This healthy granola bar recipe was one of the first hits here at Kitchen Stewardship and remains one of the most popular. It was first published June 2009 and deserves a little revisit today.
Many people are surprised that you can whip up homemade granola bars as easily as a quick batch of chocolate chip cookies. There are endless variations to this recipe, and I can almost guarantee it will become a family favorite!
Scroll down for variations including chocolate, peanut butter, gluten free, dairy free and more! If you see a green or orange $ symbol next to an ingredient, clicking it will show the sales in YOUR community this week on that item (or share an additional recipe from a partner).
| KS Healthy Granola Bar Recipe |
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- 1 c. butter, softened
- 1 c. honey
- 4 1/2 c. rolled oats
- 1 ½ c. whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- chopped walnuts
- dried fruit
- sunflower seeds
- coconut
- other nuts…
- Lightly butter a 9”×13” glass pan. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, honey, and vanilla. Tip: If your butter isn’t softened, use a rolling pin and roll it between two sheets of wax paper. Or mash it with your hands while in the wrapper. Our secret.
- Add the oats, flour, and baking soda. Beat well until combined. Stir in add-ins by hand. Press mixture hard into pan. (You can use your hands!)
- Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-22 minutes until just golden brown on the edges. You will think they are too soft. They are not. Just remind yourself that there’s not even any egg in the recipe, so you can’t hurt anybody if you underbake.
- Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing and serving. Store at room temperature or freeze.
Stickier, Chewier Granola Bars: The one drawback of this original recipe is that it tends to be a bit crumbly, especially if you overbake the bars even slightly. You can avoid that by melting the butter, honey and vanilla in a saucepan and cooking on low for 5 minutes after the butter melts, then mixing the liquid ingredients into the dry.
See below for more variations on flavor and texture.
Originally adapted from a recipe in Faith and Family Magazine.
If unsoaked, uncooked oats get heavy in your gut (or worse), you’ll want to check out the “soaked” version for easier digestion, which is also gluten-free and no-bake. It’s a free downloadable printable page, a demo of the simple navigation of the “Healthy Snacks to Go” eBook, where this recipe is a centerpiece, along with 15 variations on a homemade “Larabar” and some yum-o crispy roasted chickpeas.
Healthy Snacks To Go eBook, 2nd Editionby Katie Kimball Over 45 recipes to get you on your way with real food, fast
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You can see all KS eBooks HERE.
Transformations:
- Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and skip the chocolate chips – or double up on chocolate!
- Use 1/2 cup natural peanut butter, almond butter or sunbutter in place of 1/2 cup of butter – divine!
- Want crunchy bars? Spread a full batch into a large cookie sheet or a half batch in a 9×13 pan. Press firmly and bake as usual. Cool completely and cut apart, then spread individually on a baking sheet or stone and toast again for ~10-13 minutes in a preheated 325F oven. Watch carefully for browning on the edges. Now, listen closely – do not touch. Got that? Wait until the bars are totally and completely cooled on the pan before removing, and you will have sturdy, crunchy granola bars to die for.
- Bars too crumbly? Follow the directions for a brief re-toast in the bullet point above and you’ll be thrilled with the results – just slightly crunchy on the edges and with triple the stick-together-ness of the original.
- Gluten free: Just sub GF all-purpose flour for the whole wheat and it should work fine, according to a reader. Another used a cup mixed sorghum and brown rice flour plus a teaspoon of xanthan gum.
- Dairy free: Coconut oil works fine in place of butter, especially in the nut butter versions.
- Less sweetener: Honey is expensive and the “unhealthy” ingredient in this recipe. When you heat the honey, you can definitely cut it down by at least 1/3 cup and everything still holds together. I also had success substituting natural applesauce for up to 1/2 cup honey, but the resulting bars weren’t very sweet. The chocolate chips were a necessity.
- Crumbs in the bottom of the storage bag? So yummy over homemade yogurt with fresh fruit!
- What else can you do with these? Do share!
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I get at least 20 good-sized bars from this recipe. I figure it might be the equivalent of 3 boxes of Quaker chewy granola bars, so even though butter and honey are on the pricey side, this still works out to be nicely frugal.
Lunch-packing tip: Have the kiddos (or whomever) bring home the plastic baggie each day and just toss a new bar in. Easy way to save packaging and remember to take a bar every day! Check out all my healthy lunch packing tips and green lunch ideas, too!
More Bars!
The homemade granola bars aren’t the only easy, healthy snack bar at KS. Try these recipes for more variety:
Almond Power Bars
Quinoa Oat Protein Bars
Grain-free Quinoa Bars
No-Bake Granola Bars
Healthy Snacks to Go includes Popeye Bars, Protein Bars, and Homemade “larabars” (above)
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Kitchen Stewardship is dedicated to balancing God’s gifts of time, health, earth and money. If you feel called to such a mission, read more at Mission, Method, and Mary and Martha Moments.
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It’s funny that you are posting this recipe today. I have a copy (the original I guess) that I just put in the oven. I keep thinking the oats should be soaked and dried first, but I just don’t feel like going to all that trouble. It looks like you don’t bother with that either. I wish I could get sprouted oats so I didn’t have to worry about it.
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 11:29 pm
Linda,
Katie
Yes, this was back before I soaked anything. Now I tend to default to other bars, but the soaked-and-dried version is the free download “no bake” bars.
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This is a very helpful collection of recipes. Thanks!
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The double cooking technique works wonders! I made a couple batches to get us through a 2 week road trip and they really held together.
PS- The Almond Power Bars are my favorite dessert of all times!
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
August 3rd, 2012 at 11:31 pm
Yay! I usually get away with calling those a “snack”…
Katie
[Reply to this comment]
I have to call them dessert or I would eat the whole pan by myself
[Reply to this comment]
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I made the chewy granola bars yesterday with our 4 year old son. We made a double batch and did half coconut chocolate chip and half cinnamon raisin. They are the best granola bars I’ve ever tasted. Everyone in the family likes them and they really do hold together.
I’m really glad I “hid” some of them in the freezer for next week! They’ve been a big hit in our home.
[Reply to this comment]
The New Dream Blog // Sep 25, 2012 at 11:58 am
[...] Baked goods and homemade granola bars: Those little aluminum wrappers add up. Imagine that every school-aged child in North American has a granola bar in their lunch every day. That’s a lot of wrappers making their way into the landfills. Instead, try this granola bar recipe! [...]
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I just made these, and someone needs to stop me from eating the entire batch. They are wonderful!
[Reply to this comment]
Oh my word!! I’ve been making these for about a year now. My husband (we were only dating then) and his two daughters were going to Haiti on a missions trip w their church. I wanted to surprise them with something homemade when everyone else was pulling out store bought poptarts and granola bars for breakfast they had these delish and healthy granola bars!!! Eveyone was envious and asked where hey got em. I am still making them with weekly requests for more. I believe the granola bars were the deciding factor when he proposed. LOL Thank you for such a great easy snack!! Has anyone tried solidified coconut oil in place of the butter? Has anyone tried solidified coconut oil for the butter?
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 12:59 am
Jennifer,
Katie
I love your story! That totally made my day. And yes, coconut oil will work just great.
[Reply to this comment]
Can coconut flour be used instead of whole wheat flour?
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 1:01 am
Karen,
Katie
Unfortunately, I’ve tried that one, and it doesn’t work at all – pile of granola. You might want to try the other granola bar recipe at the site which is already gluten-free: http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/04/08/recipe-connection-soaked-granola-bars/
[Reply to this comment]
Just got back reviews on my 2nd batch from a class of kindergarteners and they loved them and wanted more, YAY! The first batch I made with 1/2 butter1/2 PB and coconut, chocolatechips, and chopped walnuts as add ins, I was in love. This time I used the 1/4c cocoa powder and had a hard time blending so I added some applesauce and it did the trick. Next time I think I will reduce the flour by 1/4c instead. Thanks so much for the resounding success at snack time!
[Reply to this comment]
What’s the nutritutional information for these bars?
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
February 9th, 2013 at 2:03 am
Joanie,
Katie
Just copy the recipe in here:
http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php
[Reply to this comment]
Hi Katie,
I love these! Have you ever tried freezing them? My due date is coming up and I’m trying to stock up our freezer with good whole foods for after delivery
[Reply to this comment]
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship Reply:
March 28th, 2013 at 11:58 am
Sharon,
Your comment got buried somehow…but yes, they’ll freeze excellently, and also, they last a really, really long time out of the freezer anyway. Blessings on your new baby!!
I hope I’m not too late!
[Reply to this comment]
What To Make With What’s On Sale: Oats — Denver Bargains™ // Apr 12, 2013 at 12:02 pm
[...] reviews to find some tasty ideas for tweaking the recipe! And here’s a great recipe for Healthy Granola Bars. Be sure to scroll all the way down to find variations and tips for getting the bars to turn out [...]