Vegan Strawberry, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Chewy Granola Bars
Vegan Strawberry, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Granola Bars are the best healthy dessert for the whole family made with wholesome ingredients. These homemade granola bars are the perfect sweet treat for sugar cravings and contain no processed ingredients.
Spotlight on These Strawberry, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Granola Bars
They are wholesome. You won’t find any refined sugar, dairy, and optionally gluten in this recipe. Just a wholesome recipe with healthy and simple ingredients that you can feel good about feeding your kids.
They are delicious. There’s just something about a soft and chewy granola bar that reminds me of my childhood. Do you remember Kudos bars growing up? I loved how soft they were. These bars remind me of them.
They are no-bake. You heard me right. That’s right. They are as simple as throwing them together in a bowl and placing them in the fridge to chill.
They are kid-friendly. I specifically make these for my girls as their after-dinner sweet treat instead of the prepacked bars that you find at the grocery store. They are also a great option to satisfy a sweet tooth. Make them a part of your meal prep routine!
They are easy to make. I love a simple and delicious recipe. This is one of those granola bar recipes that you will make on repeat, I just know it. I also love that it makes a good amount!
They have a great texture. Let’s ditch crunchy granola bars and instead give a round of applause for these soft granola bars with a chewy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I swap out the peanut butter for another nut butter? Absolutely! I recommend cashew butter over any other varieties. Almond butter or sunflower seed butter would be my next recommendation.
Can I mix in other ingredients? Sure! I recommend 1 tablespoon or so of no more than 3 other ingredients. I also recommend chopped items, such as peanuts, raisins, or sunflower seeds.
Can I make them energy balls instead? Yes!! Once the oat mixture is stirred, feel free to roll them into several energy protein balls instead of making bars. You can still dip the tops into chocolate so it will be very similar.
The Ingredients
For the granola bars you will need:
Natural peanut butter: You need to make sure that the peanut butter is all-natural, creamy, and runny. If not, place it in the microwave for a few seconds, stir, and continue until it is creamy.
Maple syrup: Honey can work as well however maple syrup will guarantee a soft and chewy consistency. Make sure to use pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup.
Vanilla: Grab real, pure vanilla extract for this recipe. Imitation varieties are just not as good.
Old-fashioned oats: If you are looking to make gluten-free granola bars, make sure to use gluten-free certified old-fashioned oats.
White chocolate chips: I like to use dairy-free white chocolate chips for these granola bars. You can replace them with regular chocolate chips if you’d like. Just make sure you use mini or small-sized chips.
Freeze-dried strawberries: You can omit this ingredient if you do not have them available. Otherwise, I highly recommend adding them. The strawberry flavor adds a wonderful dimension.
For the chocolate bottom layer you will need:
Vegan chocolate chips: If dairy-free is not important to you, use your favorite brand of chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
Natural peanut butter: Save one tablespoon for this chocolate topping. I love the peanut butter flavor in chocolate and I know you will love it, too.
Coconut oil: This unprocessed oil will allow the chocolate to slightly harden as it cools. It’s healthy and a great way to add a thicker consistency to these delicious granola bars.
The Instructions
Step one: Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
Step two: In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until it is creamy and well-mixed.
Step three: Add the remaining ingredients including old-fashioned oats, freeze-dried strawberries, white chocolate chips, and sea salt. Give it all a good stir until everything is evenly coated.
Step four: Transfer the mixture to the lined pan and firmly press the oat mixture down into the bottom of the pan until you have one even layer. You can use a sheet of parchment paper so it doesn’t stick to your hands. Place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or the fridge for 1 hour.
Step five: Once the bars have chilled for the appropriate time frame, it’s time to make the chocolate ganache. Place all of the chocolate layer ingredients into a small glass bowl. This includes chocolate chips, coconut oil, and peanut butter.
Using the double boiler method, place the bowl over a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water. Over medium-high heat, allow the water to come to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer. Continuously stir the chocolate mixture until it is creamy and smooth. Remove it from the heat.
Step six: Remove the bars from the fridge or freezer. Remove them from the pan by holding the edges of the parchment paper and pulling the bars out and onto a cutting board. Carefully cut them into 16 even rectangles or the size you desire.
Step seven: One at a time, dip the bottoms into the melted chocolate and use a fork to gently remove them, scraping the bottoms and fork onto the side of the bowl, and then place them back onto the parchment paper each separated by 1 inch so they do not freeze together.
Step eight: Use the remainder of the melted chocolate and with the fork, drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the bars. Transfer the cutting board to the fridge for an hour before enjoying one.
Tips + Modifications
To store: Place the hardened granola bars into an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 7 days. If layering them, place a small piece of parchment paper over the first layer before adding the second layer so that they do not stick.
These granola bars must be stored in the fridge so that the chocolate does not melt.
Other Delicious No-Bake Vegan Desserts
5-Ingredient No-Bake Tahini Coconut Fudge
High-Protein Cake Batter Stuffed Dates
Healthy Vegan Copy Cat Girl Scout Caramel Delites
Vegan Strawberry, Peanut Butter, and Chocolate Chewy Granola Bars
Equipment
- 1 8×8 pan, lined with parchment paper
- 1 small saucepan *to melt the chocolate
- 1 medium-large bowl
- 1 small glass bowl *for the double boiler
Ingredients
For the granola bar layer:
- 1 cup smooth, creamy, all-natural peanut butter
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups Old-Fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup vegan white chocolate chips *roughly chop them if they are not small
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries, roughly chopped
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the top chocolate ganache layer:
- 1 cup vegan chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon all-natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla until it is creamy and well-mixed.
- Add the remaining ingredients including old fashioned oats, freeze-dried strawberries, white chocolate chips, and sea salt. Give it all a good stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Transfer the mixture to the lined pan and firmly press the oat mixture down into the bottom of the pan until you have one even layer. You can use a sheet of parchment paper so it doesn't stick to your hands. Place it in the freezer for 30 minutes or the fridge for 1 hour.
- Once the bars have chilled for the appropriate time frame, it's time to make the chocolate ganache. Place all of the chocolate layer ingredients into a small glass bowl. This includes chocolate chips, coconut oil, and peanut butter. Using the double boiler method, place the bowl over a small saucepan with about 2 inches of water. Over medium-high heat, allow the water to come to a boil, and then turn it down to a simmer. Continuously stir the chocolate mixture until it is creamy and smooth. Remove it from the heat.
- Remove the bars from the fridge or freezer. Remove them from the pan by holding the edges of the parchment paper and pulling the bars out and onto a cutting board. Carefully cut them into 16 even rectangles or the size you desire.
- One at a time, dip the bottoms into the melted chocolate and use a fork to gently remove them, scraping the bottoms and fork onto the side of the bowl, and then place them back onto the parchment paper each separated by 1 inch so they do not freeze together.
- Use the remainder melted chocolate and with the fork, drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the bars. Transfer the cutting board to the fridge for an hour before enjoying one.
Notes
Nutrition
Enjoy!
XOXO
Michelle