Sadly, many granola bars on the market these days are nothing more than glorified candy bars, with as much sugar as a Snickers and a long list of ingredients you can’t even pronounce. But not only is it possible to make a naturally-sweetened granola bar recipe that actually IS healthy, you might end up liking them so much you’ll never want to buy another granola bar ever again.
Did I mention these healthy granola bars taste like Nutella?
The following recipe, adapted from my popular Chocolate Chip Cherry Chewy Granola Bars, is sweetened only with fruit – no sugar is needed. Even if you do opt to use sugar in yours, the amount will be much less than is found in most store-bought bars (and no high fructose corn syrup!).
They are perfect for a lunchbox and are also great for on-the-go snacking, and you can easily freeze leftovers for up to 2 months.
Nutella Granola Bars
(makes 8-10 bars)
- 1/2 cup applesauce or mashed banana (120g)
- 1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread or Homemade Healthy Nutella (60g)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract (4g)
- packed 1/3 cup dried dates (55g)
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts (35g)
- 1/2 cup puffed wheat or puffed rice (9g)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (45g)
- 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
- pinch pure stevia, or 1 1/2 tbsp sugar of choice
Preheat oven to 325 F and line an 8-in square baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, stir together the applesauce and chocolate hazelnut spread until smooth. Stir in the vanilla, then set the bowl aside. In a food processor, combine the dried fruit and hazelnuts until they form fine crumbles. Pour into a large mixing bowl and stir together with all remaining dry ingredients. Add the nutella mixture and stir until evenly combined, then smooth into the prepared baking pan and cover with another sheet of parchment paper. Press down VERY firmly. Bake 26 minutes, then allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing into bars. Frost with more chocolate hazelnut spread if desired.
Click to view: Granola Bars Calories & Nutrition Facts
Question of the Day:
Do you have a favorite homemade or store-bought granola bar?
Link of the Day: Dole Whip Recipe – Bring Disney to your kitchen!
Leah @ goodnightcheese says
These look great! I always like finding new recipes for granola bars.
I love Nature Valley bars, but they’re so crumbly. I feel like a 3-year-old, covered in crumbs, by the time I’m finished.
Sadye says
YES. They are so tasty but so, so, so very messy. I look forward to trying Katie’s creations soon!
Lisa @ Simple Pairings says
Love this, Katie! I agree with you – the granola bars on the grocery stores are hardly nutritional. Even in the organic and health foods section, many are still loaded with so many grams of sugar, that they would be hard to justify as anything other than treats. Yours look like a great option! 🙂
Helen @ the crispy crouton says
I love granola and seed bars and just as I was posting a recipe for oat, seed, honey and tahini bars on my own blog, your recipe popped up on bloglovin. Will definitely try your recipe. I love to make things like this rather than buy them in the shop – at least you know what you’re eating -and I love the taste of nutella (and anything with hazelnuts really). Fantastic recipe – thanks for sharing!
Cara O'Sullivan says
Katie, my teen daughter will love these. I can hardly wait to make them for her, thank you! One question: How should I store these? In the fridge? Can they be frozen?
— Cara O’S
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Yes, either is fine.
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says
Great recipe, I love all the ingredients that you used.
Ryley says
Hi Katie! You are my favorite food blog! 🙂 Is there anything I can sub in place of the applesauce/banana? I have several food allergies and am allergic to both of those.. Thanks a bunch!! 🙂
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Sorry, I haven’t tried anything else.
Anna says
Maybe you can try pureed pumpkin, sweet potato or butternut squash?
Kelly says
Very ripe pear.
Kelly says
Or avocado
jo @ includingcake says
I love this recipe! I’m on a Candida diet at the moment and sugar and fruit in all forms is off limits but I have created a chocolate spread that I can eat so I may well try revamping this recipe to cut out the fruit and used avocado instead… Wish me luck!! 😉
Michelle says
I hate to be a negative Nelly here, but I think it’s a little misleading to say that these are “sweetened only with fruit” when the chocolate hazelnut spread or Homemade Healthy Nutella are sweetened with ingredients other than fruit. I understand that the Homemade Healthy Nutella can be sugar free, but the recipe does can for sweeteners other than fruit. So there are actually other sweeteners in this recipe besides fruit. Does that make sense? I don’t want to offend you, but I just wanted to point it out in case you hadn’t realized it.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Hi Michelle,
I actually did think about this when writing the post. You can use any chocolate hazelnut spread you want, which means you can easily either make the linked one with dates or date sugar (or some readers have sweetened it with banana), or you can use one of the raw “nutella” spreads available on the market. 🙂
Michelle says
Oh, okay. Good to know. Thank you 🙂
glennist says
I love all of your recipes that I have tried, and I want to try them ALL. This one looks GREAT too! What I don’t like, is that you often say a recipe, like this for Nutella Granola Bars, makes 8-10 bars and then you give the calories & nutritional info & the Weight Watchers Points Plus, but don’t always say it is based upon 8, 9 or 10 bars!!!!!!!! I am so tired of figuring out the calories, protein, fat… when you have already done it, but FAIL to put down how many servings it is based on & if the frosting is included in the nutritional info! Please understand that a lot of us need/want this info. I would make a lot more of your recipes if this info was already figured for me. I bet I am not the only one that feels this way. Thanks, though, because I still love your style of cooking.
Chocolate Covered Katie says
They will always be based on the higher number of servings, without optional ingredients, unless otherwise noted.
Lisa says
This looks so yummy.
L x
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
Melissa @ Nourish By Melissa says
Nutella in a healthy granola bar form….perfection!
Emma of Zimt says
Oooooh yummmmmm….!!!
I haven’t got a favourite granola bar, but these may just be the ones that steal my heart!
Thanks, Katie- looking forward to trying these =)
Mia (Mia in Germany) says
Mmh, nutella … ! Great idea for a granola bar.
I don’t usually eat them, but my health food store shopping career began with the most awful rock hard, dry and overly sweet granola or muesli bar ever, sometime around 1980. I was ten and curious about health food, and luckily that awful bar didn’t kill my interest LOL
This bar here sounds so much better 🙂
Amy @ the anorexic chef says
These look delicious! I love the fact they are healthy and nutritious too!
Kate @Almond Butter Binge says
Katie, these look delicious! I’m on a granola bar kick at the moment and love Nutella, so these could be my snacks for this week 🙂 How well do these hold up unrefrigerated?
Chocolate Covered Katie says
You can leave them out for a day… maybe even two.
EVA says
Could this be made with almond butter instead of the hazelnut spread? I assume I could, I just don’t want flavor to be sacrificed.
Do Larabars/Kind bars count as granola bars? Actually stupid question, they have no oaty goodness. I guess I’ll have to say my two ingredient pumpkin-oat cookies. Not really “bars”, but they easily could be! All it takes is a few shaping adjustments.
Elissa says
Yay!! I have been looking for some good granola bar recipes:)
I have I question though: whenever I put banana in as a sweetener, the whole dish always comes out tasting like (supper strong) banana. I don’t put that much in eather: is there any other natural sweetener I could use instead? Or any tricks to cooking with banana? Thanks!
Kelli Pitrone RD, LD says
Awesome recipe! Love the dates for sweetness:)
Kelli Pitrone RD, LD says
Awesome recipe! Your so right about many granola bars on the market. Love the addition of dates for more complex sweetness:)
Charla says
Hi Katie,
Can you substitute almond meal flour for spelt in the lemon poppy seed muffins?
Love your site, by the way!
Kate says
Is there something you can sub for dates? Thanks
Steph says
Yum! Nutellaaaaaa! I guess my favourite granola bar recipe would have to be… this one! I haven’t even made it yet- but it looks so good and features a healthier Nutella! 🙂
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
Yummy – nutella granola bars [you had me at nutella ;)] – these look amazing and I cannot believe I have not tried your healthy nutella yet! Can’t wait to try both of these Katie! Pinned 🙂
Jessica says
I am so horrible about the granola/snack bars…I don’t think there’s a Nature Valley or Kashi bar I haven’t loved, and Special K Chocolatey Pretzel (talk about a glorified candy bar). There’s a health food store I sometimes go to that makes their own…Pomegranate and Cacao nib is my favorite. But I spend way too much money when I go there.
Jordan @ The Blonde Vegan says
Ok, these sound insane. In the best way. And all of the ingredients are in my current diet plan… more or less 😉 sooo trying this out ASAP. Anything nutella and I’m all in.
Kelly says
I really like the Cascadian Farms Oats and Coconut granola bars! They taste great with peanut butter or nutella spread on them as well. I’m going to have to try these bars, they look delicious!
Stephanie @ Whole Health Dork says
Mmmm! These sound delicious! Thanks for sharing!
sunnysideupsoph says
These look amazing! I’ll have to try them, It’s great to know exactly what goes into your breakfast!
Cecilia Penner says
It has been an absolute delight to find your site and try your recipes. I brought the black bean brownies to a friend’s, who was pleased to find a palatable low carb treat for her 8 year old who has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
I have a serious hazelnut allergy. I’ve avoided trying any recipes with hazelnuts, substituting other nuts, because I wanted to know if there’s a nutritional reason you use them, instead of other nuts. My naturopath previously suggested that I use pecans and peanut butter instead of any other nut products in any foods. Your thoughts?
Thank you.
Unofficial CCK Helper says
You can always experiment! Or try this one: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/05/04/reeses-pieces-fudge-frosting/
Judy says
This was really delicious right after it was made. However, after about a week, it started tasting quite acidic, maybe from the cocoa. It’s a great alternative to the real Nutella but it’s a lot of work for a jar that goes bad too quickly.
Judy says
Whoops, meant to write the above comment for the homemade Nutella recipe.
Peter says
A friend of mine made these but they didn’t hold together – has this ever happened to you? What would cause it (I’m pretty sure she would have followed the recipe closely)?
Do you have any suggestions?