Skip to Content

Honey Nut Bar Recipe: Healthy Paleo Snack

Please share:

I am the grocery shopper in the house. I mean, obviously, since I’m the one who cooks and I know exactly what I need. On occasion, Rob will get some stuff for me if he’s out, and when he comes to the store with me, he’s the kid-wrangler/cart-pusher (which is awesome, by the way). But when he does shop, he usually gets treats, but I’m not complaining.

Let’s take the other day, for instance. He ran out to go to the bank and grab the mail. He came back with a box of Kombucha and some nutty bar from the health food store. He refused to let me look at the package and demanded that I try a bite (but not too big because it was his).

It was good, really good. It had a subtle ginger flavor, not overpowering, and the nuts were chopped small. Then, after I had my little taste, he showed me the wrapper with the ingredients and requested that I duplicate it.

Paleo Honey Nut Bars | Our Paleo Life

I didn’t exactly duplicate them from the package. I wanted a more citrus flavor, and I had just gotten some navel oranges that I was planning on using for something else and these bars were just begging for orange. I also happened to have some orange honey that tastes amazing that I knew would be perfect. I got it from Sprouts and it came in a little bulk container with a deli-type label (from a local beekeeper). But if you can get your hands on some local orange honey, do it.

I also made Cinnamon and Cacao versions that are equally delicious. Make them all and then tell me what you’re favorite flavor is. Although I love the Orange, I’m actually partial to the Cinnamon. I love me some Ceylon Cinnamon!

Paleo Honey Nut Bars | Our Paleo Life

FYI: my cost to make this recipe is roughly $6 (of course, your cost may vary). Even if you cut the bars larger, more like the store-bought bars, we’re still talking about $0.65 per bar. Compare that to $2.50/bar at the store, and I’d say that it’s totally worth it to make these at home. As if you needed another reason, right?

And just a word of caution, I create my recipes at 6,000 feet above sea level. That means that water boils faster and honey hardens at a different temperature than at sea level. If you find that these bars aren’t sticking together for you, it could be a variation in your oven temperature or because you’re at a different elevation.

The key is to make sure the honey doesn’t burn while at the same time making sure it gets heated enough to harden when it cools, resulting in a crunchy bar that holds it’s shape and doesn’t fall apart.

Paleo Honey Nut Bars | Our Paleo Life

Honey Nut Bars

Yield: 16 bars
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

Orange Bars

  • 1 cup Cashews
  • 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 1/2 cup Pecans
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • Zest Half a Navel Orange
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Honey, total of 9 Tbsp

Cinnamon Bars

  • 1 cup Cashews
  • 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 1/2 cup Pecans
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Honey, total of 9 Tbsp

Cacao Bars

  • 1 cup Cashews
  • 1/2 cup Almonds
  • 1/2 cup Pecans
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 1/2 cup Cacao Nibs, chocolate chips might get too melty
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
  • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp Honey, total of 9 Tbsp

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving flaps on all 4 sides. Set aside.
  2. Roughly chop the almonds and cashews by hand, in a hand chopper, in a blender, or in a food processor. Pieces should be about 1/4" at the largest.
  3. Combine all ingredients except honey in a large bowl and stir until combined. Pour in the honey and mix with a fork until everything is evenly coated.
  4. Spread mixture into the prepared baking dish, pressing down to pack it in and reach all edges and corners of the pan. I use coconut-oiled hands to do this.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Your time may vary depending on actual oven temperatures and altitude. Watch carefully towards the end to be sure the honey isn't burning. It should be bubbly around the edges though.
  6. Remove from oven to a wire rack. Use the parchment flaps to carefully press the bars down some more and compact them while they cool all the way.
  7. After the bars have cooled about 30 minutes, lift the bars out of the pan by the parchment paper flaps and flip over onto another piece of parchment so the bottom is now the top.
  8. Reshape back into a square and press down a little if the flipping moved things around a little. Peel off the parchment paper.
  9. Allow to cool completely (don't rush it, they need to be cool for sharp edges that don't fall apart) and cut into (16) 2" x 2" bars.
  10. Wrap individually in parchment to keep them from sticking together. Eat within 2 weeks.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1 bar
Amount Per Serving Calories 137Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 2gUnsaturated Fat 0gSodium 75mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 1gSugar 7gProtein 2g

Nutrition is calculated by a third party and may not be 100% accurate

Please share:

Jolene

Monday 5th of February 2024

I really wanted to love this recipe as I adore the idea of making my own nut bars. Sadly the bottom of my bars never hardened and remained a sticky mess even being left overnight to dry out. I tried the fridge or freezer but as soon as they were room temperature it turned into a liquid mess again. I use it as granola for my df yogurt.

Kendra Benson

Wednesday 7th of February 2024

Hi Jolene. I'm sorry the recipe didn't work for you. What elevation do you live? I am up in the mountains and honey hardens at a different temp/time than lower elevations, and I did mention this in the post. It's possible your bars needed a longer baking time do the difference in elevation. I'm glad to hear that you were able to use it as granola on yogurt. That actually sounds delicious and now I want to try it that way too!

Cindy

Monday 11th of December 2023

Could I use date syrup instead of the honey for this recipe?

Kendra Benson

Tuesday 9th of January 2024

Heating the honey to a higher temp is what gives the bars a sturdy consistency when they cool down. I don't think date syrup will have the same effect, so they may not stay together.

Sonic

Friday 3rd of March 2023

I love these bars! I make the cacao version for my family, but I eat them all myself. So easy, so delicious. I am grateful. Thank you.

Dave

Friday 17th of June 2022

Just made these and they really are good. The nuts are a combination of almonds and walnuts chopped just for this and what I call "nut meal" which is all the tiny bits left over in any bag of nuts and after chopping them. (Nuts are EXPENSIVE and I hate throwing that stuff out, so they go in a bag in the freezer; I coat meat or fish with it sometimes.) Also, since I live in Yucatan, Mexico, I partially use melipona ("Mayan") honey that gives an amazing flavor.

Kendra Benson

Friday 17th of June 2022

Such a smart idea with the nut meal, I love that! And I just looked up melipona honey, that sounds amazing! I hope I'm able to try it one day.

marijuanacannabisunit

Wednesday 6th of April 2022

Your blog is very nice and very informative

Skip to Recipe