Homemade Granola Bars are healthy and made with ingredients you can pronounce. Skip the store-bought bars and make them instead.
This easy no-bake oat bar recipe is perfect for having on hand all the time. Even the kids can have some fun with these DIY snack bars.
A healthy snack bar that is vegan-friendly, and can be made gluten-free too.
Which granola bar do you prefer? Crispy, or soft chewy granola bars? I happen to like both.
How about trail mix snack balls? My grandkids have lots of fun with this recipe.
What I don’t like about store-bought granola bars are all the additives, preservatives, sugars, and ingredients that I don’t have a clue about. Honestly, if I can’t pronounce it, I really don’t want to eat it.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for these easy homemade granola bars can be found at the bottom of this post.
Hubby and I love to hike and have been enjoying our outdoor treks. On most days, even if we are not hiking, we try to get in a 40-minute walk most days. I always have lots of healthy 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.
Healthy Granola Bar Ingredients
Simple and nutritious ingredients. Most people already have them in their pantry.
- Oatmeal (I like large flake)
- Agave Nectar
- Peanut Butter
- Coconut Oil
- Hemp Hearts
- Dried Banana Chips
- Chocolate Chips
- Protein Powder
There is lots of wiggle room with this recipe. Continue reading, I list great substitutions and ingredient swaps.
Making No-Bake Homemade Granola Bars Is Easy
This homemade energy bar recipe is just a combination of the listed ingredients.
- Line a baking pan with parchment. This makes it really easy to get the bars out.
- Combine all the dry ingredients into a large bowl.
- Warm the remaining ingredients in a small pot. You could also heat them in a microwave.
- Pour the warm mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Place the mixture into the baking dish. Flatten, and place the dish into the fridge to harden.
- After about 1 hour, remove from fridge and cut into bars.
Store bars in a sealed container in the fridge. They will last for up to a week, however, these are devoured long before that LOL.
Substitutions/Variations
These healthy protein bars can be made just the way you like.
- Gluten-free oats can be used for regular oats.
- You can combine the oats with kamut flakes, spelt flakes or any flaked grains.
- Honey can be used in place of agave nectar.
- Peanut butter can be replaced with any type of nut butter.
- Dried banana chips can be replaced with any dried fruit. Cranberries, Goji berries or dried blueberries would work great.
- You can add coconut or any other type of nut if you wish.
- Chocolate chips can be swapped out for dark chocolate.
- Don’t like protein powder, no problem. You don’t even have to use it. Try a spoonful of cocoa powder instead.
- Applesauce can replace the coconut oil.
FAQ
I have found the best binder to be honey or agave nectar. If you find the combined mixture too dry, add a little more of either to reach the desired consistency.
Absolutely. I like to wrap them individually in plastic. Perfect for pulling out of the freezer when hiking, adding to lunch boxes, or eating on the run. They thaw quickly.
Other Oatmeal Recipes
Looking for more recipes using oatmeal? Here are a few of our favourites:
- Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Donuts are a hit with the grandkids. Packed with nutritious ingredients. Yes you can eat donuts for breakfast.
- Homemade Muesli is so much better than the boxed stuff. You can customize it just the way you like.
- Festive Granola makes a great foodie gift for the holidays. Your house will smell just like Christmas while this bakes.
- Oatmeal Pancakes are hearty and nutritious. Perfect for weekend brunch. They freeze well too.
- Apple Oatmeal Muffins are great with your morning coffee.
- Overnight Chocolate Oats make breakfast easy and stress-free in the morning.
- Baked Breakfast Casserole is like eating dessert for breakfast.
- No one can resist a fresh baked Chewy Oatmeal Cookie.
- Granola Dust is the best yogurt topper ever. This is a fun Jamie Oliver recipe.
- This homeade oats and seed bread recipe is a delicious kitchen project for a rainy day.
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Homemade Granola Bars (No-Bake)
Ingredients
- 3 cups oatmeal (I used large flake)
- ½ cup agave nectar
- 1 ½ cups peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup hemp hearts
- 2 ounces banana chips (crushed)
- 2 ounces chocolate chips
- 1 ounce chocolate protein powder (or your favourite flavour)
Instructions
- Line a square baking dish (8×8 or 9×9) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- 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.
- Pour the warm liquid over the dry ingredients, and combine well.
- Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish. Using the bottom of a glass, press to flatten evenly.
- Place in the fridge to harden. About 1 hour or so.
- Remove from fridge. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars.
Jocelyn
Wonderful, nutritious snack!! I will make these for my husband for his lunch!!!
Homemade & Yummy
I am sure he will love them…we eat them for lunch too.
Amanda
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!
Homemade & Yummy
These are super easy to make….and YES they are perfect for portable treats. Hope you give this recipe a try soon.
Tracy
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Enjoy….we actually find these deliciously addictive.
Heather
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!
Homemade & Yummy
It is super easy….even the kids can help make these.
swathi
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.
Homemade & Yummy
Yes…this is super easy and super delicious.
Annemarie
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. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
HAHHA…I never even thought about the dog….YUP I think they would love them.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
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.
Homemade & Yummy
I know I will making these a lot this summer. We will be watching the grandkids 2 days a week so we need treats for sure.
Tammy
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. 😀
Homemade & Yummy
Super easy to make…hope you give this recipe a try soon.
Julia
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!
Homemade & Yummy
You have to love recipes that you know and pronounce ALL the ingredients. I LOVE these….so much better than chocolate bars. I find these addictive.
Tina
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!
Homemade & Yummy
Well I hope you both find this recipe easy and delicious. We sure love them…and always have some on hand.
michele
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!
Homemade & Yummy
SOOO glad you love them. I know we sure do. I will eat one of these over a chocolate bar any day.
Camilla
These bars sound totally yummy, love the combination of banana chips and peanut butter here:-)
Homemade & Yummy
We love these bars….even better than chocolate bars.
Marisa Franca
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.
Homemade & Yummy
This really is the perfect snack…or quick meal. My grandkids love them too.
Patty
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!!
Homemade & Yummy
I find the nut/peanut butter and the coconut oil work well to hold these together. Hope you give this recipe a try soon. YES you can pronounce ALL the ingredients…bonus!!
Veena Azmanov
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.
Homemade & Yummy
I find these so good….and would eat this over a chocolate bar anytime. Perfect for grab and go!!