Blueberry Chia Jam Bars Recipe {Gluten-Free, Vegan}
This gluten-free and vegan blueberry chia jam bars recipe was developed exclusively for Nuts.com and our customers by Miryam Quinn Doblas, Registered Dietitian (RD). Miryam shares her nutritional knowledge and commitment to healthy eating on her website, Eat Good 4 Life.
For a nourishing treat that is perfect for breakfast or dessert, I made these delicious blueberry chia jam bars. I love making no-bake desserts because they take less time to prepare, and there’s no heating involved, so you won’t compromise the nutritional value of the ingredients. My chia jam bars are loaded with fiber, antioxidants, iron, calcium and healthy fats. They contain less sugar than other dessert bar recipes out there, and are suitable for both gluten-free and vegan diets.
Raw almonds and gluten-free rolled oats primarily make up the base of these bars. Incorporating nuts like almonds into snack-time will keep hungry tummies full, and provide healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, protein, vitamin E and calcium. The gluten-free rolled oats give the bars a granola-like texture, as well as additional fiber. I tossed in a tablespoon of chia seeds for extra omega-3’s and to help the ingredients bind together.
The delectable blueberry chia jam layer is a simple combination of three ingredients. Store-bought jams tend to contain high amounts of sugar and other additives, so I made my own jam with just blueberries, chia seeds, and maple syrup. Blueberries lend plenty of vitamins and antioxidants, while chia seeds provides high amounts of essential omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats are associated with lower inflammation levels and better heart health. They’re also an excellent source of dietary fiber to keep your digestive system healthy.
Strawberries, raspberries, or other pureed fruit would also work well in the recipe, so feel free to experiment making a chia seed jam with your favorite fruits. The liquid-absorbing property of chia seeds helps the mixture thicken to the right jam-like consistency. Unlike traditional jams, there’s no cooking or complicated steps involved in making chia jam. I like to make extra to enjoy throughout the week on toast and baked goods, or even mixed into yogurt and smoothies.
The bars are delicious as is, but they’re even better with the chocolate topping I added. Made from antioxidant-packed cacao powder, healthy coconut oil, and your choice of all natural sweetener, the mixture will solidify into a thin layer of chocolate for a real treat.
These blueberry chia jam bars can be a bit messy to eat, but I don’t mind since they’re so delicious. You can store them in the freezer to help them hold better, and thaw them for 20 minutes before eating. I like snacking on the bars to curb my sweet craving, but they’re even nutritious enough to enjoy for breakfast. I hope you like the recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw almonds
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
- 12 oz fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/3 cup cacao powder
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Line a 9’’ x 5’’ loaf pan with unbleached parchment paper and set aside. Place the base ingredients in your food processor and pulse until combined. Using a spatula, press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan.
- In a food processor or blender, puree the blueberries. Add the chia seeds and mix until combined. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes, or until it thickens. Once the mixture is thick, spread it evenly over the base layer.
- In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients and pour the mixture over the blueberry chia jam layer, making sure to spread it out evenly.
- Freeze the bars until firm. To serve, let the bars thaw at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and cut as desired.
- Store bars in the refrigerator for up to one week.
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This recipe was developed and photographed exclusively for Nuts.com by Miryam Quinn Doblas, RD, of Eat Good 4 Life.
21 Responses to “Blueberry Chia Jam Bars Recipe {Gluten-Free, Vegan}”
Can you tell me, in your opinion, what the best substitute for the almonds would be? I can use sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or hemp hearts? We have nut allergies here, but other than that one thing, we could do these.
Hi Rosie – Sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds should work just fine! We hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Whenever I read a recipe I always appreciate if there are comments form others who have made the recipe, so I try to do the same.
I swapped almond for cashews, and replaced 1/4 C of cashews with goji berries, and added zest of one lemon. Then I swapped blueberries for mango chunks. Other than that, I followed the recipe.
I found the crust layer was a bit sticky and soft, and if I make again, I will try reducing the syrup and/or water content. The jammy layer was tasty, but the coca topping layer was a bit tricky. See, I think recipe calls for too much topping. The topping was close to a quarter inch thick, which made for sloppy cutting and eating. I would of poured less on to avoid this, but I didn’t have anything else to use the topping on and I didn’t want to waste such expensive ingredients.
Overall, a very sweet and tasty treat, but a little difficult to take a bite out of without it kind of sliding apart. I’d give it four out of 5 stars. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the feedback, Chris! It’s helpful to hear other ingredient swaps and ideas for improving it. The bars can be a little messy to eat so we recommend storing them in the fridge, or even the freezer and then thawing them for 20 minutes before eating. We’re glad you enjoyed the treats in the end.
Do you have recipes for bread/ rolls using the flours you sell? My husband has several health issues including diabetes and auto- immune disorders. He LOVES bread. I need good healthful recipes to accommodate his ” bread” tooth( as opposed to a sweet tooth). Thank you for considering my search.
Hi Helen – We have a few gluten-free bread recipes that your husband may be interested in, like our gluten-free classic homemade bread, gluten-free whole grain bread, and gluten-free cinnamon raisin bread. We hope these recipes help!
We thought these bars were great! I did a couple things differently. I made the recipe in a 8×8 pan instead of the loaf pan to make a thinner bar. I also used a basic baked cookie bar type crust for the bottom. The jam and chocolate layers were great! I wasn’t sure what the chia jam layer would be like but the fresh fruit flavor was delicious and the chia seeds just added a bit of texture and substance. The coconut oil chocolate was awesome. I actually plan on making some molded chocolates with the recipe. Thanks!
We’re so glad it turned out well, Carolyn! Thanks for sharing your substitutions with us 🙂
Hi. Can you please confirm the total carb count? I’m asking because the instructions does not include the 2 tbsp honey which is listed in the ingredient list. Also, would it be tasty enough without the honey in this layer? I’m always looking to put less sweetener, if possible.
Thanks in advance,
Sarah
Hi Sarah – There are approx. 19.5 grams of carbohydrates per serving. The nutrition facts were calculated with maple syrup as the sweetener. The sugar count will vary if you use honey instead. You could reduce or remove the sweetener from the recipe completely, although it would affect the taste. It would probably still be pretty good though because of the natural sweetness from the blueberries. Feel free to experiment with it! 🙂
Seems like it would be cool if you sold the dry ingredients to this premeasured as a mix with directions. Then we could give it as gifts and say “add your own blueberries and maple syrup”.
That’s a great idea, Kathy! 🙂
The comments before the recipe state that agave syrup was used to make the blueberry jam, but the recipe says maple syrup….which one is it? could you use either – have you tried with agave?
thank you/
Hi Summer – We made the recipe with maple syrup, although you could definitely use agave syrup, too! 🙂
If they turn out messy I would just eat the goodness with a fork! Looking forward to trying these yummy delights!
Gluten Free Lady
Sounds like the best way to do it, Sue! Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
For less sugar I used truvia as a substitute for the maple syrup, it turned out really well!
Thanks for the tip, Cat!
This recipe sounds delicious! I recently made some sweet potato blueberry pie with a blueberry chia jam filling, and I’m looking for more recipes that use blueberry chia jam.
I think that the recipe would be neater if you put the chocolate coating directly on the oat and then topped the chocolate with blueberries.
Hi Elaine! Thanks for your suggestion. That’s definitely something we’ll consider should we decide to create and share a similar recipe in the future. 🙂
Have made this and is delicious but because it was a last minute decision I didn’t have enough of the ingredients soooo I added linseed to chai and crushed walnuts to the almonds and honey in the topping cos I’d run out of maple syrup. Next time I’ll prob try agave. I agree with Chris that the topping could afford to be thinner. Brilliant recipe. Ruth