These Chocolate Peanut Butter Low Carb Granola bars are a nutritious and delicious snack to enjoy on the go. You only need 6 simple ingredients to make these granola bars full of chocolate flavor. They come together in under 30 minutes and can last all week long, making them excellent for meal prep.
Our cacao granola is loaded with sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, almonds, pecans, and more. It makes the perfect base for these easy low carb granola bars. This is the best recipe because our granola makes the process so much easier. Rather than sourcing all the individual ingredients, you can simply grab a bag of Nutrail granola and a few other pantry staples to whip up these delicious breakfast bars.
Are granola bars healthy?
Granola bars are often considered a good on-the-go snack, but depending on the recipe, they aren't always a healthy option. Some store-bought granola bars have large amounts of sugar, corn syrup, and preservatives. The main ingredients of granola bars aren't unhealthy, but when you add lots of additives, they become less than ideal and won't satisfy your hunger. But making your own granola bars can be a way to control what goes into them.
When you make your own granola bars at home, you can tailor them exactly to your liking and only include the ingredients that best fit your lifestyle. This is not only important for sugar control but also when it comes to adding healthy fats and protein into the granola bars. They will take your snack from a quick bite to a filling and satisfying option that helps fuel your body.
Can you eat granola bars on a low carb diet?
There are some brands of low carb granola bars, but typically most granola bars aren't ideal for low carb or keto diets. This is because of additions like sugar, chocolate, and dried fruits that are used for sweetness. Those following ultra low carb diets typically do not eat oats because of the amount of carbohydrates, which are the base of most granola bars. These ingredients make it hard to fit granola bars into a low carb diet, but homemade granola bars are the perfect solution since you can choose and control all the ingredients.
Why You'll Love It
Convenient- Homemade granola bars are a convenient treat that's great to enjoy when you're short on time. You can make a batch and have soft, chewy granola bars all week. Even better, you won't need to buy bags of nuts and seeds. Our granola makes it so simple by putting it all in one place for you to easily add to the mixing bowl.
Nutritious- Nuts and seeds are known sources of sustained energy. These granola bars are loaded with them, plus nut butter for even more protein. You can tailor these to your liking and feel great having total control over the ingredients that go into them.
Easy- This recipe is super simple to make and is perfect for any skill level. It doesn't require any special equipment and only one bowl to make this tasty treat. It's an excellent recipe for those new to baking because it's foolproof and can help build up your confidence in the kitchen.
Ingredients
NuTrail Cacao Granola-This is a chocolate lover's dream. Not only is it loaded with nutritious ingredients, it's full of delicious chocolate flavor. With only 2 grams of net carbs per serving, it's a granola you can feel great about eating.
Peanut Butter- It's important to use natural peanut butter for this recipe. When reading the ingredient label, it should say only one or two ingredients, typically just "peanuts" and "salt." Peanuts have some naturally occurring sugar, so it's normal to see a couple of carbs in the nutrition facts but ideally, there is no additional added sugar.
Sweetener- You can use your granulated sweetener of choice. Erythritol, allulose, and monk fruit are great options. Choose a sweetener you're comfortable with, and feel free to reduce it by half if you prefer less sweet granola bars.
Butter- Butter gives these bars a delicious flavor and keeps the center chewy. Feel free to swap with equal amounts of refined coconut oil, as that will have no taste. If you enjoy the flavor of coconut oil, feel free to use unrefined.
Eggs- Eggs help bind the ingredients together to form the bars.
Chocolate Chips- Chocolate chips add an extra sweet touch. Sugar-free low-carb chocolate chips are often easy to find just be sure to check the ingredients to ensure they're using quality low-glycemic sweeteners.
Tips and Substitutions
1. Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. When ready to slice, use a large knife and cut straight down to avoid crumbling.
2. Use another nut butter to switch up the flavor. Almond butter, cashew butter and macadamia nut butter taste delicious.
3. Add 2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds to the granola bars for an extra nutrient boost.
4. If you have leftover nuts from other recipes, this is an excellent opportunity to use them. Chop up Brazil nuts or macadamia nuts to fill 1/4 cup, and then reduce the granola by an equal amount to substitute.
Flavor Variations
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Birthday Cake- Using our Birthday cake granola as the base, swap the peanut butter for cashew butter and add 1/2 teaspoon of cake batter flavor extract. Use melted sugar free white chocolate chips for a beautiful topping worthy of celebration.
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White Chocolate Cranberry-Using our Honey nut granola as the base, add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract add 1/4 cup of unsweetened dried cranberries
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Pumpkin Spice- Using our Cinnamon Pecan granola as the base, add 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice blend and swap the peanut butter for almond butter.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Low Carb Granola Bars FAQ
How to store leftover keto granola bars-
Store any leftover granola bars in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days. Refrigerating them can help extend shelf life and is advised in warmer climates. Be sure to store them with parchment in between to prevent sticking together.
You can also freeze the baked granola bars. Wrap them individually in parchment or plastic wrap and place them into a large freezer storage bag. Keep in the freezer for 2-3 months for the best taste. Defrost by leaving it on the counter for 30 minutes.
More gluten-free treats:
Pecan and Thyme Goat Cheese Balls
Chocolate Peanut Butter Low Carb Granola Bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield 8, 1 per serving
Ingredients
1/2 cup no sugar added natural peanut butter
2 large eggs
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated low carb sweetener
11 ounces (1 bag) Nutrail Cacao granola
1/4 cup low carb chocolate chips, divided
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, eggs, butter, and sweetener until well combined.
3. Fold in the granola and 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips until all of it is coated in the mixture, then scrape into the prepared pan.
4. Using wet hands or a small piece of parchment, press down firmly on the mixture to pack tightly into the pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top if desired.
5. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are firm and golden brown.
6. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing and serving for at least 1 hour. For firmer bars: Store in the refrigerator.
