These Homemade KIND Nut Bars are the perfect grab-and-go snack, packed with whole roasted nuts and drizzled with rich dark chocolate. They are sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy all at the same time, offering a wholesome energy boost without the high price tag of the store-bought version.
With a sticky honey-vanilla glaze and a satisfying crunch from almonds and peanuts, these bars are a delicious way to fuel your day.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: A robust nutty flavor is balanced by the sweetness of honey and brown rice syrup, with a hint of vanilla and a finish of semi-sweet dark chocolate.
- Texture: These bars are pleasantly chewy and sticky, featuring the substantial crunch of whole nuts and the light crispness of puffed rice.
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 5 minutes cook time, plus cooling time.
- Difficulty: Easy. The hardest part is waiting for them to set!
What You’ll Need
To make this recipe, you will need an 8-inch square pan and aluminum foil for molding the bars. A small saucepan is required to boil the syrup mixture, and a microwave-safe bowl is needed for melting the chocolate. A large mixing bowl is essential for combining the nuts and sticky syrup.
Ingredient Notes
- Nuts (Almonds, Peanuts, Walnuts) – This recipe uses a blend of whole roasted almonds, whole dry roasted peanuts, and chopped roasted walnuts. Using roasted nuts provides the best crunch and depth of flavor.
- Brown Rice Syrup – This is the secret binder. It is thicker and stickier than maple syrup or agave, ensuring the bars hold their shape.
- Honey – Adds a distinct floral sweetness that pairs perfectly with the nuts.
- Puffed Rice – This adds a light, airy texture to fill in the gaps between the heavy nuts.
- Flaxseed Meal – Adds a boost of nutrition and helps bind the mixture slightly.
- Coconut Oil – Used to grease the bowl and add a subtle background flavor.
- Dark Chocolate Chips – Melted down for the signature drizzle that makes these bars feel like a treat.
- Sea Salt – A half teaspoon balances the sweetness of the syrup and highlights the roasted nut flavors.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Nut Variations – You can swap the specific nuts listed for others like cashews, pecans, or macadamia nuts, as long as you keep the total volume the same.
- Seeds – Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds (pepitas) can be swapped in for a portion of the chopped walnuts.
- Chocolate – If you prefer a sweeter finish, you can use milk chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate for the drizzle.
How to Make Homemade KIND Nut Bars
- Prep the Pan: Line an 8 inch pan with aluminum foil leaving a couple of inches overhanging on each side. This will act as a sling to remove the bars later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Drizzle the melted coconut oil in a large bowl, making sure to coat the bowl completely so it is greasy (this prevents the sticky syrup from clinging to the bowl). Mix together the almonds, peanuts, chopped walnuts, puffed rice, and flaxseed meal in the greased bowl. Set aside.
- Boil the Syrup: In a small saucepan, combine the brown rice syrup, honey, vanilla, and sea salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once the mixture starts boiling, continually whisk for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and is nice and sticky.
- Combine: Pour the hot syrup mixture immediately over the nut mixture and stir to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
- Press: Transfer the mixture into the lined pan and spread out evenly, making sure there are no gaps. Press down firmly to pack the bars tight.
- Cool and Cut: Allow the mixture to cool for about 30 minutes. Then, using the overhanging foil, lift the block of nuts out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Cut into 10 even bars. Allow to cool completely before drizzling with chocolate.
- Melt Chocolate: To make the chocolate drizzle, place the dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Drizzle and Set: Spoon the chocolate drizzle over the bars and let sit at room temperature until the chocolate has set.
Pro Tip: Greasing the mixing bowl with the coconut oil before adding the nuts is a game-changer. It ensures that the sticky syrup binds to the nuts rather than being left behind on the sides of the bowl.
Recipe Tips
- Press Firmly: When transferring the mixture to the pan, press down very firmly. Compacting the nuts eliminates air pockets and ensures the bars hold together when sliced.
- Watch the Boil: When boiling the syrup, keep whisking. You want it to thicken nicely so it acts as a strong glue, but be careful not to burn the honey.
- Cutting: Cutting the bars after 30 minutes (while they are still slightly pliable but cool) prevents them from shattering, which can happen if you wait until they are fully hardened.
FAQs
- Can I use maple syrup instead of brown rice syrup? It is not recommended for this specific recipe. Brown rice syrup is significantly stickier and thicker than maple syrup. Using a thinner sweetener may result in bars that fall apart.
- Why are my bars falling apart? This usually happens if the syrup wasn’t boiled long enough to thicken, or if the mixture wasn’t pressed firmly enough into the pan.
- Are these gluten-free? Yes, the ingredients listed are naturally gluten-free, but always check the labels on your puffed rice and brown rice syrup to be sure they were processed in a gluten-free facility.
Serving Suggestions
- Yogurt Bowl: Crumble a bar over Greek yogurt for a deconstructed granola parfait.
- Coffee Companion: These salty-sweet bars are the perfect match for a hot afternoon coffee.
- Hiking Snack: Because they hold their shape well, they are great for packing on hikes or long walks.
Make This Recipe in Advance
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freezing: You can freeze these bars to save for later. Wrap them individually or layer them with parchment paper in a container. Thaw at room temperature before eating.
Homemade KIND Nut Bars
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 10 Bars 1x
Description
These Homemade KIND Nut Bars are the perfect grab-and-go snack, packed with whole roasted nuts and drizzled with rich dark chocolate. They are sweet, salty, crunchy, and chewy all at the same time, offering a wholesome energy boost without the high price tag of the store-bought version. With a sticky honey-vanilla glaze and a satisfying crunch from almonds and peanuts, these bars are a delicious way to fuel your day.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil (for greasing the bowl)
- 1/2 cup unsalted roasted almonds, whole
- 1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts, whole
- 1/2 cup roasted walnuts, chopped
- 1/3 cup puffed rice (like Rice Krispies or brown rice puffs)
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 1/4 cup brown rice syrup (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (for drizzle)
Instructions
Prep the Pan
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving a couple of inches of overhang on the sides to act as handles.
Mix Dry Ingredients
Pour the melted coconut oil into a large mixing bowl and swirl it around to grease the sides completely. (This prevents the sticky syrup from clinging to the bowl later). Add the almonds, peanuts, chopped walnuts, puffed rice, and flaxseed meal to the greased bowl and toss to mix. Set aside.
Boil the Syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the brown rice syrup, honey, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Whisk continuously for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture thickens and looks bubbly and sticky.
Combine
Immediately pour the hot syrup mixture over the nut mixture in the bowl. Stir rapidly to ensure every nut is evenly coated in the glaze.
Press
Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it out evenly. Crucial Step: Press down very firmly with the back of a spatula or greased hands. Compacting the nuts eliminates air pockets and ensures the bars hold together.
Cool and Cut
Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes. They should be firm but still slightly pliable. Use the foil overhang to lift the block out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and slice into 10 even bars. Allow them to cool completely on a wire rack or the board.
Drizzle
Place the dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cooled bars.
Set
Let the bars sit until the chocolate hardens before serving or storing.
Notes
The Binder: Brown rice syrup is the secret ingredient here. It is much thicker and stickier than maple syrup or agave. Do not substitute it with maple syrup, or the bars will likely fall apart.
Grease the Bowl: Do not skip coating the mixing bowl with coconut oil. This ensures all that delicious, sticky binder goes into the bars instead of being stuck to the walls of your bowl.
Cutting Timing: Slice the bars while they are still slightly warm/pliable (about 30 minutes after pressing). If you wait until they are fully rock-hard, they may shatter when you try to cut them.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Stovetop / No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bar
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: homemade kind bars, nut bars recipe, healthy energy bars, gluten free snacks, chocolate nut bars, brown rice syrup recipes, hiking snacks
