Loaded with wholesome ingredients and plenty of sweetness and spice, these soft and chewy No Bake Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars are the ULTIMATE fall treat!
It’s amazing how big of a difference a good night’s sleep can make to your well-being… or mine, as the case may be. I’ve been running low on the zzz’s for a little while now, and it finally caught up to me this past weekend when I broke down in a fitful “woe is me, everything sucks” sobfest on Sunday night before passing out at 8:45 PM. Cue collective “awwwwww.”
And the funny thing is that I didn’t even realize it or think to attribute any of my “symptoms” to a lack of sleep… Writer’s block, a [severe] lack of creativity, trouble focusing, a lack of enthusiasm for life in general — I thought I was just going through some sort of seasonal funk. But seeing as I woke up on Monday morning (after an unheard of 8.5 hours of sleep) feeling like my normal peppy self again, I’m going to blame sleep dep. for that one. Jerk.
But I’m back, baby! And I come bearing gifts [of the edible sort]…
I know I just posted a pumpkin granola bar recipe a little while ago, but these No Bake Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars are a completely different breed of delicious.
First, there’s no pumpkin in them — just a delicious dose of aromatic pumpkin spice (aka: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves). That’s not to say that I’m getting burnt out on pumpkin, but I would have needed to open a brand new can, and I wasn’t quite ready to make that kind of commitment. Instead, the stars of these bars (Dr. Seuss eat your heart out) are dates…
Dates that, when processed with almond butter, honey, and aforementioned pumpkin spice make a sticky, sweet and spicy base that you’ll have trouble actually getting in to bar form because you’ll just want to eat it straight from the processor by the spoonful, which I may or may not have done… repeatedly.
But put.the.spoon.down and pick up your spatula — trust me on this one — because adding in some oats and crispy rice cereal will reward you with a bar that’s irresistibly soft, chewy, sweet, and spicy, with a subtle crisp in every bite. And the best part is that you won’t have to wait long to dig in because these bars require no-baking and are whipped up in a flash. All they need is a little chilling time in the freezer, and you’re good to go.
As an added bonus, you can customize these bars to your heart’s content. They’re naturally gluten-free as long as you use certified GF oats (I like Bob’s Red Mill) and crispy rice cereal (I like One Degree); you can easily make them vegan by swapping out the honey for brown rice syrup; and they become nut-free by using a sunflower seed or soy nut butter (I like Wowbutter) in place of the almond butter. You can even toss in a handful of chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, or dried fruit if you wish. I almost went the chocolate route myself, but ultimately decided against it — I think they’re perfect just the way they are (read: it’s true love).
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No Bake Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars
- Total Time: 5 mins
- Yield: 10 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup (~120g) dates, pitted and chopped*
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/4 cup honey**
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ginger
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. cloves
- 1 cup quick oats***
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Set aside.
- Add dates to the bowl of a food processor and process until they are completely broken down and form a smooth paste*. Add almond butter, honey, and spices, and process for a few more seconds until everything is well combined.
- Transfer date mixture to a large bowl and stir in the oats. When oats are well incorporated, add the cereal, being careful to avoid crushing it.
- Transfer the mixture into your prepared baking pan, using your fingers or a spatula to ensure that it is pressed down firmly and evenly. Cover pan with a sheet of foil and place into the freezer to set, at least 15 minutes.
- When mixture has set, remove from pan using the foil overhang, and use a sharp knife to cut into individual bars. Bars are best when stored in the fridge.
Notes
* If your dates are not moist, soak them in warm water for ~10 minutes to soften them up. Be sure to drain and pat them dry prior to processing.
** Sub out the honey for brown rice syrup if you want these to be vegan. I wouldn’t use maple syrup of agave because it may not be thick enough to get these to stick together.
*** This recipe requires the use of quick oats or the bars may not stick together properly. If you don’t have quick oats, just pulse regular oats in your food processor until they break down slightly. Also, make sure you use certified gluten-free oats if you need these to be gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
Looking for more healthy granola bar? Try one of these!
No-Bake Vegan Oatmeal Fudge Bars
No-Bake Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Granola Bars
Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Granola Bars
These all look delicious! I am still hoping to make your granola bars you posted recently. So many options! Thanks for sharing.
During the week, my goal is 7 hours, but on the weekends I try to make sure to get more than that and a few naps here and there. It is my time to recharge and I try to let my body just relax as much as possible. Can I come over and you just send me home with all of your treats? 😉
Yes! I will gladly accept and feed all travellers, as long as they’re willing to be my taste testing guinea pigs for a while 😀
Girl, I am right with you… I don’t get enough sleep and I’m randomly crying over the dumbest things. Especially when I’m traveling, I usually cry when I get home from sleep deprivation.
I really function best on 7-8 hours. I can do less, but 7 is usually pretty golden for me.
As a fellow date addict, you know I love these! Speaking of dates, I tried the most gorgeously buttery soft dates at the Delicious Food Show last weekend and I’m kicking myself for not picking up a box of them.
I think 7.5-8 hours is my optimal amount. I was super tired and slept 9 hours last night, but I woke up with dark circles under my eyes and felt tired, so I think it was too much.
Love the bars. Since they’re no bake, do they stay well on the go?
Lately. I’ve been getting 6-7 hours of sleep, but I’m a sleep addict, and prefer 8-9 to be a nice person. 🙂
Happy Tuesday!
They’re not too bad on the go as long as you wrap them up individually. They go a bit soft, but they hold together just fine.
Sleep does a body good.
You are on a bar roll, and I’m thrilled you’re feeling back to your normal perky self. I’m kind of on a bar roll too, although it involves liquid and bottles. 😉
Hooray! It is so true that sleep makes all the difference in the world. I’m so happy you’re feeling great after some much-needed rest!
I didn’t get a great night’s rest last night, and I was the walking dead today. I couldn’t really fall asleep during my nap either, but a little shut eye put some pep in my step! 7 hours is about the average nightly sleep time for me.
Wow, I need these granola bars in my life. Pronto.
is it okay if i just stare at them? too pretty to eat..well, almost
How about staring at them while munching on one? Best of both worlds 😀
Sleep makes a HUGE difference for me all around. I’m a totally different person if I don’t my zzzz’s. I’m so glad you were able to catch up on some much needed rest and that you’re feeling back to your normal peppy self today!
The bars look delicious!
Oh my word these bars – Pumpkin spice is the way to my heart and I love that you don’t hold back on the spice! I would most likely be eating out of the food processor as well (don’t judge!) ugh looks so good. Thanks for sharing Amanda – so glad your back to your old self 🙂
Finally getting a good night’s sleep after being deprived for a while is the most amazing feeling! It’s so true that you can forget how important it is for optimal functioning and not even realize until you finally get the sleep you need and feel a million times better.
The bars look sooo yummy!
Sleep is the best kinda drug…answer to just about anything :)! So recently I started keeping my phone in a drawer while I sleep and started using an old-school alarm clock instead. I don’t know if it’s the placebo effect but I seem to be so much more well-rested lately….I would like to think that has something to do with me not waking up in the middle of the night and browsing through my phone ;)! On average I tend to do quite well with sleep, and get in around 7-8 hours per night!
Ugh I’m absolutely horrible for checking my phone first thing in the morning. I keep meaning to leave it out of my bedroom at night, but… what if it’s an emergency?!?!? Because that’s never actually happened 😆
Thank you! You always have the best granola bar recipes! <3
Thanks, Aine! That’s super nice of you to say 🙂
Yet again – you amaze me!! I need to try these out. The last time I tried to make granola bars was a massive fail. Hopefully this time goes better!!!
I feel like I usually need at least 7 1/2 hours, but I can get by with about 6 1/2. Although then people have to deal with me being a bit of a grump.
Now I need to go search the kitchen and see if we have dates…
Thanks for sharing! I wish I had a food processor to make these. Do you have any recommendations for a healthy homemade version of an energy bar, like a Luna bar? I’ve been eating them a ton lately and would like to have a healthier homemade version as my go to instead.
I have a chocolate fudge protein bite recipe that you might be interested in — http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2014/04/11/no-bake-double-chocolate-fudge-protein-bites/ or a no-bake almond fudge protein bar — http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2013/08/26/no-bake-almond-fudge-protein-bars/
If you want to go do some baking, then these soft and chewy protein granola bars are probably one of my favourite recipes on the blog — http://www.runningwithspoons.com/2014/01/07/soft-and-chewy-protein-granola-bars/
Since I take good ‘ole Zzzquil every night, I get about 7 hours. I remember after one of my surgeries (the worst one!) I was in so much pain and couldn’t get comfortable. Needless to say, I never slept at all and misery was my middle name. The bags under my eyes were UNREAL and all I could do all day was THINK about sleep. It was so bad! Your brain does just power down whenever your sleep deprived. I swear I was in zombie state. haha!
So glad to hear you got some sleep – whenever I start getting in that super-depressed mode, a lack of sleep is usually to blame. Annnnd, I’m also glad because you KNOW I am a total sucker for no-bake recipes! Now to resist the temptation to whip out my blender when I wake up at 6am…do you think my roommate/floor would mind? 😉
Never! And if she does, just hand her one of these and she’ll stop complaining about the noise 😛
Glad to hear you have managed to catch up on some sleep – it really can make or break you!
I need at least 8 hours per night otherwise I struggle – I also tend to dream throughout the night so the more I can ‘deep sleep’ the better.
Dates, almond butter and honey combined with pumpkin spice – well that just has to be good! A new spread I think – maybe on one of Armans toasted microwave English muffins!
Glad to hear you’re feeling better! I’ve been feeling in the dumps myself recovering from this injury just has me upset like crying all the time. I’ve been injured for 10 months. I feel like I have no control over my body and my life has been completely taken oven by this. I wish sleep could cure all that. These bars might though. They sound delicious!
🙁 Sorry, girl. Recovery is a tough process, especially when it means giving up that control and trying to remain positive while trusting the process. Sending good vibes your way <3
Oh girl, I know exactly what you mean! I went through that this summer, every day….I was lucky if I didn’t cry one day. Now I’m sleeping much better, but there are still random days where I can’t get to sleep, and I notice it the next day. I have the exact same “symptoms”, I’m very sad, no enthusiasm for life, etc. Hopefully you can continue to get more sleep 🙂
Is it not thee most fabulous coincidence that I happen to be munching away -very happily- on one of your “no bake chocolate granola bars”!? (My third for the day) I’ll politely refrain from informing you of my choice of nut butter 😉 …
Seriously though, I.am.addicted. And these pumpkin spice bars mimic the texture I reckon; I find the chewiness harmoniously beautiful 😀 .
Tell me you didn’t corrupt my poor innocent chocolate bars with peanut butter!! 😛 And these bars most definitely have the same chewy/crunchy texture! That’s what I love most about them.
This post is so timely for me! Between the rain we’ve been having where I live, and the decreasing temps, I thought my recent funk must be seasonal or weather related. I’ve half-heartedly been trying to get some more sleep the past couple of nights, but tonight I am going to make sure I get a good 9 nine hours because I am sure lack of sleep has a lot to do with my lack of energy and enthusiasm. As always, thanks for your post… who knew granola bars could be so enlightening? 🙂
Gosh your photos look so professional- well, you are one! I love the dates in there– they add so much sweetness and always remind me of fall.. I usually need 7 or 9 and I tend to get 9!
Lol, I only got as far as the picture of your food processor making this, saw the words “almond butter” , remembered I had some fresh made and charged downstairs to the fridge for it. 🙂
Anything with almond butter in is usually a big winner with me.
Oh and I need 7 – 8 hours sleep or it throws my routine right out of the window. Can’t do without routine in neils life…. ;:
Oh my goodness these look phenomenal! Pumpkin everything please 🙂 I love love love making a caramel-like paste using dates (I actually have a great recipe coming tomorrow with it as an ingredient!). The no-bake aspect of these is a major plus as well, simplicity at it’s finest!
I just got a peak of those salted caramel cups. Oh.em.GEE 😯
I now pronounce you Queen of Pumpkin. 😉
Glad you are feeling better! I love that you don’t have to bake these, they sound so good. Pumpkin spice anything is good with me.
It’s all about the dates (and the crunch) yum!
YUM!! I am addicted to dates right now!!
I rarely sleep through the night but I am easily in bed for a good 8-9 hours a night on the average. And the weekends where I am out super late/don’t rest or sleep as much, I am pretty much done and dead to the world by dinner time. I need my rest to function.
Glad you got some shut-eye! I need 7-8 hours on a regular basis. I find the earlier I go to bed the more rested I feel too. Have a great day!
Lack of sleep is the worst! I really need a good 7 or 8 hours to feel really good, which in about a week is going to be thrown out the window. It’ll definitely be interesting to see how my body adjusts to little sleep! Glad you’re feeling better!
These granola bars sound amazing and perfect for the season! I could definitely see myself making a double batch and throwing some in the freezer.
Oh, sleep deprivation SUCKS! I turn into a raving depressed, woe-is-me biatch when I don’t get enough sleep (or coffee LOL). Glad to hear you’re feeling better tho!
p.s. I somehow have uneaten dates (probably because I bought two bags the last time and hid one from myself haha) so I’m making these tomorrow 😀
I hope you love them! And then invite me over so I can steal some 😆
I’m feeling like I need to catch up on sleep too – been sick for weeks! These bars look so pretty and delicious. I might need to make them tonight!
Oh noes! Hope you feel better soon, Jen!
That’s kind of how I felt last night. I just fell asleep and felt great, I needed a lot of rest last night so this was really nice honestly. I’m glad I could just relax and recover. The recipe itself is super interesting, it’s so unique!
Can’t believe there’s no actual pumpkin in these bars, makes them unique. I love that whole date thing, I’m going to have to jump on that train.
Glad you got your 8.5 hours of sleep, sounds so nice. Not sure if it’s just about how many hours of sleep I need or if I just need like, 5 consecutive hours of sleep. I wake up almost every hour at night to um, pee. SO I’ve stopped drinking any fluids after 5 p.m. That’s my best sleep tip for now. ZERO fluids at night.
I get super cranky when I don’t get enough sleep! It’s crazy how big of a difference it can make. I totally want these bars, now. If they could magically show up in my hotel room I’d be a happy girl!
Glad you are feeling better! Sleep is a truly magical thing 🙂 And so are these bars.
No-bake?! Now here’s something I might be able to pull off 😀 Since I always have dates on hand, I probably could do this actually… hmm I dont think they’d come out quite as pretty as yours, but they look SO yummy! And awww I’m glad you finally got some sleep! It’s amazing how out of sorts a lack of zzz’s can make a person!
Are you as big of a date addict as I am?! Because all I can say is… thank goodness I discovered that Costco sells huge 2 lb. tubs of dates