This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Behold! The Doritos Nacho Spice Savory Granola Bar! Don’t want sticky sweet snack, make this nutty seedy nacho cheesy crisp snack bars! They almost have the texture of shortbread crackers with lots of nacho cheesy flavor. Also Gluten-free
Table of Contents
I know, savory granola bars ? Like what! And Doritos Nachos spice! But believe me, they are deeelicious! Bet you never thought your fave savory snack could be a hearty Granola bar!
They’re almost like a cracker, but they’re thick and have a lot of nuts and seeds and good stuff. They’re softer than just a nut and seed cracker which is usually crunchy. These are kind of like shortbread cookies, and a non-sticky, savory granola bar.
My niece just got her braces and she loves to eat granola bars, but she’s not allowed to eat them, because they’re all sticky. So I made her these granola bars: a sweet version and this savory version. And since she loves spice, these are somewhat spicy.
You can adjust the flavor to preference. The flavor of these should remind you of a bit of Doritos chips with all of that nutritional yeast and paprika.
You can change up the spices to make a different savory flavor profile to preference. You can add just some chili powder blend or add some garam masala, or berbere, or Cajun spice to these.
Why You’ll Love Savory Granola Bar
- amazing, nacho cheesy flavor with no dairy
- healthy breakfast or snack
- gluten-free with an oil-free option
More Granola Bars to Make
- No-Bake Sun Butter Granola Bars
- No Bake Ginger Chocolate Granola Bars
- Caramelized Banana Granola Bars
- Crunchy Granola Bars (Not Sticky)
- Banana Oatmeal Bars with Cinnamon Crumb
Savory Granola Bars
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts and seeds, I like to use a mixture of chia seeds, sesame seeds and chopped up cashews or almond slivers or other nuts and seeds.
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
For the Spices( Doritos nacho spice blend)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon Indian sulphur salt,, kala namak (optional)
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon chili powder
Wet Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, measured solid and melted before using
- 2 tablespoons applesauce
- 1 flax egg,, That is 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 2 1/2 tablespoons of water
For Topping
- 1/2 teaspoon extra paprika, if needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca starch, oats, nuts and seeds, and the baking soda and mix really well. Press and mix to break any almond flour lumps.
- In a small bowl, mix all the salt and spices together really well. Add about 3/4 of that spice mixture to the almond flour mixture and mix in, then add in the melted coconut oil, applesauce, and flax egg and press and mix into the almond flour mixture and form it into a dough. If the dough is too dry, add in splashes of water to help form a cohesive dough.
- Line an 8×8" baking pan with parchment paper. Press the dough into the pan and even it out with a spatula. Bake at 330° Fahrenheit (165° C) for 22 to 30 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven and the pan. You can also bake it for 30 minutes for a crispier texture.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven, brush on a teaspoon of oil, and sprinkle leftover spices on top. You can also add extra paprika to the mix before sprinkling for additional color and flavor.
- Use a very sharp serrated knife to slice into individual savory granola bars. Cool and store as-is, Or, to make them even crispier, remove the parchment from the baking dish, place on a baking sheet, and spread the bars out. Then bake at 315° F (157 °C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy to preference(double bake like a biscotti) .
- Storage: cool completely and store savory granola bars in a closed container on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- almond flour – The protein-packed, gluten-free base for these savory granola bars.
- tapioca starch – Starch acts as a binder, helping the bars hold together. You can use other starches, like cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch, in place of the tapioca starch.
- old-fashioned oats – Also called rolled oats. Do not use steel cut oats.
- nuts and seeds – Mix and match nuts and seeds of your choice, such as chia seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, almonds, etc.
- baking soda – A leavening agent, so the bars will be lighter.
- salt and spices – Onion powder, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, paprika, cayenne, black salt, and chili powder give these savory granola bars a flavor that remind me of nacho cheese Doritos. You add the spices to the dough and on top of the bars for maximum flavor!
- coconut oil – Adds moisture and texture. You can use almond butter instead, for an oil-free version.
- applesauce – Adds moisture and a hint of sweetness to balance the heat.
- flax egg – A mixture of flax meal and water is another binder to help the bars hold together.
Tips
- When mixing the savory granola bar batter, make sure to press out any clumps. Almond flour loves to clump together, so press and mix until you have a pretty smooth batter.
- Make the flax egg at the beginning, so it has time to thicken before you add it to the batter.
- Measure the coconut oil while it’s solid, but be sure to melt before using. Do not measure it melted, and do not use it unmelted. Measure, then melt.
- The Kala Namak(Indian sulphur salt) is optional but does give these bars a great flavor dimension!
How to Make Nacho Cheesy Savory Granola Bars
In a large bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca starch, oats, nuts and seeds, and the baking soda and mix really well. Press and mix to break any almond flour lumps.
In a small bowl, mix all the salt and spices together really well. Add about three quarters of that mixture to the almond flour mixture and mix in, then add in the melted coconut oil, applesauce, and flax egg and press and mix into the almond flour mixture and form it into a dough.
If the dough is too dry, add in splashes of water to help form a cohesive dough.
Line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper. Press the dough into the pan and even it out with a spatula. Bake at 330° Fahrenheit (165° C) for 22 to 30 minutes. The baking time depends on your oven and the pan. You can also bake it for 30 minutes for a crispier texture.
Remove the baking dish from the oven, brush on some oil, and sprinkle leftover spices on top. You can also add extra paprika to the mix before sprinkling for additional color and flavor.
Use a very sharp serrated knife to slice into the individual savory granola bars. Cool and store as-is, or, to make them even crispier, remove the parchment from the baking dish and place on a baking sheet. spread the bars out and then bake at 315° F (157 °C) for 10 to 12 minutes or until crispy to preference(double bake like a biscotti)
Once they cool completely, store savory granola bars in a closed container on the counter for a few days or in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are gluten-free and soy-free as-is.
These are nut-heavy bars with an almond flour base, so eliminating almond is going to be very difficult. You can make them cashew-free by omitting the cashews from the nuts. They’re naturally peanut-free, as long as you don’t use peanuts in the nut mixture.
You can use different starches, like cornstarch, arrowroot, or potato starch, in place of the tapioca starch.
To make them oil-free and coconut-free, omit the coconut oil and add 2 tablespoons of smooth almond butter instead.
I have loved every recipe I’ve made from Vegan Richa, except this one. I love savory and get frustrated when buying bars that are always so sweet. So, when I saw this recipe I was very excited. I made the mistake of using the optional Kala namak salt. The bars tasted way too salty and the after taste was gross. I think I’ll remake them without the Indian sulphur salt and while I don’t want them sweet I think I’ll add a touch of monk fruit. I’ll let you know how the new ones turn out. Sadly, these were not good.
Oh no. I am so sorry they didn’t work out for you. Kala Namak is a strong flavor and it also has a strong smell. That can sometimes register for some as too salty or sour. Brands also vary and some can be stronger than others. Try without the Kala Namak.
Can the oats be replaced or omitted in the recipe?
Omit the oats
Can you freeze these?
Yes
Your recipes are the loveliest flavor bomb! Super tasty for those of us who love the spicey side of life! Thank you so much for your generous sharing.
My question: Could I add protein powder to these bars, just to sneak in some whey or pea protein? In my house, we’re trying to up our protein intake…..
With all blessings to you!
Yes that should work!
Any suggestions if no applesauce available?
Use non dairy yogurt or 1 flax egg plus 1 tbsp oil.
At first I thought this sounded really weird
But then I thought I’d try them
WOW
They are FANTASTIC
I will make a double batch next time and I am definitely making a batch of the spice mix to use w roasted chic peas
Note I made the oil free version used almond butter
And I used pumpkin sliced almonds chia sunflower seeds amd sesame seeds as my mix. I also did the extra baking to crisp them up.
Thanks
Again for another amazing recipe !
Yes!! Thank you for trusting the recipe! Great additions!