Fruit and Nut Bars
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Published Jul 10, 2020, Updated Jun 12, 2023
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These tasty fruit and nut bars are oil-free and contain no added sugar. They’re nutty, chewy, slightly sweet and make for a perfect grab-n-go snack!
Did anyone else grow up on fruit and nut granola bars? I won’t mention names but they are filled with so many crappy ingredients! Thankfully, I’ve created a homemade version that are just as tasty, super simple to make and muchhhh healthier!
Just like my granola bites, these fruit and nut bars are basically “Bird Food” in bar form. I love that they’re oil-free and contain no added sweeteners yet still taste incredible! Isaac said they were the best bars I’ve ever made! I’ll take that as a compliment because I think my tahini fig bars are quite good!
Ingredients Needed
- oat flour – you can buy this or make your own by blending oats! You can also use whole wheat or regular all-purpose flour if needed.
- old fashioned rolled oats
- medjool dates or prunes
- raisins
- dried apricots
- walnuts
- cacao nibs – cacao nibs are small pieces of crushed unroasted cacao beans. They’re unsweetened and have a bitter, chocolatey flavor. If you’re not sure about using these, you can always sub in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
If you decide to try out the recipe, remember that they aren’t super sweet, but they are super versatile — I’m sure different dried fruits like cranberries, figs, dates, currants, cherries or blueberries would work great if you wanted to substitute ingredients.
And, I like that the cacao nibs don’t add any sugar, but I bet they would be spectacular with a few chocolate chips in the mix.
How To Make Fruit & Nut Bars
While you do need to bake these bars, they’re super simple to make!
You’ll start by chopping your prunes, raisins and apricots in a food processor until well chopped. Then in a large bowl, you mix the flour, oats, fruit mixture, nuts, cacao nibs and water – kneading together until a dough forms. If needed you can add more water to accomplish this!
Lastly, press into a pan lined with parchment paper and then cut into squares before baking (a trick to easier cutting after baking!). Bake the bars for 25 minutes and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Fruit & Nut Bar Stats
Like I mentioned, these granola bars are much healthier than packaged alternatives! But let’s break down the facts.
- Oats – Studies have shown that oats may help lower cholesterol, may prevent type 2 diabetes and help control blood sugar levels. They have a good amount of protein and fiber and are a great addition to your diet. (Source)
- Dates – Dates are a great natural sweetener! They are packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals and are high in antioxidants. (Source)
- Raisins – While I wouldn’t suggest living off of dried fruit, they are by no means “off limits”! They are a good source of fiber, iron and calcium as well as an amazing source of antioxidants. (Source)
- Apricots – Apricots are great sources of vitamin A and C and another great source of antioxidants! (Should I have called these “Antioxidant Bars”?!) They have been linked to improve eye, skin and gut health. A winning little superfood! (Source)
- Walnuts – Walnuts look like little brains which always reminds me how amazing they are for my brain! These nuts are high in omega-3 fats and have a crazy amount of antioxidants. They have been linked to heart disease prevention and cancer prevention. (Source)
- Cacao Nibs – Cacao nibs are a great way to get a hint of chocolate flavor without the added sugar. They are packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and… you guessed it: antioxidants! (Source)
More Bar Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Baked Oatmeal Bars
- Chocolate Protein Bars
- Blueberry Crumble Bars
- Curried Almond Granola Bars
- PB & J Bars
- Oatmeal Raisin Protein Bars
- Cranberry Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars
- Nut Free Granola Bars
- Crispy Chocolate Rice Cake Bars
- No Bake High Fiber Bars
More Fruity Recipes
Be sure to check out all of the snack recipes here on EBF!
Fruit and Nut Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup oat flour*
- 1/2 cup medjool dates or prunes
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped*
- 2 Tablespoons cacao nibs
- 2/3 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Cover an 8-inch x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Place prunes, raisins and apricots in a mini-chopper or food processor and pulse until well chopped.
- Combine flour, oats, chopped fruit mixture, nuts, cacao nibs and 2/3 cup water in a large bowl and knead with your hands until a ball of dough forms.
- Press dough firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Cut into squares with a sharp knife before placing in the oven.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until baked through but still soft (don’t over-bake them or the bars will be dry and tough).
- Leftover bars should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for 1-2 weeks.
Notes
- Whole wheat, spelt or all-purpose flour will also work.
- To save time on chopping your nuts, you can place them in your food processor or mini-chopper and pulse until well chopped.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you think I could substitute seeds for the walnuts to make these bars school friendly? What would you suggest? 1c of pumpkin or sunflower? Maybe less since they are smaller? Thanks!
Yes, I think that would work just fine! And I think either seed option would work well. 🙂 Let me know how they turn out if you make them.
So yummy!!! I used dried mango instead of apricot and added chocolate chips and chia seeds!! So so good:)
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed these bars, Peyton. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
AMAZING RECIPE!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING…
Made these and they were great in taste, except they didn’t stick together and all fell apart! I used the 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons…baked for 25 mins…any suggestions as to what I may have done wrong & how I can fix this? Thank you!
I had this same problem. The taste was great and they were simple and quick to make but they came out very crumbly. What can I adjust to make them stick together better in bar form? Am hoping this is Something my toddler can eat Independently without crumbling all over!
Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that, Jessica. What flour did you end up using and did you change anything about the recipe?
Hey Jordan – Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that they fell apart. What flour did you end up using and did you change anything about the recipe?
Hi Brittany! These look amazing and I can’t wait to make them. One question: do you think they’d freeze well? I’m an expectant mama and would love to have some of these on hand once the baby comes!
Hey Lauren! Yes, these should freeze well. 🙂
The flavor of this recipe is awesome! Unfortunately, mine also didn’t stick together well and crumbled after baking. I did oats, oat flour (made by putting oats the food processor), walnuts, dates and dried cranberries, I added coconut, mini chocolate chips… and I did about 1/3 cup of water plus an additional tablespoon.
Hey Jenna – so sorry to hear that. I’m wondering why that’s the case for some people! Did your dates seem dry and since you only used two dried fruits did you use 1.5 cups combined or just 1 cup? Also, how long did you cook them for? If they get baked too long the bars end up being dry.
Hi could you use almond flour instead of oat flour?
Hey Jade – I haven’t tried almond flour instead of oat flour, so I’m not too sure how the bars will turn out. I would assume subbing almond flour for the oat flour would work, but again I haven’t tried it. Let me know if you decide to try it and how the bars turn out!
Tried it and came out very delicious. Just made few changes for my toddler. Added only oats flour, dates, figs, prunes, little chic chips and powdered almond.
Thank you for this recipe.
Yay! So glad these fruit and nut bars worked out for you, Hiral! Thanks for making them and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
I love this site.
Woo! Glad to hear it, thank you 🙂