How to Make Yogurt Topped Seedy Granola Bars (From Scratch!)

Packed with beneficial super-foods like hemp seeds, flax seeds, raw honey and cinnamon- these granola bars are even better topped with protein rich yogurt!

For this recipe, you will need…

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 cups of shredded unsweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup raw pepitas (hulless pumpkin seeds)

1 cup of peanut butter

1/2 cup raw honey

4 tablespoons ground flaxseed

4 tablespoons chia seeds

4 tablespoons sesame seeds

4 tablespoons hemp seeds

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Medium sized mixing bowl

Mixing spoon of your choice (I use a silicone spatula)

Tablespoon and teaspoon measurement tools

Various cup measurement tools

8 x 8 glass baking dish

Parchment paper

Piping bag and 2 mm. round metal piping tip OR one small plastic Ziploc bag with very small corner cut out of one side (reference post here)

1/4 cup of Skyr yogurt (find my recipe here!)

Let’s get started!

These bars are super easy- no cooking required! Just mix, press, and chill.

They are perfect for on-the-go lifestyles, or if you need a snack in between daily activities. Kids love them and they can be extremely customized to your needs or personal preferences.

The Nutritious Base

We will start making these seedy granola bars by adding 2 cups of oats, 1 1/2 cups of coconut flakes, 1/2 cup of raw pepitas, 1 cup of peanut butter, and 1/2 cup of raw honey to a medium sized mixing bowl.

This is the base for a lot of granola bar recipes. The peanut butter and raw honey act as a (healthy and nutritious!) glue to hold the oats and coconut flakes (structure and stabilizers) all together. If you have an allergy to nuts or coconut, feel free to use the same amount of something like sunflower butter, which is allergy free. For the coconut flakes, use either more oats, or you could use finely chopped up dates, or another unsweetened dried fruit. The raw pepitas in this recipe give a nice crunch, and are loaded with healthy fats and plant protein.

Next, use a mixing tool of your choice (I use a silicone spatula) and combine all ingredients.

The Seeds and Spice

To this, we will add our seeds. Add four tablespoons of each seed; ground flaxseed, hemp seeds, chia seeds and sesame seeds. Add the 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in at this time as well.

The seeds, and the cinnamon, in this recipe are my favorite part.

Flaxseeds are full of omega-3 fatty acids, aiding in everything from brain to bone health. Hemp seeds are a powerhouse, full of omega-6 fatty acids that help stimulate skin and hair growth, regulate metabolism and help balance and regulate hormones. Chia seeds are wonderful for keeping you full, as they contain fiber, keeping you satisfied longer. Sesame seeds are packed with copper, helping to make red blood cells and boost immune system function. Cinnamon is an incredible spice with benefits ranging from reducing inflammation to lowering blood sugar.

These seeds are so beneficial to us, so feel free to play with how much you add, or feel free to add any other beneficial seeds that you may enjoy.

The Pressing

After all ingredients have been well combined, get your 8 x 8 baking dish ready.

If the mixture looks dry or does not spread if pressure is applied, to achieve a more sticky dough (which can make the next step easier) you can add more peanut butter or raw honey. Once your ideal texture is desired, not soupy and not stiff, you can move on to the pressing.

Line the baking dish with parchment paper, cutting away the overlap on both sides (West and East sides of dish) so the parchment paper is manageable for pressing the mixture into the pan. Leave the top and bottom pieces of the parchment paper (North and South sides) longer, so the bars can be easily lifted out of the pan later.

Spoon the mixture into the pan and, using either your hands or the back of the spatula, begin to press into the corners of the pan, smoothing out the top. This step will feel like it may be impossible, but keep trying at it! After a few minutes, the bars should resemble the image below.

Place bars into the freezer for 10 minutes, or refrigerate for roughly 45 minutes. This will help set the bars and allow for easier cutting.

Cutting the Bars and Adding the Yogurt Topping

Pull the bars out of the freezer or fridge and, using the overlapped edges of the parchment paper, lift the bars out of the pan and place onto a cutting board.

Cut the bars into 10 pieces. Do this by doing one, long horizontal cut across the center and then four cuts vertically, resulting in 10 bars total, measuring roughly 1.5 inches in width by 4 inches in length.

Once the bars are cut, we can add the yogurt topping!

To do this, take your piping bag and the 2 mm. round piping tip and assemble the bag with the tip. If you do not have a piping bag, and you are using the Ziploc bag, make sure to cut a small hole in one of the lower corners of the bag. This will resemble a makeshift piping bag. This option works just as well!

Spoon the 1/4 cup of Skyr yogurt into the piping bag of your choice. Apply pressure to the bag and begin piping a zig-zag design onto each bar. Once the designs are finished, place the bars into a storage container, but try not to set them on top of each other, as the yogurt may smear. Refrigerate and keep refrigerated until you are ready to enjoy them!

These granola bars will keep in the fridge, covered, for one week.

Congrats!

You now have a batch of delicious granola bars! hope you enjoy these bars as much as I do!