No-Bake almond butter Granola bars with dried apricot and coconut (Vegan)

“Soft, chewy, and just the right balance of nutty, fruity, and chocolatey — these almond butter oat bars taste like a hug with a little bit of crunch.”

There’s something deeply comforting about homemade no-bake bars — that moment when the almond butter melts into warm agave and fills the kitchen with toasty sweetness. These Vegan Almond Butter Granola Bars are the kind of treat you’ll want to keep stashed in the fridge for a quick breakfast, a road trip snack, or an afternoon pick-me-up. They’ve got it all: chewy oats, bits of tart apricot, crunchy almonds, and just enough chocolate to make them feel indulgent.

The Joy of Easy Vegan Treats! When life gets full (and it always does), having a stash of simple, wholesome treats in the fridge is the best kind of self-care. These bars take minutes to make — no baking, no fuss — and taste far better than anything you could buy pre-packaged. You can think of them as the relaxed cousin to my Peanut Butter Oat Bars, almond butter blondies, or Chocolate Strawberry Granola.They’re quick, satisfying, and made from pantry staples you probably already have.

Why You’ll Love These Almond Butter Bars

• No-bake ease: The stovetop and fridge do all the work.
• Balanced flavor: Almond butter, apricots, coconut, and a whisper of cardamom — layered but not fussy.
• Soft and chewy texture: Just the right mix of firmness and tenderness, so they hold their shape but never feel dense.
• Fridge-friendly: They stay perfect and slice cleanly when chilled.
• Vegan, dairy-free, and made with simple ingredients.

All the right ingredients you’ll need

The exact ingredients along with measurements can be found in the printable recipe card below. Read more to learn about the ingredients and substitutions.

• dried apricots chopped – Do not attempt fresh apricots, the end result will be too wet and sticky.
• old fashioned oats – Old fashioned oats are the best type of oats to use for this recipe. See a detailed explanation below.
• sliced almonds – Not slivered almonds. The sliced almonds blend in perfectly to give a slight crunchy texture.
• unsweetened coconut flakes – This recipe is already plenty sweet. Using sweetened coconut flakes would put the sweetness factor over the top.
• creamy almond butter- This recipe was developed with no-stir lightly sweetened and salted almond butter. There are many types of almond butter, but I recommend using this type. If you successfully use a different kind of almond butter, please let me know in the comments below.
• agave nectar – Use light or dark. If you are not vegan, you might use honey instead. I have not tied or tested that though. I had so much success with my no-bake peanut butter oat bars using maple syrup, I considered using that. You might want to actually cook the almond butter and maple syrup in a sauce pan though. (See the peanut butter bar recipe for details.)
• vegan butter – Use vegan stick butter. If you are not vegan, you might try dairy butter. I have not tested that though.
• vanilla extract,  salt, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom – See the paragraph below about ground cardamom. I sincerely hope you use it!
• vegan chocolate chips divided – You ‘ll be reserving a couple of Tablespoons to press in at the end for those Pinterest-perfect no-bake bars.

A Quick Note on the Ingredients

Use old-fashioned oats (also called rolled oats) for almond butter granola bars. Quick oats or steel-cut oats won’t hold the same chewy texture. Bob’s Red Mill has a great breakdown of oat types if you’d like to learn more about the difference.

The cardamom is your secret weapon here — subtle, floral, and warm. It lifts the flavor without overpowering the apricot or almond. The vegan butter gives that glossy finish and helps the bars hold together once chilled. Mini vegan chocolate chips are perfect because they melt just slightly into the warm mixture, giving a ribbon of chocolate through every bite.

Very little cardamom is used in this recipe but the leftover need not go to waste! Consider making yeasted banana bread, a mango banana smoothie, or rainbow buckwheat salad – all yummy plant-based recipes that contain cardamom!

Directions to make no-bake almond bars

The exact ingredients with measurements can be found in the recipe card below along with more concise abbreviated instructions. Read on for more details, tips, and tricks so that you will feel confident making this recipe.

Steps One and two – Prep the Pan and Chop the Dried Apricots

Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper (crosswise, so you can lift the bars out later). You don’t want to skip this step because the almond bars will be nearly impossible to cut and remove from the pan without help from the parchment paper.

Chop the dried apricots into small raisin-sized pieces. Even though fresh apricots are super yummy, you must use dried apricots in this recipe. The moisture content of fresh apricot is too high and you’ll be left with a sticky mess.

Step Three – Mix the dried Ingredients – except for the Spices

Mix the dried apricots, old-fashioned oats, sliced almonds, and unsweetened coconut flakes in a large bowl. Set aside. You’ll mix in the salt and spices with the heated almond butter mixture. This will evenly distribute the spices so they don’t sink to the bottom of the oats.

Steps Four and FIve – Make the Almond Butter Base

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine almond butter and agave. Microwave for 1 minute until mostly melted. Stir vigorously to smooth out the almond butter lumps. Next, add vegan butter and heat another 30 seconds. The mixture should look glossy and just start to bubble at the edges — not a full boil. Stir until completely smooth.

Steps Six, Seven, and Eight– Season and Combine

Stir in vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Let the mixture rest for about a minute — it should thicken slightly while staying pourable. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until everything is well coated.

Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the chocolate chips for topping. Stir the rest into the mixture — some will melt, creating a marbled look.

Steps Nine and Ten – Press into the Pan and chill

Press the mixture into your pan and flatten evenly and firmly. Sprinkle the reserved chips on top and press lightly. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least two hours.

Finally, Slice and Store

Lift the parchment out, place on a cutting board, and cut into bars. Store chilled and enjoy straight from the fridge for the best texture.

Pro Tips for Perfect Texture

Letting the almond butter mixture rest for a minute before combining helps it thicken naturally — less sticky, more cohesive. Also, make sure to chill the bars uncovered for the first 30–40 minutes to let steam escape before covering for the remaining chill time.

Final Thoughts

These No-Bake Almond Butter Oat Bars are proof that simple can be extraordinary. Sweetened naturally with agave and balanced with warm spice, they’re the kind of wholesome treat that feels both homemade and special.

Whether you tuck them into a lunchbox or slice them into bite-sized squares for a party tray, they’ll disappear fast — and everyone will ask for the recipe.