You are going to love these no bake low carb peanut butter “granola” bars. Happy keto, grain-free, and sugar-free snacking!
We low carbers are really good at faking it. No, no, I don’t mean that, get your mind out of the gutter! I mean we are really good at pretending one ingredient is entirely a different ingredient altogether. Cauliflower “rice”, zucchini “noodles”, cheese taco shells, pork rind cereal (yes, really!). Seriously, if we can find a way to make it look and taste like another food, we will be utterly delighted with ourselves. Assuming it’s low in carbs and doesn’t raise our blood sugar, of course. It’s all part of the low carb game…let’s try to make our old favourites with real, whole ingredients and see if we can fool ourselves. Bonus points if you fool someone else too.
Not to toot my own horn or anything…oh, who am I kidding? Toot Toot! TOOT TOOT! I am pretty sure I could fool just about anyone with these low carb keto peanut butter granola bars. These things are da bomb and I defy anyone to tell me that it’s not actually granola (aka oats) in this recipe. It was my answer to all the no-bake peanut butter granola bars I see on Pinterest all the time. You know the ones, the “Easy, just 3 ingredients” bars that take peanut butter, honey, and oats and would send your blood sugar soaring. Well mine may have more than 3 ingredients but they ARE easy and they won’t pack on the pounds.
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Sometimes, when you fake it with low carb ingredients, you realize something is missing. The first time I made these, they were delicious but overly crumbly. I loved the flavour and the texture, but how to get them to hold together a bit better without honey? I wanted to keep the carbs down (obvs!) so I didn’t want to add anything syrupy. I was mulling it over when it just hit me that maybe a little collagen might help. We all know that grassfed collagen is the new darling of the health food world. Collagen is one of the building blocks of our skin, our hair, our…everything! It’s good for our joints and it’s credited with any number of other health benefits.
I can neither confirm nor deny these claims. But I can tell you that it helps hold these bars together delightfully. No bake keto goodness right here, friends. Yummy and healthy!
Katie says
Do you think that protein powder could substitute for the grassfed collagen? I don’t have any on hand but I do have unflavored whey protein.
Carolyn says
You can try but I think they will still be rather crumbly. If you do that, add a tbsp or two of water before you press them into the pan.
Melinda says
I’m so excited for this recipe!!! I’ve been wanting to try flavor variations on your yummy cherry chocolate granola bar recipe, but can never being myself to do it because I love the original so much. Can’t wait to make these!!
Carolyn says
Hope you love them!
Melinda says
Made ’em, love ’em!!! I didn’t have the collagen so I subbed vanilla whey powder and it worked fine, they held together great, even at room temp. I’ve ordered collagen so I can try them that way too (plus the possible health benefits!), but might also try them with peanut flour instead of collagen some time just because there’s no such thing as too much peanutty goodness. Thanks again for the recipe! This and the cranberry/choco version are my go-to snacks these days.
Carolyn says
So glad yo ulike them!
Angela says
Will the natural peanut butter work with these (the kind that has the oil separation)?
Carolyn says
Yes, it should. Any nut butter will do here.
Mary says
New to the use of collagen. So are you using the green hydrolysate/hydrolysed version, or the kind that gels? The link takes to the green bottle, but it makes more sense that the gelling kind would hold the bar together. Thanks!
Carolyn says
Nope, it’s the green one. Not the gelatin. Collagen doesn’t gel but it still helps hold things together.
Angela says
I just made this and put it in the refrigerator to harden—the “mix” tastes amazing-just like peanut butter granola bars!!!! I hope the bars hold together like yours, seemed pretty crumbly. Perfect timing too because I just bought some unopened peanut butter to make your peanut butter bars but then you posted this and used it for this instead—I’m excited to see how these turn out. Also, I realized that I only had about 1/6 cup of swerve left so I powdered some coconut sugar I have and used half coconut sugar and half swerve. Tastes great!
Carolyn says
As long as you pressed them REALLY well into the pan, they should hold together decently.
crazywoman/Billie says
Carolyn, there are 2 types of the Great Lakes Gelatin, green label & red or orange (if I recall correctly). Which one sets up like other gelatins to make “Jello”. Is it this green one or the other please?
Just saw a similar comment, but a little different above after I started posting. So the green label one does not gel? Could we use the other one in this recipe. Due to the cost of the products (I realize they should last a long time, but a bit much at one time, especially for both), I’d like to only have to buy 1 of them, and want a product that gels.
Thanks in advance,
Billie
Carolyn says
One is gelatin, the other is collagen. The collagen is what you want…green can.
crazywoman/Billie says
Thanks. Weird,,,,,, I don’t know how many times I’ve looked at them on Amazon, and each time they looked the same, except for the color of the can. Today when I checked them out I saw one said collagen, and the other gelatin. I swear every other time I looked they both said hydrolyzed collagen. Think I’m going crazy (like mu “name” implies). Sigh!
Thanks again! And thanks for sharing you great recipes with us!!
crazywoman/Billie says
correction Collagen Hydrolysate
Carolyn says
No worries!
crazywoman/Billie says
Gonna bother you one more time. In looking for this recipe (post) again, as somehow I failed to same it, I found one of your peanut butter bars that had chia seeds in it. If I added chia seeds to this recipe, do you think I would need to make other changes to compensate for the added chia (in this case whole probably rather than the ground like in the other recipe). I think chia seeds would be a good addition to this recipe.
Thanks again!
Carolyn says
No I think you’d be okay. If you find the mixture REALLY stiff, add a few tbsp of water.
Darlene says
Hi Carolyn. Thanks for all the fabulous recipes! I know you have clarified the difference in gelatin and collagen. My question is whether gelatin will work in this recipe or if it needs to be the collagen. Thanks!!
Carolyn says
I am worried that the gelatin might make the end result gummy. It’s hard to say since I didn’t try it myself.
Darlene says
Thanks for responding. If I try it with gelatin I will let you know how it turns out. I may try using a smaller amount.
Carolyn says
Thanks!
Andrea says
They look so good! The first time I tried collagen I broke out in hives for 10 days! Which is bizarre because I was unaware of any allergies! I so want to try these- I am even wondering if a tiny amount of collagen might be ok- maybe I could try 1/8 cup collagen & 1/8 cup vanilla bone broth protein powder? Think that would hold together? Or maybe half protein powder half chia seeds?? So sad collagen gave me hives! A little nervous to try it again- but theses darn bars look so good I may risk it!!!
Carolyn says
I would go with the chia sees (ground, maybe 2 tbsp and then add 1 or 2 tbsp of water to the mixture to make them gel). I don’t want you to even bother trying the collagen if it makes you react that way!
Jackie says
Sounds amazing Carolyn and I want to try this but only have beef hide gelatin Great Lakes unflavored gelatin collagen joint care . That’s what the canister says! Will this work?
Jolene says
I can’t find the actual recipe? What am I missing 🙂
Carolyn says
Link is right at the bottom!
Jolene says
Yes, just realized I needed to go to the blog…. thanks! Going to try these on the weekend!
linnylamb says
I’ve never made granola, but I’m looking forward to trying these! The no bake idea sounds fast and easy.
Just wondering, do you think they could be baked to further enhance the flavor or could some of the ingredients (like the nuts) be toasted before assembly? I know your recipes are great as is, I’m just asking since I know I really like toasted nuts and seeds.
Carolyn says
I don’t think baking would do much to help these at all but you could toast them before.
linnylamb says
Got it! Thanks so much for your recipes and inspiration.
Lisa @ Wine & Glue says
These look amazing! My kiddos would love them!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
These are right up my alley
Jenny D. says
Would shredded coconut work ILO flaked?
Kristen Mulady says
Any Idea what I can Substitute for the coconut? My husband is allergic. Thanks 🙂
Carolyn says
Use more of the sliced almonds.
Leigh says
This recipe is another winner! My husband eats a lot of protein bars which are full of sugar. I made these hoping he would eat these instead, and he loves them. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
arm2008 says
I have been using this recipe as a starting point and have found it versatile. Instead of making it in a tray and cutting, I press it into silicone cupcake molds. I like to put a layer in the bottom, toss on a few low carb chocolate chips, put them in the microwave to melt them, and then top off with another layer. Recently I added some different flavoring to the crunchy part – some raspberry bars with the chocolate layer, and banana – with and without chocolate layer. I mix up what nut butter I use, and the nut mixture, too. I’ve got some whey protein crunchies I was thinking about adding in place of some of the nuts. I’ve been making them without the collagen, but I’ve ordered some to try them that way. Thanks for the recipe!
Marie Anderson says
Where are the measurements for the ingredients? These would be great to pack when we go hiking.
Amanda says
Where’s the recipe please? I can’t find it
Carolyn says
Click through the link at the bottom and it takes you straight to the recipe.
Lisa says
What is the best way to store these? Can they be made ahead and frozen?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
Store on the counter, but they should freeze fine too.