Homemade Granola Bars
Homemade granola bars are a great after-school snack or lunch box treat. They are super easy to make and store.
I don’t care for the no-bake granola bar recipes that require refrigeration. You can’t drop them in a lunch box and expect them to maintain their integrity. They are either too hard right out of the fridge or way too soft and sticky when packed for later consumption.
This healthy granola bar recipe is slightly crunchy and slightly chewy. That’s what we consider the perfect combination in a homemade granola bar.
Homemade Granola Bars Video
Why You’ll Love These
It’s a homemade granola bar recipe without peanut butter and no refrigeration required! A perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Key Ingredients
- Oats – This granola bar recipe uses old-fashioned oats and oat flour.
- Seasonings – Dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Liquids – Unsalted butter, honey, and pure vanilla extract.
- Add-Ins – Ground flax seed, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried cranberries.
Tips and Variations
- Be sure to really press the granola mixture into the pan. This will help make sure the bars don’t fall apart when cutting.
- You can use dried cherries, raisins, or blueberries. Chop larger pieces smaller.
- Swap up the nuts! Use peanuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, etc.
- Toss in mini chocolate chips or mini M&M’s.
- Dip the bars in melted chocolate or drizzle it over the tops.
How To Make Homemade Granola Bars
Easy and healthy! Mix and match the fruits and nuts you prefer. I usually add what I have on hand.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang for handles.
In a large bowl stir the old-fashioned oats, oat flour, ground flaxseed, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt. Feel free to add your favorite nuts and dried fruits.
Add in the melted butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Pour into the prepared pan, use a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper and firmly press, careful to keep it in an even layer.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.
Cut into desired single-serving bars.
Wrap in wax paper and store in an airtight container or bag. So easy to grab and go!
My husband was just asking if we have any left. Oops, guess I need to make more.
Store in an air-tight container or bag at room temperature for up to a week.
More Delicious Recipes
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Recipe
- Monster Cookies
- Large Cluster Granola
Homemade Granola Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup oat flour*
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seed optional
- 1/2 cup almonds chopped or sliced
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Prepare a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang for handles.
- Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry mix and combine well.
- Pour granola mixture into the baking pan and press down with wax paper forming a firm packed granola, about 1 inch thick. Making sure it is spread evenly, thinner sections of the granola may overcook.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely, cut into about 24 bars, wrap in parchment paper or wax paper and store in an airtight container.
Notes
Servings will depend on the size you choose to cut the bars.
Amazing! Thank you for this recipe. I made a double batch last night and was told it was the best granola bar the recipient had ever had, better even than Kind bars because it’s more filling / substantial and more flavorful. I forgot the butter completely and the recipe still worked. I’m so grateful, this is now my favorite granola bar recipe.
Steve, we are so happy to hear you love the granola bars!!! I will have to try them without butter next time. Thanks so much for coming by.
How long will these stay good? I am looking for a bar recipe to use to make bars to add to resupply for a long distance hike. I’d need them to be able to stay good for a month or more sealed in baggies
I would say if well wrapped and sealed you should be good to go!
Tasty but too sweet I would personally cut down on the honey and/or sugar next time.