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5 from 6 votes

Healthy Cocoa Nib Granola Bars :: Nutrient packed and gluten & dairy free!

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. If you plan to use granola bar molds, place them on a baking sheet. If you are going to use a baking pan, you can line two 8x8 or 9x9 baking pans with unbleached parchment paper so the paper hangs off the sides (This helps pull them out of the pan to cut them easier later).
  • Put the oats, shredded coconut, hemp hearts, almond flour, cocoa nibs, sea salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine.
  • Melt the coconut oil in a small sauce pan until it is liquid, and then add the honey and coconut sugar to melt. Add the vanilla extract and then mix the melted liquid ingredients completely into the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl.
  • Press the granola bar mixture into your granola bar molds, or into your baking pan. I use the back of a spoon to press them into a granola bar mold. When I make granola bars in a baking pan, I use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the mixture in.
  • Bake the granola bars at 325 degrees until golden on the top. For these small granola bar molds, it takes 15 minutes. For these larger granola bar molds, it takes 25 minutes. The baking pans should take between 25-30 minutes.
  • Let the granola bars COOL COMPLETELY before taking them out. You'll be able to pop the granola bars out of the molds. If you are using a baking pan, pull the parchment paper up to take the granola bars out of the pan, and then cut them with a long sharp knife.

Notes

  • I use these hemp hearts from Costco, but there are other brands, and you can price compare what works best for you!
  • If you can't have coconut, or don't like the taste, you can swap the coconut shreds for more oats, and the coconut oil for butter if you can have dairy, or avocado oil. I don't taste the coconut in these bars, but I know some might!
  • If you are at a nut free school, swap the almond flour ground up seeds of any kind - I would stick with sunflower seeds if you don't want to change the color too much. Pumpkin seeds are great too, but they are green and might turn some kids off.