Description
Ditch the packaged granola bars and try my easy homemade granola bars recipe! These bars are healthy and take less than an hour to make from start to finish!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup dried cranberries, or fruit of choice*
- ¼ cup chopped, toasted walnuts, or nut of choice*
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips*
- ½ tsp kosher salt or ¼ tsp fine salt
- 1/3 cup honey (maple syrup if vegan)
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar*
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted*
- 2 large egg whites (omit if vegan)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep oven and pan: Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper with over-hanging edges.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together oats, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together honey, sugar, oil, egg whites and vanilla.
- Combine wet and dry: Stir together wet and dry ingredients and spread into prepared pan, pressing down firmly to help prevent bars from breaking apart. I covered the top with another piece of parchment to prevent my hands from sticking to the oat mixture as I was pressing it down.
- Bake: Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, rotating half way through, until golden brown and darker around edges. Allow to cool completely in pan.
- Cut: For the cleanest cuts, chill in fridge for at least 1-2 hours before slicing. A large serrated knife or chef’s knife work well. Cut into 12 portions, or as desired. Serve bars at room temperature for best, chewy consistency.
- Store: Store at room temperature for 3-5 days, or in fridge for up to 2 weeks. Take out of fridge for at least an hour before eating to allow to soften at room temperature. Bars can also be frozen for up to 3 months and defrosted overnight in the fridge. Enjoy.
Notes
As an alternative to dried cranberries, tried dried cherries, dried blueberries, chopped dried figs, chopped dried apricots or chopped dried prunes.
As an alternative to walnuts, try pecans, almonds, peanuts or hazelnuts.
To toast nuts, place on parchment lined baking sheet and toast for about 8 minutes at 350F, or until golden brown. Cool before chopping and adding to granola mix.
Try milk or white chocolate chips, or omit all together and add additional nuts.
You can substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar, however, the bars will be less chewy.
For coconut flavor, use unrefined coconut oil instead or refined coconut oil. You may also substitute canola oil or vegetable oil, however, the bars will not hold together quite as well.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Snack, Breakfast
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 granola bar
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 62mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 31mg
