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Homemade Granola Bars Healthy No-Bake Recipe

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Skip the bought snacks. These Homemade Granola Bars are healthy and made with ingredients you can pronounce. This easy no-bake granola bar recipe is perfect for having on hand all the time. Even the kids can help make them.

Homemade Granola Bars cut and ready to eat.

Which granola bar do you prefer? Crispy, or soft chewy granola bars? I happen to like both. What I don’t like about store bought granola bars are all the additives, preservatives, sugars, and the ingredients that I don’t have a clue about. Honestly, if I can’t pronounce it, I really don’t want to eat it.

Have you ever made granola bars at home? They really are easier than you think. The no-bake versions are quick and easy to whip up in a few minutes. Even the baked granola bars are not difficult to make. The best part about making granola bars at home is that you have control over the ingredients. Free of refined sugars, they can be made gluten-free, vegan and even fit  into the “raw” good category too. 

Oatmeal in a measuring cup, banana chips and baking dish in the background.

Hubby and I love to hike. Now that the nice weather is finally here, we have been enjoying our outdoor treks. On most days, even if we are not hiking, we try to get in a 5 mile walk.

I always have lots of heathy things to eat to help keep our energy levels up. When you are walking for a few hours, nutrition is key. Hard boiled eggs, fruits and veggies are always stocked in the fridge.

Peanut butter getting warmed in a pot.

If we are going out for several hours, we like to take along some snacks. These homemade granola bars and trail mix bites are our favourites. Easy to pack, and easy to eat. The best part is you can create your own flavour combinations with your favourite ingredients. Nutritious and delicious, these bars are way better than anything out of a package.

Granola bar mixture in a square dish, ready for the fridge.

How To Make Homemade Granola Bars

Healthy granola bar ingredients are simple and  nutritious. Most people already have them in their pantry. Some examples are:

  • oatmeal (spelt, Kamut, or other flakes)
  • peanut butter (or any nut butter)
  • coconut oil
  • hemp hearts
  • chia seeds
  • dried fruit (apples, bananas, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, dates, cherries etc.)
  • honey
  • agave nectar
  • apple sauce
  • chocolate chips (just because)
  • coconut
  • nuts & seeds (of all kinds)
  • cocoa
  • protein powder

Did you happen to notice you actually can spell and pronounce all of these ingredients? Try that with store bought granola bars. Yes, I know there are some out there that you actually can read all the ingredients, but there are lots that you cannot.

Homemade Granola Bars all cut and ready to eat.

Homemade granola bar recipes really are just a combination of any of the above ingredients. Pick your favourites. For this granola bar recipe, I used oatmeal, peanut butter, coconut oil, agave nectar, hemp hearts, dried bananas, chocolate chips and protein powder. You can substitute whatever you don’t like with ingredients that you do like.

In a pot, I warmed the peanut butter, agave nectar, and coconut oil until it was melted and you could easily mix it. I placed all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. When the peanut butter mixture was ready, I poured it into the mixing bowl and combined ingredients well.

Ready to eat granola bars piled on the table.

I placed this mixture into a parchment paper lined square baking dish. Using the bottom of a glass (or measuring cup), flatten it evenly around the dish. Place in the fridge to harden. That’s it! Literally 15 minutes from start to finish.

If you have never made granola bars at home, give this recipe a try. Snacks should be easy, healthy and nutritious. These Homemade Granola Bars are great for on-the-go whether you are hiking, getting the kids from one game to another, or you need a quick breakfast or lunch.

Close up of homemade granola bars with chocolate chips and banana chips scattered around.

What is your favourite granola bar flavour?

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Homemade Granola Bars cut and ready to eat.

Homemade Granola Bars Healthy No-Bake Recipe

Course: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks
: Canadian
Keyword: healthy nutritious eating
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 383 kcal
Author: Homemade & Yummy
Homemade Granola Bars are made with ingredients you can pronounce. Healthy, nutritious and this easy no-bake recipe can me made in minutes. Skip the store bought granola bars and make them at home instead. Perfect for "on-the-go" eating!
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Ingredients

  • 3 cups oatmeal (I used large flake)
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup hemp hearts
  • 2 ounces banana chips (crushed)
  • 2 ounces chocolate chips
  • 1 ounce chocolate protein powder (or your favourite flavour)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. Line a square baking dish (8x8 or 9x9) with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Set aside.

  3. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the peanut butter, agave nectar and coconut oil. Heat until melted and easy to mix. Remove from heat.

  4. Pour the warm liquid over the dry ingredients, and combine well.

  5. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using the bottom of a glass, press to flatten evenly.

  6. Place in the fridge to harden. About 1 hour or so.

  7. Remove from fridge. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars.

  8. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

Feel free to cut these into smaller bars (especially for the kids). We find this the perfect size to help fuel us for a few hours of hiking. Also, if you use this as breakfast or lunch, this size works well.

Store remaining bars in a sealed container in the fridge.

Feel free to change up any ingredients you like, use other nut butters, and omit protein powder if you wish. You can also use honey in place of agave nectar.

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Granola Bars Healthy No-Bake Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 383 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 3mg 1%
Sodium 163mg 7%
Potassium 293mg 8%
Total Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Dietary Fiber 4g 16%
Sugars 14g
Protein 14g 28%
Vitamin A 1.1%
Vitamin C 0.4%
Calcium 5.3%
Iron 13.4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

Homemade Granola Bars Healthy No-Bake Recipe pin image.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. This is such a hearty and healthy recipe, I love all the ingredients and that it is no bake. I’m already thinking of the many trips I will be taking this summer and these bars will be perfect to take with us.

    Reply

  3. My 3 year old loves granola bars for breakfast, so I’m always looking for new recipes to try. Can’t wait to give this one a go!

    Reply

  5. What a quick, easy recipe! This is perfect to make with the little ones and full of all the healthy good things. A great snack to pack and keep in your purse too. Have to say I’m mostly team chewy granola but I’ll settle for a crunchy here and there.

    Reply

  8. I honestly can’t believe you got your no-bake granola bars to look so well formed as my baked ones usually tend to crumble quickly! I’ll definitely be trying this!

    Reply

  9. Our family enjoys granola bars a lot. At any time, I have boxes stacked in the pantry but recently, I’ve started to make my own. I even got my mom hooked on making protein balls with the same ingredients but I know these bars will be perfect for long road trips this summer! And, now I know what recipe to use those extra gifted agave bottles in!

    Reply

  11. I love how easy it is to customize these granola bars and the long list of mix-ins you included! The bars at the store are always so basic – it’s awesome to be able to change up the flavor profile a bit!

    Reply

  12. I love granola and my husband will is always looking for an excuse to eat things that have peanut butter in it. I am going to have to turn him on to these. Healthy AND peanut butter…two great things that go great together 😉

    Reply

  13. I really think this is the perfect snack when you feel the urge to eat something sweet and NOT good for you. Not only do you get the yummy tasting ingredients, but they are also good for you too. This is such a win-win recipe. Heck, with making it for kids — this is a great adult snack!!

    Reply

  16. Granola bars are my favorite snack. And homemade is always THE BEST! I love all the ingredients you used here – especially peanut butter and banana chips – LOVE IT!. SO satisfying and soooo healthy.

    Reply

  18. I love a good no bake granola bar recipe! I love knowing what I put inside the bars (and the amount of sugar!) so I’m always open to trying new granola bar recipes. Perfect for a quick snack.

    Reply

  20. I love making homemade granola (so much more economical than some of the gourmet brands at the market!), but I haven’t made a lot of granola bars. These look so fun and I bet they’re the perfect portable treat when you’re feeling snacky but still want to be healthy. They sound so easy to make! I love that you sweetened them with agave nectar, too, such a lovely flavor!

    Reply

  21. No bake AND healthy, totally a winning combo. I LOVE granola bars, but only the homemade ones! I too hate that long list of additives to store bought ones. Thanks for such a great recipe; I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

  22. Yes.. THIS!! I love homemade bars and this recipe is easy and you know exactly what is going into your granola bar. Beautiful ingredients and great recipe!

    Reply

  23. This is my kind of granola bars that too with peanut butter, banana chips, chocolate chips, coconut. Yes I like no bake version as it is easy to put together and enjoy.

    Reply

  24. I’m all about natural, healthy ingredients and staying away from additives so these granola bars would be great for us! And I find even natural granola bars way too sweet so I like the idea of making my own and controlling the sugar. I’ll have to make these next time we’re off hiking. Some with chocolate for the humans and some without for the dog. 🙂

    Reply

  25. Homemade snacks are the best and I will be needing lot of inspiration for the summer break to feed two hungry boys. I like all the ingredients that went into the granola bars. These are a great mid afternoon snack.

    Reply

  26. I love making my own granola bars and yours look so good!! I especially love that these are no bake! I have to make these soon. 😀

    Reply

  27. I am DEFINITELY making these for my daughter! She loves granola bites. I buy her Made Good granola exclusively cos it’s made with real ingredients (and even vegetables) but it’s getting expensive as she really likes them. Your homemade granola bars look absolutely perfect and delicious and I am sure she’ll love them. And, I love all the different variations of the recipe!

    Reply

  28. I think I’ll make these with my daughter. She is home from college and I only have her for 2 months before she goes back. I’m trying to teach her healthy habits as fast as I can, where do the years go? These look right up her alley since she loves granola bars. We both like the chewy kind, thanks for this!

    Reply

  29. I whipped these up because I was going to have a couple of super crazy days. Not only were they super easy to make, they filled me up and kept me from stress eating all day…. ive had bars like this before, but I think its that you added the protein powder to them…. what a great idea! Needless to say I’ll be making them again!

    Reply

  31. These would be perfect this summer. Sometime when we’re working outdoors we don’t take the time for lunch and they would be great as a snack! We’ve made granola and oatmeal breakfast bars but not granola bars. I’d like to make some extra and save for the grandsons. They are so active they need some good snacks. Will be making soon.

    Reply

  32. I’ve tried making granola bars a few times but they were never holding together so I gave up. I love that your recipe is no bake, versatile and quickly made. Homemade is really the best, it’s good to know what’s in our food… Pinned it and will make it right away and on and on!!

    Reply

  33. Granola bars are a must have in our home. We have to grab a few when we leave the house so we can nibble when we are hungry. Rhea loves granola and she can eat these as three meals a day. This recipe sounds so simple and easy. I must try soon.

    Reply

  34. I have always wanted to try making this myself. I never knew it was easy to make. I am glad to find this recipe and going to make it this weekend my son will love it. I’ve been waiting for a recipe with peanut butter in it its his favorite! Thanks!

    Reply

  35. These sound so bomb!!! I love using hemp hearts and the addition of the banana chips is exciting! I’m pretty hungry right now in the coffee shop I’m working at and I wish I had one of these to snack on right now!

    Reply

  36. I have tried making baked granola bars and have not been very successful in making them into bars. They never hold never and end up crumbling on me. I LOVE your no bake recipe and the granola bars have turned out just perfectly shaped. Will definitely be trying these out soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

  37. We just love granola, and you are so right, the store-bought variety are so often packed with things I have no idea what they are. These are so fresh, and I love that they are no bake. Thanks for the recipe, will be making these most-likely tomorrow morning.

    Reply

  38. I absolutely love this recipe! Especially that it is so flexible in the ingredients that you can add… using up what you have in your pantry!
    I always want to have a granola bar in the morning, but hate all the sugar they contain. I do not want to start my day like that. I love that with this recipe I could use a no sugar peanut butter and flax and protein powder and oats to keep it healthy and low sugar.
    Thanks so much!

    Reply

  39. I’ve never made my own granola bars! These look so easy- I really need to do it. We go hiking all the time, and I usually load up on bars from Trader Joes. BUT it would be better to make my own!!!

    Reply

    • You really need to give these bars a try. No-bake is awesome….and really these are so addictive. We use them as meal replacements…for breakfast and lunch. With hiking season here…these are always in our backpacks. Even the grandkids love them. So healthy.

      Reply

  41. I love a wholesome granola bar with ingredients you can pronounce and aren’t just glorified candy bars. (don’t get me wrong, I love a bit of chopped chocolate in mine every now and again). I love that you gave a great blank canvas recipe so we can customize according to our moods and pantry stock.

    Reply

  42. I looove making granola bars. We mix and match different ingredients. Mine don’t always stick and come out as pretty as yours though lol! I’m gonna try your recipe next. When we’re out of ideas we always default to some kind of peanut butter.

    Reply

  46. These granola bars look like such a hearty, healthy treat. I confess that I’m a sucker for snacks like this and sometimes I overindulge. Right now, I’m feeling particularly hungry and your bars are calling my name. I think I’ll slip one or two in my bag for snacking emergencies!

    Reply

  47. I agree with your sentiments about not eating things you can not pronounce! I also like making granola bars at home for my daughter, but I usually bake them. I love your no bake recipe! So quick and easy! We definitely will be trying this 🙂

    Reply

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