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    Home » Recipes » Snacks

    Chewy Granola Bars

    Published: October 29, 2024 / By: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy 148 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Disclosure Policy.
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    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.

    Easy homemade chewy granola bars 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?

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    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.

    Preparing the healthy snack bar recipe.

    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.
    Baked granola 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.
    Better than Quaker chewy granola bars.
    • 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.
    Ingredients to make homemade granola bars.Pin

    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:

    • Trail Mix Balls
    • Breakfast Donuts
    • Banana Chocolate Pudding
    Chewy baked granola bars from scratch.
    Easy homemade chewy granola bars recipe.

    Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

    Soft and chewy granola bars from scratch. No artificial ingredients. Helathy goodness baked right at home.
    4.98 from 80 votes
    Pin Recipe Print Rate Save To Your Recipe Box Saved!
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: Canadian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 124kcal
    Author: Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

    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)
    US Customary – Metric

    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).

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 124kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg

    Notes

    Keep in an airtight container in the fridge. I prefer eating them at room temperature, so I will take a piece or two out of the fridge prior to eating, just to get the chill out. These are great for lunch boxes, after school snacks, or even breakfast on the run. 
     
    Tried this recipe?Take a picture and tag @homemadeandyummy
    Nutritional information on this site is generated via a plugin. I am not responsible for the accuracy of the plugin information.

    More Snacks

    • Coffee yogurt with fresh berries and granola.
      Mocha Coffee Yogurt
    • Fall apple salad with chickpeas.
      Fall Apple Salad
    • Easy homemade granola bars, no-bake version.
      No Bake Granola Bars
    • Reverse peanut butter chocolate cookies.
      Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

    MEET THE AUTHOR

    Gloria Duggan is the author for Homemade & Yummy, where she creates fun and easy recipes. She is also a brand ambassador/influencer for well-known companies. Gloria has judged food competitions and has posted about local food events. Gloria's work has been featured in magazines, and she has been interviewed on several podcasts. Read More…

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marta

      October 31, 2022 at 2:36 pm

      I am NOT a morning person, even less a breakfast person, but I made these chewy granola bars as a quick option and have been eating them ever since. They’re so packed with flavor and fill me up for the better part of the day.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        November 01, 2022 at 11:14 am

        Awesome, so glad this recipe has helped you get your morning off to a delicious start.

    2. Aimee Mars

      October 27, 2022 at 11:16 am

      I swapped cashews in place of the almonds and it was still so good and filling! Will be making these again!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 28, 2022 at 9:51 am

        Any type of nut will work in these chewy granola bars.

    3. Dana

      October 27, 2022 at 11:10 am

      These are absolutely delicious! So chewy and addicting! Great for on-the-go breakfasts.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 28, 2022 at 9:52 am

        Move over Quaker….these chewy granola bars rock!!

    4. Glenda

      October 27, 2022 at 10:43 am

      What a great breakfast on the go! I left out the cocoa and used half pumpkin puree and half applesauce. They are extraordinary! Thanks for sharing the tasty recipe!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 28, 2022 at 9:52 am

        I love the sound of adding pumpkin to this homemade granola bar recipe.

    5. Beth

      October 27, 2022 at 10:37 am

      This is such a delicious recipe. I’ve made homemade granola bars before, but never quite like this. I love their texture, and they taste ah-mazing.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 28, 2022 at 9:53 am

        Super chewy for sure. Glad you enjoyed these bars.

    6. Michelle

      October 27, 2022 at 10:25 am

      My kids love these and they’re so much healthier than store bought!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 27, 2022 at 10:27 am

        I agree, my grandkids love homemade granola bars too.

    7. Bernice

      October 26, 2022 at 5:09 pm

      I’m a firm believer in being self sufficient and that homemade is always better. However, I have completely missed the boat on granola bars! I could have been making them for the kids all those years and they missed out too. Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 27, 2022 at 10:29 am

        Well I am glad you will give some homemade granola bars a chance. I know you won’t be disappointed.

    8. Jessica Formicola

      October 26, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      I made these granola bats yesterday and they are AMAZING! The perfect after school snack for my kiddos!

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 27, 2022 at 10:30 am

        So glad you and your family enjoyed this chewy granola bar recipe.

    9. Giangi Townsend

      October 26, 2022 at 12:13 pm

      So much goodness in those little bites. I love them and enjoy them often.
      Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 27, 2022 at 10:30 am

        You are welcome. I need to make more of these delicious chewy bars soon as well.

    10. Debra

      October 26, 2022 at 9:54 am

      Loved that chai flavor in these. So unique for a granola bar.

      Reply
      • Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy

        October 27, 2022 at 10:30 am

        I love chai, and it was fun to see if it works. And it does.

    11. Natalie | Natalie's Food & Health

      March 25, 2017 at 4:34 pm

      Homemade stuff is SO much better than store bought. I don’t like to eat food that contains ingredients I can’t even pronounce. SO cheers for homemade granola bars 🙂 This looks really delicious Gloria. Can’t wait to try this combo.

      Reply
      • Homemade & Yummy

        March 26, 2017 at 9:10 am

        They were a hit here….and worked for snacks and breakfast on the go too.

    12. Abra

      February 26, 2017 at 10:48 am

      Fructooligosaccharides are quite beneficial for gut health, they are prebiotics – “nondigestible food ingredients that beneficially affect the host by selectively stimulating the growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon”. In other words, they are the necessary “food” for the good bacteria (probiotics) to feed on.

      Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are naturally found in certain foods like garlic, onion, Jerusalem artichokes, and chicory root and they target the microbe bifidobacteria. So if you are taking a probiotic with the bifidobacteria strain you will want to eat fructooligosaccharides to feed that probiotic.

      Without prebiotics, probiotics can’t survive.

      Anyhoo, I totally get your point 😉 I am a functional medicine nutritionist so my nutrition nerd radar went off with FOS as an example of an unpronounceable “ingredient”. We should 100% stay away from chemicals and bizarro food like products. I don’t know if you were referring to a specific product that contained FOS? Or just using that as an example of something we can’t pronounce and thus shouldn’t eat? but FOS is beyond safe, beneficial in fact, unless you have SIBO, then that’s a whole other scenario!

      Ok… stepping down off my soap box to say your granola bars look delicious! and real food for the win (just that FOS is also real food) 😉

      Reply
      • Homemade & Yummy

        February 26, 2017 at 10:54 am

        HAHAH…well thanks for the response. Yes I was referring to FOS as “unpronounceable”….and most people would have no clue that it is actually good. My point is that we really should pay attention to labels….most times you have no clue what is in food…even after reading the label.

    13. Rebecca {foodie with family}

      February 16, 2017 at 10:16 pm

      I love that every single ingredient in here delivers sustained, quality energy. These look great!

      Reply
      • Homemade & Yummy

        February 17, 2017 at 10:39 am

        Yes these are perfect for breakfast or snacks.

    14. fabiola@notjustbaked

      February 15, 2017 at 2:29 pm

      I am always on the lookout for a good hiking bar, these are perfect!

      Reply
      • Homemade & Yummy

        February 15, 2017 at 3:53 pm

        Yes they sure would be.

    15. Megan @ MegUnprocessed

      February 14, 2017 at 6:43 pm

      Love everything about this – good, healthy eating! Wish I had some of this now!

      Reply
      • Homemade & Yummy

        February 15, 2017 at 11:39 am

        So easy and totally delicious.

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