These homemade Buckwheat Breakfast Bars are gluten-free, vegan, nut-free, and full of nourishing ingredients like crisp buckwheat groats, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and chewy dried fruit. The bars are easy to make and also great post-workout or as an afternoon snack!
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Whether you're meal-prepping for busy mornings or looking for a wholesome snack, these gluten-free buckwheat bars are a great option.
If you haven't baked with buckwheat before, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with how versatile it is.
The bars include ½ cup whole buckwheat groats for their lightly crisp texture, plus buckwheat flour, which you can easily make in your blender in just seconds!
Then, if you're looking for more ways to use buckwheat flour, give these decadent buckwheat brownies a try!
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Why You'll Love Them
- Allergy-friendly: No gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, or tree nuts here! Buckwheat flour and your choice of gluten-free flour form the base of the bars.
- Flavorful: The bars are sweetened with maple syrup, spiced with cinnamon, and loaded with a variety of seeds and (optional) dried fruit for a delightfully nutty-tasting and sweet snack bar.
- Satisfying & Nutritious: Buckwheat provides antioxidants, fiber, and protein (source). Plus the fat content of the seeds really gives these bars staying power!
Ingredients
- buckwheat groats: Any brand of hulled buckwheat groats you have is fine. I use Anthony's organic buckwheat.
- gluten-free flour: In addition the buckwheat flour, I wanted to incorporate another type to help with binding. I used King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other gluten-free blends should be fine, too, or regular all-purpose if you don't need the bars to be gluten-free.
- baking powder: The bars don't rise a lot, but I found that including a little bit of chemical leavener helps them bake more evenly.
- sweeteners: A combination of pure maple syrup and light brown sugar make the bars sweet enough to taste like a real treat. Feel free to sub agave nectar for the syrup, and an unrefined option like date or coconut sugar for the brown sugar.
- non-dairy milk: Any unsweetened variety you like is good, such as oat, soy, coconut, rice, or almond milk.
- seed butter: Initially I tested the recipe without any added fat in the batter. The bars were good but a bit dry. So to keep them tree nut-free, I went with tahini. Sunflower seed butter is also a good option.
- flavorings: Pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt give the bars a warm and sweet vibe. You can also experiment with other spices. Pumpkin spice would be delicious!
- mix-ins: I added raw pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds for extra crunch and nutrition. If you want to use nuts instead, like pecans or walnuts, be sure to chop them first. For the dried fruit, I went with cherries and cranberries because I had both on hand. Raisins, currants, or chopped dates or apricots would also be delicious.
How to Make the Bars
You can find the full printable recipe below. Here's a quick overview of the process so you can see how easily it comes together.
First, put ½ cup buckwheat groats in your blender. Start on low speed and quickly increase to high. Blend for about 8 seconds or until the groats are turned into flour.
Pour the buckwheat flour into a large mixing bowl, and add the other dry ingredients (including the seeds but not the dried fruit).
In a separate bowl whisk the wet ingredients until smooth.
Pour wet into dry, and stir until fully combined. Fold in the dried fruit.
Transfer the batter to a parchment-lined 8x8-inch metal baking pan. If you like, sprinkle more pumpkin seeds and dried fruit on top for color.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30-35 minutes or until the center is set. You can test this by lightly pressing with a finger. Unlike baked goods that contain gluten, it won't bounce back, but it should be lightly firm and set.
Let the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a cooling rack.
Helpful Tip :
Since these bars are gluten-free and made without eggs or coconut oil, they are a bit fragile (coconut oil is high in saturated fat and tends to help baked goods be more sturdy once cool). This is why it's important to wait until completely cool before slicing.
Variations
- Other sweeteners: You can swap the brown sugar for coconut or date sugar (note that the batter will be slightly thicker). Though I haven't tested it yet, agave syrup should work as a sub for the maple syrup.
- With nuts: Instead of the pepitas and sunflower seeds, try chopped walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or almonds.
- Flavors: Add ¼ teaspoon almond extract to enhance the sweet vibes. Instead of cinnamon, try a spice blend like pumpkin or chai. I also really like garam masala in baked goods!
FAQs
No, despite the name, buckwheat is not a grain or grass. It's the seed of a fruit and is considered a pseudo-grain. You can learn more about buckwheat in this helpful article on the King Arthur website.
Store buckwheat bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 2 months. If you need to stack them inside the container, place a layer of parchment paper in between to prevent sticking.
More Gluten-Free Snacks
I hope you enjoy these sweet and satisfying gluten-free buckwheat bars. If you try the recipe, be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Buckwheat Breakfast Bars (Gluten-Free and Vegan)
Equipment
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup buckwheat groats - divided
- ½ cup gluten-free all purpose flour - I used King Arthur Measure-for-Measure
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds - plus more for sprinkling on top
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients & Optional Dried Fruit:
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar - can sub coconut or date sugar
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- ⅓ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk - such as oat, soy or coconut
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons tahini - or Sunbutter
- ⅓ cup small/chopped dried fruit such as cranberries, cherries, apricots - chop anything larger than a raisin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C), and line an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Put ½ cup buckwheat groats in a blender. Start on low speed and quickly increase to high, blending for about 8 seconds or until the groats are the texture of flour. Alternatively, if you already have buckwheat flour, use 85 grams or ½ cup plus 1 Tbsp.
- Pour the buckwheat flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ½ cup buckwheat groats and all other dry ingredients. Whisk to combine.
- Excluding the dried fruit, in a separate small bowl whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry, and stir to form a batter.
- Fold in the dried fruit, and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. If desired, roughly chop a palmful of pumpkin seeds and dried fruit, and sprinkle across the top for color.
- Bake for 30-34 minutes or until the center is set. You can test this by lightly pressing with a finger. Unlike baked goods that contain gluten, it won't bounce back, but it should be lightly firm and set. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out by the parchment paper and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
L
I made these for my partner who needs high energy healthy snacks at work and for workouts. He loved them! Super easy and flexible recipe, too!