This post shows you how to make perfect homemade granola bars, plus 7 different flavor variations! The perfect sweet treat to enjoy with your morning coffee.
Like the perfect no bake energy bites, homemade granola bars are a staple in my meal prep routine. I love how easy they are to make (no baking) and that I know exactly what goes into them!
Perfectly chewy and easy to customize, I also happen to think these granola bars taste way better than store bought! Keep a stash in your fridge for when you are craving something sweet.
Don't forget to pin this post to save it for later!
Reasons you'll โก this recipe
- it's no bake, and simple to prepare
- you can make them gluten-free
- are made with (mostly) clean ingredients and are a great alternative to the preservative-filled ones at the grocery store
Ingredient notes
- honey- acts to bind as well as sweeten these bars. Maple syrup does not work in these bars, and other alternatives have not been tested.
- coconut oil- also acts to bind; butter may work but has not been tested. Liquid oils may not be swapped.
- rolled oats- may also be called 'old fashioned' or 'large flake' oats; do not use quick oats or steel cut oats for this recipe.
- mini chocolate chips- I highly recommend using the mini chips over regular sized as they are not overly hard when refrigerated, and they help you get chocolate in every bite.
Step by step directions
1. Simmer honey & coconut oil- Place a pot on a kitchen scale and weigh out* the honey and coconut oil. If you are making a variety with nut butter, add it in too.
Bring the pot to a simmer, and when it looks like it does in the image above (lots of bubbles), start a timer. Cook for exactly 1 minute, then remove the pot from the heat.
*alternatively, you can use measuring cups, but weighing the pot helps avoid the extra dishes
2. Add vanilla & salt- Stir in the vanilla extract and pinch of salt, then let the pot sit for 10-15 minutes to cool slightly.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
3. Add dry ingredients- After the mixture has cooled for 10-15 minutes, stir in the rolled oats, chopped almonds and chocolate chips. Use a spatula to mix it in evenly. The chocolate chips might melt, but that's OK- it helps hold the bars together.
4. Press into baking pan- Line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment or aluminum foil. Press the granola bar mixture into the pan- HARD. You want to do multiple rounds with your spatula. You can also pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes, and do a second round of pressing. This is key to prevent bars from crumbling.
Scatter a few extra chocolate chips into the top of the bars and press them in gently.
๐ก TIP- spray the spatula with oil to prevent sticking.
5. Refrigerate- Chill for 4 hours- overnight before cutting them into bars.
FAQ
I did test this with maple syrup and had very crumbly granola bars, unfortunately.
I have not tested this recipe with butter, however I have seen some homemade granola bar recipes that use butter...so it's worth a try. If you try this, would you let me know how they turn out?
For this recipe, the honey and coconut oil work together to bind the bars together.
Other important steps to getting them to stick together: simmer the honey and coconut oil for exactly one minute, do not over-measure the dry ingredients, press the bars firmly into the pan, multiple times, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before cutting.
Other than the answers above, you also must store these bars in the fridge. As the coconut oil and honey soften, so do the bars.
Storage + meal prep
You MUST store these granola bars in the fridge, otherwise they become too soft and will crumble.
- fridge- stored in an airtight container, they are good for 1 week in the fridge.
- freezer- wrap loosely in parchment paper, and place in a meal prep container or sturdy freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
7 flavor variations
Find full recipes in the card below
- Classic Chocolate Chip- ยฝย cupย almonds and ยผ cup chocolate chips
- Almond Butter Snickerdoodle- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, โ ย cupย natural almond butter, ยผ cup toffee bits
- Monster Cookie- โ cup natural peanut butter, ยฝ cup almonds, ยฝ cup mini M & M's, 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
- Double Chocolate - 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, ยผ cup mini chocolate chips
- Fruit & Nut - ยฝ cup chopped nuts (almonds + pecans), ยฝ cup dried fruit (cranberries + blueberries)
- Mocha - 1 tablespoon espresso powder, ยผ cup mini chocolate chips
- Peanut Butter- โ cup natural peanut butter, ยผ cup mini chocolate chips, ยฝ cup chopped almonds or other nuts
More healthy snacks
- Homemade Protein Bars (Cinnamon Roll)
- Light & Fluffy Egg Muffins (7 flavors)
- 10 min English Muffin Pizzas
- 7 Amazing Hummus Recipe Flavors
- Foolproof Crispy Baked Kale Chips (+4 flavors)
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
PERFECT Homemade Granola Bars (+ 7 flavors!)
Ingredients
Classic Chocolate Chip
- ยฝ cup honey 156 g; see note 1
- โ cup coconut oil 74 g; see note 2
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- ยฝ cup almonds coarsely chopped
- 3 cups rolled oats 284 g; see note 3
- ยผ cup mini chocolate chips 45 g
Monster Cookie Granola Bars
- ยฝ cup honey (156 g)
- โ cup coconut oil (74 g)
- โ cup all natural peanut butter (84 g; almond butter works too)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 cups rolled oats (284 g)
- ยฝ cup almonds (coarsely chopped)
- ยฝ cup mini M & M's
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (18 g)
Fruit & Nut Granola Bars
- ยฝ cup honey (156 g)
- โ cup coconut oil (74 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- ยฝ cup chopped nuts (almonds & pecans)
- ยฝ cup dried fruit (cranberries & blueberries)
- 3 cups rolled oats (284 g)
Mocha Granola Bars
- ยฝ cup honey (156 g)
- โ cup coconut oil (74 g)
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 cups rolled oats (284 g)
- ยผ cup mini chocolate chips (45 g)
Double Chocolate Granola Bars
- ยฝ cup honey (156 g)
- โ cup coconut oil (74 g)
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 cups rolled oats (284 g)
- ยผ cup mini chocolate chips (45 g)
Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- ยฝ cup honey (156 g)
- โ cup coconut oil (74 g)
- โ cup natural peanut butter (84 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- ยฝ cup chopped almonds or peanuts
- 3 cups rolled oats (284 g)
- ยผ cup mini chocolate chips (45 g)
Almond Butter Snickerdoodle Granola Bars
- ยฝ cup honey (156 g)
- โ cup coconut oil (74 g)
- โ cup natural almond butter (84 g)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 cups rolled oats (284 g)
- ยผ cup toffee bits
Instructions
- Simmer- Combine honey, coconut oil and nut butter (if using) in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer, and once pot starts bubbling up all over, start the timer for 1.5 minutes (for chocolate chip & fruit & nut) or 1 minute (for all others).
- Rest- When time is up, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, salt, cocoa powder (for double chocolate), cinnamon (for snickerdoodle almond butter), espresso powder (for mocha). Let it cool down for 10-15 minutes.
- Pan- While pot is cooling, prepare a 9x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper (I secure mine with binder clips).
- Add dry ingredients- Stir in all remaining ingredients until evenly coated and press into the prepared pan. Spray a spatula with oil and press down into the pan. Press firmly (I go through and press 2-3 times, spraying spatula again as needed).
- Chill- Cool in the fridge for 4 hours- overnight (overnight is best!), before slicing into bars.
Storage
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge (they soften at room temperature) for up to a week or the freezer for up to 3 months.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Tips:
Nutrition Information
© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Jennifer says
So good!! Made them using quick oats (didnโt read the notes until after i got the ingredients They turned out so rich, soft and chewy. My boyfriend absolutely loves them!
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Jennifer, we are so glad that you enjoyed these homemade granola bars! Glad that they turned out ok with the quick oats, too. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a rating and review!
Rachel says
Thank you for this recipe! My daughter has many food allergies, so store bought granola bars are very hard to find and super expensive. I made this recipe today, subbed in sunflower seeds for the almonds, and they are delicious! I accidentally used quick oats instead of rolled oats, and they still worked great! Thanks for another winner.
Denise Bustard says
Hi Rachel! I'm so happy to hear this recipe worked well for you, and also that's great to hear quick oats worked for you! Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review ๐
Clea says
I made the fruit/nut, double chocolate and a customized cranberry/chocolate. Easier than I thought and they are so good Iโm never buying store bought again! Denise I am so grateful that I found you!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Clea! You've just made my day! I'm so happy you enjoyed the recipes. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to leave a review!
Andrew Smith says
We took the pb, coconut oil, and honey and simmered this combination. After some time, consistent small bubbles were formed, but not to the amount the picture depicted. We thought we should wait until there were bubbles everywhere, like the picture showed. After all, it was the most important step. We were so excited for these granola bars. Unfortunately, later there was smoke and we soon found the high quality honey, coconut oil, and pb were burnt. We followed your instructions of using the image at the top of the post to guide us on how long to heat the combination. Because of this, we have burned product and on the bottom of our pans are black.
Denise Bustard says
Hi Andrew, I'm so sad to read this, as I've never had this happen. I'm cringing about your pans being ruined. I'm wondering about the honey you used...was it real honey? I tried making this with maple syrup and never got bubble. Also, the peanut butter- was it all natural, or the kind with palm oil? It's super important to use 100% natural peanut butter for this recipe. Again, I'm sorry that this happened to you ๐
Lesley says
Made these for after ringette game snack for my daughterโ teams. The girls love them!
Denise says
Awesome! So happy to hear this, Lesley! Thanks so much for reporting back ๐
Emily says
I made the fruit and nut bars but used butter instead of coconut oil and for the nut/fruit ratio I added 1c total of dried cherries, apricots, almonds, pecans, unsweetened coconut and semisweet chocolate chips and they turned out amazing! Will definitely become a staple in our house!
Denise says
Oh I'm SO happy to hear that butter worked for you, Emily! I have been meaning to test this forever so it's so great that you have successfully made them.
Jamie Dreger says
I have to hide these from my daughter or she will eat every last one! Denise, you never fail me!
Sara says
These are wonderful! I'm breastfeeding, and oats are recommended to increase production.
I use the Classic Chocolate Chip recipe, and add some Ground Flax seed and dried cranberries instead of almonds. I have these in my fridge at all times for a quick snack!
Thank you!
Denise says
Hi Sara! I'm so happy to hear you've enjoyed the granola bars. Thanks so much for reporting back!
Paula says
I whipped up the chocolate bars and was very pleased! Quick and easy! I wrapped them individually in psper and packed them in a quart baggie to take on our camping trip with the grandchildren. Can't wait to try the other flavors!
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed them! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, Paula!
Kat says
Oh my gosh, so good! And so darn easy! Iโve only tried the snickerdoodle one, but you can bet Iโll try them all because itโs that good.
Denise says
I'm so happy to hear this! Hope you enjoy the other flavors as well, Kat!
Jenny says
These are amazing! My kids love the monster granola bars. Two thumbs up!
Denise says
Hi Jenny! I'm so happy you and your kids enjoyed them. Thank you for the feedback ๐
Allison Porter (Moch) says
Denise! So cool to see your page at the top of the search looking for granola bars on google! My sister and I love your page. Canโt wait to try this recipe out.
Denise says
Hi Allison! I'm so glad you like the blog. You're from Smithers right? What a small world!
Ashley Armsbury says
Has anyone tried these with toasting the oats before hand in the oven? Does it make a difference?
Denise says
I have not but it wouldn't hurt! Hope you enjoy!
Callie says
OBSESSED with the mocha granola bars. Holy Yum!!!
Denise says
So happy you enjoyed! Thanks so much for taking the time out of your day to leave a review ๐
evgeni x says
as far as I know, simmering honey will destroy all it's health benefits, and make it another high-sugar syrup. any ideas how to keep the honew raw?
Denise says
Sorry, it is crucial to this recipe that the honey is simmered.
Andrea says
How long will these keep without getting moldy or hard?
Denise says
Hi Andrea! We keep ours in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for longer term storage ๐
Rhonda Gandee says
Why coconut oil, can we use regular oil
Denise says
Coconut oil sets up firmly, so regular oil won't work the same. I have seen some granola bars use butter, which *may* work but I really can't say as I've only tested with coconut oil.
Michelle says
For the rolled oats, can they be quick oats ?
Denise says
Hi Michelle! I've only tested with rolled oats, and worry that quick oats might be too dry for these bars to set up right. But if you try it, I'd love to hear how it goes for you!
Dina says
I need to omit the nuts as school policy doesnt allow , how to replace the almond butter , etc ?
Thanks
Jennifer says
I would try sunbutter
Denise says
Hi Dina! You can just leave the nut butters out of these recipes, although I recommend simmering for 1m30s versus just 1 minute, as this helps it firm up. Enjoy!
Barbie says
Hi thank you trying these for our after school cooking class today! My kids love making new things with me.
Denise says
I hope you enjoy, Barbie!