Easy Granola Bars

chocolate covered granola bars in storage container.

Course: Snack

Cuisine: gluten-free

Keyword: homemade granola bars

Prep Time: 14

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 160kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

Homemade granola bars are quick & easy to make at home, and require only 4 simple ingredients! You can make them in just minutes, and add in any extras you like to customize the flavor.

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Ingredients

Granola Bars

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (use certified gluten-free if needed.)
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Optional toppings or Mix-Ins

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips , melted
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/4 cup almonds or hemp hearts (see notes for tips)

Instructions

Pour the oats, salt, and any of the optional dry mix-ins, like hemp hearts, into a large bowl and stir well, then set it aside. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray and press a square of parchment paper into the bottom. (The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, so it doesn't move around later.)
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the honey to a boil. Set a timer and allow the honey to boil for 1 minute, without stirring.
Remove from the pan of honey from the heat and stir in the peanut butter. As soon as the mixture is smooth, pour it over the oats.
Use a spatula to stir quickly, coating the oats evenly with the peanut butter mixture. It will harden as it cools, so it may become more difficult to stir as it cools down.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press it very firmly into the bottom. If you're adding any of the optional toppings, like the melted chocolate, you can spread it over the top now. For extra crunch, you can sprinkle chopped almonds or other nuts on top of the melted chocolate, too.
Let the granola bars cool in the fridge for freezer for up to 30 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and slice them into 12 pieces. These granola bars can be kept at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months if you'd like to make a larger batch. They can thaw overnight in the fridge.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 bars, using the melted chocolate chips, and replacing a 1/4 cup of the oats with hemp hearts. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Make them Vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.

Make them Nut-Free: Use sunflower seed butter or tahini instead of peanut butter.

Add More Protein: Replace a 1/4 cup of the oats with hemp hearts or your favorite protein powder. In that case you'd use only 1 3/4 cups rolled oats + a 1/4 cup hemp hearts (or other mix-in of your choice).

Topping Notes: If you'd like to add nuts or dried fruit, you can mix them into the dry ingredients in the first step, or press them on top while the mixture is still warm.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in January 2023 to offer the protein suggestion of mixing in hemp hearts to replace some of the oats. The original recipe has not changed, but the photos were updated to reflect how I make these most often in my house.

Nutrition