Firecracker 5K Energy Bars with Nuts and Dried Fruit

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

Homemade no-bake energy bars packed with nuts, dried fruit, and honey, designed to fuel your 5K run or summer activities. This American-inspired recipe, ready in about 15 minutes, turns rolled oats, almonds, dried cranberries into a satisfying snack for between meals, packed lunches, or game-day spreads — minimal active time and easy to scale up for a crowd. Each serving lands at about 210 calories and feeds 12, so it fits into lunchboxes, road trips, or an afternoon-energy gap without derailing the day. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Serves 12 American cuisine 210 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups rolled oats, 1 cup chopped almonds, 3/4 cup dried cranberries, and 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, stirring until evenly mixed.
  2. Step 2: In a small saucepan over low heat, gently warm 1 cup natural peanut butter and 1/3 cup honey, stirring until smooth and combined. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp sea salt.
  3. Step 3: Pour the warm peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well coated and sticky.
  4. Step 4: Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture firmly into the pan in an even layer using the back of a spatula.
  5. Step 5: Refrigerate the pan for at least 2 hours until the bars are firm. Remove from the pan and cut into 12 equal bars. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

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