Dark Chocolate Granola Bars

For a filling a nutritious snack, make a batch of these dark chocolate granola bars, packed with a variety of nuts and seeds.

This recipe was inspired by the first granola bars I ever made, which I eventually posted on here and called Nut & Seed Granola Bars. I noticed that when I added chocolate chips to these, they would just coat the entire mixture, because of the ingredients being toasted and the binding agents (honey and peanut butter) being heated. It seems obvious now, but at the time, it was a happy accident.

I actually haven’t made this version in years (because I don’t always have all the ingredients for them), but after making them as a snack to help keep us energized as we continue to put our new apartment together, I knew I had to dig this recipe out of the depths of my recipe database, updating the recipe and pictures.

When Matt tried one of these the other day, he came out of the kitchen and said, “These are good!” Which I knew they were decent, considering I posted the recipe on here ages ago, but it’s always a nice reminder that the food you make is worth sharing!

I think he likes these for the exact same reason I do—they’re different from your average granola bars. In addition to being coated in a decadent (yet not overwhelming) chocolatey mixture, they’re dense. Due to the variety of nuts and seeds going in these (and of varying sizes), there’s a great, full texture. They’re a powerhouse of healthy fats, antioxidants, fiber, and more.

Print Pin

Dark Chocolate Granola Bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup sunflower kernels
• 1/2 cup pepitas
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup pure honey
• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

Instructions

• Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
• Toast the oats, coconut, sesame seeds, pepitas, and sunflower kernels in a skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden. While that’s toasting, heat the honey and peanut butter in a small saucepan, cooking until the peanut butter has melted and the mixture is bubbling.
• Transfer the toasted dry ingredients to a large bowl and add the ground flaxseed and chocolate chips. 
• Pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir until all the chocolate has melted and the ingredients are coated in the honey-peanut butter mixture.
• Pour the granola bar mixture into the prepared baking dish and firmly pack it down with a spoon or spatula. Place it in the fridge until cool. Cut in half once, then cut the other way 3-4 times, until you have 8-10 bars.

I usually wrap the granola bars individually in cling wrap for a quick snack to grab when I’m on the go. Store them in the fridge to keep them fresher, longer. When they’re cold, they tend to be harder, so I’d recommend letting them sit out at room temperature for 5 minutes before eating, unless you don’t care (I usually just eat them straight from the fridge).

Hope you enjoy the dark chocolate granola bars! For more bar recipes, make sure to visit my roundup of 7 Granola Bar and Protein Bar Recipes. Enjoy your Monday!

The original version of this post and recipe were published on October 22, 2012.