These hearty breakfast bars remind me of a granola bar or an omega-3 packed power bar. They’re filling and tasty.
After I made a batch of these and was waiting for them to cool before cutting and stylizing them for a “photo shoot,” my younger son proudly taunted me that he had picked out all of the raisins from the top of the bars.
Needless to say, I was quite miffed. Especially since I have a couple of half gallon jars full of raisins at the boys disposal which they freely dip into when they have a “sugar” fix.
Well, I found a corner of the bars that still had the raisins mostly in tact for the photo above.
- 1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup grapeseed oil
- ¼ cup agave nectar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup blanched slivered almonds
- ¼ cup raisins
- In a small bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
- In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
- Stir dry ingredients into wet
- Mix in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slivers and raisins
- Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with grapeseed oil
- Press the dough into the baking dish, wetting your hands with water to help pat the dough down evenly
- Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
- Cool bars in pan for 2 hours, then serve
None of the nuts and seeds in this low-maintenance bar are toasted. I wanted to make something quick and easy, that could be whipped up in just a couple of minutes before popping into the oven.
In other news, NPR just ran an interesting story on celiac disease that I think is worth checking out.
Tammy says
Do you think you could use coconut flour instead of almond flour?
Elana says
Tammy, almond flour and coconut flour are very different. Here’s more info on that for you:
https://elanaspantry.com/paleo-baking-almond-flour-vs-coconut-flour/
Enjoy!
Elana
Pat says
Love your easy, common sense approach…and of course these bars!
Tamar says
Thanks for this incredibly easy and healthy recipe! I just whipped up a batch this morning. I couldn’t wait the 2hrs of cooling time to taste them because they smelled so yummy! They’re amazing!! I’m glad I made a double batch for the weekend. :-)
Kate says
These bars are insanely good. I have made them so many times and use different things like dried apples, dried pears, figs, walnuts etc. wow!!! Never buying another store bought breakfast bar ever again! You are a legend!!!!
A dell says
L love it it is great.
Debra says
I substitute currants for raisins, 1/4 cup brown teff for almonds and occasionally add 1/4 cup flax seed meal. I prefer olive oil instead of grapeseed oil. My blood sugar levels always remain stable after eating this breakfast bar. Great recipe that allows for custom variation!
Debbie says
I’ve made this recipe so many times now. The first time I made it, I didn’t have any raisins so I substituted dried cranberries and now I use dried cranberries every time I make them. I also use maple syrup instead of agave. Family and friends are crazy about this recipe. Every time I make a batch, they disappear almost immediately. Fortunately, this is such a simple recipe. Absolutely delicious and now one of my “go to” recipes when I want to make a treat for friends and family. Thank you Elana! I love your site and recipes.
Catherine says
Hi
Could I use Rice Syrup instead of agave? I don’t have agave in my cupboard!
Thanks so much
Catherine
Karen says
I use honey. I never ever use agave. It is a highly processed, natural-sounding substitute for high fructose corn syrup, and very bad for you. It’s my only quibble with this recipe, which I love!
bill says
Hi There,
Just wondering if you have ever stored by freezing or how long they last in the fridge?
Thanks so much.
Sheryl says
Elena;
Just discovered your website and think I have made 25% of it already. Wonderful recipes. This recipe is wonderfully tasty but I too can not get these to stay together. They just crumble apart making it hard to use as I want as a take-along morning snack.
Can you give some tips?
Herobrine says
Do you have any other breakfast bar recipes???
Tracey says
Hi there. I wanted to let you know about a successful substitution that I made with your recipe. I have a low tolerance for almonds – small quantities are okay. This said, I used 1 cup of finely ground walnuts (SO many health benefits in walnuts) plus 1/4 cup of brown rice flour and 3 tbsp of ground chia seed. I baked them in a pyrex 8 inch at 375 degrees (slightly hotter than the recipe recommends) for 20 minutes. They cooled and I tasted some before popping them into the fridge to truly set. They were great. Thanks for the recipe. I have a go-to muffin recipe (GF)that i make for most mornings but needed a change. These will be wonderful.
Rayna says
These bars are the best! And always a hit with friends!
Grace says
I am so excited to make these bars. I was just looking for a recipe like this.
Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Bailie says
I love these, but every time I have made them, almost half of the pan crumbles apart instead of staying in bar form. I’m wondering if you have any suggestions? I’m using Bob Red Mills Almond Flour, which is coarser. Should I try throwing the flour in the vitamix first to make it more fine? The only changes I have made is by using whatever oil I have on hand (olive, canola, vegetable, coconut, etc)
Nancy says
Bailie,
I have had that problem as well even when following the recipe, So when I take them out of the oven, I press them down with a metal spatula,when I cut them in pieces, and they stick together better!
Carrie says
Okay, I’m officially a fan now. This is the first recipe of yours I have made and it was out-of-this-world delicious. The bars didn’t survive long enough to make the 2-hr cooldown, they were just too good. Thank you for sharing these with the world!
Daphne says
Thanks so much for sharing this. My husband is having a hard time adjusting to his new gluten free diet, and this is the first recipe I’ve made that he actually loves to eat.
I like the recipe as written, but I’ve also experimented with substituting some oats, to cut down on the fat, calories, and cost. I baked some this morning, taking out 1/2 cup almond flour and adding 3/4 cup quick oats, and they turned out nicely.
Robin says
I added 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder and 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips. Yum! (Although it’s hard to think of them as breakfast bars anymore :-)
Bailee says
I just made these for breakfast and they were so goooood! My kids loved them, and said they taste like cookie dough :) I love that I am feeding my kids so healthy now that I found your awesome website. Thank you so much!
kathy says
I have made these several times. These are the best bars EVER!!! They do come out a bit crumbly, but I don’t care – they are SO good!!!
Lindsay says
Ok I agree with everything here except makes 12-16 servings?! I think I’ll be lucky if I can stretch this to 8!
Elaine says
Hi there – I just found your website and have made these bars and some bread already this morning. The bars are delicious! But they are crumbly and falling apart. Am I not pressing them in the pan well enough? Should I add an egg? Any suggestions would be helpful!
Thanks for all you are doing!
Betty says
These are sooooo good. I love them. Thanks
Jenny says
I tried these with my daughter today – she loved tasting all the ingredients (just started using your blog and introducing some new ingredients into our diet so many of these things were new for her). .. they taste delicious but are soft and fall apart, not quite “bars” .. what did I do wrong or should I change next time?
Stephanie says
what is the nutritional information for this recipe (calories)?
Rhoda says
My sister made these bars and they were so yummy that I’ve decided they need to become part of my diet. Immediately. Great recipe – thanks for posting. xx
Ellen says
I noticed that these do not have any eggs. I’m thinking that eggs would make the outcome lighter but they seem like the they NEED eggs to be a breakfast choice…..just thinking conventionally… ;-)
DrD says
I have made these bars twice in one week. Omitted the agave the first time and used honey. They held together well.
Second time I omitted the honey and used stevia in the raw. Also good, but did not hold together. I guess the agave/honey is the “glue” to hold these. Next time going to try some ground flax seed to prevent falling apart, since I want these sugar free. Anyone have any other ideas? Maybe an egg?
Kathy King says
I made these this morning and they are great. Though I keep agave on hand, I experimented with using coconut nectar in the recipe because I recently bought some. They turned out great; just what I needed for my breakfast! Elana, you are a genius. I appreciate all the hours you have spent helping so many people!
Stacy says
I am about to make my second batch of these — they are so yummy!! Even my 6 year old likes them, which is saying a lot! I did not have the grapeseed oil, so I used some walnut oil that I had. So happy to have found something at least one of my kids will eat!
Steph says
A handy tip i just found: If you’re like me and dont like getting your hands dirty, place a piece of baking paper over the mixture to press it down into the baking dish. Clean fingers!
These are about to go into the oven now. Yum!
Bonnie says
Holy cow….I just made these and couldn’t wait for them to cool so I scooped out a little corner to taste…..they are devine!!
I had to sub a couple of things….coconut oil for the grapeseed oil and pecans instead of almonds. This was only because this is what I had on hand.
Oh, oh, oh….and I didnt have raisins cause I don’t like them but I did have some dried cranberries so I threw them in instead.
Wow, this is such a nice sweet treat!!
Try them, you won’t be disappointed.
Stacy @Stacy Makes Cents says
These are super delicious! I can’t wait to make them again! I was afraid they would be too crumbly, but after cooling down they were just fine! Yay!!! :-) Thank you!
Bonnie says
I was worried about that too since I tried to cut into them while they were still hot. Hopefully they will firm up once they are cool.
(not that i care, I would eat them with a spoon if I had to LOL)
Carmen says
Elana
Thank you for these delicous recipes!
Each one I’ve tried has turned out fabulous.
Carmen
(recently diagnosed wheat allergic)
Kathy King says
I agree. I have not had one failed recipe from this website. It’s encouraging to have this great resource!
Gina L says
Wow, these are great! I can not do all of the oil, so I put in a 1/4 cup of applesauce instead of the oil and added the egg!!! Delicious :) Love your website plus everyone who comments.
Tory says
Just made these! I added 1 egg based on all the comments about how crumbly they turn out. I also used walnut oil instead of grapseed oil because that is what I had on hand. In addition, I roasted and salted the seeds before adding to the batter. I think they turned out great! We’ll see what my hubby thinks when he gets home! I would definitely make these again. Salty-sweet goodness!
Tory says
I also used 8 by 8 glass pan. Next time I think I will baked them slightly less- they were a bit dark around the edges.
Molly says
These taste fabulous! Unfortunately, mine really crumbled. Don’t know if I didn’t pack them hard enough before baking or didn’t bake them long enough. Also thought about adding tapioca to them to help them stick better. Anyone have any tested method???
Thanks so much!
Marie says
I’ve made this recipe a few times. The first time, it also came out a bit crumbly (but very tasty), and very hard to cut out squares from the baking dish without leaving half of the square in there. After that first time, I’ve made these adjustments:
– maple syrup instead of agave nectar (the first time using maple syrup was because I ran out of agave nectar, and I found that I actually like it better this way)
– melted coconut oil instead of grapeseed oil
– fewer nuts/seeds/coconut flakes than the recipe calls for. If the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of something, I use somewhere between 1/2 and 1/3 cup.
– grease the baking dish with butter or Earth Balance soy free “butter”.
I bake it for 20 minutes, and it comes out great. No crumbling, and easier to cut and remove from the baking dish (1 square at a time, of course).
Marie says
I also use a glass 8×8 baking dish. I don’t know if this makes a difference, though.
Molly says
Thank you so very much for your response. I will make them as you recommended next time!
alison says
What is with all the agave nectar – I cannot find good things about it. I love the book and your recipes but almost everything has agave in it. Where are you getting your research that shows this is a good sweetener? I cannot find it.
Lou says
I made your breakfast bars but ending up being crumbly as others have experienced as well. Since you have revisited other recipes, ex. Paleo bread, can you suggest additions to make them less crumbly. I thought of adding a tablespoon of almond butter. I will try next time I make them. They are delicious and thanks especially for all you great recipes. The Paleo Bread 2.0 is wonderful.
Alex Hsieh says
I’ve been searching around for some good, healthy, and easy breakfast bars. Made this for the first time today and they are amazing. Absolutely love your site and will try as many of your recipes as possible!
Alex paradisi says
Oops double comment, sorry about that !
Alex paradisi says
Made these half an hour ago. Unfortunately I didn’t have grape seed oil on hand so I substituted with one small ripe banana – delicious! Thanks for a great recipe !
Alex says
Made these half an hour ago! Unfortunatley I didn’t have grape seed oil on hand so I substituted with one small ripe banana – delicious! Thanks for a great recipe !
Sally says
Taste delicious, I have made these half a dozen times now. Unfortunately I am going to have to try another recipe though as I just can not stop them crumbling. I have tried adjusting the recipe slightly each time to over come the crumbling problem but no success!
Katie says
These bars taste really good, but unfortunately mine turned out really crumbly. Maybe I’ll have to try again and alter some things a bit.
Sheila says
Is it possible to provide the nutritional analysis for your recipes? I like to watch fat & sugar consumption. Thank you.
Diane beebe says
Wow…..even making them “my way” you can’t go wrong…..they were delicious…..not pretty but delicious….I will definitely be making these again.
Diane beebe says
Is almond meal & almnd flour the same thing? I am making my own version of these bars with what I have on hand…and I don’t have anything “slivered”…. Lol we”ll see how they turn out. I used 1/2 almond meal &1/2 gluten free flour.
Maria says
Elena, the bars are amazing! they do crumble a bit but still delicious!.
Thank you so much for posting the recipe.
Lauren says
Made these last night and oh my they are delicious!! I didn’t put the slivered almonds but added more sunflower and pumpkin seeds. Was so good I could have eaten the batter raw!!!! Thanks!
Molly says
Hi :)
If anyone could answer this for me, I’d be very grateful! Can you substitute the almond flour for regular gluten-free flour?
First off though, these looks wonderful. I’ve been searching for a recipe like this for a while, as my boyfriend is gluten sensitive. He is also terrible in the kitchen. Every morning he struggles to find something to eat, and half the time ends up eating my bread and feeling horrid all day. So I can’t wait to try these and see if he likes them :)
Fiona says
Hey, an alternative to avoid the crumbliness is to bake them in silicone muffin tray. They come out round of course but at least they hold together! I only fill the half way up.
Shellie says
I just made these today and chose to use the suggestion of adding an egg to keep them from crumbling. In addition, I used pine nuts in place of the pumpkin seeds and dried cherries in place of the raisins. The egg gave the bars a cake-like texture. They are delicious but the texture is not a typical granola-like bar. The pine nuts were a bit thick for the bar. I think the flat nature of the pumpkin seed would suit it better or maybe just coursely chopping the substitute nuts. Thanks, Elana, for sharing your recipes! I have purchased your book and between it and your website feel so lucky to have so many recipes at my disposal. I am not strictly gluten free, but am finding that less is definitely better for my and my family’s health.
Meredith says
Thank you Elanas for all your recipes! I love your website and now have been working on one of my own!
One question, my bars always fall apart when I make them, but I use all the same ingredients. Any ideas why? Or helpful tips?
Thanks!
Sinead says
Hi Elana,
I have UC and have struggled since being diagnosed last year to find the best diet to follow and am finding your recipes [bread/cookies/muffins/bars] fantastic and a daily staple for me to stay satisfied! Thanks so much!
Tried the recipe for the breakfast bars and love the taste – but I found that they were crumbly/like a granola after 25 mins cooking in a Pyrex dish and I couldn’t divide into bars. So was wondering how you maintain the consistency to allow them to be cut into bars?
Thanks :)
Elizabeth Sunnen says
Ps I swapped out the almond flour for quinoa flour so I can send them to my daughter’s nut-free school. :)
Elizabeth Sunnen says
Elana, this recipe is perfect! I happened upon it through a Friend’s recommendation (“Elana’s Pantry will have everything you need to modify your son’s diet.”) and I am thrilled. I had to write this recipe out on a sticky note, I’m making it so often. Thank you!
Needful Things says
I would love to make these right away – especially since I have everything on hand ,however, agave syrup gives me a very bad headache. What could I substitute it for? Would a mild honey work just as well in this recipe? Thanks in advance!
Jacqueline says
I use honey and it comes out perfectly. I also use coconut oil instead of grapeseed oil. I melt the honey and coconut oil via double boiler method, and I do put them in the fridge before cutting….they hold together pretty well with some minor crumbling at the edges. Oh, and I sprinkle shredded coconut on top…it browns up nicely and really adds to flavor! Oh, and lastly, I don’t love using raisins; my health food store has date pieces coated in oat flour (to prevent them sticking together)…so yummy! I know there is a concern re: oats and gluten and/or cross- contamination so be careful if you have to be 100% GF. And I do use Bob’s flour and have no problem.
Anna Wratislav says
Just wanted to say how much I love your website and especially this recipe, it is my go to every week.
Gilly says
These are fantastic! I just made my 4th batch and I have tried subbing different nuts, seeds and chocolate chips with success. I bought the almond flour that Elana recommended .
Hideko says
Hi there, I just tried making these breakfast bars…….YUMMY! But the only thing is that they did not stay together well. What did I do wrong?
Jen says
I added about 1 T cinnamon and 1 t nutmeg to this recipe – delicious!
Susan Pierce says
Any idea on breakdown of calories, fat etc on these breakfast bars? Thanks, Susan
Lisa says
I substituted natural apple sauce and truvia in place of agave for a GF/SF version also added pistachios and sf chocolate chips
Yum yum yummo!! as said by a 8 and 4 1/2 year old!
debre coons says
so, I made these great breakfast bars, and I would have to say I cheated a bit, I added a few crandberries to the till, a half handful of flax seed and a big no no chocolate chips. These kind of replaced a really great fatty snack that my kids love. It was a big hit. I looking at all the different ways I can make this lovely treat, packed full of protein, and good fats. Thanks
Leese says
LOVE these. Like others, they were a bit crumbly when I tried to cut them fresh from the oven, so I stuck the entire pan in the freezer for an hour or so until they were very firm, but still able to be cut with a butter knife (with some effort). I made these for a weekend at the cabin with people who *ahem* are not very attentive to what they consume. One guy grudgingly grabbed one “What are these?” and proceeded to admit he’d never eat anything like this normally. He had thirds, maybe 4ths, in one sitting. Between the 4 of us, we ate the entire batch in one day. Grudging Guy even admitted that “I’m surprised. This hippie food is actually really good”. So there you go. They’re that good. I LOVE them – perfect blend of sweet and salty, perfect with a cup of coffee.
Kat says
Thank you so much for this recipe – we’re on the Slow Carb diet (from the 4-Hour Body) and your breakfast recipes (especially the pancakes and this one) are so good it helps me forget that we’re on a restrictive diet :)
kerri says
First, I love these too and they are my new addiction. For those that had crumbly bars, this is what I tried and it worked well: 2 TBSP grapeseed oil instead of 1/4 cup, added two egg whites to the wet ingredients. 3 TBSP agave nectar instead of 1/4 c. Allowed the bars to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes (so hard to wait!) before trying to cut or remove from pan. enjoy!
Patty says
sorry. I had to correct a few typos above. ;)
it’s an excellent template for all sorts of elements. I’ve *cut* the agave slightly & added just a touch of maple syrup for the flavor.
Patty says
I’ve made these twice now & while they have a slight tendency to crumble at the edges, I don’t find that it’s excessive. I can put a few into a square container for work & they’re still whole when I come to eat them. This is a wonderful recipe — it’s an excellent template of all sorts of elements. I’ve got the agave slightly & added just a touch of maple syrup for the flavor. I’m not big on sunflower seeds so have thrown in crushed cashews & almonds. VERY tasty. Chopped dried apricots are excellent in here. I keep thinking that a few tablespoons of almond butter might help with some of the crumbling issues but I think it needs to go in with the wet ingredients & I keep thinking of it as I mix it all. Thanks so very much for sharing your recipes!
Vanessa says
I made these bars yesterday, and like many, they turned out VERY crumbly, even if I followed the recipe (with all indicated ingredients) and refrigerated them before cutting and eating them.
They do taste very good but I really wanted bars and not granola…
Has anyone tried with flax egg substitute (I do not eat eggs)?
Wanda Severns says
I have made the morning bars with flax seed, and they are fantastic. I don’t find them crumbly at all. I lower the heat a bit, and cook them for 20 minutes, and they come out perfectly.
Wanda Severns says
Sorry, I made a mistake above. I use chia flour, not flax. So, with chia flour, (1 tsp chia flour for 3 tsp water or lemon juice ), if you lower the heat a bit, and cook them for 20 minutes, they come out perfectly.
Eileen says
Don’t give up on the recipe as is. I make these almost weekly and sometimes they are more crumbly than others. Think that nuances of temperature and measure have something to do with it, but more often than not, they are slightly crumbly but still easily portable. Refrigerating before slicing and serving helps.
Joceline says
Thanks! I’ll try putting them in the fridge before cutting them I think. They taste so lovely I think I’ll definitely make them again.
At the moment I’m treating the crumble as a breakfast cereal and it’s really good :)
Wanda Severns says
Sounds like you are cooking them too long. Really, if careful, and if you massage the wet ingredients through the dry, it should work. Overbaking does make them crumbly
Joceline says
I made these just now and they taste SO good :)
The thing is though they didn’t hold together too well and are really crumbly. I just ate some of the ‘crumble’ with dairy free custard and it made a great dessert but I’d like to try and make them again as proper bars that hold together.
Does anyone have any ideas or experience of this? I made sure all the dough was well combined and pressed into the dish firmly. Maybe an egg?
Thanks
Joceline
bridget says
have made these a few times now.. and always vary what nuts/seeds/dried fruit I have used.. and sometimes they are a bit crumbly.. today I added about a tablespoon of coconut flour to the mixture, and they seem to be a bit more solid.. yay!
Vee says
I made these yesterday,and ate one ths morning.. they tasted great!!! Like others have said mine were also crumbly. Any suggestions? I would still make them again, crumbly or not.
Amanda says
I just made these! Unfortunately, when it came to cutting them into bars and taking them out the tray, they started crumbling. So now I don’t have bars, but rather, chunky bits of granola. They still taste really awesome though. :)
I wonder if being in the heat of summer and sitting at high altitude has something to do with the crumbling?
Jenn B says
Sorry about that…my toddler hit enter.
In any case, I left them in another 5 mins and they still looked soft. So I stuck them in the fridge until morning. Tried to cut them and they just fell apart. We ended up pouring almond milk over it as a cereal, which was excellent, but not the bar we were looking for.
Jenn B says
I made these bars the other day and when I took them out of the oven they were still soft and fairly liquidy looking in the middle. Left them` in ano
Steve says
I am not a cook and never bake anything but I saw this recipe and it looked healthy and easy. I have no problems with gluten but I wanted to make it anyhow. They turned out amazing. As good as any brownie or cookie I can remember. How can anything this healthy taste so good. My only problem, and if anyone has a suggestion, is they fall apart to easy. What could I use to hold them together better.
Della Swartz says
My daughter and I made these and they are delicious. However, they didn’t hold together very well. Did we not cook them long enough? Need to add more liquid?
Diane says
I have made the breakfast bars a few times, and my family LOVES them! Even the picky 6-year old. However, the problem I have, is that they “fall apart” very easily, and tend to crumble. So more often times than not, we have large pieces, but not really bars. I have increased the baking time, increased the oven temp, and even had them sit in the pan longer. No luck. Can anyone offer a suggestion? I am using the exact ingredients called for, just not the Almond Flour on Elana’s website, I used the Red Mill brand that I get at my local Wegman’s market. Please help, I would love to have these stay in a bar shape!
Diane
Ruth says
I love your website and recipes! I’m trying to go off gluten to see if it helps my rheumatoid arthritis and your recipes are amazing.
I have made these twice and both times they come out very crumbly – can’t get the whole thing to stick together, as it appears in your picture. Any thoughts on what I might have done wrong? Thanks.
Regina says
I made these on a whim using whatever nuts I had in the house.
WOW!!!!
AMAZING!
Quinn says
Found these on your site while looking for recipes to use up my huge bag of almond flour. LOVE these bars!!! They are so good that we’ve made them twice already in the last week. Took your option of maple syrup in lieu of agave and dried cranberries in lieu of raisins. The entire batch was gone so quickly and my 4 year old and husband keep waiting for more! Thanks for a great recipe.
Sarah Nickolet says
I have these in the oven right now. I substituted flax meal for almond flour because my kids go to a nut free daycare and school. Also instead of slivered almonds I used some gluten free cheerios although next time I may use some chopped dried mangos or maybe just increasing the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. I’d love to add some dark chocolate chips too…but they aren’t allowed chocolate at daycare/school. It’s maddening! My girls can’t have dairy, soy, or corn. One can’t have gluten and strawberries and the other can’t have oranges. Neither of them like any of the commercial gluten free products (thank goodness since they are hideously expensive). These look amazing…hopefully they are the snack they like!
After reading reviews, hope mine don’t come out crumbly! I may add an egg next time…just for extra gooey nutrition and stick-togetherness….but only if they come out crumbly as I am not sure how the flax meal will behave as opposed to almond flour.
Sarah Nickolet says
These turned out AWESOME!!!! I am so stoked to find something nutritious and tasty and nut free for my girls!! I let them cool in the fridge before I cut them and they were perfect!
Sarah says
I made this, but it does not stay together in bar format. It crumbles very easily, and needs some kind of binder… tasty but not a bar.
Kirsten says
I am going to make these for my trip I am taking with my family tomorrow. since my mom can’t have gluten, these are going to be a great snack for us to enjoy. Thank you so much for posting this. Every recipe I have made from you has never failed.
Heidi David says
This is a FANTASTIC recipe!!! I’ve made it a number of times and wanted to share some adjustments. If you have the time, I recommend toasting all the seeds & nuts (and shredded coconut) in a 350 oven for a few minutes till golden. Really brings out the flavors. Also, because I love the taste of coconut, I add a 1/4 teaspoon of coconut extract to give it a little more coconutty oomph. I put a sheet of parchment in the pan (similar to what Elana advises for her Pumpkin Cranberry Upside down cake. Which is UNBELIEVABLE by the way.) I let the pan cool on the counter overnight. Pick it up out of the pan by the parchment, cut the 8 x 8 square into bars. They hold pretty well, a crumble here or there, but for the most part I don’t have trouble cutting them up. And of course they taste out of this world!!!! Thanks Elana for all your wonderful recipes!!
Debbie says
These are SOOOOO good! My 3 y.o. son wanted to make something with pumpkin seeds and honey in it for a bake sale at our Waldorf School May Faire, so I found this recipe (and used the agave – not honey). Although my son wouldn’t even try them because of all the whole seeds and raisins, I couldn’t stop eating them while cutting them up and everyone at the May Faire loved them. I’m handing the recipe out left and right (with attribution, of course). Thanks!!
Jennifer McLeland says
AMAZING! These were so yummy! I tasted the batter and went weak it was so tasty. Thanks. Now to see if the real critic loves them — my 3.5 yr old son.
Colleen says
Elana,
I’m going to try this in manana with date syrup rather then the agave. I think it will be great. And if it is, would you mind if we used this recipe on our web site? (With appropriate credit of course.) We would really like to offer some more tailored recipes for our celiac friends out there.
BTW, have you tried the date syrup and if so, what did you think?
This looks to be such a great recipe. So simple.
elana says
Hi Colleen,
Thank you for your comment :-)
Yes, you can use this recipe on your website with appropriate credit (please see the bottom of my site). I haven’t tried it with date syrup yet. It does sound yummy though.
Elana
cedarclose says
I made these and while they’re delicious, they’re VERY oily. Is it possible that I greased the pan with too much grapeseed oil (seems unlikely) or is this simply the recipe? Can I tweak it somehow? Thanks!!!
cedarclose says
I take this comment back– 24 hours in the fridge solved the oily problem. These breakfast bars are fantastic!
Wendy says
hmmm…
what brand almond flour are you using?
you may want to take a look at this comment: http://www.elanaspantry.com/breakfast-bars/#comment-12017
Cindy says
Made the Breakfast Bars 3 times. Have’nt made a good batch yet. Followed your recipe to the T.
Comes out so dry. I can’t even cut it into squares without it turning into one big crumb pile. Whats Up???
Carmen says
You deffinately need to let it cool down then cover with aluminum foil and put in refrigerator for a couple of hours. It binds when all the ingredients settle in. Then take it out and cut into pieces.
I added some choco chips to the top before I baked. My husband loves these for breakfast and spin cycling class. Very delicious!
christine k says
I just made these using the dreaded Bob’s Red Mill almond meal/flour and they turned out pretty darn good. Hallelujah, I can have baked goods again! Can’t wait for my almond flour from nuts.com to arrive so I can try them again. Thanks for the recipe!
robin says
Why is Bob’s Red Mill dreaded? I LOVE Bob’s Red Mill Almond flour and have made Sally Fallon’s awsome almond meal tapioca flour cookies with it for years. Besides when Bob Moore turned 81, to celebrate he gave back to his employee’s by creating an employee share-holder plan. What a COOL guy! I can’t imagine anyone throwing rocks at such a great person who has worked in a very competitive industry without losing his moral compass or caving in to the constant pressure to lower standards in order to increase profits! So many of the excellent health food companies have been gobbled up by Big Agribusiness and he has guaranteed that this won’t happen to his company now by making his employee’s co-owners. Wow! What a great guy and what a great company!
Says me. :)
Robin
robin says
OOops, brain fart. Sally Fallon has a cookie recipe for almond meal and arrowroot. Don’t ask me where the tapioca comment came from, must have read it in an earlier post and the word slipped past the censors. haha
robin
katie h says
Made these last weekend and they were delicious!! Parts of mine held together and parts were crumbly (thanks Eileen for the tip to cool them in the fridge before cutting – will try next time), but either way, I loved them and will make them again soon. Thanks, Elana!!
Alchemille says
Going Paleo, you can try adding an egg or egg substitute such as 1 tbsp flaxmeal mixed with 3 tbsp water.
Both options are paleo friendly ;).
going paleo says
I found the bars crumbled once cooked and cut – not sure what I could do to make them ‘stick’ Any suggestions? Delicious though – even if I have to eat it with a spoon!
Eileen says
I’ve made these oddles of times and found that having ingredients room temp makes a big difference to how well they hold together. Also, measuring ingredients pretty precisely and really packing down with wet hands as last step per Elana’s directions. Lastly, I find that they hold together a little better when refrigerated after cooled and before taking out of pan. I like to cut into bars and then take in snack bags instead of Larabars and the like and they hold together fairly well that way. Plus, gets them off the counter where I can’t resist. :-)
Sarah says
I love these. Since Christmas I’ve developed an addiction to baked goods for brunch; not so healthy. These are perfect for a healthier substitue to my baked goods breakfasts, thanks Elana :)
Sassybigbuttbeauty says
A couple of years ago I did the Avon walk and, of course, they don’t have provisions for food allergies so food was quite an issue that weekend. This next summer I’m doing it again and these will be a perfect thing to bring a long!
Kim
Briana says
I made these and they fell apart but wwere good:)
Sher says
Mine too. I rechecked the amounts, let them cool over night and still crumble.
Lovesmyveggies says
I have made these several times, and each time they come out AMAZING!!! Like one person pointed out in the comments, the hardest part is waiting to eat them for breakfast. I didn’t have grapeseed oil or almond flour so I had to make some changes. Instead of the grapeseed oil, I used coconut oil. And instead of the almond flour, I used a mixture of flax seeds ground up, rolled oats ground up, raw almonds ground up, and a bit of barley flour. I realize that the oats are not gluten free, but I thought I would just put it out there that even with these substitutions they came out delicious! If you use these substitutions, though, make sure you chill them before slicing them. It helps keep them from crumbling. :-)
Eileen says
FANTASTIC- the only problem is waiting until breakfast to eat them! So very glad to have a great GF “breakfast on the run” after years of far lesser commercial offerings. Now, when I have to run kids somewhere (and everyone else somehow manages to fit in breakfast but me), jumping in the car with a breakfast bar and cup of joe doesn’t seem punitive. Thanks so much! The first recipe from your blog I have tried but will definitely be trying more.
Karin says
I have made this recipe and variations of it thereof about three or four times now, and wanted you to know how much I love it and just how THANKFUL I am that you created and posted this! It’s been a lifesaver as I made these for traveling on a recent trip from Paris to Canada. These bars were all I had to eat at some meals while in transit. :)
Much like Alchemille, I’ve used maple syrup (I discovered that agave nectar really bothers my system as it is too high in fructose for me) and regularly use sesame oil instead of grapeseed.
Also, I just made these bars again this past Monday and was scrounging for ingredients to add in (I did not have raisins nor almonds on hand…). I used ground hazelnut flour instead of almond, and I threw in not only pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and coconut, but a quarter cup of sesame seeds, too and they tasted GREAT!
I am going to the store now to get more ingredients to make these simple and delicious bars. Many thanks, again. :)
Theresa Watson says
HI Elana,
I finally had a chance to try these bars — of course I had to add my own flavor. What I love about this recipe is that it is so forgiving and the possibilities are endless.
I didn’t have almond slivers so I used pignoli’s (pine nuts), I added a handful of dried cranberries and of course a handful of chocolate chips — my husband said that they taste like trailmix in a bar.
Thanks so much — this is an awesome recipe — maybe fresh cranberries when in season would be a nice addition, maybe some chopped dates or other dried fruits — YUM — thanks for all your inspiration.
Theresa Watson
Merritt Island, Florida
Laura says
I found your website a few weeks ago and LOVED these bars!! My family and I are fortunate to not have any dietary restrictions, but I am always looking for healthy snacks to satisfy my sweet tooth! My kids enjoyed these and loved your Gluten-Free brownies, as well. I will definitely tell everyone about your site!
Lorain says
I found your website the other day and these treats looked yummy….I used coconut oil and maple syrup as subs (it’s what I had) and they are the most addictive things ever!! Hubby, who is free to eat anything he wants, has proclaimed them as his new favourite treat.
Thanks!!
snow says
I don’t have grapeseed or any nut oil. Can I use canola or regular veg oil? The others are out of my league especially right now.
Thanks
snow
eveof4 says
I have used a very mild flavored olive oil many times and it works great!
Becca says
Elana, I have just recently discovered your blog and love it… my oldest son has autism and is on a gfcf diet. I have been looking for something just like this! Can you (or someone) tell me about almond flour and its benefits? I have been making a bread for him that uses garbanzo bean flour, tapioca starch and corn starch. But I have yet to learn about almond flour. Any info that you can share would be a blessing! Thanks again for all you have done here…
Jessica says
Check out her Almond Flour post… :-)
Eveof4 says
Hi Elana! I’ve been using your recipes for the last four months since my daughter and I started a candida diet, and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate being able to log onto your website and find a “legal” recipe for whatever we’re hungry for.
These breakfast bars are BY FAR my favorite recipe so far and I’ve been making them since you posted it a few weeks ago. I have an egg sensativity and can only do eggs every 4th day so I make a batch of these and they make breakfast ready to go until I can do eggs again. I do substitute 1 Tbsp. of NuNaturals white stevia powder + 1/4 c. water for the agave nectar and sugar free chocolate bits for the raisens. I have found that this version comes out very crumbly so I also added 1 Tbsp. ground flax + 1 1/2 Tbsp. water (an egg substitute). I have found that they do better when chilled, but I’m wondering if your version holds together well as maybe the agave acts as a glue (?) or do yours crumble as well?
Thanks again for your wonderful work and sharing with all of us!
Patty says
We had these at the brunch the day after my daughter’s wedding for a few of us that are gluten free and we had to fight the gluten eaters for them. Really delicious. I am going to make a batch for myself as part of my wedding recovery program. Thanks so much for offering up these great recipes. They really are inspiring!
Kate says
Thanks for the great recipe Elana! I am going on a 5 day canoe trip in the Adirondacks and needed something healthy and full of protein for breakfast. This recipe is such a great alternative to the bars you see in the grocery. Even ones marked as healthy and organic are full of sugar and wheat. I made a few substitutions because I didn’t have everything on hand:
-1/2 c of cashews (pulsed in the blender for a few seconds) for the shredded coconut
-dried cranberries instead of raisins
-1/3 c pistachios for pumpkin seeds
-I added a couple tablespoons of applesauce to help bind the cashews
I hope other readers enjoy :) Thanks again Elana!
mountaingoat says
Hi Elana – Your website has helped me immensely! I am GF and an avid cook. I would like to share my recipe for a protein bar that is not cooked! 1 cup pecans, 1 cup unswt coconut, 1 cup slivered almonds. Brown slightly together in the oven. Process until chunky in the food processor. Melt 1/2 cup of coconut oil with 1/2 cup almond butter, stir in 1tsp vanilla and 2 tblsp agave (I usually taste at this point for sweetness). Stir a tsp of sea salt to the wet mix,stir nut-coconut into wet mixture, add 1/2 cup of almond flour. Smooth into a bread baking dish greased with a little coconut oil and cool in the fridge for an hour. Thanks for all you do!
sas says
Elana, I made these bars and was disappointed when they burned on the tops and sides. I will try them again because it seems like a great recipe!
Alchemille says
Thanks Elana!
I tried another version with 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of spirulina for extra nutrition.
The bars have a greenish hue ;).
elana says
Thanks for your wonderful comments, everyone!!!
I want to point out my favorite substitution idea which was created by Alchemille –the maple syrup and almond oil sound delicious.
Enjoy the bars,
Elana
kate says
I’ve been playing around with granola bar recipes that use agave nectar, nuts, seeds and either almond meal or almond flour. These are EXACTLY what I’ve been dreaming of!
Consider yourself officially bookmarked! Keep up the great work! Very excited about the cookbook!!!
Tracee says
I am always looking for “fast” food that we can eat. I have to cringe when I say I eat my breakfast driving to work in the morning (and they say meals in front of the t.v. are bad). Having these on hand for the busy work week is perfect!
Tracy says
I made these yesterday and they were gone last night. My husband couldn’t believe they were healthy, which is so fun. I have a friend with pcos and she thought they were wonderful. I also took some of your banana cake/bread I made today to her. She was very emotional about having something so wonderfully bread like in her mouth. Very emotional and grateful for you and all you share.
Thank you
Stephenie says
Hi Alchemille,
I just tried waffles with Plantain flour today. I will post the recipe in the forum.
Caroline says
Just made these bars today and was pleased with how they turned out. I didn’t have any pumpkin seeds and I decided to throw a sprinkling of dark chocolate chips on top. I am sending these bars with my boyfriend who is embarking on a three day bike trek across Maine. I think they will do wonders for his energy levels! Thanks for the great recipe :)
Alchemille says
We had your breakfast bars this morning, they were excellent!
I used maple syrup and almond oil instead of agave & grapeseed oil (I’ll make them a little less sweet next time).
I think these will make fine hiking snacks too.
Stephenie, I have plantain flour too but don’t really know what to do with it. I will probably try your “cream of plantain” recipe but would love for you to share other ones.
The supplier (Barry Farm) has a plantain crepe recipe on his website.
Ashley says
I made these last night and they are delightful!! I was concerned that they would be really “seedy” but they have a lot of flavor and a hint of sweetness!
I’ll be posting my pictures on my blog this weekend. Thank you!!
Alta says
Love these! Wish I found them a few days earlier, though, I was considering making some sort of gluten-free granola bars for a road trip. I’ll definitely need to make these when I get back though. I love that you put pumpkin and sunflower seeds in them, those are my favorite munchies!
Stephenie says
Hi Elana,
thanks for all your work, I can’t wait to try out these bars. I am always on the look out for breakfast foods, as I am in Europe and, at least in Germany, traditional breakfast ist either Muesli (during the week) or fresh buns from the bakery (oh how I miss that!) Sometimes I will have frozen gf kaiser buns (you get used to the taste, I guess…) or just my coffee. These seem like a great idea for having on hand for those “oh forget it, I guess I just won’t eat anything” mornings!
I wanted to ask you if you have ever worked with Plantain or Banana Flour? I bought some a few weeks ago from my favourite gf-store and am really liking it. So easy to make a banana-coconut pudding: 50g Banana flour, 500 mL Coconut Milk, a bit of agave, a dash of salt and either a bit of vanilla or lime juice. Cooks up like cream of wheat and is very fulfilling. I’m sure it is possible to make baked goods out of it too, it says on the paket can be used for up to 40%!! in place of regular flour.
Anyways, I don’t usually comment on blogs, but I have been “consuming” yours for such a while now that I wanted to say thanks for helping so many of us!
Best regards,
Stephenie
elana says
Thanks Stephanie, I appreciate your comment! No, I haven’t tried plantain flour, though it sounds interesting. xoxo
Karen says
the bars look great!
NPR Story:
the boy is quoted “If they’re in a rush, Jacob says, pocket sandwiches by the organic food company Amy’s are easy to take and heat up.”
however amy’s does NOT make a gf pocket sandwich. I sure hope the boy is not eating those and I don’t know of any gf pocket sandwiches only Glutenfreeda’s gf burritos
Karen
gfe-gluten free easily says
They still look scrumptious, Elana! I can only imagine how delightfully chewy they are. :-)
Off to check out the NPR story. More awareness–good deal!
Shirley
Alchemille says
Great! A new nourishing breakfast idea ;).
I’m sure hubby will enjoy it too.
camille says
Love recipe and loved the NPR piece. It is amazing how far I have come. I have Lupus and Sjogrens syndrom and I feel so much better gluten free. My mother has Celiac and you know even with history that never factored in to my diagnosis. I had to do the research and the experimental diet to find out I was gluten sensitive. I stay away as much as I can. I so appreciate your hard work and fantastic blog. This site is a treasure and I tell everyone.
elana says
camille, welcome, it’s so nice to “meet” you here and hear your story :-)
Kelly says
Yum! I can’t get enough nuts, seeds and dried fruit! Making these asap! Thanks as always!
zoe says
I just found your blog and it is so inspiring. Thank you for the great recipes and photos!
elana says
Thanks Zoe, and welcome :-)
yaelian says
Yummy! I want to make these too!
Kimberly says
Your bars look amazing! Unfortunately, I can’t eat nuts:( I think it’s so funny that your son likes raisins that much. My kids have never liked them in anything or by themselves.
Wanted to remind you that I am having an almond flour give away on my blog:)Don’t miss out!
Rebecca says
I am so excited to make these bars. I was just looking for a recipe like this. My son has a lot of food allergies and coconut is one of them so I am happy you used almond flour.
Thanks Elana!
Stephanie says
Wow these look delicious! I just made something similar, but I wouldn’t have thought to use almond flour or bake them. Genius! I made your sandwich bread last night, and it was sooo good! I’m already planning all the ways I’m going to enjoy it.
Beth says
I think I’ll be whipping a bunch of these breakfast bars up soon.
They look so tasty – especially that one raisin teetering on the edge :)
CoconutGal says
Your bars are dangerously good!! I cannot wait to try these.
Your son should be ashamed for stealing the raisins! My friend and I made a cake for a baby shower a few weeks back and the next morning (the day of the shower) she came downstairs to find very small handprints and holes throughout the lovely glazed cake. Someone had figured out how to drag a chair across the room and climb up onto the counter! We ended up having to re-glaze it and we put pink M&M’s all over the holes, it was still totally noticeable though!