Soft and chewy granola bars made from scratch. If you love Quaker granola bars, this recipe is just what you need. Perfect for lunch boxes, after school, or even breakfast on the run.
We all love the classic chewy texture. It’s made with ingredients you can pronounce! I even have a great no-bake granola bar recipe.
Chewy granola bars packed with wholesome ingredients are perfect for on-the-go eating. Mix up the mix-ins to make them just the way you like. Awesome homemade breakfast bars.
No need to buy boxed snack bars when you can easily make homemade healthy bars instead. Did you know you can make homemade muesli too?
Haven’t you always wondered about ingredients? The mysterious scientific names are on labels. Do you ask yourself ‘how good is this for me”?
When I was a kid Tang was the popular drink at the time. Even the astronauts drank it in space. At least that is what they told us in the commercials. If it’s good for the astronauts it’s good for us, right?
It was like a science experiment in a glass. You add this orange powder to water, give it a mix, and viola, you have orange juice. Who needs fresh orange juice when you can have this? Today we are all about wholesome, natural ingredients.
Healthy Granola Bar Ingredients
I promise you can pronounce all of these! Be sure to read the suggestions/recipe tips listed below.
- wheat berries
- flaxseed
- oatmeal
- almonds
- quinoa flakes
- cocoa
- applesauce
- vanilla
- spices
- dried cranberries
- unsweetened shredded coconut
Once you try this easy granola recipe you will want to make more great granola bars. Here are a few to try:
- Holiday Granola makes the perfect food gift for the holidays.
- This Artisan Granola Dust is the perfect topping for yogurt and more.
Homemade Chewy Granola Bars From Scratch
If you have never made granola bars from scratch, let me tell you they are super easy. Whether you choose the baked or no-bake versions, you will have healthy snacks in no time. Homemade does not mean hard.
My mom and Baba made everything from scratch. Perhaps it was because when I was a kid, there were not as many options in the grocery stores. Yes, there were cookies, cereals, chocolate bars, and potato chips. Certainly not to the extent they are today.
My philosophy is “Food doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to taste good”. Pure, simple ingredients create wonderful, tasty results.
Full instructions are in the recipe card below. The rundown of this making these homemade soft and chewy granola bars is:
- Prepare your baking pan.
- Dry ingredients in one bowl.
- Wet ingredients in another bowl.
- Combine the ingredients.
- Place in a baking pan, and bake.
- Cool and cut into bars.
Suggestion/Recipe Tips
Take this granola bar recipe and change it to what you have to work with, or what you like to eat. Whatever you have, just use it.
- Swap out the flaxseed for chia seeds or hemp hearts.
- Change the almonds to walnuts, or any nut you like. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent choice.
- Use raisins instead of cranberries. Dried blueberries are wonderful too. Chocolate chips always work for me.
- I used large flake oatmeal, but regular oatmeal will work.
- Applesauce can be plain or flavoured, homemade or store-bought. I used sweetened since I have not added any additional sugar to this recipe.
- For the spice, I used a chai blend, but use cinnamon, nutmeg, or your favorite blend.
- I like unsweetened shredded coconut. Feel free to use sweetened if you like. Both will give you that chewy texture. If you love chewy coconut recipes, you need to give these easy no-bake chocolate coconut drop cookies a try.
- If you like things sweeter, add a bit of honey or maple syrup to the mixture. You can decide on the amount.
- Wheat berries can be replaced with whole wheat flour, especially if you are not combining the dry ingredients with a blender.
- Quinoa flakes can be replaced with oat bran or additional oatmeal.
I placed all my dry ingredients in a blender. This creates a finer texture. You can mix everything by hand. The texture will be a little different, but the taste will be the same.
You might consider chopping the nuts and dried by hand before adding them to the mixture. If the ingredients are too large, the bars tend to fall apart.
Store in the fridge. They will last for about a week. You can also freeze these bars. Thaw before eating. Just leave them on the counter for about 20 minutes.
Looking for more healthy snack ideas? Give these a try:
Homemade Chewy Granola Bars
Ingredients
For the Dry mix:
- ¼ cup wheat berries (you can use whole wheat flour if you wish)
- ¼ cup flaxseeds
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup whole almonds
- ¼ cup quinoa flakes
- 2 tablespoons cocoa
For the Wet mix:
- 1 ⅓ cups applesauce (I used strawberry flavoured) (homemade or bought)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon chai seasoning blend spice (you can add any spice you like here)
Add Ins:
- ½ cup cranberries (and a bit to sprinkle on top)
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut (and a bit to sprinkle on top)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.Spray an 8×8 inch baking dish with cooking spray, and line with parchment.
- Using a blender, combine the dry ingredients (wheat berries, cocoa, oats, quinoa flakes, flaxseeds and almonds). Blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Place this mixture in a bowl.
- In a bowl combine the wet ingredients (applesauce, vanilla, & chai spice).
- Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture, and combine well.
- Add the cranberries and coconut, and mix to combine.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish, and spread evenly in the dish.
- Sprinkle with additional cranberries and coconut.
- Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
- Remove from oven, and let cool in pan.
- Once cool, remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 12 (or whatever size you like).
jacquee | i sugar coat it!
These sound really good! I love taking homemade bars on a hike or road trip – so conveniently yummy!
Homemade & Yummy
Perfect to take along anywhere.
Cathy
I remember Tang! I used to like it, but I don’t think I would anymore. Isn’t it handy to have nutritious “made from scratch” granola bars for portable snacks!
Homemade & Yummy
Yeah Tang…I could not drink it now for sure. I love simple nutrition. These are so hand to take along.
Alexandra | Occasionally Eggs
What a great whole-foods ingredient list! I love granola bars but sometimes get turned off by the really dry, oat-heavy types, and these look so chewy and perfect.
Homemade & Yummy
These are so chewy….and totally delicious. Not too sweet either.
Jo and Sue
Those do look tasty. I would love them for breakfast. 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
HAHA….yup….they were my breakfast today!!
Julia (@Imagelicious)
I love all your suggestions for various changes to the recipe making it versatile! These bars look delicious!
Homemade & Yummy
Right!! Use what you have. It’s fun to be creative.
Elizabeth
Oooh goodness me these look good! I like taking granola bars with me when I go on long cycle trips – do you think this recipe would pack well? 🙂
Homemade & Yummy
Absolutely…they are easy to wrap and take along!!
Tiffany
These look delicious! Chewy granola bars are my favorite and I love the addition of the Chai spice. yum!
Homemade & Yummy
It is great they are so easy to make. Perfect for lunch boxes, snacks or even breakfast.
Jessy @ The Life Jolie
These look fantastic- my only problem is that I won’t be able to stop myself from eating them all right away.
Homemade & Yummy
Well you could keep them in the freezer and being out a few now and again LOL.
Katrin
These bars look just soooo good. Love all the healthy goodness you have packed into them!
Homemade & Yummy
It is crazy how easy these are to make. Just use what you have…and you will be surprised.
Erren
I’d love one of these to start my morning!
Homemade & Yummy
Morning and afternoon snack too.
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
Love all the seeds and nuts in these bars, looks so healthy and nutritious for an afternoon snack.
Homemade & Yummy
They are perfect for that.
Platter Talk
Very healthy ingredients for such a delectable appearing bar. Beautiful photos, too!
Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much, hope you give them a try.
Aish Das-Padihari
We usually bu our granola from cost co but this recipe looks pretty simple to make. I’m going to give it a try.
Homemade & Yummy
Costco does have some great bars…but if you want to give homemade a try…hope you try these.
Fred
With this recipe I can kill two best with one stone, lOL. I can treat my sweet tooth and eat healthy as well, didn’t think I would ever say that. Thanks a lot Gloria!
Homemade & Yummy
Yes…you get a 2 for 1 deal!!
Sarah @ The Fit Cookie
I love making homemade granola bars! It has been a while since I’ve made any, but they are a staple for my events for my kid’s classes at school, the teachers even ask for them. Homemade is definitely better!
Homemade & Yummy
This was my first time baking them. I usually make the “no bake” version. They turned out really well.