Vegan Oat Bars

Oats, chunky almond butter, dark chocolate, and tart dried cherries, make these Vegan Oat Bars a tasty and healthy treat. Packed with wholesome ingredients, these dessert-like energy bars will curb your hunger for hours! Finished with a drizzle of chocolate, it’s hard to believe that these yummy oat bars are dairy free, gluten free, and vegan! 

Using cinnamon and some almond pulp from our homemade Almond Milk recipe, these ingredients make these bars so chewy and delicious. Perfect snack to take along on a hike for an extra boost of energy! Read more about this really tasty and healthy treat in our Blog Comments & Tips.

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RECIPE

(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)

Recipe updated as of 3/26/22

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Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Healthy, Desserts, Kid’s Cooking Corner, Entertaining

American

Servings: 161x2x3x4x5x

Author: Pimp My Recipe

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VEGAN OAT BARS

Packed with oats, dark chocolate chips, dried tart cherries, and almond butter, these Vegan Oat Bars will give you energy for hours. Using cinnamon and some almond pulp from our homemade Almond Milk recipe, these bars are so chewy and delicious. These Vegan Oat Bars are not only dairy-free, but gluten-free, too!

Prep Time: 40 MinCooking Time: 35 MinCooling Time: 3 HourTotal Time: 4 H & 15 M

IngredientsUSMetric

• 1 ½ cups (160g) almond pulp, aerated and sprinkled (or 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour)
• 1 ½ cups whole rolled oats (gluten free)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt
• ¾ cup extra dark chocolate chips (63% cacao), (or vegan mini semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• ⅓ cup roughly chopped dried tart cherries (or dried sweet cherries)
• ¾ cup agave nectar (or pure maple syrup)
• ⅓ cup golden flaxseed meal
• ¾ cup chunky almond butter
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tablespoon extra dark chocolate chips (63% cacao), melted for garnish

InstructionsFahrenheitCelsius

1. Before measuring almond pulp, make sure excess liquid has been squeezed from the pulp. Using a digital scale, weigh 160g of almond pulp. If you don’t have a scale, almond pulp will need to be aerated and sprinkled prior to measuring (see STEP 1 in the Step by Step Instructions for details). If using almond flour instead of almond pulp, see Note #1 below.
2. To a large mixing bowl, add almond pulp (or almond flour), oats, cinnamon, and salt, and whisk well to evenly combine. Then add ¾ cup chocolate chips, and dried cherries. Combine with a whisk or fork, and set aside.
3. Pour agave (or pure maple syrup) into a glass measuring cup (2 cup). With a fork, whisk in flaxseed, and let stand for 10 minutes to create a vegan egg mixture. While agave mixture is developing, line an 8 x 8 non-stick silicone baking pan with parchment paper (see Note #2 below), and set aside. Then place your oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat oven to 350°F.
4. Once 10 minutes have passed, give the flaxseed agave mixture a stir. Add almond butter, and whisk well with a fork. Then add vanilla, and applesauce (see #1 in Notes section), and stir again to combine all wet ingredients.
5. Add agave mixture to the almond pulp mixture, and stir well to combine until all ingredients are completely moistened and no white “flour-like” specs are visible. Dump into prepared baking pan, pressing the batter into the corners with a spatula. Bake for 35 - 37 minutes (see Note #3 below) until edges are golden brown, and top is a light golden color. Let cool for about 1 to 1 ½ hours in the pan. Then holding the edges of the parchment paper, lift it out of the baking pan and place it onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. NOTE: For easy handling, leave it on the parchment paper during cooling.
6. Once completely cooled, melt 1 tablespoon chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl. Stir well, then immediately drizzle onto bars, and cool completely. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares and serve! (For storage tips, see Note #4 below.)

Notes

1. ALMOND PULP vs. ALMOND FLOUR:  We prefer almond pulp for this recipe, as it provides better moisture content. Almond pulp is the byproduct of making homemade almond milk (try our recipe for homemade Almond Milk and you will have leftover almond pulp). If you don’t have any almond pulp available, you can use 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour instead. If using blanched almond flour instead of almond pulp, you will need to add more moisture, so use 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of unsweetened applesauce in this recipe, instead of 2 tablespoons.
2. If using a silicone pan, just line the pan using only one strip of parchment paper. The paper is primarily used to easily lift the bars out of the pan, once they are cooled. If using a glass or metal pan, then line all sides of the pan using two strips of parchment paper.
3. Do not overbake, as these bars will dry out easily. This is a very thick mixture with the consistency of a cookie batter. It should be done when it’s the color of a baked chocolate chip cookie, with golden brown edges. If your mixture is using almond flour with extra applesauce, depending on your oven, you may need to bake a little less (between 30 - 35 minutes)
4. STORAGE: For grab-and-go bars, individually wrap cooled bars in plastic wrap. Then place in an airtight container, or Ziploc freezer bag. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Best refrigerated for up to 10 days. You can also freeze up to 1 month and defrost in the fridge overnight. 
5. Can be eaten directly from the fridge, but these bars are best enjoyed at room temperature, so the chocolate melts in your mouth. We do not recommend reheating in the microwave, as they will crumble when you bite into them. 
6. SERVING: Yields 16 small servings. These Vegan Oat Bars are especially good served with a cup of coffee or tea. They may be small in size, but they are packed with wholesome ingredients that will give you energy and curb your hunger for hours!

Recommended Products:

Stainless Steel Etekcity Digital Food Scale with Bowl (Measures in Grams & Ounces)

Pyrex Glass Measuring Cup (2 Cup)

Trudeau Silicone Nonstick Baking Pan (8 x 8)

Nutrition Facts

Calories

259.06

Fat (grams)

14.93

Sat. Fat (grams)

2.28

Carbs (grams)

26.00

Fiber (grams)

5.00

Net carbs

21.00

Sugar (grams)

13.54

Protein (grams)

5.08

Sodium (milligrams)

104.07

Cholesterol (grams)

0.68

Nutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Almond pulp was used for these nutritional calculations.

https://PimpMyRecipe.com/blog/vegan-oat-bars

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Step by Step Instructions

PREPARATION

Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place and measuring them at the beginning will shorten your prep time.

Note: Oops, we forgot to include the unsweetened applesauce in this photo!

STEP 1

Before measuring almond pulp, make sure excess liquid has been squeezed from the pulp. Using a digital scale, weigh 160g of almond pulp (or use 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour - (see #1 in Notes section). If you don’t have a scale, follow these instructions for aerating and sprinkling the almond pulp, using the photos as a guide.

a) If you don’t have a scale, place almond pulp in a bowl, and with a fork, break up clumps so it looks like wet sand. Similar to aerating, this helps lighten the density of the pulp, so you don’t end up with too much in your recipe.

b) With a fork, scoop up the almond pulp and lightly sprinkle it into a measuring cup. This will ensure you don’t over measure, which can result in a very dense oat bar.

c) Fill measuring cups loosely with aerated almond pulp. Do NOT pack the pulp!

d) Once you have measured 1 ½ cups aerated and sprinkled almond pulp, add two extra tablespoons of aerated almond pulp (this is necessary in order to reach as close to the 160 grams, as possible).

a) Break up clumps.

b) Sprinkle pulp.

c) Loosely filled.

d) 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbs.

STEP 2

To a large mixing bowl, add the almond pulp (or 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour), 1 ½ cups whole rolled oats (gluten free), 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and ¾ teaspoon fine salt, and whisk well to evenly combine. Then add ¾ cup extra dark chocolate chips (63% cacao - see Note below), and ⅓ cup roughly chopped dried tart cherries (or dried sweet cherries), combine with a whisk or fork, and set aside.

Note: If you prefer, you can replace the dark chocolate chips with vegan semi-sweet mini chocolate chips,

Dry-ish ingredients.

Whisk well.

Chocolate & cherries.

Thoroughly combine.

STEP 3

a) Pour ¾ cup agave nectar (or pure maple syrup) into a glass measuring cup.

b) With a fork, whisk in ¼ cup golden flaxseed meal, and let stand for 10 minutes to create a vegan egg mixture. 

c) While agave mixture is developing, line an 8 x 8 non-stick silicone baking pan with parchment paper, and set aside. Then place your oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat oven to 350°F. 

Note: If using a silicone pan, just line the pan using only one strip of parchment paper. The paper is primarily used to easily lift the bars out of the pan, once they are cooled. If using a glass or metal pan, then line all sides of the pan using two strips of parchment paper.

Add flaxseed.

Whisk with fork.

Line pan.

STEP 4

Once 10 minutes have passed, give the flaxseed agave mixture a stir. Add ¾ cup chunky almond butter, and whisk well with a fork. Then add 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce (see Note below), and stir again to combine all wet ingredients.

Note: If using blanched almond flour instead of almond pulp, increase unsweetened applesauce amount to 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) to add more moisture.

After 10 minutes.

Add almond butter.

Stir to combine.

Applesauce & vanilla.

STEP 5a

Add agave mixture to almond pulp mixture, and stir well to combine until all ingredients are completely moistened and no white “flour-like” specs are visible. Dump into prepared baking pan, pressing the batter into the corners with a spatula.

Add agave mixture.

Stir well.

Dump into pan.

Press into corners.

STEP 5b

Bake for 35 - 37 minutes (see Note below) until edges are golden brown, and top is a light golden color. Let cool for about 1 to 1 ½ hours in the pan. Then holding the edges of the parchment paper, lift it out of the baking pan and place it onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. 

Note: Do not overbake, as these bars will dry out easily. This is a very thick mixture with the consistency of a cookie batter. It should be done when it’s the color of a baked chocolate chip cookie, with golden brown edges. If your mixture is using almond flour with extra applesauce, depending on your oven, you may need to bake a little less (between 30 - 35 minutes).

Into oven to bake.

Baked & golden brown.

Cool in pan for 1 to 1 ½ hours.

Lift onto wire rack.

STEP 6

Once completely cooled, place 1 tablespoon extra dark chocolate chips (63% cacao) in a small microwave safe bowl, and melt in the microwave (about 30 seconds, or so). Stir well, then immediately drizzle onto bars, and cool completely. Once cooled, cut into 16 squares and serve!

Storage: For grab-and-go bars, try individually wrap cooled bars in plastic wrap. Then place individually wrapped bars in an airtight container, or a large Ziploc freezer bag. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Best refrigerated for up to 10 days. You can also freeze up to 1 month and defrost in the fridge overnight. 

Melt chocolate.

Drizzle.

Cut into 16 squares.

Individually wrap in plastic.

SERVING SUGGESTION

These Vegan Oat Bars are especially good served with a cup of coffee or tea.

They may be small in size, but they are packed with wholesome ingredients that will give you energy and curb your hunger for hours!

Notes:

1. ALMOND PULP vs. ALMOND FLOUR: We prefer almond pulp for this recipe, as it provides better moisture content. Almond pulp is the byproduct of making homemade almond milk (try our recipe for Almond Milk). However, if you don’t have any almond pulp available, you can use 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour instead. If using blanched almond flour instead of almond pulp, you will need to add more moisture, so use 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of unsweetened applesauce in this recipe, instead of 2 tablespoons.

2. Can be eaten directly from the fridge, but these bars are best enjoyed at room temperature, so the chocolate melts in your mouth. We do not recommend reheating in the microwave, as they will crumble when you bite into them. 

BACK TO RECIPE

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VIDEO

How to Make Vegan Oat Bars - This Almond Pulp Recipe is Healthy and Tastes Great!

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Blog Comments & Tips

A healthy almond pulp recipe that tastes great!

The aromas of cinnamon, chocolate, and almonds fill your senses as you are stirring together the dry ingredients for these Vegan Oat Bars. The hard part was waiting for them to cool completely, while the warm and comforting fragrance of cinnamon smelled amazing when they were baking. Somehow, it reminded me of childhood.

This is one of my favorite recipes to use with leftover almond pulp. These Vegan Oat Bars are packed with so many wonderful ingredients. Oats, dark chocolate chips, dried tart cherries, almond pulp, and almond butter, make these energy bars so chewy and tasty. This recipe makes enough that you can freeze some for another time, or just keep it in the fridge for up to 10 days.  It’s also a healthy snack to take along on a hike, for an extra boost of energy!

Believe me when I say, this was actually a challenging project for the PMR Team. It’s hard for me to find really good vegan and gluten-free recipes for baked desserts that actually taste great. Being French, I love full fat, full sugar, and full everything! So, I was excited about this healthy recipe because it has great flavor.

Desserts usually require binders like eggs, and lots of flour and sugar. Without those elements, you have to be really creative to end up with a baked good that binds together and doesn’t taste like cardboard. We were determined to make these dairy-free, gluten-free, Vegan Oat Bars taste delicious. So, when I came across the original recipe by The Vegan 8, it piqued my interest because of all the wonderful ingredients. In typical Pimp My Recipe style, we pimped it up and in this case, plumped it up! 

We prefer using almond pulp in this recipe, as it provides added moisture. Almond pulp is the byproduct of making homemade almond milk (we encourage you to try our recipe for Almond Milk). If you don’t have any almond pulp available, you can use blanched almond flour instead. Take a look at the Pimp Our Recipe section below for details. 

Now you have the recipe, ingredients, and equipment, but how do you ensure the best results from our recipe?

Our 5 tips to making great Vegan Oat Bars:

1. First, make your own homemade almond milk. We encourage you to try our recipe for Almond Milk. You will have leftover almond pulp to make this recipe. 

2. Use only high quality, organic ingredients.

3. Use great quality dark chocolate chips. Guittard Chocolate is available in many grocery stores around the globe.

4. Don’t over bake these bars, as they will get overly dry and crumbly. 

5. Cool them completely before drizzling and especially before cutting. 

Time to customize and Pimp Our Recipe. 

Pimp Our Recipe:

• Make it Spiced: Add ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg to the dry ingredients. 

• Make it with Almond Flour Instead: If you don’t have any almond pulp available, you can use 1 ½ cups blanched almond flour instead. To add more moisture, use 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) of unsweetened applesauce, instead of 2 tablespoons. Bake between 30 - 35 minutes, depending on your oven.

• Make it with Other Chocolate: If you don’t have extra dark chocolate chips (63% cacao), just replace with the same amount of vegan semi-sweet mini chocolate chips, or even vegan unsweetened chocolate chips. Mini chocolate chips work very well in this recipe.  

• Don’t Like Cherries: Use any dried fruit you like! Just make sure you roughly chop them, and the flavors pair well with the other ingredients. 

Enjoy and let us know what you think by commenting below, rating our recipes, subscribing, following, and liking us on Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks. 

Happy Cooking!

Mich

Footnote: Remember to let your bars cool completely before drizzling and cutting them into squares.

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Adapted from the delicious Chocolate Chip Bars recipe by The Vegan 8, we pimped up the recipe slightly by adding just a couple of ingredients, and changed the ratios and technique a bit to yield a different type of bar. We hope this will make this recipe easier for all home bakers.

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