Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars. My absolute favorite granola bar ever! So rich and FULL of cinnamon flavor, sweet like a cinnamon roll, but so much healthier to eat! Just 8 easy ingredients and 30 mins to bake! Vegan, gluten-free and oil-free!
Pure. Cinnamon. Bliss. These bars are one of my favorite creations so far….I am an absolute cinnamon-obsessed individual. I love these bars in particular because they are very filling, crunchy and all that cinnamon. Just 8 ingredients to cinnamon heaven and if you are feeling up to it, drizzle on the optional sugar glaze. Seriously, yum.
I LOVE cinnamon rolls, Cinnabon buns….well, really anything cinnamon. Cinnamon rolls are delicious, but not so healthy. I decided to create granola breakfast bars with the flavors of a cinnamon roll drizzled with a little sugar glaze.
These are topped with a small amount of drizzle for that classic Cinnamon Roll vibe. I’m not even lying when I say these straight up taste just like a cinnamon roll, but in granola form. There is a large amount of cinnamon, just like cinnamon rolls, duh. And it is heavenly.
OIL-FREE GRANOLA BARS
These Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars are vegan, gluten-free and oil-free. They are easy to make and have a wonderful chewy, crunchy texture to them. I hope you love them. Be sure to leave feedback below after you make them!
Cinnamon Roll Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups (275g) old fashioned oats (not quick oats, 3/4 cup (75g) will be ground into about 1/2 cup flour)
- 1/2 cup (60g) pecans, ground into a flour
- 1/2 cup (64g) sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon (yes, 2 full tablespoons, this is what makes them taste like a cinnamon roll!)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (240g) pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons (48g) roasted creamy almond butter
- 1 tablespoon (15g) vanilla extract
OPTIONAL SUGAR GLAZE (definitely recommended!)
- 2 teaspoons almond milk
- 3 tablespoons (24g) white powdered sugar for a traditional drizzle & flavor OR for a healthier sugar option, sub with 2 1/2 tablespoons (30g) coconut palm sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8X8 square pan with parchment paper going in both directions, for easy removal.
- Make the oat flour by processing 3/4 cup (75g) of the oats (reserve the remaining 2 cups) into a fine powder in a food processor. Let it run for a couple of minutes to get it super fine. Make sure to measure out 1/2 cup only (64g) after processing. If there is any extra, use it in a smoothie or another recipe.
- Grind or chop the pecans as well into tiny pieces. Combine all the dry ingredients (oats, 1/2 cup oat flour, pecans, almonds, cinnamon, allspice, salt) into a large bowl and stir well.
- In a small pot, combine the maple syrup and almond butter and turn to medium-low. Once simmering, whisk continually for about a minute, that’s it. Remove from the heat. Now whisk in the vanilla.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and quickly stir until well mixed. It will be thick and sticky. Spread evenly into the pan, place a large piece of parchment paper over the mixture and smooth the top out evenly and into the corners, making sure it's smooth and flat across. Smooth along the edges with your fingertips. This is important so the bars hold together. Bake for 30-32 minutes until slightly firm and golden brown around the edges.
- They will still be a little soft upon removing them from the oven, but will firm up while cooling. Let them cool for exactly 45 minutes BEFORE cutting, or they will fall apart! Cut into 9 bars with a VERY sharp knife very carefully while they are still in the pan. Then Cool for another 15 minutes and then you can lift the bars out with the parchment paper. They should be nice and crispy and chewy after cooling.
- If making the coconut sugar glaze, add the milk to a small cup and slightly warm in the microwave for 15 seconds. Whisk in the sugar and cinnamon for about 30 seconds. Drizzle over bars once they have cooled. Keep in mind, the coconut sugar option will melt and blend into the bars and not show up like the white sugar glaze. If making the powdered sugar for a drizzle effect, mix the milk, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and use a small whisk to mix until completely smooth and lump free. Use a spoon to drizzle over the COOLED bars.
These are amazing! My whole family loves them! I’m making them now for the 2nd time this week. I think I’ll double the recipe this time. Thanks for another great recipe. And yes, MAKE THE ICING!
I used macadamia nut butter instead of almond butter because Costco has a huge glass jar of it and they were great.
Yay! So glad, thank you Debbie!
god bless