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No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars Recipe

If you want an easy fall snack that comes together in minutes, this no-bake pumpkin granola bars recipe is for you.

For more ideas of what to make, check out our recipes.

Four granola bars with chocolate chips on top on a white tray surrounded by chocolate chips and oats with the words "No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars" digitally written on top.

I love making granola bars on the weekend so we have them for a snack during the week. Sure, it’s easy enough to go to the grocery store and buy a box, but those are getting unnecessarily expensive. Plus, it’s so easy to make them at home.

When I’m making other recipes with pumpkin and have some leftover, I add it to that week’s batch and make these no-bake pumpkin granola bars.

They don’t taste like pumpkin. They taste more like pumpkin spice, which is a pumpkin-free blend of fall-centric warming spices.

Plus, they have chocolate. And everything’s better with chocolate.

A can of pumpkin on top of other cans of pumpkin with the words "Easy Canned Pumpkin Recipes" digitally written on top.

This recipe doesn’t use the whole can of pumpkin, which means you’ll have some leftover. If you’re wondering what to do with the rest, check out our list of easy canned pumpkin recipes for ideas.

No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars Recipe

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No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars Ingredients:

You can get the full list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card below.

  • Oats – I use rolled oats, but you could use quick oats too. It doesn’t really matter because you’re not baking these.
  • Pumpkin pie spice – With pumpkin pie spice, a little goes a long way. You could use a homemade version, but we use a store-bought one just to make this easier.
  • Honey – Honey acts as a sweetener and a binder to keep the granola bars together.
  • Peanut butter – This acts as a binder as well. Most no-bake bars use natural peanut butter because it’s thinner and has more oil, but we use regular peanut butter because it’s cheaper. I just microwave it to release the oils and thin it out.
  • Canned pumpkin – You need 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Those aren’t the same ingredient.
  • Vanilla – This adds a little sweetness to the granola bars. I prefer pure vanilla extract over imitation vanilla extract.
  • Mini chocolate chips – These add a little sweetness and a nice texture to the soft granola bars. We also add them on top as a garnish.
  • Chia seeds – These add a little texture and fiber. You could skip them, but I really love them.
  • Pumpkin pie finishing sugar – This is an optional garnish, which adds a little extra sweetness.

How To Make No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars:

A measuring spoon filled with pumpkin spice above a white bowl filled with oats.

Add the oats into a large mixing bowl.

Add in the pumpkin pie spice.

Stir until the oats are coated in the pumpkin pie spice.

Taste one of the oats now. The flavor will change with the addition of the rest of the ingredients, but if you don’t taste any of the pumpkin spice now, or if you want that taste to be a little stronger, add more now.

A measuring cup filled with honey above a white bowl filled with oats.

Add in the honey.

If you have older honey that has crystallized, you can still use that. You just want to microwave it first, so it’s completely liquid before you add it in. If not, it’ll stay grainy and add an unwanted crunchy texture to the granola bars.

A measuring cup filled with crunchy peanut butter above a white bowl filled with oats.

Measure the peanut butter into a measuring cup and microwave it for about 20 seconds until it’s thinned out and very easy to mix with a spoon.

Microwaving it helps to thin out regular peanut butter. If you use natural peanut butter, it’s already thin, so you don’t have to do this.

Pour the peanut butter into the bowl.

A spoon filled with pumpkin puree above a white bowl filled with oats and peanut butter.

Add the pumpkin into the bowl.

Add in the pure vanilla extract.

Stir until all of the ingredients are combined.

If you did microwave the peanut butter and it’s warm, you want to stir the ingredients for long enough to cool down the peanut butter. If it stays warm, it’ll melt the chocolate chips.

A measuring spoon filled with chia seed above a white bowl filled with oats and chocolate chips.

Add in the mini chocolate chips.

Since you’ll cut these small, mini chocolate chips are better. You could use regular-size chocolate chips, but they take up so much room in the granola bars that it throws off the ratio.

Add in the chia seeds.

Stir until the chocolate chips and chia seeds are evenly distributed.

A square pan filled with an oat and chocolate chip mixture with a spoon on top.

Line an 8- x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.

Pour the oat mixture into the pan.

Flatten it into an even layer using either your hands or the back of a spoon.

A seasoning bottle being sprinkled over a square pan with oats and chocolate chips in it.

Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips and pumpkin pie finishing sugar on top as a garnish.

You don’t have to garnish them, but I think they look prettier if you do. If you add toppings, make sure you gently push them down with your hands so they get stuck into the granola bars. If you don’t, they’ll fall off.

Put the tray in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This will give it enough time to chill and hold its form.

A knife cutting a square of pumpkin granola bars.

Cut the mixture into 16 bars. Keep them in the fridge to help them hold their shape.

Three pumpkin granola bars on a white tray surrounded by mini chocolate chips and oats.

No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars: Frequently Asked Questions

Should you use crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

I prefer crunchy peanut butter in general, so that’s what we usually have at home. Because of that, I always use crunchy peanut butter when I make granola bars.

I like that the peanuts add a little extra texture into the granola bars too. You could use creamy peanut butter, and, honestly, it holds the granola bars together a little bit better. So, if you’re gonna use crunchy like me, you might want to add a little more peanut butter to account for the volume that’s displaced by the peanut pieces.

How do you store leftovers?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll last up to two weeks that way, although we always eat these quicker than that.

Can you freeze no-bake pumpkin granola bars?

You can definitely freeze these. After they’re cut, put them in a freezer safe bag. They’ll last two to three months that way. Just make sure to defrost them before eating.

Why are my no-bake pumpkin granola bars falling apart?

Your granola bars may fall apart if you don’t push the oat mixture into the pan firmly, if you don’t use enough peanut butter or honey, or if you don’t chill them long enough.

A granola bar, red apple, and muffin on a table with the words "Grab-And-Go Breakfast Recipes" digitally written on top.

More Easy Breakfast Ideas:

These are such an easy grab-and-go breakfast idea. It’s not our only one. Click that link for recipes and suggestions like make ahead breakfast empanadas, energy balls, and more.

Yield: 16 bars

No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars

Four granola bars with chocolate chips on top on a white tray surrounded by chocolate chips and oats with the words "No-Bake Pumpkin Granola Bars" digitally written on top.
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If you want an easy fall snack that comes together in minutes, this no-bake pumpkin granola bars recipe is for you.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 16 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups oats (I use rolled oats)
  • 1.5 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter (add 1/4 cup if using crunchy peanut butter)
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • Pumpkin pie finishing sugar for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add the oats into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add in the pumpkin pie spice.
  3. Stir until the oats are coated in the pumpkin pie spice.
  4. Add in the honey.
  5. Measure the peanut butter into a measuring cup and microwave it for about 20 seconds until it’s thinned out and very easy to mix with a spoon. (If you use natural peanut butter, skip the microwave.)
  6. Pour the peanut butter into the bowl.
  7. Add the pumpkin into the bowl.
  8. Add in the pure vanilla extract.
  9. Stir until all of the ingredients are combined.
  10. Add in the mini chocolate chips.
  11. Add in the chia seeds.
  12. Stir until the chocolate chips and chia seeds are evenly distributed.
  13. Line an 8- x 8-inch pan with parchment paper.
  14. Pour the oat mixture into the pan.
  15. Flatten it into an even layer using either your hands or the back of a spoon.
  16. Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips and pumpkin pie finishing sugar on top as a garnish.
  17. Put the tray in the refrigerator for at least two hours. This will give it enough time to chill and hold its form.
  18. Cut the mixture into 16 bars.

Notes

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 171Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 5gSodium 41mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 3gSugar 15gProtein 4g

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