Easy to make Gluten Free Oat Breakfast Bars with Nuts and Dark Chocolate… Packed with great nutrition and sustaining oats for the perfect breakfast ‘on the go’. Dairy free. Optional Vegan.
Originally posted 17th May 2015. Post updated 21st June 2022
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Gluten Free Oat Breakfast Bars – A recipe updated
These are my Gluten Free Crunchy Oat Breakfast Bars with Nuts and Dark Chocolate . They first appeared on the blog back in 2015. But I recently remade them. And to make sure the ingredients are as accessible as possible I’ve updated the recipe.
They’re super-healthy, being packed not just with slow-release oats, but with a whole variety of protein-filled nuts, flax, cocoa (or cacao), natural and unrefined sugar and dark chocolate chips. But to be clear, these particular Oat Breakfast Bars are definitely the crunchy variant. Indeed, the dense, crisp bite, creamy with the oats, and punching a great flavour and nutty aroma, feels substantial and satisfying. Perfect for a fuel-filled, grab-and-go breakfast.
Are these Oat Breakfast Bars easy to make?
For sure! These Oat Breakfast Bars are super-easy to make. It’s a one bowl job… A simple case of mixing all the ingredients together, squishing into a tin, throwing into the oven to bake and cutting into breakfast squares once cold. So, whether you think you can bake or not, this recipe is within your reach.
What’s in this recipe for Granola Bars?
Although the list of ingredients may look relatively long, everything you need for making Oat Granola Bars can be found in the supermarket. There’s nothing complicated or ‘weird’ involved. And most of it may already be stashed in your larder. We’re talking…
- Rolled oats and oat flour – If you don’t have oat flour, just blitz some oats in the blender to make it. However, if you’re making gluten free breakfast bars, be certain to use gluten free oats. Because these will have been grown and milled to be safe for Coeliacs (providing they can tolerate oats at all – See below).
- Nuts – which come in the form of almond flour/meal, ground hazelnuts and flaked almonds and plenty of crunchy peanut butter.
- Milled flax seed
- Either cacao or cocoa powder
- Some dark chocolate chips (vegan as needed)
- Natural and unrefined Maple syrup and honey (or coconut honey/date syrup if vegan). You can adjust the quantity of sweetness to taste. But I think that the measures added to these Oat Breakfast Bars are just right and balanced. (Although I confess, I am not a lover of anything very ‘sugar sweet’).
- A spoon of vanilla for extra depth of flavour
Are these Oat Breakfast Bars safe for people with Coeliac Disease?
I’ve made this recipe with gluten free ingredients so that they’re safe for people with Coeliac Disease (Celiac Disease). However… if making for someone else you know who has Coeliac, PLEASE CHECK whether they are okay to eat oats before you make them. Unfortunately, a few Coeliacs are also very sensitive to a protein called Avenin (similar to gluten) which is found in oats.
AND… Make absolutely certain that the oats used to make these breakfast bars are certified gluten free. It can seem confusing… However, gluten free oats have been grown, milled and packaged in a safe way, to ensure they are free from cross-contamination of any other non-safe gluten grains. You can find gluten free oats in the ‘free from’ aisle of the supermarket.
Lastly… remember to check all ingredient labels to make sure there is no hidden gluten or ‘may contain’ warnings. It’s crazy how many products are made in factories that mean they are no longer safe!
Can these Oat Breakfast Bars be made dairy free as well as gluten free?
Yes, absolutely. To make these Oat Breakfast Bars dairy free, the only extra care needed is to check the dark chocolate chips are safe to eat. However, check labels to make sure there is no unexpected dairy, before you add them. If you can’t find safe chocolate chips, then use a dairy free, vegan chocolate bar and simply chop it up.
Can I make Oat and Nut Breakfast Bars Vegan too?
As they don’t contain any egg, it is easy to make these Oat and Nut Bars vegan. In addition to checking the chocolate is safe to use however, you’ll need to switch out the honey for an alternative natural liquid sugar. I recommend using either coconut honey or date syrup.
How long will these Nut Bars keep and how should they be stored?
Once cooked, these gluten free nut bars have a great shelf life. Providing they are stored in an airtight container, they should stay good for 3 to 4 weeks. They don’t need (and won’t benefit) from being frozen. And they don’t require refrigeration either.
Ready to make Gluten Free Oat Breakfast Bars with Nuts and Chocolate?
The recipe for my easy Gluten Free Oat Breakfast Bars is below. Hopefully, you’ll love them. Don’t forget to let me know if you make them. You’ll always find me on social media… Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest (#glutenfreealchemist). Or leave a comment below.
For everything else, check out our extensive Gluten Free Recipe Index… Whether you’re after sweet or savoury, mid-week, celebration, or any time of the day… there’s loads of inspiration just waiting to be explored.
All shared with my love
Other great ideas for gluten free breakfast on the go…
Oat Breakfast Bars with Nuts and Chocolate (Crunchy)
Key equipment
- 8 inch/20 cm square baking tin
- Oven
- spoon
- chopping board
- large sharp knife
Ingredients
- 90 g rolled oats (gluten free) lightly toasted under a grill
- 30 g oat flour (gluten free) (grind at home if unable to source)
- 15 g almond flour (or peanut flour)
- 35 g milled flax seed
- 15 g cacao or cocoa powder
- 40 g ground hazelnuts
- 40 g flaked almonds
- 70 g dark chocolate chips or carob chips (dairy free/vegan as required)
- 65 g runny honey (or coconut honey/date syrup)
- 40 g maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
- 120 g crunchy peanut butter
Instructions
- Base-line an 8 inch/23 cm square baking tin with baking paper.
- Pre-heat the oven to 170 C/325 F/Gas 3.
- In a large bowl, mix together the lightly toasted oats, flours, flax seed, cocoa, nuts and chocolate chips.
- Add the honey, maple syrup, vanilla and peanut butter and thoroughly combine.
- Tip the mix into the baking tin and spread evenly.
- Use the back of a spoon to compress the mixture in the tin and smooth the surface.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until the edges are just beginning to darken.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin before removing to a chopping board.
- When completely cold, place in the fridge to chill on the board for about 30 minutes before carefully cutting into slices with a very sharp knife.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Hi there, this looks like a delicious recipe, but I unfortunately can’t eat flax or chia seeds. I was wondering if you had a recommendation for a substitute? Some internet searching came up with hemp or psyllium, but it depends on wether the flax is acting as a binder or not. Thanks so much for all the effort you’ve put into creating these recipes 🙂
Hi Jamie
I don’t think the flax is particularly significant as a binder… Of the two suggestions, mentioned, I think hemp would be good.
In terms of psyllium, you could add a teaspoon to two of whole husks, but no more than that as it is pretty powerful stuff and will change the texture. Psyllium is generally used as a binder. If you have some available already… a teaspoon may be beneficial, but I think the hemp would be better as a flax replacement.
I hope that rambling helps.
Best wishes
Kate
Thanks so much! I used the hemp seeds, and it was great. I also subbed the honey for brown rice syrup (mainly because I’m not a fan of the flavour of honey), and that seemed to work very well. They really weren’t very sweet due to that I think.
I’ve just made a second batch where I split the amount of chocolate chips between chocolate chips and currants. I’m hoping for a fruit & nut chocolate kind of thing 🙂
Thank you so much for the update Jamie. I’m really happy that they worked well.
Brown Rice Syrup is definitely sweeter than honey. You could also try coconut honey (a vegan honey option) which tastes good..xx
I love a good grab and go breakfast and this one is really filling. The ingredients are so healthy too. A nice alternative to a store bought breakfast bar.
Thanks Amy. It’s great to be able to pick and choose what goes in them x
I love these breakfast bar recipes, so much more satisfying when you make yourself and for half the cost most of the time, this is a great recipe to save for later thank you.
Thanks lovely. Half the cost and twice the flavour xxx
Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner party! I hope your week is going fantastic!
You’re welcome. Yours too!
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday, 594. Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you Helen. You’re welcome xx
My husband is positively addicted to Cliff bars, this looks so much healthier. I will definitely try this one. Thank you for bringing it to FF.
You’re welcome Liz.
Definitely healthier and with all the flexibility to add his favourite ingredients xx