Vegan Banana Energy Bars
By the QuiteRecipes team (Jamy & Kaïna) | Food Service Professional, Early Childhood Expert & Parents
Perfect for hiking, cycling, or pre-workout fuel, these vegan energy bars use bananas, dates, and nuts for a balanced, delicious snack. Easy to make and 100% plant-based.
The snack you grab when the afternoon decides to get long: soft banana-energy bars that hold you until dinner. They bake up chewy, sweet from fruit alone, and easy to portion out all week. The homemade bar that beats anything in a wrapper.
🥄 Ingredients
- 🫗 1 ripe banana
- 🫗 3/4 cup dates, pitted
- 🫗 1/2 cup popped amaranth
- 🫗 1/2 cup pecan nuts
- 🫗 1/4 cup sesame seeds (ground if preferred)
- 🫗 1–2 tsp cinnamon
- 🫗 1 pinch of salt
Nutrition Facts*
*Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients, brands and portion sizes. Values are provided per serving.
👨🍳 Instructions
**Prep the Base:** In a food processor, pulse the pecans until they are coarsely chopped.
**Combine:** Add the pitted dates, banana, cinnamon, and salt. Pulse until the mixture forms a sticky, uniform paste.
**Incorporate Dry Ingredients:** Transfer the paste to a bowl. Fold in the popped amaranth and sesame seeds. The mixture should be thick and cohesive.
**Form:** Line a small square pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture firmly into the pan using a spatula or the back of a spoon to ensure an even thickness (about 1/2 inch).
**Set:** Place in the refrigerator or freezer for 30–60 minutes to firm up.
**Slice:** Once firm, lift the parchment paper out of the pan and slice into bars or squares.
🎥 Video Tutorial
Vegan Banana Energy Bars
Video credit: embedded from YouTube. All rights belong to the original creator, who allows sharing on other websites.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- ✕
Date Quality: Ensure your dates are soft and sticky (like Medjool dates). If they are hard or dry, soak them in hot water for 10 minutes and drain thoroughly before using.
- ✕
Uneven Pressing: Take the time to press the mixture down firmly and evenly. If it's not compressed well, the bars will crumble when you try to slice them.
🔄 Variations
Chocolate Drizzle: Once the bars are sliced, drizzle a little melted dark vegan chocolate over the top for a "treat" version.
Seed Swap: Replace sesame seeds with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for a different nutrient profile.
🧊 Storage
- 📦
Because these are made with fresh banana, they are best kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to a month. Individually wrap them in parchment paper for the perfect grab-and-go snack.
💡 Chef Tips
Binding Power: If the mixture feels too wet to hold its shape, add a tablespoon more of popped amaranth or some ground oats.
Popped Amaranth: If you cannot find pre-popped amaranth, you can pop it yourself in a hot, dry skillet (just a tablespoon at a time). It adds a delightful, light crunch that is essential for the bar's texture.
🔗 Related Recipes
About the Authors
This recipe and guide was developed, tested, and approved in our home kitchen and daily life. Jamy is a retired Food Service District Manager and Early Childhood Program Manager who spent his career overseeing multi-site restaurant operations, large-scale culinary production, and daycare menu management. Kaïna brings the ultimate real-world test: making sure it brings ease and joy to our kids on a busy weeknight.
Read more about our professional background and philosophy →