Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars From Scratch (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free)
These healthy Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars are so delicious and addictive that you’d never know they were sugar-free and gluten-free. No need to rush to the store, either, because this recipe only uses simple, whole ingredients–making them great for your body and for packing on-the-go.
A Tasty On-the-Go Travel Snack
Homemade snacks are good and all, but one of the most challenging aspects is finding recipes that travel well.
These Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars are exactly what you need for a tasty on-the-go travel snack. Just wrap them up in some parchment paper, put them in an airtight glass container, and you’re ready to pack up the family and head out for the day.
Homemade Nutri Grain Bars with Homemade Filling
One of the reasons I LOVE these homemade Nutri Grain bars is that they are completely from scratch. No store-bought jams for the filling! I think this adds so much goodness and flavor.
Making the filling yourself also means that you can play around with the flavors to your liking. If you want to add a bit of cinnamon or mint, why not?
My favorite version is the one written in the recipe card. But feel free to experiment, and share your discoveries with us in the comments.
Why Berry Nutri Grain Bars?
There are so many flavor options for Nutri Grain bars. So why did we choose berries as the filling for this recipe?
According to the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, berries are some of the best foods you can eat.
[B]erries provide potassium, magnesium, vitamins C and K, fiber, and prebiotics—carbohydrates that help promote a healthy gut.
Tips for Success
Dough – When making the dough, add only a little bit of milk at a time, as needed to make the batter hold together without sticking to your hands. If you added a little too much milk, simply put the dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and then get back to rolling it out.
Berry Filling – You do not need to stir the filling constantly as it is simmering. However, to maximize your success with the filling, do check it often. (Nobody wants scorched berry Nutri Grain bars!)
Baking – Do NOT over-bake these bars. Just like the best cookies, they will get a dry and crumbly if left in the oven too long. Because individual oven performance varies, always check the bars around the ten-minute mark to estimate how much remaining bake time they will need. These bars are done when the dough is set, but it does not have to be golden brown or firm to the touch.
What You Need to Make Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars From Scratch
- a mixing bowl
- a spatula
- a medium-sized saucepan
- a food processor
- measuring cups and spoons
- parchment paper or a silicon baking mat
- a cookie sheet (or two)
Ingredients for Healthy Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars
Berry Filling
- 3 cups frozen mixed berries (cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (the juice of about 1/2 a lemon)
- 5 Tbsp. raw honey
Nutri Grain Bar Dough
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup organic quick oats
- 2/3 cup organic golden flaxseed meal
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 6 Tbsp. raw honey
- 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or unsalted grass-fed butter
- 1 Tbsp. milk
How to Make Healthy Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- FOR THE FILLING: In a medium-sized saucepan, warm the mixed berries, lemon juice, and honey over medium-low heat. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling. (This will take awhile, so make the dough while waiting.) Turn the heat down to a low simmer. Continue to stir occasionally until the filling reduces to a thick syrup. (It will reduce down to about 1 1/2 cups, with very little liquid left.)
- FOR THE DOUGH: In a food processor, blend together the almond flour, quick oats, and flaxseed meal until the oats are finely ground to flour. Add in the remaining ingredients (baking powder, honey, vanilla extract, eggs, coconut oil, and milk) and blend until a dough forms. (If the dough is too dry, add a little more milk–1 tsp. at a time–until the dough sticks together but is not super sticky.)
- ASSEMBLY: On a lightly floured surface (for gluten-free needs, use gluten-free flour or almond flour), roll out the dough into a large rectangle that is about 1/4″ thick. Slice the dough into 10 rectangles (or squares). (To visualize the size of the bars, imagine each rectangle divided in half. That will be the size of the bar.) On one half of each rectangle, spoon about 1 Tbsp. of berry filling, making sure to leave enough room around the outer edges to form a seal around the filling. After filling each bar, fold it in half and seal the outer edges tightly. (You can use a fork to lightly press the edges and form a pretty seal.)
- BAKING: Line a cookie tray with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat like this one). Place the bars about 1-inch apart on the baking tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, untli the dough is cooked. (The filling, of course, will still be runny. It’s supposed to be that way.) Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
How to Store Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars
Store these bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (While these are great for packing for a snack on-the-go, the filling will spoil if left at room temperature for more than a day, so make sure to keep these yummy bars in the fridge!)
Other Uses for the Berry Filling
If you end up with some extra berry filling, use it in chia seed pudding or as a topping for yogurt. It’s also great as a fruit spread on homemade bread!
Other Healthy Berry Snack Recipes to Try
On a berry kick? Try our recipe for Healthy Sugar-Free Berry Sorbet.
And don’t forget to subscribe to our email newsletter, where you will get free recipes (including our next delicious berry one!) sent directly to your inbox.
Healthy Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free)
These healthy Homemade Berry Nutri Grain Bars are so delicious and addictive that you'd never know they were sugar-free and gluten-free. No need to rush to the store, either, because this recipe only uses simple, whole ingredients--making them great for your body and for packing on-the-go.
Ingredients
Berry Filling
- 3 cups frozen mixed berries (cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice (the juice of about 1/2 a lemon)
- 5 Tbsp. raw honey
Nutrigrain Bar Dough
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup organic quick oats
- 2/3 cup organic golden flaxseed meal
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 6 Tbsp. raw honey
- 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil or unsalted grass-fed butter
- 1 Tbsp. milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- FOR THE FILLING: In a medium-sized saucepan, warm the mixed berries, lemon juice, and honey over medium-low heat. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling. (This will take awhile, so make the dough while waiting.) Turn the heat down to a low simmer. Continue to stir occasionally until the filling reduces to a thick syrup. (It will reduce down to about 1 1/2 cups, with very little liquid left.)
- FOR THE DOUGH: In a food processor, blend together the almond flour, quick oats, and flaxseed meal until the oats are finely ground to flour. Add in the remaining ingredients (baking powder, honey, vanilla extract, eggs, coconut oil, and milk) and blend until a dough forms. (If the dough is too dry, add a little more milk--1 tsp. at a time--until the dough sticks together but is not super sticky.)
- ASSEMBLY: On a lightly floured surface (for gluten-free needs, use gluten-free flour or almond flour), roll out the dough into a large rectangle that is about 1/4" thick. Slice the dough into 10 rectangles (or squares). (To visualize the size of the bars, imagine each rectangle divided in half. That will be the size of the bar.) On one half of each rectangle, spoon about 1 Tbsp. of berry filling, making sure to leave enough room around the outer edges to form a seal around the filling. After filling each bar, fold it in half and seal the outer edges tightly. (You can use a fork to lightly press the edges and form a pretty seal.)
- BAKING: Line a cookie tray with parchment paper (or a silicone baking mat like this one). Place the bars about 1-inch apart on the baking tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, untli the dough is cooked. (The filling, of course, will still be runny. It's supposed to be that way.) Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
- STORING: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (While these are great for packing for a snack on-the-go, the filling will spoil if left at room temperature for more than a day, so make sure to keep these yummy bars in the fridge!)
Notes
Dough - When making the dough, add only a little bit of milk at a time, as needed to make the batter hold together without sticking to your hands. If you added a little too much milk, simply put the dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes and then get back to rolling it out.
Berry Filling - You do not need to stir the filling constantly as it is simmering. However, to maximize your success with the filling, do check it often. (Nobody wants scorched berry Nutri Grain bars!)
Baking - Do NOT over-bake these bars. Just like the best cookies, they will get a dry and crumbly if left in the oven too long. Because individual oven performance varies, always check the bars around the ten-minute mark to estimate how much remaining bake time they will need. These bars are done when the dough is set, but it does not have to be golden brown or firm to the touch.
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