Chewy peanut butter granola bars made with healthy ingredients and no refined sugar! Full of peanut butter flavor, easy to prepare (no oven required!) and perfect for a healthier treat.
Granola bars are a staple in our house, and I love making my own from scratch. With 7 homemade granola bars on my site, we have a repertoire of flavors, but I find myself coming back to these chewy peanut butter granola bars time and time again.
Chewy and full of peanut butter flavor, these homemade granola bars are so simple to prepare, and I love knowing exactly which ingredients go into them.
The kids love them, and they are a delicious healthier treat to keep stored away in the fridge.
Reasons you'll ♡ peanut butter granola bars
- they are made with healthier ingredients and you know exactly what goes into them
- they are simple to prepare and can be into your fridge in just 20 minutes
- they are chewy and full of peanut butter flavor!
Recipe video
Watch the video below to see exactly how I prepped these granola bars. It’s so easy! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel, or on Facebook.
Don't forget to pin this recipe to save it for later!
Ingredients you'll need
- peanut butter- make sure to use all natural peanut butter (aka: made from just peanuts and maybe a touch of salt). Avoid anything with added ingredients like oils, as this will prevent the bars from setting properly.
- coconut oil- I use refined coconut oil, as this does not have a strong coconut flavor
- honey- which helps to sweeten and bind the bars. Unfortunately maple syrup does not work in this recipe and other liquid sweeteners have not been tested.
- vanilla extract- adds depth of flavor
- rolled oats- which may also be called large flake or old fashioned oats. Avoid steel cut or quick oats.
- almonds- optional, to add nutrition and texture to the bars.
- chocolate chips- mini chocolate chips work best in this recipe as they help distribute the chocolate flavor throughout the bars and are not hard to chew when cold, unlike the regular sized ones.
Recipe tips
Avoiding dirty dishes
For this recipe, I've weighed out all the ingredients for you. This means that you can simply place your saucepan onto a kitchen scale, and pour the honey, coconut oil, and peanut butter directly into the pot, rather than struggling to scrape them into and out of measuring cups.
The most important step
The critical step in these ranola bars is to simmer the honey, peanut butter and coconut oil. This helps thicken the honey, making the bars stick together. If you skip this step, you should expect crumbly bars.
Combine the three ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. When the mixture starts bubbling (as shown in the photo above), start your timer for exactly 1 minute. When the time is up, remove the pot from the heat, stir in the vanilla and salt, and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
Parchment trick
For these granola bars, it is necessary to line a baking dish with parchment paper to help get them out once they are set. If you struggle getting parchment to stay put in the pan, here's my trick:
- cut parchment to fit the pan
- spritz the pan with a bit of oil --> this helps the parchment stay put so you can work it into the corners
- secure with binder clips
Extra flay-vah
If you want to take extra time to get even more flavor out of these granola bars, take a few minutes to toast your oats and almonds in the oven. Here's how to do it:
- heat oven to 350°F
- spread oats and almonds out on a baking sheet
- toast for 10-15 minutes until oats are golden and fragrant and almonds are lightly browned
FAQ
Can I swap the peanut butter for almond butter?
Yes! You can swap for any all-natural nut butter. Make sure it is well-stirred and drippy, and that the only ingredients are the nuts (and maybe some salt).
Can I make these granola bars vegan?
Unfortunately, maple syrup does not work to bind these bars, and I have not tried any other liquid sweeteners.
What else can I add to these granola bars?
Feel free to swap the almonds for your favorite nuts or seeds. You can also add in dried cranberries or blueberries, cinnamon, or other add ins. Find 7 granola bars here!
How long do these granola bars last?
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze them for 1-2 months.
More healthier sweet snacks
- Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
- 36+ Healthy Snack Recipes
- Snickerdoodle Almond Butter Granola Bars
- Monster Granola Bars
- Homemade Cinnamon Roll Protein Bars
- Chocolate Tahini Oat Bars
- Healthy Blueberry Muffins
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup honey 98 g
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter 64 g
- ¼ cup coconut oil 52 g; refined coconut oil recommended
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup almonds coarsely chopped; 70 g
- 2 cups rolled oats 184 g
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips plus extras for sprinkling on top (45 g + 18 g)
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8 inch baking sheet with parchment or foil (use spray oil on the foil) and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, peanut butter and coconut oil. Heat over medium heat, stirring until everything is melted and smooth.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and salt, and allow to cool 10-15 minutes. *note 1
- Once the pot has cooled slightly, stir in the almonds, rolled oats and chocolate chips.
- Spread the mixture into the prepared pan, pressing it down firmly using a spatula. It is important to press it down very firmly, and spraying the spatula lightly with oil helps prevent everything from sticking. *note 2
- Sprinkle tops with a few extra mini chocolate chips and refrigerate the bars for minimum of 2 hours.
- Cut into bars and store in a large container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Tips:
- heat oven to 350°F
- spread oats and almonds out on a baking sheet
- toast for 10-15 minutes until oats are golden and fragrant and almonds are lightly browned
Video
Nutrition Information
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PJ says
Hi,
Would crunchy peanut butter work in this recipe?
Denise Bustard says
Hi PJ! That should be just fine! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Sara says
This is our go to recipe! Love it!
Denise Bustard says
I'm so happy to hear this, Sara! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
Renae says
I’m looking to amp up protein in my snacks. Anyway I could add a scoop of protein power in this mixture?
Thanks!
Denise says
Hi Renae! I wish I knew, but unfortunately I haven't tried. I do have a tried & tru protein bar recipe here: https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/homemade-protein-bars/
Lindsay says
Trying this now! You forgot the salt and vanilla in the printable directions.
Denise says
Thanks for catching that! Updated! Hope you enjoy them 🙂
Jonathan says
While I applaud the idea, I didn't find these enjoyable. The flavor of the coconut oil competed too much with the peanut butter, and left an odd aftertaste that just didn't jive with "Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars ".
Denise says
Hey Jonathan, did you by chance use unrefined/virgin coconut oil? I find that has a very strong flavor and for that reason I only use refined coconut oil. I haven't tried these with virgin coconut oil but maybe I should make a note on the recipe card if that's what you used. Thanks and sorry you didn't enjoy.
Jonathan says
Extra Virgin & Unrefined. That may well have been the issue, so a note of distinction may be a good idea.
Denise says
Thank you so much for reporting back! I'm going to make a note on the recipe card. Thanks 🙂
Christine says
Can I use vegetable oil in place of coconut oil?
Denise says
Hi Christine! Not in this recipe. You *may* be able to swap for butter, although I haven't tested.
Morgan says
I have made two batches of these delicious bars this week and my family loves them! Thanks for the recipe!
Denise says
I'm SO happy to hear this, Morgan! I am sharing seven no bake granola bars this weekend. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Deirdre Lloyd says
Can you use almond butter?
Denise says
Hi Deirdre! That should work fine. Hope you enjoy!
Cara says
Sound delicious! Any thoughts on a substitute for the honey? I love it, but shouldn't have it.
Denise says
Hi Cara, I will need to retest at some point and determine whether maple syrup holds them together properly. An earlier batch I did try this and they crumbled, but also I was skipping the simmering step. I wish I could be of more help 🙂
Cara says
Thank you Denise. Honey does have unique properties.:-) I'll think about it too and maybe come up with something. If I do, I'll comment. I"m not very familiar with alternate natural sweeteners at this point.
Barbara says
These sound really good. I think instead of chocolate chips I might use butterscotch pieces.
Denise says
THat sounds great! If you can find mini butterscotch chips, even better! The mini chips are helpful in keeping the bars held together 🙂