Just five ingredients, 1 bowl and 10 minutes is needed to whip up these delicious no bake kettle corn granola bars! Sweet, salty and the added crunch makes this a texture lover’s dream! Vegan, dairy free, gluten free and a high protein option!
Healthy No Bake Kettle Corn Granola Bars
Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light.
Okay, so I may have only learnt the first line of the Star Spangled Banner when I visited America. That’s because I only went to a handful of campus hockey matches (and besides I was more interested in the kiss cam!) and one NBA game….which I left at half time because I finished my hot dog and got bored. Something very interesting I learnt? The best thing about farmer’s markets in America is the bags of kettle corn.
When I first saw the bags of kettle corn, I thought it was a waste of money and a stupid name. I also thought the guy trying to pawn it off was a twat. Little did I know the twat was me.
I presumed it was simply popcorn which could be easily made in my microwave, or, if I was being fancy, at the movie theatre. Just kidding, I’m not paying the price of a small child for movie theatre popcorn. Back to topic. I kept declining the taste test offers even though my friends would flock to it like Kim Kardashian’s mum finding a new potential way to sell her kids to make money.
After three visits, I finally gave in and tasted this ‘kettle corn’. Oh my word. It was epic. EPIC. It wasn’t the popcorn in itself but the combination of sweet and salty which was like a party in my mouth. Oh Australia, why aren’t we selfish and picking both taste sensations? This was my new weekly tradition. Every Thursday when we went to the farmer’s market, I bought buy kettle corn.
So how does kettle corn fit into this recipe? Well, thanks to my Spectablend, I can grind or puree well…anything. The other week, instead of using puffed rice in a no bake recipe, I decided to blend up some leftover kettle corn into a finer consistency and voila- no need for any added salt to enhance the sweet and salty taste! A Vegan friendly, gluten free friendly and delicious no bake recipe which takes less than 10 minutes to whip up and of course- with a high protein option.
Australia- we need to get on this Kettle Corn bandwagon- stop with the fairy floss and snow cones!
[Healthy] No Bake Kettle Corn Granola Bars
Healthy No Bake Kettle Corn Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup gluten oat bran can sub for all oats
- 2 cups kettle corn blended to a broken consistency
- 1/2 cup nut butter of choice I used almond butter
- 1/2 cup + 1 T brown rice syrup can sub for maple/agave or honey if not strictly vegan but need to increase by 2 T
- 1 scoop protein powder optional
- 2- 1/4 cup granulated sweetener of choice optional
- 1/4-1/2 cup Dairy free chocolate chips divided (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, oat bran, broken kettle corn, sweetener of choice and protein powder if using it.
- In a small saucepan or microwave safe bowl, combine the nut butter of choice with the brown rice syrup and heat until the mixture is melted completely.
- Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined. Allow to cool slightly and stir through half the chocolate chips and mix very well.
- Line a 9 x 9 inch baking dish with baking paper. Pour the mixture into the pan and press firmly with your hands evenly. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Remove from the pan and cut into 8-10 bars.
Notes
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Arman. GET OUT OF HERE.
you are probably aware of my sweet and salty obsession, hence why i go through bags of kettle corn like kim kardashian goes through husbands #yeezus
then you go ahead and combine kettle corn, nut butter and oats. come on now.. is it time that you reveal god has bruce almighty-ed you his powers because i think i’ve prayed for something like this my whole life
and that is all. i apologize for my idolatry in advance, but these are just too amazinggggg!
YOU GET OUT OF HERE!
Haha. You are my…oatspiration? Okay I will fill you in on a secret. Cinnamon bun and Chocolate cheesecake.
YOU SHUT THAT FRONT DOOR. I’ll game show you that within .08 seconds of EITHER of those going up I will be making the preparations for them
You know the way to my heart <3 😉
I’ve never had kettle corn before, but these look super tasty! Going to do some research into what kettle corn is now 😛
Hahaha I love that…google that perfection out 😉
I love kettle corn! I can imagine that these are quite tasty!
Thanks, Emily- how could you go wrong with kettle corn anything 😉
Omg the smell of kettlecorn is so intoxicating. I can’t even go near the stand for fear of gaining 50 pounds. #honestyhour
This is awesome! Obviously anything is elevated when it’s paired with granola, as if kettlecorn needs elevation.. but you’ve done it!
PS Nora is doing swimmingly.
LOL. Stop harassing poor Nora.
You have the best snapchats. Truth. Seriously…kettle corn is crack for the nose.
Ahhhh!! Fresh kettle corn is the best!! I can’t stand it!!!! When you go back to the states, you must come to chicago and get the chicago mix at Garrett’s popcorn! Actually… Don’t even wait till you visit… Try to order some online. https://www.garrettpopcorn.com. And it has to be the chicago mix! Perfect example of sweet and salty.
I’ve tried the Chicago mix…I think? It had cheese popcorn right? Omg.
I would never have thought to grind up popcorn to use in a bar haha, but that’s an awesome idea. I love kettle corn. They sell it in big bags at trader joe’s, and the boys’ family gets it all the time for their snacks; we plow through it in 2-3 days tops 😛
Why do we not have Trader Joe’s in Australia? Why are you so selfish hogging them all 😉
OMG kettle corn + granola bars = BEST THING EVER! This looks so delicious and creative, Arman! Never would have thought of this 🙂
Cheers, Audrey- the best of both worlds in one!
Kettle corn is soooo good. Seriously popcorn is one of those foods that’s so versatile I could pretty much eat it every day depending on the flavor I’m craving (cheddar is my favorite though). These look so good – I’d never think to put popcorn in granola bars but this does an awesome job of upping the whole grains (and the taste of course). Give me some of your creativity, pretty please! All I can manage to cook lately are quesadillas and egg sandwiches haha
I think both of those are pretty epic foodie options 😉
My friend who was in Japan recently tried soda flavoured popcorn!!
Kettle corn in bar form?! Genius.
I’m so glad you’ve discovered the awesomeness that is kettle corn. I have to stock up on kettle corn then, because you’re gonna buy it out at every store and farmer’s market the next time you visit.
I went to a farmer’s market once that had all these different flavors of hummus! I sampled every single one…it was necessary.
That is most definitely necessary. Please stock up for kettle corn. Even if it’s the guilt free or whichever TJ one it is!
I don’t get it. What’s the difference between kettle corn and popcorn? If there is any, I don’t think kettle corn exists in Germany. BUT we have our own popcorn maker at home!! Pop in corn kernels, turn on, watch how the kernels pop and fall into the bowl in front of it. Toss in butter and salt/sugar/whatever! We loved to watch the kernels pop when we were children (bro and me) 🙂
Ann….you will LOVE it. It’s sweet AND salty!
Me and my sister used to do that too!- then I made her eat the burnt ones. She nearly broke her teeth 😉
These look so fun! I don’t love love love popcorn or kettlecorn but I go through phases where I eat it. I would love to attempt these bars though.
You need to try them out- actually, kettle corn your froyo next time 😉
You are winning with the bars and balls at the moment boy!
I have never had kettle corn – am I missing out?
Typical farmer’s market items in the burbs are all your fruits, veggies, amazing breads, cakes etc then all your typically English jams, preserves and chutneys. They have the sickest bread stall that has every kind you could possibly want including the best organic rye sourdough known to man!
Thanks buddy- although come next week….well, my sister threw a spanner in the recipe works- all the more to be creative!
NOT LONG UNTIL YOU GET HERE 😀
We don’t have kettle corn either! Have never had the opportunity to try it 🙁
Oh America, please send some of your delights our way… Esp flavoured almond butter!
You need to try it- it’s a mix of sweet and salty!
Flavoured Almond butter is overrated- roasted is the way to go- with salt!
I don’t know if I ever told you but I grew up in England. (My dad was in the Navy and was stationed there). When we moved to the US in 6th grade I had to learn all of those things as well.
Urgh, Hollie. What kind of a relationship do we have when you keep these things from me? I feel like I barely know you. :p
Lolol Kim Kardashian’s mom…. so true!! Kettle corn is pretty amazing I must say and also something that I didn’t think I’d like buuuuut I do!
Don’t be mean to Kris Jenner…she’ll sell YOU!