These easy Homemade Granola Bars are perfect as a morning or afternoon snack any time of year. Made with your own fresh ingredients, you can control the ingredients and won’t have any added preservatives.
If you have ever wondered how to make homemade granola bars, trust me, they are easier than you think. These chewy granola bars are healthy oat bars that you can make at home.
Hello Friends!
I have been binge-watching some shows on TV this week and decided to make more snacks for TV watching. I am trying to add more healthy choices to our snack repertoire and these homemade breakfast bars are perfect!
If you have been around a while you know that I make breakfast bars from time to time and these are one of my favorites yet. Chewy and delicious and easily changed up to your family’s liking.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
These tasty bars are great for a quick breakfast or lunchbox snack.
This is my favorite granola bar recipe. These are better than the bars you find at the grocery store and have fewer preservatives too.
It’s a fun way to make your own healthy snacks.
Today’s recipe is very versatile. This baked granola bar recipe calls for chocolate chips and cranberries, but you can easily change it up to add raisins, coconut flakes, or different chips.
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These are SO EASY to make too!
Homemade Granola Bar Ingredients
Oatmeal – You will want to use old fashioned oats for this, do not use quick oats
Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar because that is what I had in my pantry, Dark brown sugar works well too.
Dried fruit –I used cranberries for this recipe for color and flavor, but you can use raisins instead (or in addition) if you like.
Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips if desired.
Equipment and Kitchen Tools
- large bowl
- baking sheet
- rubber spatula
- parchment paper or wax paper
- cutting board
- sharp knife
How to Make Homemade Granola Bars
The full recipe is below, but the steps are simple:
- Toast almonds and oatmeal.
- Combine the butter and brown sugar.
- Add vanilla and salt and blend.
- Pour the butter mixture over the oatmeal mixture.
- Add cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Pour granola bar mixture in a prepared pan. Spread with a spatula. Chill.
- Cut chilled oat mixture into bars with a sharp knife.
Prepare pan with waxed paper or parchment paper so it is easy to remove.
Pro Tips and Timesaver Shortcuts
- You can keep the ingredients in a mason jar ready to go and prepare when you want to make granola bars.
- Store prepared bars in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Variations, Notes, and Substitutions
You can add 1/3 cup of the following seeds (shell removed) to the recipe:
- sunflower seeds
- chia seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- flax seeds
- sesame seeds
- unsweetened coconut
You can also add 3/4 cups of Rice Krispies cereal to these to change them up.
You can add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or toasted pecans while preparing.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
- Serve at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container.
- Serve as a healthy party snack or take along on a picnic.
More Semi Healthy Snack Recipes
- Homemade Granola – perfect topping for fruit or yogurt.
- Homemade Cereal Bars – These are made with multigrain cereal and are lovely snacks.
- Simple Pineapple Muffins – Easy fruit muffins that our readers love!
- 5 ingredient Chocolate Chip Muffins – a streamlined recipe for busy days.
Don’t forget to bookmark this recipe.
Homemade Granola Bars
Homemade Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup almonds chopped
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup ½ stick butter
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup dried cranberries chopped
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a few inches hanging over the edge, spray lightly with cooking spray
Prepare Dry Ingredients
- Add oats and almonds to baking sheet, mix. Bake for 8-10 minutes until toasted and lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and set in a large bowl to cool
Mix Wet Ingredients
- In a small saucepan, add honey, butter and brown sugar.
- Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and salt.
- Pour mixture over oat mixture and stir until combined. Let cool 5-10 minutes.
- Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips until completely combined.
- Press into a square baking dish.
- Cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Remove from pan and cut into bars.
- Store in airtight container.
Nutrition
We hope you enjoyed these homemade granola bar recipes.
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Debra
Thursday 11th of February 2021
I loved how easy these were to make...tasty too!
Jamie
Wednesday 10th of February 2021
I made these last weekend and they've been such a delicious snack to have on hand! It's great that I know exactly what went in here and it's way better than store bought!