These easy and homemade healthy granola bars are packed with rolled oats, crispy cereal, and mini chocolate chips!
Super Healthy Granola Bars
Back in 2012, when I first posted a recipe for homemade chewy granola bars, I had no idea it would still be so popular five years later, with over 28,000 repins and twelve pages of positive reader reviews.
Even the best recipes can be improved upon, and today I’m sharing my updated version of the classic granola bar recipe, complete with six new flavor variations.
The recipe makes double the amount of the original. I also fixed up the photos and added a few new ones as well. This is one of those recipes that’s withstood the test of time. Five years later, readers are still making it!
Also Try These Vegan Brownies – NO Crazy Ingredients
These homemade granola bars have slightly better nutrition facts than store-bought Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, but–more importantly–they have a MUCH shorter and cleaner ingredient list!
How To Make The Healthy Granola Bars:
Stir together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk liquid ingredients together in a separate bowl, then stir wet into dry.
Transfer the granola bar mixture to a pan lined with parchment paper, and press down as firmly as you can.
Either bake in a preheated oven for 18 minutes OR simply chill until firm, then slice – there is no baking required!
Healthy Granola Bar Flavors:
- Chocolate Chip Granola Bars: Stir 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips in with the dry ingredients.
- Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars: Stir 1/2 cup chopped raisins and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in with the dry ingredients.
- Nutella Granola Bars: Replace the oil with my Healthy Nutella, and add mini chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts if desired.
- Vanilla Almond Granola Bars: Stir 1/3 cup finely chopped almonds in with the dry ingredients, and add a few drops pure almond extract to the liquid ingredients.
- Trail Mix Granola Bars: Stir 1/4 cup each chia seeds, shredded coconut, and chopped, dried cranberries in with the dry ingredients.
- Peanut Butter Cookie Granola Bars: Replace the oil with 1/4 cup peanut butter or nut butter of choice.
Edit: and now there is a pumpkin version!
Healthy Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup rice crispies (brown, white, or gluten-free)
- 3/4 cup oat flour, or process oats in a blender to make your own
- 1/4 cup melted coconut or vegetable oil OR nut butter of choice
- 1/2 cup raw agave or honey
- 1/4 cup brown sugar OR 1/8 tsp pure stevia
- 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Variations: see flavor list under the third photo in this post
Instructions
- Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside. If you wish to bake the bars, preheat oven to 350 F. Stir together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk liquid ingredients together in a separate bowl, then stir wet into dry. Transfer to the prepared pan. Smooth down firmly, using a second sheet of parchment or wax paper. Press down as hard as you can. For no-bake healthy granola bars, chill until firm. (The no-bake option is also firmer if you use coconut oil.) For baked granola bars, cook on the center rack 18 minutes, then press down firmly again. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. View Nutrition Facts
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These have definitely become a staple in our house–SO much better (and healthier!) than store-bought! My fave way to make these is to use peanut butter, applesauce instead of the banana, chocolate chips, coconut and a mixture of flax, chia and hemp. And I have NEVER added the brown sugar; we feel they are sweet enough using just the honey, especially with the chocolate chips.
Omg these are SO good, but SO sweet! Is there a way to reduce all sweeteners (without artificial) to make these more toddler friendly? Also.. can these be frozen and how to store if not?
These turned out pretty good!
I used 1/4 cup honey and 4 large medjool dates with 1 T water for the sweetners. And used half a banana. Also, used PB instead of coconut oil and added in chocolate chips, coconut, and chia seeds.
I thought i pushed them down really good before baking and tried my best to push them down again after they came out of the oven. They still seemed a little fragile and squishy. Do you think I should have baked them longer? I did exactly 18 minutes.
I also did not love the banana flavor in them, and am wondering if I could replace the banana with flax or chia egg… but I’m not sure how much “egg” would replace 1/4 cup.
Next time I make them I may try to process everything in the food processor and just add in the oats, cereal, and mix ins at the end… not sure… would like a way to make them less fragile.
Thank you for the recipe!!
Hi, unfortunately we have not tried making them with dates substituted for the other 1/4 cup liquid sweetener but would guess that would make the bars stick together less and have more water in general. The recipe lists applesauce as a good option instead of banana if you do not want any banana flavor whatsoever. If you try chia eggs instead, let us know how it goes.
What is the texture of these bars when baked? Is it similar to a soft no-bake bar or will they firm up and get a little crunchy?