Packed with nuts and seeds, these keto granola bars are deliciously crunchy, gluten-free and super easy to make. Great as an on-the-go low carb snack or as an afternoon pick-me-up. And I can confirm they make a wonderful instant breakfast, too!
Table of contents
Are granola bars keto friendly?
Traditional granola bars have a base of oats and contain copious amounts of honey, golden syrup or dried fruit such as dates to stick everything together.
Yum, but a combination that will send your sugar levels sky-high.
However, with a few ingredient changes it's easy to make a sugar free granola bars recipe that is fit for a low carb diet.
You simply replace the oats with nuts and seeds and use a low carb sweetener such as erythritol.
💕Why you'll love this recipe
This keto granola bar recipe...
- is only 2.7g net carbs per bar
- has a wonderfully crunchy texture
- is high in fiber and healthy fats
- makes a filling breakfast or snack
- will save you £££ or $$$ over shop-bought keto bars.
How do you get low carb granola bars to stick together?
Let's get into the recipe details! There are 4 options.
- Sugar Free Syrup
- Flaxseed
- Chia Seed
- Egg White
Many low carb snack bar recipes use sugar free syrup (aff link) as a binder. It behaves similar to golden syrup - it's nice and sticky.
I like the taste of fibre syrup and tolerate it well. However, some people have reported that it raises their insulin.
When I made my Apple Cinnamon Granola Bars I used flaxseed to stick the bars together. Chia would be another good alternative.
This time I went for a mix of flax and a whisked egg white, which worked great.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need:
Mixed chopped nuts and seeds - I used almonds, walnuts and pecans as well as pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Ground flaxseed and egg white - To bind, as discussed above.
Almond butter and vanilla extract - For extra flavor.
Sugar substitute - I used a granulated erythritol monk fruit sweetener. Allulose, xylitol or Bocha Sweet also work well.
Sugar-free chocolate chips - A popular chocolate chip brand in the US is Lily's. Or use a good quality 85% to 90% dark chocolate such as Lindt. (aff links).
If you use 90% dark chocolate, the nutritional values stay the same as with sugar free chocolate. With 85% dark chocolate, net carbs increase to 3g per bar.
Instructions
(This section contains step by step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. Find the recipe card with ingredient amounts and nutritional information at the bottom of the post.)
1.) Pulse the nuts and seeds in a food processor until you have some smaller and some larger pieces.
Some nuts you can buy pre-chopped to save this step.
2.) Stir all dry ingredients in a large bowl, leaving a few chocolate chips to decorate on top.
3.) Whisk an egg white and add it to the bowl together with the vanilla extract and almond butter.
4.) Pour the mix into a baking tray lined with parchment paper and press down well to compact. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top and press down again.
5.) Bake in the oven for circa 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.
Recipe tips
HARD NUTS FIRST. When you chop the nuts in the food processor, add the hard nuts such as almonds first. Pecans, for example, are softer and don't take as long to chop.
CHOP THE NUTS WELL. If the nut pieces are too large, the bars can be crumbly.
TASTE BEFORE BAKING. Check the sweetness and add more erythritol or sweetener of choice to your liking. (I don't have much of a sweet tooth).
PACK THE MIX TIGHTLY. I did not press the mixture much in my first attempt which made my bars more fragile and prone to crumbling. Press it down firmly to compact.
COOL COMPLETELY. Let your keto granola bars cool completely before cutting. They are quite soft when hot, but firm up and get nice and crispy when cold.
CUT STRAIGHT DOWN. The best way to cut the bars is to use a firm downward motion with a large, sharp knife.
Variations
1.) You can use any nuts you like (or have available at home). I've made lovely chewy granola bars using macadamia nuts, hazelnuts and even pistachios. Just be aware that cashews are higher in carbs than other nuts.
2.) If you like coconut, you can use desiccated unsweetened coconut here too. Just swap out some of nuts and seeds.
3.) For additional flavor, toast the nuts before using! You can do this in the oven or dry-roast in a pan until golden.
4.) The chocolate chips are entirely optional - if you're not keen, simply leave them out. You could use freeze-dried raspberries or dried cranberries if you're up for a fruity variation.
5.) You can swap out the almond butter for peanut butter. If you want to omit nut butters altogether, use 1 tablespoon coconut oil instead.
6.) Option to use salted nuts or a pinch of sea salt.
Optional chocolate drizzle
Melt either ¼ cup of sugar free chocolate chips or 4 squares of dark chocolate (85% or 90% cocoa solids) and drizzle over the bars. This is not included in the nutrition calculation.
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days or in the fridge for about 1 week.
And yes, you can freeze them, too! Store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More keto breakfast ideas
Tried these keto low carb granola bars? Give them a star rating below!
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Low Carb Keto Granola Bars
from Sugar Free LondonerNote: The servings slider only changes the first amount in each line and not any subsequent amounts. Please make your own calculations where necessary. ***As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Equipment
- 6x9 inch casserole dish/baking tray (23x15 cm)
Ingredients
- 2 cups / 250g mixed chopped nuts I used 1 cup almonds, 1 cup walnuts and pecans
- ¼ cup / 30g pumpkin seeds
- ¼ cup / 30g sunflower seeds
- ¼ cup / 30g ground flaxseed
- 2 tablespoon almond butter
- 1 egg white whisked
- 2 tbsp granulated sweetener
- ⅓ cup sugar free chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate, minimum 85% cocoa solids
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C - 350 F electric. Line a 6x9 inch baking tray with parchment paper.
- Pulse the nuts and seeds in a food processor until you have some smaller and some larger pieces.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl, leaving a few chocolate chips to decorate on top. Then add the whisked egg white, vanilla extract and almond butter and stir until combined. Check and adjust sweetener if necessary.
- Pour the granola bar mix into the tray and press down well to compact the dough. Press the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for circa 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and purchase a product, I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Sugar Free Londoner.
This sugar free granola bars recipe was first published in February 2020 and updated with more tips in September 2022.
Kay C
I am going away for a few days break, and I have been panicking about what I am going to be able to eat. At home I don't snack much but I know while I am away I will, so when I saw you could freeze these, I thought give it a go. All I can say is thank god you can freeze them. Seriously, these are amazing! In the freezer they are out of site. I don't much go for chewy bars, so these were just perfect. I did the whole taste for sweetness, and I very nearly didn't get them in the oven. I strongly recommend anyone on low carb/Keto to try these. I have frozen half of what I made so I hope they do freeze well and don't go soggy. I am also wondering whether the nut and seed mix just as is will make a good quick granola.
Julie
This is such a great recipe. I make it often! I refer to your page often because every low carb recipe I have made from your collection comes out really good.
Katrin Nürnberger
So happy you like the granola bars!
Jan
Excited to try these! In the notes section...it says 'Makes 12 flapjacks' is that supposed to be there??
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes - flapjacks is a British word for granola bars.
Jenny Hummel
Can these bars be frozen please?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that should work. They may lose their crunch as you defrost them though. If that happens, you can stick them back in the oven to reheat and crisp up.
Valeria
I haven't made these yet but looking at the comments it seems very promising. I have a silicon baking dish that has individual rectangular wells in it. I thought that instead of baking it in a large pan and cutting it, perhaps I could pack each well as it's own bar and bake it like that. I have a bit of shopping and cleaning before I try this so I hoped that maybe you might have a suggestion of whether you think I would need to change the baking time since they will be separate instead of one block. I'm guessing the heat will penetrate more easily since there are more edges to radiate around, and all the comments about crumbly or crispiness seem related to particle size not time or temp, but I don't see anyone making them into individual bars or commenting on that. So, Wish me luck and I'll post back what happens when I get around to making it. Oh, another think I need to remember is to use Erythritol or Xylitol right? because the new Allulose sweetener won't let it get crispy.
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Valeria, yes, that should work well! I think they MAY cook a little quicker like you suggest since they are already separated. I'm excited to hear how you get on!
Francis
I love love love this recipe. I made it as described once and am now taking all kinds of liberties with it. Tonight I made it with 2 cups of nuts, of which the majority cashew. And more seeds. About 1/2 cups. I also made the sugar finer and added 1/2 cup cocoa powder. I used 1 whole egg and 1 egg white. And it is stunning. Like crunchy chunky brownies. I do low carb/dirty keto, but my family eats more of my treats than I do. I am lucky when I bake these to have a few bars and 2 breakfasts. For breakfast I break up a bar and heat it up in the microvawe. I then eat it with amasi {south African yogurt or buttermilk substitute}
Katrin Nürnberger
Thank you so much for detailing your substitutions!
Tanja
hi ,
does is work, when i use butter instead of almond butter??
thanks and grettings from germany
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Tanja, almond butter is stickier than butter. I would try to use just 1 tbsp of butter instead of 2 and see how you get on.
Crisci
I just made these today. They are delicious. For some reason mine would not cut into bars, but they made great granola . Maybe I baked mine too long. The almond butter is a wonderful addition. It adds a nice flavor without being overpowering.
Katrin Nürnberger
You need a very sharp knife. However, you could also pre-cut them before baking using a knife or pizza cutter.
Kelly Morrell
Love this recipe Katrin! I use granulated erythritol for the sweetener and love how 'un-sweet' it is.
The nuts vary every time and every bake has been a winner - many thanks 🙂
Susan
These are delicious and good to have when I am a little hungry at work. I found that they broke a bit when cutting them up. It could be because my dish was a bit too big and they were too thin? Thanks for your great recipes!
Katrin Nürnberger
I found the main reason for crumbliness is when you don't compact the mixture enough before baking. Try pressing it down as well as possible, that makes them sturdier.
T wood
My mum made these for my birthday - delicious!
Katrin Nürnberger
Happy birthday! Glad you liked the bars 🙂
Cathy
Are the nuts and seeds salted or unsalted?
Katrin Nürnberger
I used unsalted nuts and seeds.
Sue
Love, love, love this recipe!!! I make it twice a month.
Frances
I have just made these and they’re very tasty. I read the comments before making them and took note of the remarks about how they may not stick together, so I added a little extra egg white (I had two in the fridge anyway), and some psyllium husk which has a gluey texture and effect. I also used tahini rather than almond butter. They’re really good And I’m pleased with how they worked out!
Really liking this website and I’m going to try the pound cakes recipes. I do miss a bit of cake......
Katrin Nürnberger
I like the idea of using tahini - delicious!
Janet Worthington
I made this recipe with peanut butter. When I cut into bars they are very crumbly. I feel they should have a bit more moisture. What can I use to remedy this?
Katrin Nürnberger
I found that crumbliness is directly related to how fine or coarse the nuts have been ground. Next time, grind them a little longer. This makes it easier to cut. The other thing that you can look out for is the consistency of your nut butter. It can vary a lot. You know how it can be hard and dry once you get the the bottom of the pot? Make sure that you stir it properly before using so it is not firm, but drips off the spoon.
Janet Worthington
The peanut butter was down towards the bottom of the jar. I put it in the microwave to soften but it wasn't runny. I will grind the nuts up more next time & make sure the nut butter is running off the spoon. Thank you for your help.
Katrin Nürnberger
No probs! I buy my peanut butter in 1 kilo jars and it always gets too hard at the bottom!
Christine
Just made these yesterday and they are great. (I used pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds, all soaked and dehydrated.) I doubled the recipe, and pressed it into a small sheet pan (9X11?). I left out the chocolate because I'm eating too much "healthy" chocolate lately, and though they were not terribly sweet, they are delicious. Thank you for a great recipe.
Katrin Nürnberger
Wonderful! Love that you made a double batch.. 🙂
Suki
Hi Katrin, do you think I could use this for granola, instead of as a bar? Would I just need to not add the egg as a binding agent?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that's what I would do. Or you try one of my granola recipes - I've got this low carb granola and a lovely peanut butter granola
Barbie
Can I use butter to replace the Almond Butter?
Katrin Nürnberger
Yes, that should work!
Donna
Hi. Did you try butter instead of nut butter? If so how did it turn out and what weight did you use? X
Kathy Kelly
I love the taste of these, but some were not sticking together. Not sure what I did wrong as I followed the recipe. Maybe add another egg white?
Katrin Nürnberger
I think if you blend your nuts a little finer next time you'll also be able to get them to stick together better. Maybe your nuts were just too coarse. It should be fine with the flax and just one egg white (unless your egg was super tiny?).
Dawn
Looking forward to making this, sounds great. Thank you.
Silpa
Is there an alternative to almond butter
Katrin Nürnberger
You could use peanut butter instead.
MARIA GAREFALAKIS
I made for my sister who is now an avid follower but I am not a chocolate person, call me weird. What would be the carb count without the chocolate?
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi, without the chocolate it's 2g net carbs, 174 cal, 2.5g fibre, 1.1g sugar, 15.9g fat, 5.6g protein, 4.6g total carbs
Petro Louw
Just love that so easy to make and taste wonderful.
Katrin Nürnberger
Oh, that's so good to hear. Glad you enjoy them!!!
Andrea Truman
Hi I’d love to make theses for my whole family, my daughter is vegan so can you suggest an alternative to the egg white?
Katrin Nürnberger
I would try to replace the egg with a chia egg - 1 tbsp ground chia seeds (this will work better than whole chia seeds) and around 3(?) tbsp water. Mix together and check you've got a soft, gooey texture. Then add to the rest of the ingredients. I don't know if it will bind as well as the egg, but it does help to stick things together. It will be a bit of an experiment.
If the chia does not do the trick you could resort to options that will raise the sugar count by a bit - add 4-5 chopped dates or prunes, for example.
Linda
Hi there,
Can I us a whole egg, or will it make a difference? I want to try these tonight. They look awesome. Thank you!
Katrin Nürnberger
You can probably use the whole egg, but I think it will make it less crunchy.
Franni Ferrero
I noticed that while the recipe is for granola bars, in the directions, it keeps referring to flapjacks. So, Just wanted to check to ensure all the measurements and other information is correct. Thank you! Love your recipes!
Katrin Nürnberger
Hi Franni, I did have one more errant mention of flapjack in the recipe. The recipe is correct, whether you want to call them flapjack or granola bars!