5-Ingredient Energy Bars
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Nothing beats making an energy bar from scratch!
When running from one thing to the next it’s easy to rely on convenient foods or energy bars from the store. But these no-bake energy bars are so simple to make and then you’ll have 8 bars on hand to have for snacks, pre or post workouts, and breakfast.
One of the perks of making your own high-protein energy bars at home is that you’re in total control over the ingredients you add in.
This energy bar recipe was so easy and took me all of 20 minutes to put together. And the mix in’s are totally customizable.
You do need to keep the energy bars in the fridge after making to form and firm up for 2-3 hours (or overnight) so they are perfect for making before bed and enjoying with breakfast in the AM!
Need some other easy breakfast ideas? Check out my Oatmeal Breakfast Bars, No-Bake Protein Energy Balls, and Homemade Protein Bars for more recipes you’ll love!
Energy bar ingredients
I couldn’t have made this energy bar recipe any easier! I wanted to create a healthy snack recipe that was super satisfying, tasted great, and kept you full. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients. For this no-bake energy bar recipe, you’ll need:
- Quick 1-minute oats
- Almond butter or peanut butter
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Almonds
- Optional mix ins: dried cranberries, chocolate chips, sliced dried apricots, coconut flakes, other nuts, etc.
Health benefits of nuts
It’s been proven time and time again from research the positive impact nut consumption has on our overall heart health. Nuts are tasty, convenient, and make for the perfect snack so you can easily incorporate them into your diet.
Peanuts are a good source of Vitamin E, Magnesium, Folate, Copper, and phosphorus. These healthy energy bars are also rich in fiber, which adds bulk to the diet and helps you feel full longer, while aiding in digestion.
If you have an allergy to nuts (like my hubby!), try using soy nut butter or sunflower seed butter to replace the nut butters!
How to make energy bars
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
- To make this no-bake energy bar recipe, first gather all the ingredients. Then, mix the pulsed almonds, oats and cranberries in a large bowl. Melt the honey and peanut butter in a saucepan over medium heat before mixing in with the oats.
- Press the homemade energy bar mixture into an 8×8-inch baking dish and store in the fridge for 2-3 hours (or overnight) and then cut into 8 bars! They can last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Are these energy bars gluten free?
If you purchase gluten-free oats or oats not processed in a facility with gluten, then yes!
Can I make these bars vegan?
Yes! To make this energy bar recipe vegan, use organic pure maple syrup instead of honey. Be sure to buy pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup (which is often made with corn syrup).
Can I freeze energy bars?
Yes, you can freeze these healthy energy bars! To do so, wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer baggie. Press out all of the air and then store in the freezer until ready to eat. They’ll stay fresh for up to 1 month in the freezer.
Tips for making energy bars
- Quick cook oats are a must for this energy bar recipe. Old-fashioned oats are slightly too large and chewy for no-bake energy bars, and steel cut oats aren’t tasty raw.
- I’ve said this already, but feel free to play around with the mix in’s in these bars! You can use any dried fruit in this recipe, but you’ll want to dice larger pieces of fruit like dried apples or apricots before stirring them into the energy bar mixture.
- I prefer using all-natural nut butters for these healthy energy bars because they don’t contain added oils and sugars. But use whatever you have on hand and play around with it!
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5-Ingredient Energy Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds*, pulsed or roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cup quick 1-minute oats, uncooked
- 1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)**
- 1 cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
Mix ins:
- 1 cup dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, chocolate chips, other dried fruits or nuts.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Place almonds, oats, and cranberries (or other mix ins you want) in a medium sized bowl.1 cup almonds*, pulsed or roughly chopped, 1 1/2 cup quick 1-minute oats, uncooked, 1 cup dried cranberries, dried tart cherries, chocolate chips, other dried fruits or nuts.
- Heat the honey, coconut oil and nut butter in a small saucepan over low heat until mixed.1/2 cup honey (or maple syrup)**, 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted, 1 cup almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oat and almond mixture and stir together.1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
- Once mixed, transfer to an 8×8-inch baking dish and flatten into a 1-inch thick square.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or for 2-3 hours. Then, cut and store in an airtight container. Will stay good for up to 5 days in fridge. (I also like to store mine in a freezer safe baggie. When I am ready to grab a bar, I'll let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes to soften and then enjoy!)
Equipment
Video
Notes
- *Pulse almonds in food processor a couple times before mixing or you can roughly chop with a knife.
- **May sub honey for maple syrup. If vegan, use organic pure maple syrup
- ***May sub peanut butter for almond butter or your favorite nut butter.
- I also like to break up the bars and use as granola!
- Store bars in fridge or freezer (not in pantry or counter)
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Photography: photos taken in this post are by Megan from The Broke Girl Table.
Delicious! I cut the recipe in half and added toasted slivered almonds, raisins, cranberries and mini chocolate chips. A healthy on the go snack.
What can I substitute for the coconut oil?
butter will work!
Delicious!! So easy to prepare! Great flavor, I added dried cranberries and many chocolate chips. Would be perfect for kid and adult snack.
Love the chocolate chip addition mmm! Thank you!
Can these stay outside of fridge? Planning to make and ship some to a friend.
I have found that they hold up best when stored in the freezer or fridge.
Hello Tawnie,
easy and quick recipe, super tasty result but I have been a bit annoyed. I took the bars I made for my bike ride and they kind of melted. From bite sized squares it switched to a huge block and my beewrap did not like it. Wheather was particularly hot.
I will try bring some on another ride with a cooler weather. If it happens again, I guess i would keep this recipe as a winter one.
Hi Adrien! I am so sorry your bars melted into one on your bike ride. Ah, that is so frustrating I can totally understand. In the recipe card I note to keep them in the fridge or freezer. Due to the nut butter ratio to other ingredients they can become a bit soft so they’re best stored in cold temps which is why I don’t recommend to store on the counter. With that said, I wouldn’t recommend for long hikes or bike rides since that refrigeration is necessary since they tend to get melty, especially on hot days. Once again I am so sorry these didn’t hold up for you. These energy bites might be a better solution for you: https://krollskorner.com/recipes/breakfast/no-bake-protein-energy-bites/ – thank you!! – Tawnie
Is it possible for these to last longer without refrigeration? I wanted to include them in a care package to deployed service members but wasn’t sure about their longevity. Thanks!
Hi Robin! That’s sweet of you! They might be able to but I can’t say for certain because of the peanut butter ratio to other ingredients I’ve found they get kind of “wet” and don’t hold up the best at room temperature.
Are they really 412 calories per bar?
The nutrition information is calculated based on the ingredients in our system but please keep in mind the nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary I makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. <3
I really wanted the nutrition facts I think that is the only thing that you missed for me
Hi Angelica, if you scroll to the bottom of the recipe card, all of the nutrition information can be found there. I always like to remind my readers that nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information. Thank you. I hope you love these bars!
these are really good, make them for my backpacking trips. btw they don’t need to be refrigerated, there is nothing that’s going bad and i have them in my pack with no issues
Hey Josh! Thanks so much, I’m glad you like them 🙂 Good tip about them not needing to be refrigerated. I think they firm up and stay better when they’re frozen or refrigerated but totally don’t have to be 🙂 Thanks again! xo, Tawnie
Can you freeze these bars? How long will they last for frozen?
Hi Zoe! Yes, totally! I’d recommend freezing in a freezer safe container, like a Stasher bag for example, for up to 3 months! Enjoy 🙂 xo, Tawnie