Sweet Potato Snack Bars

Have a granola bar lover at home? I think we all do! These Sweet Potato Snack Bars are the perfect healthier alternative to store-bought oat bars. Plus, they have a ton of added nutrients and fiber from mashed sweet potato, ground flax seed, and hemp or chia seeds.  Add in some mini chocolate chips and the healthy snacks feel like a sweet treat!

Kids in the Kitchen:

• Sweet potato: Having kiddos see the whole sweet potato (if you have one) and the mashed sweet potato is the most important part of making this recipe together. Talk about how the sweet potato changes when you cook it then have your little one add it to the bowl.
• Measure: there aren’t a ton of ingredients in this recipe, so it’s a great one to have your little chef help measure some or all of them.
• Mix: take turns using a large spoon or spatula to stir up all the ingredients together. This dough is safe to taste (since its egg and flour free), so if your little one wants to give it a small taste, go ahead!
• Top: Kids will love to sprinkle the chocolate chips on top (if you are using them). Set aside a few in a little bowl or container so your little chef can taste test them (and not steal them off the top of the bars before you bake them).

Tips and Subs for Sweet Potato Snack Bars:

• Sweet potato mash or puree?: There are several options for the sweet potato in this recipe: 1. You can use a canned sweet potato puree which is next to the canned pumpkin in the grocery store (or you can even use canned pumpkin instead). 2. If using leftover cooked sweet potato, scoop the sweet potato into a bowl, mash it well, then stir 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to thin it out (you want a more baby food-like consistency). Measure 3/4 cup and use that in the recipe. 3. Starting from a whole, uncooked sweet potato? Cook the potato in the microwave or in the pressure cooker, just make sure the potato is super soft and fully cooked before mashing it.
• Reduce the sugar content? If you are serving young toddlers or are used to very unsweetened baked goods, feel free to only use 2 to 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and leave out the chocolate chips. Replace the maple syrup you remove with another liquid, such as unsweetened almond milk, so the bars aren’t too try.
• Add-ins: I like to add the flax and hemp seeds because they are super nutritious. You can leave them out or replace them with other seeds or finely chopped nuts.
• No “quick” oats? You can break down your regular rolled oats by pulsing them in the food processor a few times. Measure after you process them. Do not grind too much or they will become a flour.

Sweet Potato Snack Bars

An easy and healthy homemade snack bar packed with goodness.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8 bars

Equipment

• 8-inch square baking pan or cake pan

Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup sweet potato puree see notes below for details or pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup natural-style almond butter (just almonds)
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/2 cup regular "old-fashioned" rolled oat
• 2 Tbsp ground flax seed (flax meal)
• 2 Tbsp hemp seeds or chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan (or a 9-inch will would too). For easy removal, place a piece of parchment paper or aluminim foil on the bottom of the pan with some overhang up the sides.
• In a large bowl, mix sweet potato puree, almond butter, and maple syrup. Add remaining ingredients except for the chocolate chips. Mix until well combined. Stir in half of the chocoate chips then spread the batter evenly in your prepared pan.
• Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over the top. Tap your baking pan on the counter a few times to help create an even layer. Bake until set and lightly golden brown around the edges, 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely then cut into 8 (or more) bars.
• Store, covered, an room temperature for up to 2 days then refrigerate for a week. Freeze bars, individally wrapped, for up to 2 months.

Notes

Notes:

There are several ways you can make sweet potato puree (puree is thinner than regular mashed sweet potato, more like baby food consistency).

1. I often use canned sweet potato puree than you can buy in stores next to the canned pumpkin. 
2. You can cook a whole sweet potato in the microwave or in a pressure cooker quickly. Mash the cooked potato and stir in 2 to 3 Tbsp of water then measure.

Keyword granola bar, healthy kids snack, healthy snack, sweet potato

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