Homemade Granola Bars

Make these easy Homemade Granola Bars with oats, nuts, honey, and a little bit of chocolate for good measure!

For a chocolate-loaded version, try these Chocolate Granola Bars next!

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

My kids love homemade granola bars, which we take on all our outings. These bars are a healthier and tastier alternative to store-bought ones, packed with nutritious grains. Easy to make, I prepare batches twice weekly in about 20-25 minutes. The recipe includes toasting nuts and oats for a rich, roasted flavor.

Ingredients In Homemade Granola Bars

• Old-fashioned oats: Provide structure and a chewy texture. They’re the base of the bars.
• Cashews and almonds: Add crunch and nutty flavor. They also contribute healthy fats and protein.
• Honey: Acts as a natural sweetener and helps bind the ingredients together.
• Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps in binding the mixture.
• Brown sugar: Offers sweetness and moisture, contributing to the texture.
• Fine sea salt: Enhances overall flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle aroma and flavor to the homemade granola bars.
• Toasted coconut flakes (optional): Provide a unique flavor and texture.
• Miniature chocolate chips: Add sweetness and a bit of chocolate flavor. Half is mixed in to help bind the bars, while the rest is sprinkled on top for extra taste and appearance.

How To Make Homemade Granola Bars

1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a pan with parchment paper.
2. Toast Oats & Nuts: Toast oats and nuts for 4-6 mins.
3. Make Syrup: Heat honey, butter, sugar, and salt until smooth.
4. Combine & Add Chocolate: Mix oats, nuts, syrup, and vanilla. Add chocolate chips.
5. Press & Chill: Press into the pan, top with more chips, and chill homemade granola bars for 1 hour.
6. Cut Bars: Lift using parchment paper and cut into bars.

More Healthy Snacks

• Chocolate Protein Balls
• Granola
• No Bake Energy Bites
• Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
• No Bake Granola Bars

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5 from 7 votes

Homemade Granola Bars

By Chelsea Lords

These easy Homemade Granola Bars are made with oats, nuts, honey, and a little bit of chocolate for good measure!

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 bars

Ingredients  

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• ▢ 2 and 1/2 cups (238g) old-fashioned oats (do not use quick or steel oats)
• ▢ 1/4 cup (34g) whole cashews, coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1/4 cup (34g) whole almonds, coarsely chopped
• ▢ 1/3 cup (111g) honey
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1/3 cup (67g) light brown sugar, lightly packed
• ▢ scant 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (See Note 1)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup (28g) toasted coconut flakes, optional
• ▢ 1/2 cup (82g) miniature chocolate chips, divided

Instructions 

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silpat liner. Line a separate 8x8-inch pan (thicker bars) or 9x9 inch pan (thinner bars) with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
• TOAST OATS AND NUTS: Add the oats to the sheet pan. Coarsely chop the cashews and almonds and add to the pan. Bake for 2-3 minutes, stir around, and bake for another 2-3 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Remove and allow to slightly cool.
• SYRUP MIXTURE: Meanwhile, cut the butter into small cubes. Add the honey, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a medium-sized saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is completely smooth and sugar is fully dissolved. Remove immediately from the heat (do not simmer or boil).
• BARS: In a large bowl, combine the toasted oat and nut mixture with the coconut flakes. Pour the syrup mixture over the bars and add in the vanilla extract. Stir well, until all the oats and nuts are coated in the syrup mixture. Let cool for a few minutes and then add in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips. They will get a little melty, and that's intentional to hold the bars together well.
• CHILL: Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan and use a silicone spatula to compress the bars. Take your time and press them very firmly (this is important to avoid crumbling later on). Once the mixture is evenly pressed down, add the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and press those gently to adhere to the top of the bars. Cover the pan and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 3 before cutting into bars.
• CUT BARS: Using the parchment paper overhang, pull the bars out of the pan and use a sharp knife to cut into 12 evenly sized bars.
• STORAGE: Store the bars in an airtight container. Refrigerate for firmer bars and leave at room temperature for softer bars (we love these bars straight out of the fridge!). Granola bars are best enjoyed within 7 days. Freeze leftover bars for up to 3 months.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Salt levels: If you use salted nuts in this recipe, you may want to decrease the amount of added salt.

Nutrition

Serving: 12bars | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.6g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 10.2mg | Sodium: 2.6mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 19.1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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