Soft chocolate granola bars are the perfect chocolaty healthy snack! Quick and easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, these granola bars are super soft, chewy, and freeze extremely well. Loaded with natural and nutritious ingredients, they’ll keep you energized throughout the day!
I’m so obsessed with this Soft Apricot Cashew Granola Bars recipe that I created a chocolate variant. Because we always need a chocolate snack ready to eat whenever we have a chocolate craving! Ready in no time, these bars will be perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth and load you with energy after a workout session, a hike, or any time of the day really.
Soft chocolate granola bars are:
- Healthy and nutritious ✔
- Loaded with chocolate flavors ✔
- Quick and easy to make ✔
- Soft ad chewy ✔
- Freeze very well ✔
The recipe ingredients
The recipe calls for 4 main ingredients, to which you can add some optional add-ins for additional flavors. Here’s what you need for soft chocolate granola bars:
- Cashew butter. I recommend smooth and natural cashew butter, but you can also replace with natural peanut butter (usually cheaper than cashew butter).
- Rolled oats. Use old-fashioned rolled, not quick oats. The last ones will make the mixture too mushy.
- Honey. Any type will do. For a vegan option, replace with maple syrup or agave syrup.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder. Just make sure your cocoa is unsweetened, since the bars are already sweetened by the honey.
The optional add-ins
Now it doesn’t hurt to add some flavors to your granola bars to make them extra delicious. Here’s what you can consider:
- Cashews. I always add a handful of raw cashew halves for some texture. If you use peanut butter, you can replace cashews with a handful of unsalted peanuts.
- Vanilla extract. Because vanilla boost the chocolate flavors in the bars!
- Mini chocolate chips. They add extra chocolaty flavors. If you want to keep your chocolate granola bars as healthy as possible, keep them out of the recipe.
- Chocolate drizzle over the bars. It makes the bars look beautiful, but I do not recommend it if you’re to take your bars for a hike or so, as it will melt with the heat and your granola bars will become a mess to eat.
Can you freeze soft chocolate granola bars?
Absolutely! And I actually recommend you do, as you’ll have them handy whenever a sweet craving shows up in the middle of the day. When it comes to healthy choices, you’ll be happy to grab a nutritious snack rather than rushing to the bakery nearby and buy yourself a giant muffin instead.
Once you’ve made your granola bars, freeze a first time for 30 minutes before slicing. Then, you can wrap individually in parchment paper or place them loose in a large ziploc bag, and freeze for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator (it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes). I do not recommend you thaw in the microwave, especially if you use chocolate chips and a chocolate drizzle on top of the bars.
More granola bars:
Homemade granola bars are pretty easy to make and always save you from an healthy treat in the middle of the day. I absolutely LOVE these Soft Apricot Cashew Granola Bars, from which this chocolate chip version is directly inspired. For a nut butter free version, consider these Easy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, or these Healthy Lemon Coconut Energy Balls. For an extra dose of chocolate, consider these Chocolate-Covered Nut Date Bars.
To go further, check these 10+ Nutritious Grab-and-Go Snacks. You’ll have plenty of inspiration for the weeks to come. Keep in mind that all recipes freeze very well, so you can make a batch of each, freeze in ziploc bags, and grab a different one very day of the week!
You’ll also like…
Whether it’s for a healthy snack or for breakfast, you’ll also like this Basic Oatmeal Recipe (+ Healthy Topping Ideas) , but also both this Sugar-Free Almond Butter Banana Muffins and this extra delicious Chocolate Almond Banana Smoothie that I make every week or so!
Soft Chocolate Granola Bars
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Freezing Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 14 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Soft chocolate granola bars are the perfect chocolaty healthy snack! Quick and easy to make with just a handful of ingredients, these granola bars are super soft, chewy, and freeze extremely well. Loaded with natural and nutritious ingredients, they’ll keep you energized throughout the day!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (250g) cashew butter*
- ½ cup (175g) honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (180g) old-fashioned rolled oats**
- ¼ cup (30g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (40g) mini chocolate chips (optional)***
- 2 Tablespoons cashew halves (optional)
- Melted chocolate, for drizzling over (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and cocoa powder. Stir the cashew butter, honey and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add chocolate chips and cashew halves and stir until combined. If the mixture is a little bit too dry, consider adding a few Tablespoons of hot water, one at a time.
- Press the bar mixture into a 10×8 inch (26×20 cm) or a 9×9 inch (23×23 cm) pan lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 30 minutes.
- Pull out of the pan and cut into bars. Place bars (individually wrapped with parchment paper) in a large ziploc bag next to each other, and store in the refrigerator for 7 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Notes
* Instead of cashew butter, you can use smooth (or crunchy!) peanut butter.
** I do not recommend quick oats for this recipe, as they will make the mixture mushy. Old-fashioned rolled oats however bring some interesting texture to the bars.
*** You can make these chocolate granola bars with or without the mini chocolate chips.
Did you make this recipe?
Lastly, if you make this Soft Chocolate Granola Bars, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!
Flora
I’m delighted to find this recipe, thank you!
Delphine Fortin
Happy you like it 🙂