Homemade Granola Bars

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

These chewy granola bar copycats are so much better than store-bought ones! They’re fresh and flavorful, sticky and chewy, and loaded with tasty, filling ingredients.

For naturally sweetened bars (with dates), check out this Granola Bar recipe. For a chocolate-loaded version, try these Chocolate Granola Bars next!

Homemade Granola Bars

My kids inhale granola bars. We take them everywhere — to the park, to the doctor’s office, to the store….they can count on me always having a few in my purse or in the car ready to hand out.

Since we go through them so quickly, I’ve started making my own. I love knowing exactly what’s in them and honestly, I think they taste way better — and  the kids agree!

This recipe is basically a copycat version of a standard chewy granola bar. They are indeed chewy, chocolatey, and packed with good-for-you grains and other nutritious ingredients. 

The great part is that they are also very simple to make. I typically whip up a batch every Monday morning (and again on Thursday, because like I said, my kids inhale them), and from start to finish it never takes more than 20-25 minutes. While there is some baking required, it’s only to toast the nuts and oats. Toasting these ingredients imparts an irresistible roasted flavor that completely elevates the taste of these homemade gems.

How to make granola bars from scratch

1. Start by toasting the oats and nuts. Any nuts can be used in these bars and our favorites are cashews and almonds. Toasting them improves the overall flavor of the bars and keeps them from getting too soft when the wet ingredients are added.
2. Prepare the syrup mixture. While the oats toast, add butter, honey, and brown sugar to a small pan and heat until smooth. 
3. Combine mixtures. Once the nuts and oats are toasted and syrup is smooth, combine everything in a large bowl, along with toasted coconut flakes, salt, and vanilla extract.
4. Finish the bars. Add the chocolate chips at the end, since they melt down a bit from residual heat, but that melty chocolate also help hold the bars together. Compress the bars firmly in the pan and chill until set up.

A commonly asked question is why granola bars fall apart; I have a few tips!

Why do my granola bars fall apart?

Homemade granola bars will fall apart for a few different reasons:

1. There is not enough syrup mixture. Make sure to measure the honey to the top of the measuring cup and scoop every bit of it into the saucepan. Don’t reduce the brown sugar or butter amounts either; every bit of the syrup is needed to make sure the bars hold together.
2. They aren’t compressed firmly into the pan. Press the granola mixture hard and firmly into the pan; use the bottom of a 1 cup measuring cup to get leverage in pressing them down.
3. The bars haven’t been chilled long enough. While hot or even warm, the bars will crumble into granola instead of a bar. Make sure the bars spend enough time in the fridge until they are completely firm.

Homemade Granola Bar variations

• Nuts: Pretty much any coarsely chopped nuts will work in these bars. You can use a single variety of nuts, the two nuts indicated in the recipe, or even use a combination of three types of nuts (as long as quantities remain consistent — 1/2 cup total of nuts in these bars).

quicktip] If you aren’t a fan of cashews and almonds try one of these other ideas: pistachios, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, or hazelnuts! [/quicktip]

• Chocolate chips: For healthier bars, use dark chocolate chips  instead of the semi-sweet chocolate chips listed in the recipe. You can also replace the chocolate chips with a different mix-in such as chopped dried cranberries, raisins, or extra coconut. Note that the chocolate does help to hold these together a bit better.
• Butter: You can replace the butter with 1/4 cup coconut oil (measured in the hardened state). While this substitution works, the bars are slightly more prone to falling apart and do need to be stored in the fridge.
• Add some spices: For a fall-flavored bar, try adding in some pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice; even some cinnamon would be nice! I’d recommend 1/2 to 1 full teaspoon.
• Love salted chocolate treats? Add a small sprinkle of sea salt flakes to the top of individual bars. If salting the top, I’d recommend leaving it out of the base.

Recipe tips

• Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. These bars are just about impossible to get out nicely in an unlined pan. Aluminum foil will also work in a pinch.
• Coarsely chop the nuts. If the pieces of cashews and/or almonds are too large, they will cause these Homemade Granola Bars to fall apart easier; plus, a full almond or cashew can be overwhelming in a bite.
• Adjust the salt. If you use salted nuts in the recipe, you may want to decrease the amount of added salt.
• Use old-fashioned oats. Quick oats and steel-cut oats will both create the wrong texture and won’t work properly in these bars — it will end up more like granola than a granola bar.

Homemade Granola Bar storage

I wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and then keep the wrapped bars in a larger container or zipper-top plastic bag in the fridge — perfect for on-the-go snacking! We do prefer these bars straight out of the fridge!

These bars will stay fresh for a week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. More info on freezing bars here.

More healthy snacks

• Chocolate Protein Balls with almond butter
• Homemade, simple Granola
• No Bake Energy Bites with peanut butter
• Oatmeal Breakfast Bars with chocolate chips
• No Bake Granola Bars with a chocolate drizzle

QUICK TIP

Take your time pressing this homemade granola bar mixture into the pan; the harder and firmer you press down, the less the bars will fall apart.

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Homemade Granola Bars

5 from 7 votes

- Review this recipe

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

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Homemade Granola Bars

5 from 7 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

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

Course Breakfast, Snack, Vegetarian

Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegetarian

Keyword homemade granola bars

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes

Total Time 28 minutes

Servings 12 bars

Calories 212kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

• ▢ 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 Facts

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

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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