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–+ servings

Crunch Bars

Apps & SnacksBakedColdCrunchyFinger FoodFruitHealthyOld-FashionedOvenPotluckPrep-AheadSweetVegetarian
Time :2 hours 30 minutes
Yield :9 servings
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Crunchy homemade granola bar squares drizzled with chocolate on white plates, healthy snack with oats, seeds, and nuts. Perfect for energy, breakfast, or on-the-go treats, styled on a wooden table.

The Scoop

A little sweet, a lot crunchy, and packed with pantry power!
Dates, oats, quinoa, almonds, pepitas, and chia seeds get bound together with almond butter and honey, then finished with a chocolate drizzle for a snack that brings serious texture to the table.
Hack it:
Swap almond butter for peanut, cashew, or sunflower seed butter.
Add shredded coconut, sesame seeds, or your favorite chopped nuts.
Mix in cinnamon, cardamom, or a pinch of flaky salt for extra flavor.
Use dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins for chewy bursts of sweetness.
Make them extra chocolatey with mini chocolate chips folded into the mixture.
Sprinkle flaky salt over the chocolate while it sets for a sweet-salty finish.
Leftovers:
Crumble the bars over yogurt with fresh berries for an easy breakfast bowl.
Chop them into chunks and fold into ice cream for a homemade crunch topping.
Layer pieces with whipped yogurt and fruit for quick snack parfaits.
Blend a bar into a smoothie for extra texture and nutty flavor.
Crumble them over baked apples or roasted pears instead of granola.

Ingredients

  • 5 Medjool dates, pitted
  • 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup pepitas
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan.
  • Pulse the dates in a food processor until they form a chunky paste.
  • Transfer the date paste to a medium bowl.
  • Add the oats, the quinoa, the almonds, the pepitas, the chia seeds, the almond butter, the honey, the vanilla extract, and salt to the bowl, stirring everything together until evenly combined.
  • Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and press it very firmly into an even layer, aiming to make it as tight as possible.
  • Bake until lightly browned on the edges, about 20-22 minutes.
  • Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.
  • Transfer the pan to the refrigerator to chill, at least 1 hour.
  • Remove the bars from the pan using the overhanging parchment paper.
  • Cut the bars into squares.
  • Drizzle the squares with the melted chocolate.
  • Serve. The bars are good at room temperature for 1 week or refrigerated for 2 weeks.
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