Energy bars are a convenient, on-the-go snack to toss in your gym bag, but they can be full of added sugar and other not-so-desirable ingredients. Plus, they’re not exactly cheap. These recipes are healthy, quick (all it takes is a quick spin in the food processor) and mostly no-bake. Freeze your homemade creations — with a variety of nuts, seeds, fruit and grains — for a later date, or pack the freshly made bars in a Ziploc bag for a portable breakfast or mid-morning snack.

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It may look like dessert, but guess what? This energy bar passes for breakfast, too. The 15-minute no-bake recipe pairs a nutty oatmeal base with a fruity chia seed-studded raspberry jam. Consider this your healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, fiber and antioxidants. Photo and Recipe: Renee Blair / Life by Daily Burn

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Nothing’s sweeter than apple pie. So when it comes to healthy snacks, this take on the classic American dessert scales back the sweetness to just five grams of sugar per bar. You’ll still nail the flavor, though, thanks to chucks of dried apple, pecans, toasted oats and cinnamon. Photo and Recipe: Carmen Sturdy / Life by Daily Burn

Now tell us this doesn’t look like dessert. Dates and cashews make up the base of this bar, while cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut and vanilla add decadence (without all the guilt). If you have trouble finding moist, soft dates (oftentimes they’re pretty dry), soak them overnight in water before tossing in the food processer. And don’t forget to remove the pits if they’re still in there! Photo and Recipe: Angie / seasaltwithfood

Not jazzed about spending $2-$3 for a store-bought bar? Make ’em yourself! These Larabar-inspired snacks require just three simple ingredients: nuts, medjool dates and dried fruit. Promise: This energy bar recipe is worth breaking out the food processor for! Photo and Recipe: Renee Blair / Life by Daily Burn

For a tropical treat, try these scrumptious bars made with apricots, cashews and unsweetened coconut. Rolled oats and hemp seeds, packed with omega-3, -6 and -9 fatty acids, hold all the ingredients together. If you don’t have agave syrup on hand, honey works too. Photo and Recipe: Christal / Nutritionist in the Kitch

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The stars of these bars are dates, walnuts, sunflower seeds and goji berries. If you’ve never dabbled in goji territory, they are tiny red berries (usually sold dry) full of antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids. Cocoa nibs — tiny pieces of the cocoa bean — complete the recipe with an extra boost of antioxidants, plus a rich and tangy crunch. Photo and Recipe: Marie / citronlimette

We can’t think of a better way to deliver nature’s candy — in this case, dried cranberries, Turkish figs and apricots. Make a big batch of these hearty bars and you’ll be set on healthy snacks for up to 10 days. Photo and Recipe: Perry Santanachote / Life by Daily Burn

Full of fall flavor, these bars mix pecans, oats, dates, cinnamon, granny smith apples and just a touch of salt. Bake the pecans before pulsing in the food processor for a more robust, roasted flavor. If you’d like these bars a little extra spicy, don’t be afraid to go to town on the cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Photo and Recipe: Alexandra / Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker

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Swap the elementary school staple for a healthier, grown-up snack that pays homage to the classic PB & J. Dates and dried cranberries stand in for the jam, while natural peanut butter (choose one without added sugars or oils) and whole almonds bring on the nuttiness. At 200 calories per bar, this snack is a real class act. Photo and Recipe: Christal / Nutritionist in the Kitch

Chocolate and coconut get dressed up with kamut, an ancient grain packed with protein and B vitamins, believed to help us feel energized. Don’t freak out about the prunes, though. The dried up fruit isn’t just for Grams and Gramps — they’re full of fiber that everyone can put to good use. Photo and Recipe: Selena / HealthBean

Get up and at ‘em with these gluten-free crunch bars. Puffed brown rice cereal provides a lower calorie base than most store-bought bars, while flax seeds, pine nuts, pecans and dried cranberries add healthy fats and antioxidants. To make these bars even healthier, ditch the brown sugar in favor of honey. Photo and Recipe: Meg / Beard & Bonnet

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These bars pack a medley of healthy ingredients, from flaxseed powder to pomegranate seeds to protein-packed hemp seed powder. Need more incentive to try these out? Instead of oats or puffed rice, this recipe relies on the complete protein, quinoa, to complete each bar. Note: These are best frozen and enjoyed quickly before they get too soft. Photo and Recipe: Annie Taylor Chen / Vegan Ann

These energy bars are super seedy — times five! Made with chia, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin and poppy seeds, there’s plenty of flavor — and fiber — rolled into these no-bake bars. Add in coconut, dates and cocoa powder, and we’ll be looking forward to these all week long. Photo and Recipe: Renee / Nourish Your Roots

This powerful energy bar recipe delivers 12 grams of protein, but it’s lower in sugar than the average bar. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and require just six ingredients. Try using peanut butter for more of a “peanut butter cup” variation, or cashew butter and vanilla protein powder for more of a cookie dough flavor. Photo and Recipe: Lee Hersh / Life by Daily Burn

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These wholesome breakfast bars are filled with fiber from oats, flax seeds and raspberries. They’re also packed with wheat germ, the nutrient-rich embryo of the wheat kernel that is removed during the refining process. Enjoy your energy bar with a cup of yogurt for a heart-healthy morning meal. Photo and Recipe: Perry Santanachote / Life by Daily Burn

With six grams of protein each, these homemade energy bars will put those store-bought snacks to shame. Plus they taste like peanut butter cups, which is always a good thing. Photo and Recipe: Emily Miller / Life by Daily Burn

Originally published August 2013. Updated February 2018.

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