Almond butter energy bars recipe

Make your own energy bars for sports refuelling or a snack in the office, much cheaper than buying ready made bars

Wheat & gluten free Almond Butter Energy Bars recipe

Allergy Information

Wheat-Free no
Gluten-Free no
Nut-Free no
Dairy-Free no
Sugar-Free no
Vegetarian no
Vegan no
  • Yield: makes 6 large

Finding energy bars that aren't overloaded with sugar is quite challenging, after all, the idea of an energy bar is to give you a boost, hence the sugar. However, it is possible to make your own energy bars that will provide a sustained energy release by using oats.

I like these energy bars because they have just the right amount of sweetness from the protein powder (which is sugar free), and a lovely chocolatey flavour as well as crunchy bits from the cacao nibs and seeds, and you don't even need to bake them. These are ideal to wrap and take on a hike, biking, or just as an afternoon pick-me-up.

Important note: even using certified gluten free oats it may not be suitable for all celiacs; some celiacs are very sensitive to avenin contained in the oats, see our oats FAQ for more info.

Ingredients (Measures: Metric | US)

225g [2 14 cups] gluten free oats
125g [12 cup] almond butter
3 scoops [3 scoops] chocolate protein powder (we used Kaizen 100% Whey Isolate in Decadent Chocolate flavour - 1 scoop = 1/3 cup = 40g)
125ml [12 cup] water
1 tsp [1 tsp] almond extract
1 tbsp [1 tbsp] raw cacao powder
2 tbsp [2 tbsp] cacao nibs
3 tbsp [3 tbsp] chia seeds
3 tbsp [3 tbsp] sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Directions

  1. Line a baking tray 17cm square (7" square) with baking paper.
  2. Put all the dry ingredients into a food mixer with dough attachment, and mix until well distributed.
  3. Add the almond butter and water. It takes a bit of effort to get everything combined. If the mix still looks too dry then add ½ tbsp of water at a time. Do not add too much extra water as the mixture will very quickly turn too soft. Hint: if this does happen simply add more oats until the mixture is fairly stiff again.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and spread about equally, press the mixture flat with the back of a spoon. This will compress it into solid bars.
  5. Cover and put in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes, remove from freezer and cut into bars. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.