Baking · serves 2

No-Bake Granola Bars

No oven, no baking, fifteen minutes. Then the fridge does the work.

20 min Easy Vegetarian No oven needed

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup honey or jaggery syrup
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup mixed nuts and seeds
  • 1/2 cup dates or raisins
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Method

  1. Toast the oats and nuts in a dry pan for 5 minutes. Untoasted oats taste raw and pasty.
  2. Warm the peanut butter, honey and butter together until pourable — don't boil it.
  3. Mix everything except the chocolate chips while warm. Let it cool 5 minutes, then add the chips so they don't melt.
  4. Press into a lined tin. Press HARD, with the back of a glass. Loosely packed bars fall apart, and this is the only step that matters.
  5. Chill 2 hours.
  6. Cut with a sharp knife. Keeps two weeks in the fridge.

Questions people ask about No-Bake Granola Bars

How long does No-Bake Granola Bars take?

About 20 minutes from starting to sitting down, and it is straightforward. That is start-to-finish, so it works on a weeknight when you have not planned anything.

What is the one thing to get right in No-Bake Granola Bars?

Warm the peanut butter, honey and butter together until pourable — don't boil it.

Can I make No-Bake Granola Bars ahead of time?

Yes, and it is better for it. Cool it fully, refrigerate for up to three days, and reheat gently with a splash of water. The flavours settle overnight.

Is No-Bake Granola Bars vegetarian?

Yes, it is vegetarian. It is not vegan as written because it contains dairy; swap the dairy for a plant alternative and the rest of the method is unchanged.

Can I make No-Bake Granola Bars without an oven?

That is exactly what this recipe is for. It uses a pressure cooker, a pan or the fridge instead of an oven, and the method here is written for that, not adapted from a baked version.

What do you serve with No-Bake Granola Bars?

On its own, warm, with tea or coffee. Baking is chemistry, so scale it by weight rather than by eye: double every quantity, use a tin with roughly double the area, and expect to add ten minutes or so. Judge it by the skewer, not the clock.

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Read more on the technique

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