Chocolate Granola Bars
Ever struggle finding store-bought granola bars you actually want to spend money on? Me too! Avoiding processed sugar often means spending a fortune on snack bars. The refrigerator section can have some options for a more naturally sweetened bar, but they often have gluten, dairy, strange proteins, unfavorable fats, etc.
Both gluten and dairy free, these chocolate granola bars are sweetened with honey or maple syrup, and stored in either the fridge or freezer.
Simply heat up your fats/oils on the stove, combine them with your oat mixture, pour into a pan, refrigerate, and cut out the bars. No baking needed. Very kid friendly.
Chocolate Granola Bars:
½ c. Coconut oil (or honey)
½ c. Cocoa butter pieces *(see note for substitutions)
¼ c. Cocoa powder
1/3 c. Honey (or maple syrup)
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 ½ c. Rolled oats (old fashioned)
2 Tbsp Chia seeds
2 scoops (20g) Collagen protein powder
¼ tsp Salt
About the Ingredients
The cocoa butter pieces might not be something in your pantry. You can sub this out with 2 options: Use coconut oil instead. Or, replace both the cocoa butter and cocoa powder with ¾ c. chocolate chips.
The Chia seeds are just for some good oils and fiber – skip them if you don’t have them on hand or prefer not to use chia. (Or sub with another seed like flax.)
The protein powder is to give these bars some stick-to-you-ness. I prefer not to give a glucose rush without some good protein also. But if that’s not your purpose, skip the protein. Feel free to sub it with another brand or kind – just keep in mind a flavored variety will alter the flavor of the bars.
The Process
Add the coconut oil/butter, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and honey/syrup to a sauce pan. Turn on low-medium heat and stir occasionally.
In a mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients: Oats, chia, protein powder, and salt. Mix.
In the saucepan, when the cocoa butter (or chocolate chips) are melted enough and the mixture is combined, remove it from the heat. It doesn’t need to reach a boil, we’re just combining ingredients. Add the vanilla, and pour the mixture in the bowl with the oats.
Mix it all together, and pour it into a square 8×8 or 9×9 pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure you line it! I’ve had major issues getting these bars out when I forget this step. (Note: wax paper doesn’t work – it sticks to the bars too much.) Just a piece of parchment on the bottom is fine, no need to go up the sides – though you certainly can.
Smash down the top of the mixture with your hands or a spatula to make it flat, and place the pan in the refrigerator. Let it sit there 6 hrs or more, whenever it’s convenient for you (like overnight, the next day, a couple days later, ect).
The bars will now be solid. Place a cutting board on the counter and flip the square pan upside down on top of the cutting board. If the pan was fully lined, the bars will flop out easily. You might need to cut along the edge with a knife to release the bars from the sides of the pan.
Remove the parchment. Using a large knife, cut the bars into squares. Make big ones or little ones. I like small squares so I can give them to littles, or adults can eat two or three at a time.
Store chocolate granola bars in a zip top bag (or other container) and keep it in the fridge or freezer. We keep ours in the freezer and eat them from there, but they will last a couple weeks in the refrigerator.
If you’ve made ***peanut butter*** granola bars, these chocolate ones will be firmer in texture. They freeze quite solidly, and will be hard to bite into immediately. Still, we eat them from the freezer frequently and just give our jaws a workout.
Being chocolate, they make a great desert-type snack after a meal. Or an evening treat when you don’t want an actual dessert. Of course, they’re also great afternoon (or any time) snacks.
More Suggestions
Also try some Peanut Butter Granola Bars! They are delicious too and they go well together.
Chocolate Granola Bars
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 c. Coconut oil (or butter)
- 1/2 c. Cocoa butter pieces (see note for substitutions)
- 1/4 c. Cocoa powder
- 1/3 c. Honey (or maple syrup)
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 c. Oats, rolled (old fashioned)
- 2 scoops Collagen protein powder (20g)
- 2 Tbsp Chia seeds
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Add the coconut oil/butter, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and honey/syrup to a sauce pan. Turn on low-medium heat and stir occasionally.
- In a mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients: Oats, chia, protein powder, and salt. Mix.
- In the saucepan, when the cocoa butter (or chocolate chips) are melted enough and the mixture is combined, remove it from the heat. It doesn’t need to reach a boil, we’re just combining ingredients. Add the vanilla, and pour the mixture in the bowl with the oats.
- Mix it all together, and pour it into a square 8×8 or 9×9 pan***lined with parchment paper.*** Make sure you line it! I’ve had major issues getting these bars out when I forget this step. (Note: wax paper doesn’t work – it sticks to the bars too much.) Just apiece of parchment on the bottom is fine, no need to go up the sides though you certainly can.
- Smash down the top of the mixture with your hands or a spatula to make it flat, and place the pan in the refrigerator. Let it sit there6 hrs or more, whenever it’s convenient for you (like overnight, the next day, a couple days later, ect).
- The bars will now be solid. Place a cutting board on the counter and flip the square pan upside down on top of the cutting board. If the pan was fully lined, the bars will flop out easily. You might need to cut along the edge with a knife to release the bars from the sides of the pan.
- Remove the parchment. Using a large knife, cut the bars into squares. Make big ones or little ones. I like small squares so I can give them to littles, or adults can eat two or three at a time.
- Store chocolate granola bars in a zip top bag (or other container) and keep it in the fridge or freezer. We keep ours in the freezer and eat them from there, but they will last a couple weeks in there refrigerator.