Quick Summary
These Homemade Granola Bars are easy to make and SO much better than store bought! They are satisfying, slightly sweet, and a great grab and go snack!
I try to always have homemade granola bars in the fridge for an easy grab and go breakfast or snack. These granola bars are easy to make and made with basic pantry ingredients. They are satisfying, sweet, and taste so much better than store bought granola bars.
These are our favorite granola bars because we LOVE peanut butter and chocolate together. You can't go wrong with that combo! They are no-bake granola bars so they don't take long to make and even the kids can help! YAY!
The bars are a great snack for hikes, road trips, lunchboxes, picnics, or every day snacking at home.
Table of Contents
Healthy Snack
I love making granola bars at home because I know exactly what ingredients I'm including! No mysterious or hard-to-pronounce things in these bars. These Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars have a flavor that feels indulgent and sweet, but they are full of nutrition thanks to the peanut butter, flaxseed, oats, and chia seeds! And don't worry, the kids won't even know it because they taste so good! A win-win!
Ingredients
The ingredients are simple! I keep these ingredients in my pantry so I'm ready to make them anytime!
- Coconut oil
- Peanut butter– I use organic creamy peanut butter, just peanuts and salt.
- Honey
- Pure vanilla extract
- Quick oats– I recommend quick oats for this recipe because they are smaller and help the bars hold together.
- Crispy rice cereal
- Coconut flakes– you can use unsweetened or sweetened coconut.
- Flaxseed meal
- Chia seeds
- Sea salt
- Mini chocolate chips– you can use dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate.
How to Make Granola Bars
This is such a quick snack to make! I love having these bars on hand for lunches, snacks, or even an after-dinner treat. You don't have to bake them, but you do need to chill them before cutting so keep that in mind before you get started.
- We're making the bars in an 8×8 baking pan. I like to line mine with parchment paper so they lift right out. Set that aside for now!
- Melt the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. This should take 30-50 seconds, and then stir in the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Keep stirring until everything is nice and smooth!
- Add the dry ingredients: oats, crispy rice cereal, coconut, flaxseed, chia seeds, and salt. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Now we press it into the 8×8! Use your hands to press it into the pan, making sure you get it evenly into the corners. You can use the bottom of a glass jar to continue packing the bars down. This helps the bars hold their shape.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least an hour (or even overnight!) before cutting into them. This is another step that helps the bars stick together!
- When you're ready to enjoy, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut them into bars.
Tips to Get the Bars to Stick Together
This is the number one problem with homemade granola bars–they can be too crumbly! I have a few tricks for granola bars that hold their shape.
- First, I like to use quick oats instead of old fashioned oats. They hold the bars together better than old fashioned oats. If you only have old fashioned oats, pulse them in the food processor a few times and then they will be good to go!
- Next, make sure you really press the bars in the pan so they are solid pushed together.
- Lastly, make sure you refrigerate the granola bars for at least an hour, but up to overnight, to really let them set before cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut them into bars or squares.
Variations
There are so many ways to customize these bars to your family's preference!
- You can use any nut butter you like! Almond butter or cashew butter are great options. For a nut-free option, use sunflower butter. Just make sure the nut butter is creamy and stirred well before using.
- You can add in chopped up nuts if you want a little crunch! Just make sure the nuts are chopped up in small pieces.
- Use mini M&Ms instead of mini chocolate chips! A kid favorite and the pop of color is fun!
- If you'd rather not use chocolate chips you can substitute raisins, dried cranberries, or dried blueberries.
How to Store
Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to 10 days, just make sure they are tightly covered. You can also freeze the granola bars for up to one month. I love having them on hand for a grab and go snack!
More Granola Bar Recipes:
- Blueberry Coconut Granola Bars
- Nut Free Granola Bars
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Sunflower Butter Granola Bars
- Biscoff Granola Bars
- Almond Granola Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick oats
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Put the coconut oil in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave for 30 to 50 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Add the oats, crispy rice cereal, coconut, flaxseed, chia seeds, and salt. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Press down with your hands and then use the bottom of a glass or jar to press the mixture firmly until the bars are packed down in the pan. This will help them hold together.
- Cover the bars with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight before cutting them. When ready to cut, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into bars or squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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