Homemade Granola Bars
These healthy homemade granola bars were inspired out of a need for better-for-you bars that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Our families love store-bought options, but we continuously feel disappointed by their ingredients. So, we decided to make our own, infusing them with nutrient-dense options and plenty of chocolate chips!
Love homemade recipes? Try our French toast granola and salted dark chocolate granola, too.
Soft, chewy, and deliciously chocolatey, this homemade granola bar recipe is loved by kids and adults alike. In fact, our little ones request them for breakfast and snacks! And who are we to deny?
Gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and packed with fiber and good-for-you fats, this is one option we can feel good about. Plus, all the ingredients come together with minimal prep time, and the bars are ready to eat with a total time of under an hour. Try them out, and you’ll never go back to store-bought options again!
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Honey – A natural sweetener that helps the bars stick together. Maple syrup will also work, if preferred.
- Butter – This adds richness to the bars. Substitute a plant-based butter to keep these granola bars dairy-free.
- Peanut Butter – Make sure to use creamy peanut butter for a smooth batter! Substitute any other seed or nut butter you prefer. Almond butter, cashew butter, or tahini all taste great.
- Egg – Large eggs act as a binder, holding the batter together. We don’t recommend using egg substitutes for this recipe, or the granola bars will be too dense.
- Rolled Oats (Old-Fashioned Oats) – Do NOT substitute quick oats or steel-cut oats! To ensure your homemade granola bars are gluten-free, look for certified gluten-free oats.
- Flour – We use a gluten-free flour blend, but a 1:1 all-purpose flour also works.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the sweetness.
- Coconut – Unsweetened shredded coconut adds a satisfying crunch along with fiber and fats.
- Hemp Hearts – Also known as hulled hemp seeds, hemp hearts are a great source of plant-based protein and omega-3 and omega-6 fats.
- Chocolate Chips – We prefer mini chocolate chips for bits of chocolate in every bite. Dark chocolate is our go-to, but milk chocolate, semi-sweet, and even white chocolate are tasty.
- Salt – Don’t skip this! It balances the sweetness, creating a well-rounded taste.
How to Make the Best Homemade Granola Bars Recipe
- Combine. Whisk all the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Then, stir in the dry ingredients until well combined.
2. Bake. Transfer the batter to a parchment paper-lined baking dish, and press the mixture down firmly. The firmer you pack the batter, the better the bars will hold their shape! Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly browned and the center is firm to the touch.
3. Slice. Cut the bars while still warm, and allow them to cool completely in the oven. Then, transfer them to a cutting board, and slice again to separate. Enjoy!
Common Questions
Pretty much anything goes with this recipe! Feel free to include whatever you have on hand. Some of our favorite mix-ins include dried cranberries, raisins, chopped peanuts, and candies.
Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week or in the fridge for up to two weeks. Or, freeze them for up to three months!
More Homemade Snacks
Healthy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 1 8×8 pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup peanut butter or any nut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/3 cup gluten free flour blend or whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts seeds
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the honey, butter, nut butter, egg, and vanilla extract until combined.1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup butter, softened, 1/4 cup peanut butter , 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the rolled oats, flour, coconut shreds, hemp hearts, chocolate chips, and salt. Mix until combined.2 1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/3 cup gluten free flour blend, 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, 1/2 cup hemp hearts seeds, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Pour the batter into the parchment lined pan and firmly press the batter down with the back of a spatula until smooth (see notes).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges have browned slightly and the middle is firm to the touch.
- Once the bars are removed from the oven, use a knife to cut into bars while still warm (we typically cut into 2 rows of 5). Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
- Using the parchment paper, lift the bars from the pan and place on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut the bars again in the same place, going over the lines to separate.
- Wrap the bars individually, if desired, and store in an airtight storage bag or store unwrapped in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature or 2 weeks in the fridge.
I love homemade granola bars! They’re the best. Thanks for sharing this with us at Savoring Saturdays linky party!
Just made these and they are super good!!!!! Great job!!!!
YAY! I am so happy that you love them 🙂 Do you think you can get hubby to eat them too?
Great, healthy recipe! Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
Fit and frugal?!! That is a win win on my book 🙂 Love it! Thank you for sharing this yummy and healthy recipe over at #healthyliving link party. I appreciate what you share and I hope to see you again.
BTW, I will be featuring you for tonight’s party!
Hi Christina! I agree, fit and frugal are always welcome in my house 🙂 Thank you so much for the feature and kinds words. Blessings to you!
Amazing. I have a hard time finding granola bars that aren’t packed with sugar as well. Thanks for linking up at You Link It, We Make It – hope to see you back tomorrow. Pinning!
Homemade granola bars or snack bars are the way to go! Those things at the store are pricy, not to mention stuffed with massive amounts of sugar and artificial crap. I much prefer homemade. These look amazing!
It is like looking for a needle in a haystack when perusing the granola bar shelves isn’t it? I hope you enjoy this recipe, Kat!
Hey Sammi! I love how simple this recipe is. They’ve been plenty out there that add too many things for my liking and have such complicated steps. But this sounds super easy and the fact that it’s good for me makes it all the more enticing. Thanks for sharing another great and healthy option with us on #shinebloghop. It’s always a pleasure to read your pieces 🙂
Hi Maria! I always love to link up at the #shinebloghop! Thank you for your kind words. I hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Making these tonight 🙂 Could I maybe throw some dates in too? They looks SO delish! and so easy. Great recipe!
Sorry it took me so long to reply. It’s the last 2 weeks of school and it has become apparent that every field trip for the year, teacher appreciation activity, and sporting event needs to be packed into it. 😉 Any who…I think dates would be delicious in it! I would maybe sub them in for the chocolate chips. Or not. hehe Or you could make date paste and use in place of a portion of the honey. I am so curious to see what you do! Let me know how they turn out, Vanessa!
I always forget how easy it is to make my own granola bars. Since my husband’s favorite brand was recently recalled, I might have to give it a shot again. These looks great!
I’d love for you to stop by and join my weekly linkup! It’s live now. http://bit.ly/1T8DELb
Well it sounds like you were meant to have this recipe, Abby! Once you give it a try swing back and let me know what you both think of it 🙂 Have a great week!
I really need to eat before I look at people’s recipes. Your granola bars have me drooling. I love the ingredients you used for these bars ..yum! Thank you for sharing them with us at Talented Tuesday Link Party. I pinned them because they look too good not to share! Enjoy the rest of your week, Kim
Ummmm, blushing! Thanks Kim for your sweet words 🙂 I hope you enjoy these sweet treats as much as we do!
These granola bars sound so good. I love the addition of coconut, peanut butter and hemp seeds x #recipeoftheweek
I love homemade granola bars and these ones look amazing! Pinning and stumbling! Yum!
These look great! I have been looking for a recipe for homemade bars, Pinned 🙂
You’ll have to let me know what you think, Angela! They are such a hit in our home and SO easy to make 🙂
These sound so amazing! I am always tempted by granola bar recipes and get frustrated because they just have too many ingredients. These look perfect! I have almost all of the ingredients in my kitchen already! I’ve pinned this to try later. 🙂
I totally get it! Hopefully this one doesn’t have too many ingredients for you. The recipe comes together super fast because I am like you, if it has too many ingredients or takes too long… I’m out! lol Can’t wait for you to try them 🙂
These look great! I haven’t tried hemp seeds, but I will be looking for them now!
Hey Kelly! I am partial to hemp seeds and all the ways to use them 🙂 They are typically in the refrigerator section of your local healthy food store!