These grain free granola bars are a perfect start to the day! Low carb with no added sugar, you will love this healthy plant based breakfast idea!
Ingredients Needed
If you are gluten free or following a paleo form of eating, grain free recipes for breakfast bars are perfect to have on hand for busy mornings! I love that these breakfast bars have additional fiber from the pumpkin and the blueberry layer adds sweetness without any sugar. Adding crunchy sliced almonds on the top makes this bar recipe delicious!
Here are the main ingredients you will need to make pumpkin no grain breakfast bars:
- Almond Flour
- Coconut Oil
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Frozen Blueberries
- Flaxseed Meal
- Lemon Juice
- Ground Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Puree
- Almond Butter
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Sliced Almond
I am so glad my friend Stephanie at Fit Fab Life asked me to make these for her Total Body Renew nutrition program as these bars are a great way to be grain free at breakfast time and stay in line with your health and wellness goals.
How to Make Grain Free Granola Bars
If you are in the process of limiting or even eliminating grains, these bars will be your new breakfast go to!
This bar recipe has 3 steps, but don’t let that deter you from making them! As the first step bakes, you can put together the other two steps, so really it does come together in an efficient manner.
First, you will need to make your crust. This is an almond flour, grain free crust with only 3 ingredients. After the crust ingredients are stirred together, you will place them in your baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Use this 10 minutes to make your blueberry ‘jam’ and pumpkin layers!
The next layer in these breakfast bars, are the blueberry ‘jam’ layer. I guess another name for this breakfast bar could be Fruit and Grain-less bars! Your blueberry jam layer does not contain any added sugar, but it is essential to the taste of the bars, because it will naturally fruit sweeten the bars. Flaxseed meal helps ‘thicken’ your blueberry sauce into more of a jam consistency as well as adds additional nutrition such as fiber and nutrition.
Your last layer is your pumpkin layer! I love to add pumpkin in bar recipes to add fiber and a vegetable! This layer is also protein packed with almond butter. Pumpkin spice gives it a nice flavor and the combination of arrowroot (or tapioca starch) plus baking and apple cider vinegar help this layer be nice and ‘fluffy’!
At this point, your first crust layer should be done, and you can layer the blueberry jam and pumpkin into the pan and continue finishing baking your grain free breakfast bars.
How to Serve and Store
If you are not avoiding dairy free items, these bars are delicious when warmed up slightly and served with dairy free vanilla yogurt. If yogurt is not on your radar, eating them as is is also delicious! I love to warm them up either way, probably because I am always cold (thanks Michigan).
To store these, place covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. I would not store them at room temp due to the blueberries and pumpkin.
These are also freezer friendly! Cut into individual bars and wrap tightly with freezer wrap. Thaw and enjoy! The bars may be slightly more crumbly after freezing.
If you make these grain free breakfast bars, I would love if you left a rating and review.
Grain Free Granola Bars
Ingredients
Almond Flour Crust
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 Tblsp coconut oil, partially melted
- 1/2 t pure vanilla extract (alcohol free)
Blueberry ‘Jam’ Layer
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 2 Tblsp water
- 1 ½ Tblsp flaxseed meal
Pumpkin Layer
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ tsp arrowroot powder or tapioca starch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 tblsp raw sliced almonds
Instructions
Almond Flour Crust
- In a small bowl, place almond flour. Cut in coconut oil until mixed well. Press into coconut oil greased 8 inch square pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes
Blueberry Jam Layer
- Bring blueberries to boil in a small saucepan on the stovetop. Boil stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, using your spoon squish blueberries as they start to get soft into a sauce consistency. Add flax seed meal and stir for 1 – 2 minutes more to thicken. Lightly spread your blueberry layer over your crust layer.
Pumpkin Layer
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, and mix well until a smooth batter forms. Spread your layer on top of prepared crust and blueberry mixture. This will be your top layer. Sprinkle sliced almond on top. Bake at 350F for about 25-30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is firm.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Leftovers freeze well, wrap individually and store in the freezer. Thaw and eat.
