Vegan Muffin Tin Granola Bars (GF, Oil-Free)

Vegan muffin tin granola bars are oil-free, gluten-free, quick & straightforward to make, & most importantly, satisfying! Great for snacks or breakfast.

A few years back, I did a brief stint as a spokesperson for a particular brand of breakfast “biscuits.”

One of my tasks included an appearance on a national morning show, where I was slated to chat about nourishing breakfasts on the go in general, and the aforementioned breakfast biscuits in particular. The script was fairly relaxed, guided by a half dozen talking points. But interjected throughout, in bold as well as capital letters, was the following mandate:

DO NOT CALL IT A COOKIE!!!

Because, of course, it was.

They may have elongated the shape and dubbed it a biscuit, but by every other measure, it was a cookie. As sweet as a cookie, crisp and crunchy (and about as high in fat) as a cookie, and, except for the addition of some fiber, the same nutritional profile as a cookie.

My muffin tin granola bars arenotcookies. But you are more tha welcome to call them cookies, breakfast cookies, or whatever you like!

Made entirely of pantry ingredients, low in sugar, high in nutrition, cheap and straightforward to make, endlessly versatile, theyarean ideal, nourishing breakfast to grab and go. Forgive my bragging, but they are amazeballs.

Recipe Benefits

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Oil-free
• 101 calories each
• No processed sugar

Ingredients

Many granola bar recipes are loaded with sugar and fat, and oftentimes eggs or egg whites to make them stick. By contrast, these plain bars rely on (my favorites) chickpea flour and a bit of pysllium husk to keep their shape

• nondairy milk or water
• maple syrup
• chickpea flour
• whole psyllium husks
• vanilla extract
• rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
• dried fruit, chopped (I used dried tart cherries; use whatever dried fruit you like)

How to Make Vegan Muffin Tin Granola Bars

• Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Grease or spray all 12 cups of a standard muffin tin (or line with paper or foil liners).
• In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, chickpea flour, psyllium, vanilla and salt. Let stand for 5 minutes to thicken.
• To the bowl, add the oats and dried fruit, stirring to coat.
• Divide mixture evenly among prepared cups. Using the bottom of a measuring cup (spray or grease bottom of cup to avoid sticking), firmly tamp down the granola mixture.
• Bake in preheated oven for 14 to 17 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool in tin for 10 minutes. Remove granola bars from tin and cool completely.

It is very important to firmly tamp down the oats mixture into the muffin cups. Skipping this step will result in crumbly granola, not granola bars. It only takes a moment to accomplish, like so:

FAQ

How Should I Store Vegan Muffin Tin Granola Bras?

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temp for up 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freezer for up to 3 months.

Can I Vary the Bars?

Yes! You can customize the bars in many ways:

• Chocolate chips, chopped nuts or seeds in place of (or in combination with) the dried fruit
• Extracts (such as almond or lemon) in place of (or in addition to) vanilla extract
• Various spices (e.g., cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, ginger)

Can I Use Something in Place of the Chickpea Flour?

No, not with this particular recipe.

Can I Use Something in Place of the Psyllium Husks?

Yes. Replace the psyllium husks with 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal.