Keto Granola Bars

by Irena

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These easy keto granola bars are sweet, salty, and delicious. Chockfull of healthy nuts and seeds, they’re one of my favorite keto snacks!

Titled image of keto granola bars standing up in a light green bowl.

If you’re a snacker like me, you’re going to love these keto granola bars. They’re easy to make and they look and taste just like the real deal. A little bit sweet, a little bit salty, and a whole lot delicious.

These homemade grain-free granola bars are worthy of a little obsession. I knew they would be good but I was amazed at how much they resemble real granola bars.

And all without any grains or sugars!

Two grain free keto granola bars on a white plate in front of a bowl of mini sugar free chocolate chips.

Grain free granola bars

Back in the day, I used to think that granola bars were good for me, and they were one of my go-to snacks. My husband and I would pack them for hiking and camping, and we always kept some in the car for hunger emergencies.

Creating keto friendly granola bars has long been a goal of mine, but of course it presents any number of challenges. How do you make granola bars without granola?

If you follow me, you know that I have been making keto granola for a very long time with a combination of coarsely ground coconut and nuts. Turns out that this trick works well for granola bars too. You just have to grind them a little more finely so that the bars don’t crumble.

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But making them without sugar or honey is trickier, since that’s what holds conventional granola bars together. I’ve made bars in the past that used egg whites as a binder and while they were tasty, they were too soft. They weren’t the crunchy keto granola bars of my dreams.

This time, I created a syrup out of butter and keto sweeteners, added some collagen, and pressed them really firmly into the bottom of the pan. Success!

A stack of keto granola bars on a white wooden table, with pecans and chocolate chips scattered around.

How to make keto granola bars

These are quite simple to make and you won’t believe they are sugar free and grain free. Here are my best tips for getting them right:

  1. Choose your nuts and seeds. It hardly matters what combination of nuts and seeds you use, as long as you grind them up enough. I like the texture of flaked coconut but you can use sliced almonds instead.
  2. Use a food processor. You really need to chop the nuts and seeds finely and doing it by hand simply won’t cut it. They should resemble coarse crumbs, but a few larger pieces are okay.
  3. Add some collagen. Collagen swells and gets a bit sticky when mixed with liquid so it helps bind the bars together and make them less fragile.
  4. Create a keto syrup. The syrup is crucial to holding the bars together. It also REALLY matters which sweeteners you use. I made several versions and when I used any BochaSweet or allulose, they were so soft, they crumbled when I tried to pick them up. ONLY erythritol based sweeteners such as Swerve or Lakanto will work.
  5. Press them down firmly. Really, really firmly! This is key to making cohesive keto granola bars that stay together.
  6. Let them cool properly. The bars are very soft right out of the oven so let them cool completely before lifting out of the pan.
  7. Cut straight down. Use a large, sharp knife to cut them into squares or bars, and cut straight down rather than sawing back and forth.
  8. Save those crumbles! Use any crumbles bits or bars that fall apart as granola. They are delicious in yogurt or over ice cream, or simply used as breakfast cereal.
A hand holding up a keto granola bar.

Frequently Asked Questions

I hate coconut, what can I use instead?

Try using sliced almonds instead. They have the same texture as flaked coconut when ground up.

Is there any way to make this dairy free?

Sure! I think ghee or coconut oil will work well in place of the butter.

What can I use in place of the collagen?

Nothing. Collagen has unique properties that really help hold these keto granola bars together. You can skip it but they will be more fragile.

A stack of keto granola bars in front of a cutting board with the remaining bars on it.

Storage information

Because they don’t contain anything that will spoil, keto granola bars are fine on the counter for up to two weeks. I recommend keeping them in an airtight container.

I have never tried to freeze them but I am sure they would be fine there as well and would keep for several months.

More delicious keto snack ideas

Titled image of keto granola bars standing up in a light green bowl.

Keto Granola Bars Recipe

These easy keto granola bars are sweet, salty, and delicious. Chockfull of healthy nuts and seeds, they’re one of my favorite keto snacks!

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Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto granola bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Calories: 269kcal

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 300F and line an 8×8 inch metal pan with parchment paper (with a little of the parchment overhanging the sides for easy removal).

  • In a food processor, combine the coconut, almonds, pecans, and pumpkin seeds. Process on high until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs in texture.

  • Add the collagen and salt, and pulse a few times to combine, then transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

  • In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the sweeteners, whisking until they dissolve. Stir in the vanilla extract.

  • Stir the butter mixture into the nut mixture until thoroughly combined, then stir in the chocolate chips, if using. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.

  • Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use a flat-bottomed glass or measuring cup to really press it down and compact it as much as possible.

  • Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are turning golden brown. Let cool completely in the pan and then lift them out by the parchment. Use a very sharp knife and cut them into bars (cutting straight down works much better than sawing away at them).

Video

Nutrition Facts

Keto Granola Bars Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 granola bar)

Calories 269
Calories from Fat 214

% Daily Value*

Fat 23.8g37%

Cholesterol 15mg5%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 4.4g18%

Protein 7.5g15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.



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