Homemade Granola Bars are easy to prepare at home. They are perfect for on-the-go on busy mornings or a quick snack in case you need a little lift in midday.
About Granola Bars
Making these granola bars at home is easy. In just an hour, you can have healthy but delicious bars. All you need are some pantry staple ingredients and dried fruits. I posted Homemade Granola Recipe (Healthy and Delicious), and now I am excited to share another healthy homemade granola recipe. I used rolled oats, almonds, coconut, pumpkin seeds, dried apricots, and cranberries. Honey and sugar provide sweetness and bind all the ingredients together. Peanut butter also helps bind the ingredients and adds flavor. Vanilla adds warm and sweet flavors to the bars. However, you can easily customize the recipe by adding your favorite ingredients. You can substitute one or more elements with your choice of elements. For suggestions on variation, continue reading the post. These Granola Bars are loaded with healthy ingredients and are perfect for a quick snack or easy grab-and-go on your way out. They can be packed in your kid’s lunch box or even for yourself.
Ingredients and Notes
Rolled Oats: To make these granola bars, use rolled oats only, not steel-cut or quick oats. Almonds: Use whole almonds with skin. I like to chop the almonds coarsely, so cutting the bars is easy. However, you can skip this step and roast the whole almonds with oats and coconut. Coconut Flakes: Use unsweetened, large coconut flakes. If you use desiccated coconut, do not roast them. Pumpkin Seeds: I used roasted pumpkin seeds, but you can use whatever you have, roasted or unroasted. Salt: Adding salt is optional, and you can skip it. Honey: Honey adds sweetness and binds everything together. But for a vegan substitute, use maple syrup or agave syrup. Brown Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and moisture and makes the bars chewy. Peanut Butter: I love using nut butter for these homemade granola bars. You can use peanut or almond butter; instead of nut butter, you can also use melted butter or vegetable oil. Vanilla: Vanilla adds flavor; use pure vanilla for the best flavor. Dried Fruits: I added dried apricots and cranberries. But you can use your choice of dried fruits.
How To Make Granola Bars
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper. Spread oats, almonds, and coconut across the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
Add pumpkin seeds and salt. Mix well to combine and set aside.
Add honey, brown sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for a minute and turn off the heat.
Pour the honey mixture over the oatmeal mixture. Mix well using a spatula or large spoon until everything is well combined. If your granola mixture is dry and not sticky, add 1-2 tablespoon honey or peanut butter.
Add apricots and cranberries and stir well.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly. Then, use your hands to press down the mixture evenly (dampen your hands with water to prevent the mixture from sticking to them). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the bars are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely.
Once the granola bars are cooled completely, carefully lift them from the pan. Use a large, sharp knife to cut the bars into equal portions.
More Homemade Recipes
Recipe Card
Nuts: Instead of adding only almonds, add one cup of mixed nuts. Seeds: Add sunflower seeds instead of pumpkin. Dried Fruits: You can add Other dried fruits such as raisins, dried cherries, dried apples, or dried mangos. Chocolate Chips: To make these granola bars chocolatey, replace the dried fruits with chocolate chips. For a quick grab-and-go, wrap each bar individually into parchment paper and store it in a container. They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. The Granola Bar Mixture Is Dry: After pouring the honey mixture, if the oat mixture looks dry and not sticky, add 1-2 tablespoon of honey. If you do not want to use more sweetener, add peanut butter as needed. Pressing The Mixture In The Pan: The granola mixture must be pressed into the baking pan very well. You can use a spatula to spread and push the mixture evenly in the pan, but I suggest using your hands to pack it tightly. Wet your hands with water and then use it to spread the mix.
