Healthy Snack Bars (Copycat Z Bar)

Turn 5 basic ingredients into the yummiest Healthy Snack Bar for kids. This recipe has protein, fiber, and lower added sugar—and is such a fun way to enjoy beans with the kids!

I turn to a lot of easy snacks to make at home to help keep my grocery budget in check, and this healthy toddler bars recipe has become a new staple. It has a base of chickpeas and oat flour, but magically has a similar flavor to one of my kids favorite store bought bars!

You can make them into a peanut-free snack for school, serve them at home as an easy toddler snack, or even pair them with a toddler smoothie as a simple toddler breakfast.

These bars are very similar to my Chickpea Cookie Dough recipe and are a great alternative to Homemade Granola Bars to mix up our offerings at snack time.

Ingredients You Need

Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make Healthy Snack Bars so you know what to pick up from the store or have ready.

• Chickpeas: A can of chickpeas makes the base of this healthy toddler bars recipe. Any brand works or you can cook them from dry if you prefer.
• Oat flour: A little oat flour helps form the snack bar batter. You can buy it from the store or grind rolled oats in a blender or food processor.
• Peanut butter: I use natural, creamy peanut butter to enhance the flavor and add to the cookie dough texture. You can use almond butter or sunflower seed butter if you prefer.
• Brown sugar: I use a little brown sugar to balance out the flavors in this recipe.
• Vanilla extract: This ingredient is key. Pure or artificial vanilla work well.
• Dark chocolate chips: These get stirred into the mixture at the end. You could also use raisins or white chocolate chips if you prefer.

How to Make Healthy Snack Bars

Here’s a preview of how to make these Healthy Snack Bars so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.

Step 1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander.

Step 2. Add the ingredients except the chocolate chips to a food processor. Grind, to make a smooth texture. Remove the blade. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Step 3. Press the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until the edges are lightly golden brown. 

Step 4. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Slice into bars and drizzle with additional melted chocolate chips if desired.

How to Store

Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the bars in a zip-top bag for longer storage.

Best Tips for Success

• Use mini chocolate chips or full-size ones. I prefer to chop up full size ones, so there’s a more even distribution of chocolate throughout.
• Look for dairy-free chocolate chips from brands including Guittard, Nestlé Toll House, Enjoy Life Foods, and Ghirardelli.
• Lower the sugar to 2 tablespoons if desired or use 2 tablespoons honey. The way the recipe is written is as close as I could get the flavor to that of the Chocolate Chip Zbar from Clif.
• Form into 1 tablespoon balls, then flatten slightly on a baking pan to make these into cookies.
• Find more bars with wholesome ingredients, including my Strawberry Oatmeal Bars and Banana Oatmeal Bars.

I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and coat an 8×8-inch pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.

• Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander.

• Add all the ingredients except the chocolate chips to a food processor. Grind, stopping a few times to scrape down the sides, to make a smooth cookie dough texture. It will be thick.

• Remove the blade. Stir in the chocolate chips.

• Press the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and you see tiny cracks on the surface. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

• Slice into bars and drizzle with additional melted chocolate chips if desired.

• Store for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also freeze the bars in a zip-top bag for longer storage.
• Use mini chocolate chips or full-size ones. I prefer to chop up full size ones, so there’s a more even distribution of chocolate throughout.
• Use sunflower seed butter in place of the peanut butter to make this nut-free.
• Look for dairy-free chocolate chips from brands including Guittard, Nestlé Toll House, Enjoy Life Foods, and Ghirardelli.
• Lower the sugar to 2 tablespoons if desired.

Serving: 1 bar, Calories: 152kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 0.04mg, Sodium: 171mg, Potassium: 183mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 10IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 1mg