Healthy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Easy and healthy homemade granola bars made with oats, nuts, and natural sweeteners. Perfect snack or breakfast on-the-go!

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: World

Keyword: healthy snacks

Servings: bars

Calories: 281kcal

Preheat oven to 340°F (170°C). Line a 11 × 7 inch(28 × 18 cm) or 9 × 9 inch (23 × 23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper.
Mix oats and nuts: In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, almonds, peanuts, dried fruit, coconut, and salt.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together honey (or other sweetener), melted coconut oil, peanut butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add the wet ingredients: Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is evenly coated.
Transfer to the prepared pan and press down very firmly with the back of a spoon or measuring cup.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. For chewier bars, bake on the lower end of the time; for crunchier bars, bake a little longer.
Cool completely in the pan (at least 1–2 hours, ideally refrigerate), then lift out using the parchment. Slice into 12–16 bars with a sharp knife.

Pan size:
- - 11 × 7 inch (28 × 18 cm) or 9 × 9 inch (23 × 23 cm) pan = standard thickness.
  - 8 × 8 inch (20 × 20 cm) pan = thicker bars; add 3–5 minutes baking time.
  - 9 × 13 inch (23 × 33 cm) pan = thinner bars; reduce baking time slightly.
Press firmly: The tighter you pack the mixture into the pan, the better the bars will hold their shape.
Cool completely: Don’t rush this step! The bars must cool completely in the pan before cutting. If they’re even slightly warm, they may crumble apart. For best results, chill in the fridge for 1–2 hours before slicing.
Sweetener options: Honey adds chewiness and flavor, while agave syrup makes them vegan. Maple syrup works too, but bars may be softer.
Peanut butter helps binding: The added peanut butter not only improves flavor but also prevents crumbling. Almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter work just as well.
Nuts & seeds: Swap almonds/peanuts for walnuts, cashews, pistachios, or sunflower seeds. For a nut-free version, use only seeds.
Dried fruit: Raisins, apricots, dates, or blueberries all work well; choose unsweetened if possible.
Add-ins: Stir in chia seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds or chocolate chips.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week, or refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Freeze up to 3 months.