No-Bake Hazelnut Fig Granola Bars {gluten-free, vegan-friendly}

No-bake homemade granola bars for the win! With thick cut oats, hazelnuts, dried figs and drizzled with chocolate for good measure. You’re going to want these on hand all the time. 

This post is sponsored in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. I only partner with brands I trust and believe you’ll find value in. Thank you for your support! 

this recipe

So my friends… How are you doing? Like, actually… How are you? 

We ask the question in passing but never really get into detail – it’s treated as more of a greeting than a sincere question. I feel like I remember learning something in school how other cultures find that to be odd. (If you’re from another place other than North America, is that true?)

Well, I’ll tell you how I am doing:

LIFE IS CRAZY RIGHT NOW. All good things, but still crazy.

I knew the chaos was coming, but I’ve been trying to avoid it at all costs. Like, what’s better? Preparing yourself for the crazy while stressing about the crazy to come? Or just going with it as best as you can and addressing the crazy once it arrives? Asking for a friend…

Okay, obviously I am asking for myself. But maybe you can help me and others that are also in the season of crazy.

It’s the middle of August and there is a lot going on, right? I am sure between back-to-school with kids, weddings, last minute vacations, etc. we could all use a little something to make our lives a touch easier amidst the chaos.

So let me share with you the goodness that is no-bake hazelnut fig granola bars – because just ONE of the ways to make your life a little easier is having healthy prepared snacks on hand.

Whether the kids are hangry, the bride needs to eat something to calm her nerves or you want to make sure you’ve got a healthy snack for the road trip ahead… homemade snacks will solve basically all of your problems.

Alright so maybe homemade snacks won’t solve our first world problems but we can pretend they’re the cure-all.

No-Bake Hazelnut Fig Granola Bars

We’re talking…

• no-bake (chill time in freezer)
• vegan-friendly (honey is used but brown rice syrup works too)
• gluten-free (buy certified oats if needed)
• soft and tender (will not break your teeth like some baked and store-bought counterparts)

WHAT YOU NEED

• natural nut/seed butter (cashew, almond, sunbutter, etc.)
• honey (I like raw here)
• rolled oats
• hazelnut meal
• chia seeds
• toasted hazelnuts
• dried figs
• chocolate chips (for good measure)

So I assume you’re no stranger to Bob’s Red Mill and their amazing line of products but did you know they carry hazelnut meal?! Yes hazelnut meal. I tested a few different recipes using the hazelnut meal but ultimately these no-bake granola bars won.

OH em gee speaking of hazelnuts… Best hazelnut latte of your life can be found at Case Study Coffee in downtown Portland, OR. Okay? If you go, please get two for me.

I digress. The recipe…

We’re also using Bob’s EXTRA THICK Rolled Oats because they hold their texture perfectly in these soft, nut buttery (or seed buttery!) bars. Yes, you can use regular rolled oats too.

Also chia seed! I love adding chia seeds to granola bars and energy balls. Yes they get stuck in one’s teeth – a small price to pay for one’s health.

And for the lovely mix-ins… dried figs and chopped hazelnuts. Just trust me, it works.

Once everything is mixed the bars go straight into the freezer to chill and firm up. You’ll want a good 45 minutes + in the freezer, and then they can be stored in the fridge.

Because we’re using a loaf pan I cut the bars into 6 rectangle bars, but you can also cut into smaller bars OR double the recipe for more bars.

If you try this recipe, leave a comment and review on the blog! I love hearing from you.

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