Elana's Pantry

New York Times Bestselling author Elana Amsterdam founded Elana’s Pantry, the go-to website for easy, healthy, grain-free, Paleo recipes, in 2006

breakfast bars gluten-free recipe

Breakfast Bars

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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.

Print Recipe
Breakfast Bars
Serves:12-16 bars
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl, combine almond flour, salt and baking soda
  2. In a large bowl, combine grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
  3. Stir dry ingredients into wet
  4. Mix in coconut, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond slivers and raisins
  5. Grease an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with grapeseed oil
  6. Press the dough into the baking dish, wetting your hands with water to help pat the dough down evenly
  7. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
  8. 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.

Comments

  1. I really like this recipe but when I made it, the finished product didn’t stay together in bars. It crumbles completely apart. If possible, please tell me what I need to do differently for next time. Thank you!

    Reply

  3. Forgot to mention. When you roast raisins, they get all caramelized and chewier. Hence the disappearing act in the first batch.

    Reply

  4. Thanks for all your recipes. I am allergic to wheat, peanuts, milk and eggs and more. I ignored that fact for many years and dealt with emotional, mental and physical symptoms before finally kicking the typical American diet. I feel so much better but it’s tough to find food I want to eat. I’ve been gluten free at least 14 years but just recently gave up the rest. (peanuts made me angry–ick). I feel clear headed and able to cope again. I’ll be a regular recipe tester now. Thanks so much.

    Reply

  5. This is my go to breakfast bar for my work week! Every time I make them I do something a bit different; coconut oil vs grapeseed, or honey vs agave, dark chocolate chips vs raisins. I have permanently started added flax seed which I love!
    Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply

  8. 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. :-)

    Reply

  9. 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!!!!

    Reply

  11. 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!

    Reply

  12. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  14. Hi There,
    Just wondering if you have ever stored by freezing or how long they last in the fridge?
    Thanks so much.

    Reply

  15. 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?

    Reply

  17. 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.

    Reply

  20. 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)

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  21. 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!

    Reply

  22. 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.

    Reply

  23. 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 :-)

    Reply

  24. 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!

    Reply

  25. 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!!!

    Reply

  26. Ok I agree with everything here except makes 12-16 servings?! I think I’ll be lucky if I can stretch this to 8!

    Reply

  27. 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!

    Reply

  29. 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?

    Reply

  31. 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

    Reply

  32. 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… ;-)

    Reply

  33. 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?

    Reply

  34. 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!

    Reply

  35. 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!

    Reply

  36. 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!

    Reply

  37. 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.

    Reply

    • 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)

      Reply

  39. Elana

    Thank you for these delicous recipes!
    Each one I’ve tried has turned out fabulous.

    Carmen
    (recently diagnosed wheat allergic)

    Reply

  40. 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.

    Reply

  41. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  42. 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!

    Reply

    • 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).

      Reply

  43. 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.

    Reply

  44. 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.

    Reply

  45. 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!

    Reply

  47. 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 !

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  48. 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 !

    Reply

  49. 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!

    Reply

  50. 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.

    Reply

  51. Is it possible to provide the nutritional analysis for your recipes? I like to watch fat & sugar consumption. Thank you.

    Reply

  52. 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.

    Reply

  53. 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.

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  54. Elena, the bars are amazing! they do crumble a bit but still delicious!.
    Thank you so much for posting the recipe.

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  55. 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!

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  56. 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 :)

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  57. 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.

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  58. 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.

    Reply

  59. 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!

    Reply

  60. 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 :)

    Reply

  62. 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!

    Reply

  63. 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!

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  64. Just wanted to say how much I love your website and especially this recipe, it is my go to every week.

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  65. 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 .

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  66. 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?

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  69. 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!

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  70. 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

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  71. 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.

    Reply

  72. 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 :)

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  73. 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!

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  74. 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.

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  75. 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!

    Reply

  76. 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)?

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

      • 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.

        Reply

  77. 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.

    Reply

    • 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 :)

      Reply

      • 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

        Reply

  78. 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

    Reply

  79. 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!

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  80. 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.

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  81. 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?

    Reply

  82. 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.

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  83. 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

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  84. 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.

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  85. 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?

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  86. 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

    Reply

  87. 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.

    Reply

  89. 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.

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  90. 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.

    Reply

    • 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!

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  91. 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.

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  92. 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.

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  93. 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!!

    Reply

  94. 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!!

    Reply

  95. 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.

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  96. 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.

    Reply

    • 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

      Reply

  97. 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!!!

    Reply

    • I take this comment back– 24 hours in the fridge solved the oily problem. These breakfast bars are fantastic!

      Reply

  99. 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???

    Reply

    • 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!

      Reply

  100. 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!

    Reply

    • 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

      Reply

      • 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

        Reply

  101. 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!!

    Reply

  103. 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!

    Reply

    • 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. :-)

      Reply

  104. 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 :)

    Reply

  105. 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

    Reply

  107. 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. :-)

    Reply

  108. 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.

    Reply

  109. 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. :)

    Reply

  110. 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

    Reply

  111. 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!

    Reply

  112. 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!!

    Reply

  113. 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

    Reply

  114. 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…

    Reply

  115. 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!

    Reply

  116. 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!

    Reply

  117. 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!

    Reply

  118. 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!

    Reply

  119. 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!

    Reply

  121. 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

    Reply

  122. 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!!!

    Reply

  123. 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!

    Reply

  124. 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

    Reply

  126. 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 :)

    Reply

  127. 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.

    Reply

  128. 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!!

    Reply

  129. 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!

    Reply

  130. 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

    Reply

  131. 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

    Reply

  134. 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.

    Reply

  138. 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!

    Reply

  139. 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!

    Reply

  140. 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.

    Reply

  141. 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 :)

    Reply

  142. 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!

    Reply

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