Crunchy, nutritious, totally customizable, and very simple.
Everything is mixed together in 1 bowl. That includes:
- Uncooked quinoa
- Oats (use certified GF if needed!)
- Nuts (your favorite)
- Honey
- Nut butter
- Dates
- Chia seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
Hitting major superfoods here! And there’s plenty of room for customization, too. I used almonds, honey, and almond butter. If chia seeds aren’t your thing, you can leave them out. You can also switch the nuts for sunflower seeds and use sunflower seed butter, making the bars completely nut-free. But my favorite favorite favorite part of all is the quinoa. It’s so crunchy, which is a deliciously awesome contrast to the softer dates, oats, and chocolate on top.
Make sure you pulse the dates in a food processor so they turn into a thick paste. Otherwise the bars tend to fall apart.
I’d like to apologize for how much this next photo resembles bird food. I promise you’ll love them!
More Snack Bars:
- Vanilla Almond Snack Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Snack Bars
- Berry Cashew Snack Bars
- Chocolate Cherry Almond Snack Bars
- Spiced Pumpkin Seed Cranberry Snack Bars
Quinoa Crunch Snack Bars
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 9 squares or 12 rectangle bars
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chewy and crunchy quinoa bars are made with dates, almond butter, oats, honey, and dark chocolate. They are wholesome, salty, and sweet!
Ingredients
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted
- 1 cup (85g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 3/4 cup (130g) uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup (70g) coarsely chopped almonds
- 1/2 cup (70g) pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 cup (125g) almond butter
- 1/3 cup (113g) honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 ounces melted semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan. Set aside.
- Pulse the dates in a food processor until they form a chunky paste. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl (except for the chocolate). Stir everything together until evenly combined. This will take some arm muscle!
- Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan and press very firmly into an even layer. You want it packed in as tight as possible. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 more hour. This firms up the bars which helps them stay together.
- Remove bars from the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. You can drizzle with chocolate before or after cutting.
- Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap or parchment. Store at room temperature for 1 week or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: These bars are freezer friendly. After wrapping individually, freeze for up to 3 months and thaw before enjoying.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):Â 8-inch Square Baking Pan or 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Food Processor | Glass Mixing Bowls | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack