Kind Bars

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5 from 4 votes
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Packed with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, these homemade Kind bars are truly addictive. They are healthier than the original bars and super easy to make. 

kind bars.

In an effort to keep my diet clean and healthy, I’ve grown into making my own snack bars. From homemade protein bars to no bake oatmeal bars, I have a good collection of them.

With this said, I can’t deny the fact that some store-bought one still taste good to me, KIND bars being one of them. Being as good as they are, these do contain added sugar and a few other ingredients I don’t want in my snacks, including soy lecithin and palm kernel oil. 

As an alternative to one of my favorite snack bars, I have come up with a copycat recipe that tastes better than the original.

Table of Contents
  1. Why this recipe works
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make kind bars
  4. Tips to make the best recipe
  5. Flavor variations
  6. Storage instructions
  7. More no bake snacks to try
  8. Frequently asked questions
  9. Kind Bars Recipe (Recipe Card)

Why this recipe works

  • No-baking. It takes a few minutes to prepare the mixture and a couple of hours for it to firm up in the fridge. 
  • Healthy. These homemade snack bars don’t contain refined sugar and unhealthy fats. They are also gluten-free and dairy-free. 
  • Easy to customize. You can use nuts, seeds, or mix-ins of choice.

Ingredients needed

My copycat recipe features a combination of my favorite healthy ingredients, including nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Here’s the full list of ingredients. 

  • Cashews and almonds. Roughly chopped raw and unsalted nuts. 
  • Seeds. I mostly use sesame seeds for these bars as they are a good source of healthy fats, protein, fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Pumpkin and sunflower seeds are also good to add to the seed mix. 
  • Dried fruits. Aside from adding color and flavor, dried fruits also add fiber, minerals, and vitamins to them. I like using raisins and cranberries. Chop them into smaller pieces for easy mixing. 
  • Maple syrup. Use pure maple syrup to get the best flavor and avoid adding refined sugar. Honey or brown rice syrup will also work.
  • Vanilla extract. To add a lovely vanilla flavor.
  • Salt. To balance out the overall sweetness.
  • Coconut butter (optional). To drizzle over the bars. Don’t confuse this with coconut oil. 

How to make kind bars

Step 1- Make the mixture. Start by mixing all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the maple syrup and mix well until fully incorporated. If the mixture seems to be too loose, add more maple syrup and mix. 

Step 2- Set. Transfer the mixture to an 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Press it into an even layer and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. Drizzle withconut butter to decorate. 

Step 3- Slice and serve. Once set, cut into even-sized bars and enjoy. 

Tips to make the best recipe

  • When adding the maple syrup, start with a couple of tablespoons, mix well, and add more if needed. 
  • Brown rice syrup and agave nectar are good maple syrup substitutes for this recipe so long as you don’t have any diet restrictions. Pure honey will work too. 
  • When storing these in the fridge, wrap each of them with parchment paper. This makes an easy grab-and-go snack and prevents them from sticking to each other. 
  • Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray to further prevent the bars from sticking to it. 

Flavor variations

Kind bars come in a variety of flavors, including Caramel Almond & Sea Salt, Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond, etc. You can recreate some of your favorite flavors by customizing the dried fruits and nuts you use and by adding some extra ingredients if needed. 

  • Blueberry Vanilla Cashew. Use dried blueberries for the fruit and cashews for the nuts. Don’t forget the vanilla extract. 
  • Apple Cinnamon Pecan. Use dried apples for the fruit, and roughly chopped pecans for the nuts. Add ground cinnamon. 
  • Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew. Use dried cherries for the fruit and raw cashews for the nuts. Drizzle with sugar-free dark chocolate. 
  • Dark Chocolate Almond Coconut. Use unsweetened shredded coconut and raw unsalted almonds. Drizzle with sugar-free dark chocolate. 
  • Maple Glazed Pecan & Sea Salt. Omit the dried fruit. Use pecans and add a pinch more salt. 

Storage instructions

To store. While these homemade snack bars won’t go bad at room temperature, we recommend you store them in the fridge to prevent them from falling apart. 

To freeze. Freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. 

homemade kind bars.

More no bake snacks to try

Frequently asked questions

Are Kind bars healthy?

Kind bars are one of the healthier snack bar options that contain fiber, healthy fats, and protein. They do have some added sugar, palm oil, and soy protein isolate.

Are Kind bars gluten-free?

Kind offers a variety of bar series. The Healthy Grains series by Kind features bars that are gluten-free. These bars are made with oats, millet, quinoa, amaranth, and buckwheat. 

Are Kind bars good for weight loss?

As Kind bars are quite low in calories, they can be a good snack choice for people trying to lose weight. The fiber and the protein in these bars will keep you going until it’s time to eat a full meal. 

 

kind bars recipe.

Kind Bars Recipe

5 from 4 votes
Packed with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits, these homemade Kind bars are truly addictive. They are healthier than the original bars and super easy to make. 
Servings: 12 Bars
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 1 minute
Total: 6 minutes

Ingredients  

  • 3/4 cups cashews chopped roughly
  • 3/4 cups almonds Chopped roughly
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup dried fruit
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 5-6 tablespoon maple syrup * See notes
  • 1/4 cup coconut butter optional

Instructions 

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. 
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine your nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and salt and mix well. 
  • Add your vanilla extract and maple syrup and mix well. If the mixture is too thin/crumbly, add a little extra maple syrup. 
  • Transfer the mixture to the lined pan and press firmly into place. Refrigerate until firm. Once firm, drizzle with optional coconut butter before slicing into 14 bars. 

Notes

* Start with 5 tablespoons and if needed, add an extra tablespoon.
TO STORE. While these homemade snack bars won’t go bad at room temperature, we recommend you store them in the fridge to prevent them from falling apart. 
TO FREEZE. Freeze your copycat bars for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1BarCalories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 5gFat: 11gFiber: 9gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 4.1mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 0.7mgNET CARBS: 8g
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Author: Arman Liew
Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Arman Liew

I’m a two time cookbook author, photographer, and writer, and passionate about creating easy and healthier recipes. I believe you don’t need to be experienced in the kitchen to make good food using simple ingredients that most importantly, taste delicious.

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  1. ACCIO RECIPE ROASTED JALAPENO KIND BARS! Dirt. My spell didn’t work (shuddering sigh). Loved your recipe and stocking up on the ingredients and knocking these out tonight because YOUR recipe is a heck of a lot easier than the others I’ve read. Thank you thank you!

  2. OMG fish that looked like jello? I’d die D-I-E dead. Also, I’ve never had a Kind bar, crazy?

  3. My daughter is really big on breakfast bars these days. And I hate buying them when I know I can make them at home. Loving this version and will definitely be giving it a shot soon!

  4. I am SO making these! I have a big box of them right now in my pantry and how much better would it be if I could just make them rather than buy them? I’ve actually been thinking about giving it a go, but I’m just as happy to find a recipe and not have to figure it out myself. 🙂

    1. And by the way, I could spend hours in Whole Foods! If there was one closer, I would be very tempted to do Whole Foods “takeout” at least once a week. It’s probably a good thing I have to drive a half hour to our nearest one.

  5. Fish that looked like Jello? I hope you took a picture. For some grotesque reason I feel like I need to see a picture of it.

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