Gingerbread Granola Bars
These gingerbread granola bars combine all of the warm spices of gingerbread with the chewy, nutty texture of a classic granola bar.
Before we get stuck into today’s recipe, I wanted to update you all on a little personal news. Next month our little family are packing up and moving across the country to Houston, Texas! This has been in the works for about two years now, so I am excited to finally settle in and have some new adventures in the South.
What does this mean for ELK? Well, my hope is that I will have a little more time to work on some (long overdue!) site updates and improvements, and make ELK a truly valuable resource for all of you health-conscious, time–pressed vegetarians and veg-curious out there. This blog has been my labor of love for the past 18 months, but I have not yet been able to dedicate as much time to it as I would like, so I’m VERY excited breathe some new life into this little space! I would love to hear your feedback- what do you want to see more of? Please let me know!
Ok, onto these Gingerbread Granola Bars…! I’m sticking to my strong suite again today- healthy snacks! I have posted many quick bites on the blog, and of all of them, these are my absolute faves! These bars contain all of the warm spices of gingerbread with the chewy, nutty texture of a classic granola bar. Absolute perfection!
Enjoy!
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup whole raw almonds
- ¼ chopped walnuts
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup honey (or agave/maple syrup if vegan)
- ¼ cup peanut butter )or almond butter)
- 1 tsp ginger
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp molasses
- Line a 9x9 inch baking tray with cling film (plastic wrap), set aside
- Put the dates into a food processor, and process until the dates form a sticky dough-like ball
- In a large bowl, combine the date "dough" with the oats, almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds. Set aside
- In a small saucepan, melt together honey, peanut butter, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and molasses over a low heat, stirring constantly
- When the honey-peanut butter mix is warm and well mixed, pour the mixture over the date-oat mix
- Stir thoroughly until fully combined, press into the 9x9 inch baking tray, and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes
- Cut into 8 rectangles
Notes
Inspired by Minimalist Bakers Gingerbread Granola
This recipe is very adaptable- you can play with the nut and seed combinations and even replace some nuts with a little dried fruit!
Your granola bars always look so amazing, Emma! I especially love the addition of dates and peanut butter. And congrats on the move!!! That is so exciting! I’m sure there are great things to come for ELK – I can’t wait to see what’s in store.
Thanks Julia! So sweet as always 🙂 x
How exciting!! And I love that you’re still eating gingerbread at this time of year…it’s too delicious of a thing to only have once a year!
I refuse to confine gingerbread/gingerbread related items to December. That’s just madness, its too delicious!
How exciting about your move!! We move around a lot so I always get excited when other people start new adventures! These granola bars look awesome and I love all those whole almonds in them!!
You do?! Well let me know if you’re ever in Texas 🙂
Do you have any idea the nutritional content for these yummy looking granola bars?
Hi Samantha! I actually don’t, but I hear that some of my readers have had some success running my recipes through fitness pal?!
These sound delicious! But I don’t own a food processor or high powered blender (do own a regular blender though) Any ideas on what else to use to get a “date dough”?
Hi Kim, you could always try this in your regular blender, it may take a little longer and you may not get as smooth a dough, but I think it would work!
Hi, try simmering dates in a little water til they get mushy. Then simmer off any excess water so really dry and sticky. I do this for another recipe and can’t see why it shouldn’t work!
8. and press the
Could you finish this step, please?
Sorry Cathy, that was a typo. There is no final step after you cut your bars into 8 rectangles. Thanks!
I love these. I have a week a month where my blood sugar can’t cope with life and now I just keep one of these bars with me for ’emergencies’. They are tasty and do the trick without the plummeting drop that sugar-filled snacks give. Thank you. I am now going through your recipes wondering which ones I can get past my caveman husband without too much angst. Thinking the mushroom and chickpea curry might work. 👍🏻
Thank you my dear, that makes me so happy! My husband just turned Pescetarian… these caveman can surprise you!
Love the idea of the ginger and spices in these. My daughter doesn’t like dates so wondering about a substitute? I know, that’s a tricky one. Also, do you think oat flour or soaked steel cut oats would work. My food processor not working so thinking of alternatives.
I wanted to know if you had a calorie count for these granola bars? I am making them and they smell wonderful, so I am sure I will love the taste. I log all my food into my fitbit and like to know my calorie input for the day.
Kimberly
Hi Kimberly, I don’t I’m afraid. But I know some of my readers like to use My Fitness Pal to calculate calories in my recipes 🙂
I just made these and they are so good, I’m addicted! Thank you for the recipe.
Yay!!