Soft Baked Paleo Bars

Name: Soft Baked Paleo Bars Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8-9 pitted dates (55-60 grams) – equals about ½ cup chopped (see notes); 1 1/4 cups blanched fine almond flour 135-140 grams); ¼ cup flax meal (ground flax seed); 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 6 Tablespoons (90 grams) creamy smooth almond butter; ⅓ cup maple syrup

by Lindsay Cotter Published: Mar 08, 2024

Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Grain-Free Nightshade-Free Vegetarian Whole30

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These Soft Baked Paleo Bars are made with just ten pantry staple ingredients for nutritious, gluten-free energy bars the whole family will love. Ready in 30 minutes, they’re great to prepare in advance and keep on hand for quick breakfasts or snacks!

A woman's hand reaching for a stack of soft baked paleo bars on a plate.

The Best Paleo Bars Recipe

Who needs overpriced store-bought granola bars when you can just make your own at home instead? This easy paleo bars use just a handful of simple ingredients and tastes better than anything you’ll find in the store!

They come together with just 15 minutes of prep time, a bake time of 20 minutes, and a total time of 35 minutes. That means they’re ready to eat in less time than it takes to make a grocery run.

Even better, these bars are grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Overhead photo of a soft baked paleo bar sitting askew in the pan of bars.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions for this recipe. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information!

Measuring cups of ingredients for baked paleo bars like dates, almond flour and almond butter.

Dates – Use pitted dates. If you use large medjool dates, be sure to measure out the amount by grams versus number of dates due to size.
Blanched Fine Almond Flour – Find this in the baking section of your local grocery store, or make your own by grinding skinned, blanched almonds into a powder.
Flax Meal – A great source of omega fats, the flax meal acts as a binder, helping to hold the bars together. It also adds a nutty taste!
Eggs – These are crucial to add structure to the bars.
Creamy Almond Butter – Feel free to substitute any other nut or seed butter you prefer such as peanut butter, sunflower butter, or cashew butter. Just note that the flavor of your paleo energy bars will change slightly depending on what you choose.
Pure Maple Syrup – Adds just a touch of sweetness. Feel free to substitute honey or agave if preferred.

Nutrition Tip: Part of what makes these bars so unique is the balance of real food and macronutrients. Unlike many store-bought options, this recipe utilizes nutritious ingredients to keep you fueled without the need for added sugar or protein powders!

How to Make Soft Baked Paleo Bars

Before you begin, preheat your oven, and line a square baking dish with parchment paper.

Prepare the dates. Add the dates to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse a few times to chop. Just be sure not to overprocess! They shouldn’t be a paste.

Note: If you don’t have a food processor, feel free to finely chop the dates by hand instead.

Combine the dry ingredients. Sift or whisk the almond flour, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, maple syrup, almond butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.

Overhead photo of date pieces in a food processor.

Wet ingredients combined for soft baked paleo bars.

Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Working in two batches, slowly mix the wet and dry ingredients, stirring to combine. The batter will be thick like cookie batter! Then, fold in the chopped dates.
Transfer. Press the dough mixture into the lined baking dish, spreading it out and pressing down with your hands or a spatula.

Pieces of dates on top of paleo bars batter ready to be mixed.

Paleo bar batter in a square metal pan ready to be baked.

Bake. Transfer the mixture to the preheated oven. Bake until the bars are golden around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool. Transfer the bars to a cooling rack, and cool completely before slicing.

Pro-Tip: To speed up the process, store the bars in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing!

Overhead photo of soft baked paleo bars in a square metal baking pan.

A pan of Soft Baked Paleo bars cut into squares in a metal pan.

How to Store

Store sliced paleo bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to ten days. Or, freeze your bars for up to three months!

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Common Questions

Can I make this recipe vegan?

We haven’t tested these bars with egg substitutes and can’t guarantee your results if you do. We would love to know how it goes if you do give it a try!

Can I add protein?

Feel free to stir in your favorite protein powder, collagen, or egg whites to make paleo protein bars. Just keep in mind that you’ll likely need to adjust the ratio of ingredients, adding more almond flour and flax meal if the mixture is too wet.

What else can I add to this recipe?

Try mixing in chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts, unsweetened coconut flakes, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, or other dried fruit for even more flavor and texture.

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