiredtaste
Diet Per Serving: Serving Measurement 1 bar (12 whole) / Energy 262 / Whole Fats 12.7g / Saturated Fats 3.2g / Ldl cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 4.5mg / Carbohydrate 27.4g / Dietary Fiber 4.3g / Whole Sugars 10.1g / Protein 8.4g
