No Bake Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars (Vegan, Gluten Free)

These peanut butter trail mix bars are a no-bake, easy treat to enjoy for a filling snack or healthy dessert! They won’t last long because everyone will love them.

Your new favorite homemade snack recipe

I kid you not, guys. These peanut butter trail mix bars are the absolute BEST thing to eat when the inevitable 3PM slump hits. You know the feeling – a little bit hungry, a little bit tired, and a lotta bit need a 10 minute break from working.

These bars will satisfy pretty much all your snack cravings at once! They’re hearty, chewy, salty, sweet, chocolatey, and peanut butter-y. And even though they taste decadent, they’re full of good-for-you ingredients. A perfect snack contains fiber + protein and/or healthy fat, and these bars have it all:

• Fiber comes from oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
• Protein and healthy fats come from peanut butter, nuts, seeds, and flax meal
• Naturally sweetened with just maple syrup

What’s in these no bake peanut butter trail mix bars?

• Oats: The chewy base of these bars, you’ll need old fashioned rolled oats to make this recipe. Oats provide whole grain nutrition, including soluble fiber and B vitamins.
• Peanut butter: Peanut butter is the glue that holds my life together…and also holds these bars together. I used creamy natural peanut butter, which works best because it is runny.
• Walnuts: I love walnuts for their taste, texture, and high amount of omega-3 fatty acids. I haven’t tried this recipe with other nuts, but I believe you can sub whatever you have on hand just fine.
• Flax meal: Flax seeds are another great plant-based source of omega-3s. But we can’t digest whole flax seeds, so it’s important to use flax meal or ground flax in your cooking.
• Pepitas: These green hued seeds are a good source of plant based protein, magnesium, and iron.
• Dried cranberries: I love the sweet/tart flavor of dried cranberries in these bars, but feel free to use raisins, dried cherries, or chopped dried apricots instead.
• Maple syrup: This is my favorite liquid sweetener to use in my recipes. You could use honey (not vegan) or agave for similar results.
• Dark chocolate chips: Because chocolate chips are the the best part of any trail mix!
• Cinnamon
• Salt

How to make this recipe

• Pulse walnuts + half of the oats, pepitas, cranberries, and flax in a food processor to break them down a bit.
• Combine peanut butter and maple syrup in a bowl and stir.
• Mix together all the dry ingredients in a bowl, including ingredients you pulsed in the food processor.
• Pour the wet ingredients into dry, and mix very well.
• Press ingredients into a parchment paper lined baking pan, then refrigerate to set.
• Cut into squares, then drizzle with melted chocolate if desired. They are delicious either way!

If you love this recipe, you may also like

• No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
• Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Treats

Let me know if you love this recipe by leaving a comment or rating below, and check out Instagram and Pinterest for more healthy lifestyle inspiration. Thanks for stopping by!

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