Thick and Chewy Homemade Granola Bars are perfect snack for absolutely everyone, both kids and adults! These are the homemade version of the granola bars you grew up eating. Packed with oats, crispy rice cereal, nuts and seeds, and just enough chocolate chips to keep things fun. These bars are no-bake and great to meal prep for quick breakfasts or afternoon snacks. Super easy to customize with whatever mix-ins you love and have on hand.
Better-Than-Storebought Homemade Granola Bars
Did you grow up loving those store-bought extra chewy granola bars or was that just me? They were one of my favorite snacks as a kid so it was only a matter of time before I made a homemade version as an adult.
My standards for these bars were high. I wanted a granola bar that was chewy, a little crispy, had the right texture, wasn’t too sweet, and didn’t require any baking. I also wanted them to have mix-ins but not too many mix-ins. Like I said, my standards were high!
These took a little testing to get just right but I did it and they truly are my perfect version of a granola bar. Chewy, not overly sweet, and the perfect texture without requiring you to turn on an oven. Bonus, they store incredibly well so you can prep a large batch and keep them on hand whenever you want your granola bar fix.
No Bake Granola Bars Ingredients
A simple combination of old-fashioned oats, crispy rice cereal, creamy peanut butter, honey, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds, vanilla, sea salt, and mini chocolate chips all come together to make the most delicious and chewy granola bars.
A couple of quick ingredient notes:
- Peanut Butter: be sure to use a natural store-bought or homemade peanut butter without any added sweetener or oils, and make sure it’s creamy! Chunky peanut butter won’t mix evenly, and your bars may not hold their shape.
- Honey: you can swap this for maple syrup if you prefer but I found the bars to hold their shape better when I used honey.
- Oats: old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats, work the best in this recipe. If you need to be absolutely sure that your granola bars are gluten-free, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
- Crispy Rice Cereal: use your favorite plain crispy rice cereal will work. I used a generic store brand. The main concern is that it is plain and unsweetened.
- Seeds: I used a combination of hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds adds and they gave the bars the best texture and flavor.
- Mini Chocolate Chips: I prefer the flavor of dark chocolate chips for these bars. I found that the dark chocolate helped to balance out the sweetness. Additionally, I found that mini chocolate chips worked best for these bars. Larger chocolate chips didn’t distribute as evenly and I also didn’t love having larger chunks of chocolate in the bars.
How to Make Easy Homemade Granola Bars in 3 Simple Steps
- Combine the ingredients. Mix the peanut butter, vanilla, and honey in a large mixing bowl. Next, stir in the dry ingredients and make sure that everything is combined evenly. The mixture should be sticky but not too wet.
- Shape. Transfer the granola bar mixture to a baking dish that has been lined with parchment paper. Use your fingertips to press the granola bar mixture into the pan.
- Set and serve. Lastly, chill the bars in the fridge until they’re fully set. Then, slice and enjoy!
Ashlea’s Tips & Tricks
- Make a parchment paper sling. Leave parchment paper hanging over both sides of the baking dish. Then, all you have to do is lift them up to easily remove the bars.
- Prevent sticking. Use parchment paper to smooth out and press down the granola bar “dough” in the pan. This prevents sticking and helps create a nice even layer.
- Cut them into squares or bars. I love to cut these into the traditional bar size and shape but you can also cut them into smaller bars if you prefer.
More Delicious Snack Recipes I Know You’ll Love
- 5 Minute Cottage Cheese Dip
- Lemon Blueberry Protein Balls
- Herby Ranch Snack Mix
- Carrot Cake Energy Bites
- Cookie Dough Protein Balls
I hope you give this Easy Homemade Granola Bars recipe a try! It’s crispy, chocolatey, and foolproof to make!
If you do give this recipe a try, let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @allthehealthythings on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews and ratings help support All the Healthy Things and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you trust and love.
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Easy Homemade Granola Bars (No-Bake!)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Snacks
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Thick and Chewy Homemade Granola Bars are perfect snack for absolutely everyone, both kids and adults! These are the homemade version of the granola bars you grew up eating. Packed with oats, crispy rice cereal, nuts and seeds, and just enough chocolate chips to keep things fun. These bars are no-bake and great to meal prep for quick breakfasts or afternoon snacks. Super easy to customize with whatever mix-ins you love and have on hand.
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/3–1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper
- Add the peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract and salt to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined.
- Next, add the oats, crispy rice cereal, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate chips Stir until everything is well combined.
- Transfer the granola bar mixture to the lined baking dish. To make it easier, lay another sheet of parchment paper on top of the mixture and use your finger to firmly press it into the baking dish in an even layer.
- Place the bars into the fridge for 1-2 hours to fully set.
- Once the bars have set, use a sharp knife to slice the bars. Slice them down the middle and then cut each side into 6 bars for a total of 12 bars.
Notes
Substitute the peanut butter for creamy almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter.
Add chopped raisins, cranberries, dried cherries, or coconut flakes.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the bars before freezing for an extra decadent finish.
How to Store
Once set, store leftover homemade granola bars in an airtight container, placing a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking. They will stay fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
You can also freeze the bars for up to 3 months. To eat, thaw them in the fridge overnight, or set them at room temperature to soften.
Recipe by: Ashlea Carver / All the Healthy Things | Photography by: Eat Love Eat
