The most delicious Chocolate Chip Granola Bars made from leftover almond pulp! Or you can just use blanched almond flour if you prefer. These are full of flavor, are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and oil-free and only 8 ingredients! SO much better than store-bought!
I make my own homemade almond milk. It’s ridiculously easy and SO MUCH better than store bought. Honestly, I make mine on the thick side, so it is almost like cream. I use organic almonds as well, and I swear that increases the clean smell and flavor of the milk as well. It smells just like pure sweet almond oil.
Anyways, the only issue I have had when making almond milk is what to do with the leftover almond pulp. I hate to admit, I’ve thrown it away too many times. I have made a few recipes with it and haven’t been pleased with how they’ve turned out….typically too soggy of results. The almond pulp has tons of moisture in it, so it doesn’t work exactly the same as almond flour in every recipe. But for these bars specifically, the almond pulp finally worked well….without having to dry/dehydrate it first. Score.
So, I finally came up with these amazingly, delicious chocolate chip bars. The almond pulp makes them so moist and chewy. These have a slight crisp on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside. These almond chocolate chip bars are only 8 ingredients, vegan, gluten-free and oil-free!
A lot of sites/blogs are copying/stealing this recipe and posting it on their site as their own, without ANY CREDIT. It’s shameful and disgusting behavior. Please have respect to my hard work, create your OWN RECIPES and do not repost my recipe on your site, if you are inspired, link and give credit properly, but do not post my recipe on your site.
Almond Pulp Makes The Best Chocolate Chip Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (107g) almond pulp or 1 cup (112g) blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons( 200g) pure maple syrup, room temperature (or agave)
- 1/4 cup (32g) ground flaxseed
- 1 cup (100g) gluten-free whole rolled oats, NOT quick oats
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120g) mini dairy-free chocolate chips (I use Enjoy Life)
- 1/2 cup (128g) creamy roasted almond butter
- 2 teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract
Note
- This recipe does not require you to use a dehydrator or "cook" your almond pulp before using it! But because of this, there is more moisture in it than almond flour. You can use regular blanched almond flour as well for this recipe, just note that the baking times below are slightly different. They are delicious either way.
NOTE
- I always recommend to use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed, since we all measure differently. Please understand that using your measuring cups and comparing them to the weights I have listed will likely vary. In fact, you don't even need to get out the cups to do this, it is not needed if you just follow my weights listed. I always test my recipes specifically using the WEIGHT LISTED. Keep in mind, so many measuring cups, even if they all state 1/2 cup, for example, will still slightly vary in size. I've noticed this myself with several different measuring cups I own! This is also why your measurements will vary. For this reason, weighing is the only TRUE way to get the exact result. Just use the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- Before following the recipe, if you are using homemade almond pulp, make sure you have squeezed out the excess moisture out really well, from preparing the almond milk. Papertowel dry it and store in the fridge overnight, as this helps to dry it out some. You do not need a dehydrator or to bake it to dry it out, but you also don't want it too wet or to use it immediately after making your almond milk, because it could make the bars too wet.
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees and line a 9X5 loaf pan with parchment paper hanging over the sides for easy removal later. Do you use a different size or bigger pan, otherwise the bars will be too thin and not bind well or hold their shape. They are meant to be thick bars like in the photos.
- Mix the syrup and flaxseed in a cup well with a fork and set aside for 10 minutes to gel up. Do not skip this step, as it is what acts as the "egg" and binds the bars to hold their shape.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond pulp (or almond flour), oats, cinnamon and salt and whisk well. Stir in the chocolate chips. I prefer mini because they disburse well and stay in tact better.
- After the 10 minutes is up for the syrup and flaxseed mixture, stir in the almond butter and vanilla until very smooth. Pour over the dry ingredients and stir for a couple of minutes until very sticky and absorbed, pressing with the back of your spoon to help mix.
- Add the dough to the loaf pan and spread out evenly and flat with a rubber spatula. You can slightly dampen your fingers to help press it down around the edges, as it will be sticky.
- For dough using almond pulp, bake for 30-32 minutes until very golden brown and firm on top. For dough using almond flour, bake about 27-30 minutes until very golden brown and firm on top.
Important
- Cool 1 hour before cutting, or they will fall apart. They firm up a lot as they cool. If desired, melt some chocolate chips and drizzle the tops for added sweetness or for presentation purposes. Honestly, they are plenty delicious without it, I just did it more for looks. Slice very carefully into 8 bars. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. They will hold their shape very well this way and it makes for an easy grab-and-go snack!
Hi! These look delish, what can I substitute for oat flour? I am allergic with an anaphylactic response Thanks in advance!
Hi Dani! I have never tried subbing the oats for anything before, you meant the oats and not the almond flour, correct? My only suggestion would be to try quinoa flakes in place of the oats, but since I haven’t tried it, I can’t vouch for the results in taste or texture, so please let me know how they turn out!
These were awesome! Easy to make and delicious, what more could you ask for! Ate one with a glass of almond milk 🙂 I put mine in muffin tins and it worked out well.
Oh that is a great idea! I need to try that! So glad you loved these, thank you for the feedback!
I’ve been recently diagnosed with gluten sensitivity and exploring alternative ways of cooking. I love desserts and this definitely satisfies the chocolate craving. The best part is that my family loves it too. Thank you so much for this great recipe!!!!
So wonderful Sarah! I’m so happy to hear these bars were such a hit, thank you so much for making them and leaving feedback!
Do you make your own roasted almond butter? If yes, can you post that recipe? Do you have more recipes to use almond pulp? I was browsing through the index but I didn’t come across any
I have just started making my own almond milk and searching uses for the pulp. Thanks for this recipe. I haven’t tried it yet because I’m still completing my ingredients without subbing.
I ordered my first batch of almonds from D & S Ranch in California. They say they use a different pasturization process that leaves them sproutable. Do you sprout your almonds before milking or making butter
Hi Cora! Yes, I actually make my own roasted almond butter. Here is a tutorial of how I make it, but to make it plain for all my recipes, just leave out the sweetener and spices and just do the almonds. You want it really, really creamy, almost like oil.
https://thevegan8.com/2014/06/16/homemade-cinnamon-ginger-almond-butter/
I never sprout them, just use them raw. Let me know after you make these, thank you!
I made these today and they are delicious!! My house smelled so good while they were cooking that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to wait to cut into the bars. After more than an hour, it was still somewhat crumbly when I cut into it, so I am waiting to cut the rest. I might try reducing the sweetener (based on some of the comments above) next time, but there will definitely be a next time! Thanks for a delicious way to use up almond pulp!!
Wonderful Amanda! So glad to hear you loved these so much! Make sure your almond pulp is really strained and dried out well, which helps the bars. Also, I’ve noted to store them in the fridge, which really helps them retain their shape best 🙂
These are amazing!!! I will be making these often to use up my almond pulp they are sooooo good!!!!
Yay! So happy to hear you loved them so much Erica, thank you so much for the feedback!
Brandi
These came out awesome, but I need to improve this as they don’t hold too well are are quite fragile. Please suggest a better binding agent that will not make this more sweeter as it is quite sweet
thanks
Hi Naveed! So glad you enjoyed these. I have noted you need to wrap these individually and store them in the fridge to hold their shape best. They hold together and stay firm well that way. 🙂 Did you sub any of the ingredients? As far as another binder, without testing, all I can do is suggest trying to sub 3-4 tablespoons or so of the syrup with brown rice syrup or molasses or something that is extremely thick and much stickier than maple syrup. I think that will work well and also cut down on the sweetness some. Let me know if you try it that way!
Do you know if this would work with sunflower seed or pumpkin seed pulp? I like to make milk seeds.
Hi Vera! I’m sorry, I have never tried anything but almond pulp so I have no idea. You could just try making the sunflower “flour” by finely grinding up sunflower seeds but since they are less fluffy and ground, then you will probably need a bit more. Just make sure to use the same weight amount as the almond flour (107 g) and that should work. Also, keep in mind it will change the flavor. Let me know if you try it!
Thank you so much for this fabulous recipe! I made them to bring as a snack for Memorial Day weekend on the boat and the were a huge hit. I used 1/3 cup of honey instead of the maple syrup. They turned out perfectly! I am going to make a double batch tomorrow morning. I am so excited to find a use for my almond pulp that tastes awesome. It is a recipe that is straight up GOOD, not good for a gluten free bar.
Thank you so much Joyce for the wonderful feedback! I’m so happy to hear these were such a hit! I agree too, these are just delicious bars period, whether gluten-free or not…most bars in the store are so bland and that is why I always prefer homemade. Thanks again for letting me know!!
Hi Brandi, am definitely gonna try this one, but what would it be any difference if am using the quick cook or instant oat? Thank u
Hi Cher! No, I think they are pretty much the same, so I think you should be good (just don’t use regular whole oats) 🙂 Let me know how they turn out!
These look like an awesome way to use up the pulp. I must admit I don’t have the patience to deal with all the pulp usually, but my solution is to give it to my pups who love this stuff in their meals. But occasionally I love trying out some pulp-based baked goodies and I love the sound of these bars — getting the moisture/texture balance right is not always easy, but these look just perfect!
I tried these and they unfortunately did not turn out well. The texture was extremely “chalky” and cardboard like. The only thing I modified on the original recipe is that I used a cup of quick oats instead of regular oats because I didn’t have them. Also, the recipe did not say whether the “1 cup” of almond pulp needed to be a “loose” cup or a “packed down” cup. There’s a big difference since a packed down cup would use quite a bit more almond pulp. I used a packed down cup. Thoughts?
Hi Stacy! I am sorry to hear that, every single review has been exceptional from other readers, but I know why yours turned out that way and can help. I think based on your sub and packing the almond flour is what affected your result. Quick cooking oats are much smaller and absorb more than whole regular oats, so you will be getting a greater ratio of oats in your bars by using those, which is going to make it taste too oaty, which oats by themselves taste pretty cardboard-like. Also, same reason with packing the almond flour again is going to give you more flour into the bars. This is why I listed the weight of the almond flour (107 g) and why I always list it on recipes to ensure best results. It’s the best way to ensure to get the right result since so many people measure with their cups differently. I always just scoop out my almond flour with the measuring cup, lightly pat the top down, then level off. Hope all that helps! If you remake them with the right oats and almond flour measurement, you should get a pleased result like others have. I promise these are chewy and delicious and sweet and taste nothing like cardboard! 🙂
Brandi, thank you so much for responding! I will definitely try these again. It’s good to know other people aren’t raving about the taste of cardboard. 🙂 I’m looking forward to another go at it and will report back. Thank you!
Hi, I made the following revisions- used (1C) almond meal instead of pulp, used (1C) spelt oats instead of regular oats, used 1/3 c honey instead of what’s called for, and finally, used 2 mashed bananas instead of almond butter.
The bananas made the bars really sweet. If anyone wants to try it with bananas (to cut down on the fat content…etc), I’d recommend using 1/4 c sweeteners of choice only. However, that might throw off the liquid to solid ratio the recipe was intended for.
I baked mine for 35 mins. After waiting for an hour, the bars were still soft to cut into but that didn’t stop me from eating two thick slices right from the baking dish.
Thanks for the recipe.
So wonderful to hear your changes worked so well CJ! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Hi Brandi. Made your bars last week just like the recipe they were good. Today I made them doubled and half the recipe so it would fit in a cookie sheet. The bars would be smaller and they came out perfect. Taking some to share to church tomorrow for fellowship. I want to share the healthy goodness!! Thanks. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Susan
Finally made these and they did not disappoint! I cut back on the maple by 2Tbsp and topped up the liquid with a touch of almond milk and they were perfectly sweet to my tastebuds. I really love the chewy/doughy texture.
2 of us ate the whole batch in just 2 days :S – next time I’m making a double batch! Thank you for the recipe!
Yay Emma!! I’m so glad you loved them and hey I can understand scarfing them down rather quickly, haha! I do the same thing when I make them. Thank you so much for making them!! xx
Hi Brandi! Really love your blog 🙂
This recipe is the first one I tried out so far. Would love to share it on my blog. With linking to you of course.
Would that be ok for you?
Cheers,
Marleen
Sure! Thank you so much!!
Wonderful 🙂 Thanks a lot!!!
Hi Brandi, I found your website after yet a fourth search for a recipe for the almond pulp. Three previous recipes sucked, just like you said yours did. Based on the reviews, I am very much hoping we have a winner here. I certainly have anough pulp in the freezer to experiment with. I thought you might be interested to know: I found out recently from a raw food restaurant I went to, that all almonds (raw organic or not organic) sold in the USA are pasteurized, unless they are imported. Apparently the laws in the USA require pasteurization. I found some non-pasteurized organic raw almonds in the health food store where the raw food restaurant buys them. Very expensive – $42 for two pounds! I did find a couple of sources on-line that were a little less expensive. I was unaware of the pasteurization of almond nuts issue, and felt I would just pass this along to you and your fellow bloggers. At any rate, thanks for your work on developing this recipe – I am going to try it over the weekend.
Hi Gail! I hope you love the bars, they really are delicious and as you’ve already seen, great reviews…every single person has loved them, so I hope you do too! Thank you as well for all the info on the almonds as well, I have heard a little bit about that here and there, but yes, they are so expensive! Please let me know after you make these how you like them!
I made these, and my non-veg husband loved them. I didn’t have almond butter, so I used peanut butter. I thought they were quite good, but a little too sweet. I will make them again and cut back a little on the agave. I’m determined to use the almond pulp instead of throwing it away.
Hi Deborah! So glad your husband loved them! Yes, I always use maple syrup because agave is definitely sweeter. With maple syrup, I find them just right. I will add a note above to the recipe that if using agave, it will make them slightly sweeter.
Thanks again for making them!!
Do you think that using dates/date paste as the sweetener would still work okay with this recipe?
It’s hard to say since I haven’t tried it, but I think so. Date paste is much thicker than syrup though, so they may be a bit dry or you may need more. I’m just not sure, I’ve never used it before. Let me know if you try it!
Thrilled to have found this! Currently have pulp in my freezer that deep down I knew I would never dehydrate. Can’t wait to try them. Would you mind if I shared the link on a Vitamix group I belong to? Lots of members make their own almond milk.
Hi Nicole! Yes, please share it! And thank you so much for asking, that’s so kind of you! Please leave me feedback after you make it, I’d love to hear!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! I’m definitely making this again 🙂
Yay! Thanks so much for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!
I freeze my almond or Brazil nut pulp when I make milk. This recipe will be one of many uses that I can use with my pulp. I also make a nut hummus out of the leftovers. Your recipe loons great, will be trying it tomorrow, will need to thaw my pulp, thanks.
Wonderful Joanne! Please let me know if you tried it out! Thank you so much!
Hi Brandi,
How many egg whites should I use instead of the flaxseed meal? Usually I have some handy but I don’t currently have any left. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Marie-Lyne! Hm, I’m guessing here because I don’t ever use eggwhites, but I think 1/4 cup would work to make it hold, but since it’s all liquid and you won’t have the ingredient of flax meal/flour, then I would add an extra 1/4 cup of almond pulp/flour so the mixture won’t be too wet. Please let me know how it turns out! Thank you! 🙂