Almond Butter Flax Seed Granola Bars

I don’t know about you, but I can’t get through my day without a snack or two. 

And while veggies and fruits are great, my favorite type of snack is a granola bar. Chewy, slightly sweet, and usually a bit nutty for peanut or almond butter, granola bars have all the flavors and textures I love in one convenient package. 

Unfortunately, a lot of granola bars that you buy from the store are closer to a candy bar than a healthy snack as they’re high in sugar (and often sodium) and low in fiber. 

These almond butter flax seed granola bars are my solution, as they’re: 

• No-bake
• High in fiber
• Only 8 grams of sugar per bar 
• Easily customizable 
• Made with just a handful of ingredients
• Healthier and cheaper than many store-bought options
• Super tasty! 

They’re also protein powder-free, making them a great snack option for kids too! 

Before making them, be sure to read my notes below the recipe for optional ingredient substitutions and general notes about the recipe. 

You’ll also notice that I call for 2 tablespoons of any mix-ins of your choice.

I  love the nut butter + chocolate combo, so I usually use mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.

But for more of an Almond Joy feel, you could do a mix of chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut flakes. Or, go the trail-mix route and use chocolate chips and dried cranberries or raisins. Up to you! 

Almond Butter Flax Seed Granola Bars 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup (120 grams) rolled oats (regular or quick-cooking oats will work, do not use steel-cut or instant)
• ¾ cup (115 grams) raw cashews
• ¼ cup (26 grams) ground flaxseed
• ½ cup (120 grams) natural almond butter
• ¼ cup (84 grams) raw honey 
• 5 tablespoons (74 ml) milk or milk of choice (I used Planet Oat Original Oat Milk for the nutrition stats)
• 2 tablespoons (~20 grams) of mix-ins, such as mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, unsweetened coconut flakes, or dried fruit 

Instructions

1. Cover an 8-in x 8-in baking dish with parchment paper and set aside (I’ve also used a 7-in x 11-in rectangular pan with good results). Make sure there’s extra parchment paper hanging off two of the sides so that you can lift the bars easily out of the pan.

   

2. Place oats in a food processor and pulse until they form a coarse flour. Pour oats into a large mixing bowl and set aside. 
3. Next, add cashews to the food processor, pulse until the texture resembles coarse sand, and then pour into mixing bowl. 
4. Add ground flaxseeds, almond butter, honey, milk, and mix-ins of choice to the mixing bowl. Stir well until ingredients are fully combined. The mixture should be quite thick, similar to a thick oatmeal cookie dough-like texture.
5. Using a rubber spatula, transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Using the spatula, spread mixture evenly in the pan. 
6. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and then place the bars in the fridge for 20 minutes. 
7. After 20 minutes, carefully lift bars out of the pan and slice into 12 bars. Keep bars stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition 

Servings 12 |  198 Calories per Serving

5.3 g protein; 0 mg cholesterol; 12.4 g fat; 1.7 g saturated fat; 19.4 g carbohydrate; 2.5 g fiber; 7.8 g sugar; 53.3 mg sodium 

*Nutrition stats calculated using original oat milk and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. 

Notes: 

• You can also roll these into energy bites rather than spreading them out into bars. 
• Any nut butter will work, such as cashew or peanut butter. Just make sure to use a natural option without any added sugar or hydrogenated oils. 
• Can use maple syrup instead of honey. 
• For the ultimate almond bar, swap raw almonds in for the cashews. 
• Buying cashew pieces (rather than whole cashews) can oftentimes be cheaper. 
• For taking on the go, I recommend placing an individual bar in a zip-top bag or a small container.