Apricot Chia Homemade Energy Bars Recipe - Easy Snack Idea! (2024)

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Jun 18, 2019 Jun 21, 2023

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When you need a road trip or after-school snack for kids and adults, you can’t go wrong with homemade energy bars. These Apricot Chia Bars are sweet, chewy, and have only six ingredients. Plus this recipe is gluten-free, vegan, peanut- and tree nut-free making them the perfect allergy-safe and healthy no-bake snacks to pack in a lunch box for school or camp.

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Table of Contents

  • The Best Homemade Energy Bars
  • Energy Bar Ingredients
  • How to Make Homemade Energy Bars
  • Storing Apricot Chia Bars
  • Tips for Success
  • More energy bar recipes
  • Shop the Recipe
  • Get the Recipe

The Best Homemade Energy Bars

Fast, easy, and healthy, snack bars are portable and packable. It’s also great to keep them in the fridge for when the afternoon hunger pangs start. But what are the keys to perfect homemade energy bars?

Keep the ingredient list short, simple, and nutrient dense. Make them easy to prepare and relatively mess-free to grab on the go. And, if course, they have to be delicious!

These Apricot Chia Energy Bars tick all of those boxes. They are sweet and tangy with just a hint of crunch. You just have to grab the six ingredients, your food processor, and a pan. And all you have to do is pulse everything together, press it into a pan, chill, and cut into squares.

In no time you’ll be ready to calm the kiddos, whether you toss them into the back seat during a road trip or when they run in the house after school saying they are starving!

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Energy Bar Ingredients

Yes, you only need 6 ingredients to make these easy no-bake bars! Be sure to read the labels for cross-contamination risks so that you can ensure they are gluten free, if needed. And you can also make them without nuts or dairy, too!

  • Dried dates – provide the sweetness and sticky factor to keep the bars together.
  • Dried apricots – the tangy flavor keeps these sweet bars from being too sweet.
  • Pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds) – add crunch and protein but keep these bars peanut-free and nut-free.
  • Cinnamon – adds a hint of warm spice.
  • Chia seeds – most of the time you see chia in overnight oats like Hummingbird Cake Overnight Oatsor smoothies or chia pudding where it swells up and gets gel-ish, but here it’s like little bits of crunch. Plus, superfoods for the win!
  • White chocolate chips – provide a creamy bit to balance the fruit, but if you don’t want the added sugar (though it is only a bit), you could leave them out.
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How to Make Homemade Energy Bars

These healthy snack bars come together in no time.

Make the mixture: Combine the dried fruit, cinnamon, and chia seeds in a food processor and pulse until it forms almost a thick paste, but where you can still see individual bits of each of the separate ingredients. You might need to stop the processor a few times to scrape it down with a spatula.

Add the seeds and chips: Add the pepitas and pulse a few times tp incorporate them, followed by the white chocolate. Only pulled a couple of times to mix it in so the chocolate doesn’t melt.

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Press into the pan. Transfer the mixture to a square pan lined with wax paper or parchment paper. Press it down firmly.

Cool and cut. Refrigerate until firm before cutting into squares.

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Storing Apricot Chia Bars

Transfer your bars to a container with a lid and seal them well. They will keep at room temperature for several days, and a couple of weeks in the refrigerator. You can even individually wrap them or place them in plastic baggies and freeze them for up to two months. Pull out as many as you need the night before, or pop a frozen bar into a lunchbox – it’ll thaw by lunchtime!

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Tips for Success

  • Get the kids involved. They are so quick and easy that the kids can definitely help you make them. They can measure out the ingredients and dump them into the food processor – keep their fingers away when you are pulsing it. Then let the kids press it into the pan.
  • Don’t over-process. You want to leave some texture, which is why I like to add the pumpkin seeds after getting the dried fruit worked into apaste. Also, you don’t want to run the food processor too long after adding the chocolate because the warmth it generates will melt it.
  • Line the pan. You’ll need a layer of wax or parchment paper or even plastic wrap to be able to lift the bars out of the pan.
  • Try the double pan trick. One thing I do every time is to use another pan of the same size and place it on top to press the mixture tightly into the pan. That packs it in tightly and gives it a nice, even surface.
  • Make variations. You can use roughly the same ratio of dried fruits, seeds, and mix-ins to make all kinds of homemade energy bars with your favorite flavor combinations.

More energy bar recipes

  • Mango Coconut Energy Bars bring in the tropical flavors.
  • Cherry Lime Energy Bars are sweet and tangy.
  • Cherry Chocolate Energy Bars combine two amazing flavors into one snack bar.
  • Caramel Banana Energy Bars taste totally ooey gooey, but are still good for you.
  • Banana Nut Energy Bars are a no-bake way to enjoy the flavor of banana bread.
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Shop the Recipe

Brianne Recommends

FOOD PROCESSOR: I use the Hamilton Beach Stack & Snap Food Processor.

MINI SPATULAS: These are my favorite for getting into nooks and crannies.

SQUARE PANS: Remember, I like to have two so I can use one to press down the bars that are in the other one.

PARCHMENT PAPER: Don’t forget to line your pan so you can get the bars out easily.

    Apricot Chia Homemade Energy Bars Recipe - Easy Snack Idea! (17)

    4.8 from 31 votes

    No-Bake Apricot Chia Energy Bars

    It only takes minutes to make this sweet and chewy snack with just a bit of crunch. Perfectly portable, plus they are gluten free, vegan, and nut-free.

    Prep: 10 minutes mins

    Cook: 30 minutes mins

    Chilling Time 30 minutes mins

    Total: 40 minutes mins

    Ingredients

    Instructions

    • Line a 8×8 or 9×9 square pan with wax or paper.

    • Place dates, apricots, chia seeds and cinnamon in a food processor, and process until the mixture forms a large mass.

    • Break up slightly with a spatula, add pepitas to the mixture in the food processor, and pulse until there are small chunks of pepitas.

    • Break up the mixture one more time, add white chocolate chips and pulse a few times to slightly break and distribute the chips.

    • Press the mixture into the prepared pan. You can cover the top with more paper and press an equal sized pan to roll the top with a glass to flatten completely.

    • Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes, then slice into bars or squares.

    Nutrition Facts

    No-Bake Apricot Chia Energy Bars

    Amount Per Serving (1 bar)

    Calories 84Calories from Fat 27

    % Daily Value*

    Fat 3g5%

    Sodium 3mg0%

    Potassium 202mg6%

    Carbohydrates 14g5%

    Fiber 1g4%

    Sugar 11g12%

    Protein 2g4%

    Vitamin A 305IU6%

    Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

    Calcium 25mg3%

    Iron 0.8mg4%

    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

    Course: Snack

    Cuisine: American

    Apricot Chia Homemade Energy Bars Recipe - Easy Snack Idea! (18)

    Did you make this?

    Leave a rating below and tag @cupcakesandkalechips on Instagram and hashtag it #cupcakesandkalechips

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    Categories:

    • Gluten Free
    • Snacks
    • Sweet
    Apricot Chia Homemade Energy Bars Recipe - Easy Snack Idea! (2024)

    FAQs

    What to mix chia seeds with? ›

    10 Ways to Use Chia
    • Smoothies or Yogurt - Add 1 tablespoon of chia to your favorite smoothie or yogurt.
    • Pudding - Make a delicious pudding using chia and milk or milk alternative.
    • Baked Goods - Add some chia to the recipe.
    • Egg Substitute - Soak 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 1/4 cup of water to replace 1 egg in a recipe.

    How to eat chia seeds for breakfast? ›

    One of the simplest ways to add chia seeds to your diet is to add them to water. To make chia water, soak 1/4 cup (40 grams) of chia seeds in 4 cups (1 liter) of water for 20–30 minutes. To give your drink some flavor, you can add chopped fruit or squeeze in a lemon, lime, or orange.

    What do you do with chia seeds? ›

    Dry chia seeds can also be added whole or ground to smoothies and juices, mixed into yogurt and oatmeal, or sprinkled on top of a salad. If you're adding the seeds to a drink or a "wet" dish like porridge, they'll swell up slightly while you eat but retain a slight crunch.

    How do you cook chia seeds? ›

    "Pulse them into smoothies, make crackers, sprinkle them toasted into your favorite porridge or pilaf," suggests Beitchman. "For a nuttier profile, you can toast chia seeds in a 325°F oven for about 3 to 5 minutes until they become fragrant. Then add them to foods as you would the raw varieties."

    What not to mix with chia seeds? ›

    Omega-3 fatty acids: Chia seeds contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids. It is known that high levels of omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding. Therefore, it is advised to avoid taking chia seeds with foods or supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

    Is chia seeds better with milk or water? ›

    Is it better to soak chia seeds in milk or water? That's a matter of personal preference. If you soak them in water they have less flavor than if they are soaked in a non-dairy milk. When soaked in a milk, they take on the flavor of the milk.

    Is it better to eat chia seeds before bed or in the morning? ›

    The best time to drink chia seed water depends on your personal preferences. Drinking it in the afternoon may help prevent you from overeating later in the day, and drinking it in the evening could help reduce your appetite before bed.

    What does chia seeds do on an empty stomach? ›

    “Drinking chia seed water in the morning can give a boost to your digestion and improve bowel movement,” she writes, calling it “great for your protein intake, heart health, bone health, blood sugar control, digestion, weight loss, and inflammation.” It should be noted that these claims are not substantiated by ...

    Is it better to eat chia seeds in the morning or at night? ›

    Consuming chia seeds with water in the morning helps in giving your digestive system a boost and improves bowel movement. Healthy digestion is a prerequisite to weight loss. The best time to eat chia seeds is when you wake up. Consumption of chia seeds aids in a feeling of fullness and thus a reduced calorie intake.

    What do chia seeds do to your insides? ›

    The fiber in chia seeds is mainly soluble fiber and mucilage, the substance responsible for the gluey texture of moistened chia seeds. These fibers may help to lower LDL cholesterol and slow down digestion, which can prevent blood sugar spikes after eating a meal and promote a feeling of fullness.

    How to eat chia seeds for best results? ›

    1-2 tbsp (15-30 g) of chia seeds into a cup (240 mL) of warm milk or any milk substitute. Let stand for 10–15 minutes until the mixture forms a gel, whisking occasionally to break up seed clumps, then eat cold or heat again before eating.

    How to make chia seeds taste good? ›

    Here are some of my favorites:
    1. Fresh fruit. I love piling berries and tart cherries on chia seed pudding. Use fresh ones in the summer and thawed frozen ones for the rest of the year.
    2. Something crunchy, like coconut flakes, chopped nuts, or homemade granola.
    3. Something sweet. Add an extra drizzle of maple syrup.

    Can I put chia seeds in hot oatmeal? ›

    Instructions. Place almond milk, oats, chia seeds, and nuts in a small saucepan and let it come to a boil. Cook about 5-7 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Place it in a bowl and garnish it with more nuts, dried fruits and chia seeds, if preferred.

    What is the healthiest way to eat chia seeds? ›

    Best Ways to Eat Chia Seeds
    1. 16-ounce smoothie: Up to 2 tablespoons chia seeds.
    2. 8-ounce serving of water or juice: 1 tablespoon of chia seeds.
    3. 1 cup yogurt: 1 tablespoon chia seeds, plus a bit of water to avoid clumping.
    Mar 19, 2024

    Can I put chia seeds in muffins? ›

    Sift flour, white sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a large bowl; add oats and chia seeds. Mix orange juice, applesauce, oil, and eggs together in a bowl; stir into flour mixture until batter is just combined. Fold blueberries into batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling 3/4-full.

    What is the most effective way to eat chia seeds? ›

    Because they quickly swell after absorbing liquid, it is advised to eat chia seeds that have already been soaked in liquid or are served with a moist food, such as oatmeal or yogurt. Do not eat dry chia seeds by themselves.

    Is it okay to eat chia seeds every day? ›

    Chia seeds may provide several benefits as part of a healthy diet. There is no RDA for chia seeds. Still, they can be safely eaten in amounts of 50 grams daily, which is about five tablespoons. The chia plant is a member of the mint family.

    How much chia seeds should you eat a day? ›

    A 2-tablespoon serving (which is a TON of seeds) has 150 calories, 10g of fiber, 6g of protein and 10g of fat, most of which is the healthy polyunsaturated variety. In terms of how much chia to eat each day, it's smart to stick to the 2-tablespoon serving size.

    References

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