Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (2024)

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Homemade Granola Bars Recipe are easy to make. They taste so much better than any kind you buy at the store. You will feel good about serving these to your family.

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (1)

Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Recipe:

We love granola bars in our house. Unfortunately, the prepackaged granola bars have so many additives, that sometimes you may not be sure exactly what you’re biting into. They are also not cheap.

Granola Bars are a good snack for everyone. The nutty, chewy, sweet oat flavor bars are also easy to make. We love making them because I know exactly the ingredients I am using.

Most of the time, we have the ingredients on hand so they are budget friendly. We love serving them as a snack or a breakfast on the go.

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (2)

Homemade Granola Bars saves money!

We have been making a lot of homemade snacks lately for the kids lunch boxes. Homemade snacks are easy to make and budget friendly.

I want them to have lots of delicious food in their lunch box. Prepacked food and individual serving sizes gets so expensive. It does not take long for these to add up very quickly. Especially if you have a large family like my own.

Making recipe like this at home really saves money. Plus, I feel so much better about what I’m giving my children. I know exactly what is going in these granola bars and that feels really good. If you prefer a crunchygranolabar recipe, let them sit longer before cutting.

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (3)

Ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Light Karo Syrup
  • Rice Krispies cereal
  • Granola
  • Chocolate Chips

You can also add a dash of vanilla extract if desired. I have also used coconut oil in this recipe as well.

How to make Granola Bars:

  • Prepare you Pan – Line an 9×13″ baking dish or baking sheet with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
  • Melt Ingredients – In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar and Karo syrup.
  • Bring to a boil – Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until all of the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Make sure not to overcook mixture. It is helpful to set a timer.
  • Add Cereal – Remove from heat and stir to combine the Rice Krispies cereal and granola until dry ingredients are mixed together. .
Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (4)
  • Pour Mixture into Pan – Pour oat mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly with a scraper or rubber spatula.
  • Add Chocolate Chips – Gently press the chocolate chips in with your scraper.
  • Let Granola Rest – Let sit at room temperature before cutting. (Around 20-30 minutes.) Cut into desired size.
Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (5)

How do you get the granola bars to stick together?

There are several options that we have tried to get our granola bars to stick together. We think Karo Syrup and honey are the best options and are our favorites.

These options act as a great option to make sure that all the granola ingredients stick together to make the best granola bars.

Variation Ideas:

This is a great recipe because you can add in so many different ingredients. All of these option work great when adding these to your granola mixture.

  • Coconut
  • Peanuts, Sliced Almonds or other chopped nuts
  • White Chocolate Chips
  • Mini Chocolate Chips
  • Raisins
  • Peanut Butter Chips
  • Peanut Butter
  • Dried Fruits – Dried Cranberries are our favorite.
  • Maple Syrup

Add in Healthy Seeds:

These granola bars are great as they are. But we also like adding some healthy seeds for even more health benefits. Here are the ones we love adding in:

  • Chia Seeds
  • Flax Seeds
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Pepitas
  • Sunflower Seeds
Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (6)

Tips for the best Granola Bars:

  • Smooth Nut Butter – It is recommended to use nut butter that has a smooth consistency. If your nut butter is dry or stiff then it doesn’t mix well with the oats and chocolate chips. It is recommended to use creamy nut butter instead of crunchy.
  • Make sure to let chill – Make sure you give your granola bars time to chill. We are always tempted to dig right in to these yummy granola bars. But giving them time to chill give the ingredients time to set and we are able to cut into bars.
  • Don’t over cook sugar mixture – When dissolving the butter and sugar together, make sure to not overcook. Set a timer to make sure that the mixture doesn’t burn.
  • Chop Your Ingredients – When mixing in ingredients, make sure they are chopped in smaller pieces. Having smaller pieces the granola bars hold together better.
  • Press in pan securely – Make sure when pressing the granola mix into the pan that you press firmly in the pan so that there is no air or spaces. I usually get a piece of wax paper and press firmly and evenly in the pan.
Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (7)

How to store Homemade Granola Bars:

Once you slice the granola bars, you can either store them in the refrigerator or freeze them. Store them in an air tight container. We place a layer of granola bars down and then place a piece a wax paper down. Then we place another layer of granola bars on top of the wax paper.

This prevents the granola bars from sticking which makes them easy to grab for a easy snack. They will last about a week in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze Chocolate Chip Granola Bars?

I like to make a double batch so I can have some in the freezer. If you do freeze them, they will last about 2 months in the freezer. Just place them in a freezer safe container.

When you are ready to serve them, let them set out about 20 minutes to get to room temperature.

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (8)

Perfect Lunchbox Treat:

They are perfect for after school snacks or to send to school in the kid’s lunch box! Either way, they will love these homemade granola bars.

Pre-made treats can be so pricey so I like to make a double batch of these. After they cool, I just throw them into little sandwich bags and they are ready to go for lunches all week.

This also works for after school snacks and will save you a ton of time and money.It’s so convenient being able to just grab one of these and go.

Having them already in individual bags helps to make busy school mornings a breeze!

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (9)

Give these Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars a try!

The kids will love them and I have a feeling the adults will too! Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Barscalories are less than many store bought treats and snacks.

We save so much money on groceries by taking a little time to make our own snacks and treats. It is amazing how much it reduces the grocery budget.

The entire family will enjoy these granola bars. Let us know what variety your try when making these granola bars.

Print this Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Recipe below:

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (10)

Review

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Homemade Granola Bars

5 from 16 votes

Learn how to make Homemade Granola Bars. Chocolate Chip Granola Bar recipe is quick and easy to make. The kids will love this easy snack idea.

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 16

Cuisine American

Course Breakfast, snack

Calories 242

Author Carrie Barnard

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup light Karo syrup you can also use honey
  • 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 3 cups granola I used Cascadian Farm granola cereal
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Line an 9×13″ baking dish with wax paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

  • In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar and Karo syrup.

  • Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until all of the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. NOTE: Do not over cook this mixture! Set a timer.

  • Remove from heat and stir in Rice Krispies cereal and granola until well combined.

  • Pour cereal mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly with a scraper.

  • Gently press the chocolate chips in with your scraper.

  • Let sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Cut into desired size.

  • Store in an air tight container, separated with wax paper.

Recipe Notes

You can add any extras to this yummy granola bar recipe. You can add in chopped nuts, raisins, white chocolate chips, or even peanut butter chips. The possibilities are endless!

Nutrition Facts

Calories 242kcal, Carbohydrates 39g, Protein 4g, Fat 9g, Saturated Fat 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat 1g, Monounsaturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 1mg, Sodium 36mg, Potassium 166mg, Fiber 2g, Sugar 24g, Vitamin A 241IU, Vitamin C 2mg, Calcium 34mg, Iron 3mg

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Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (11)

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About the Author

Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (20)

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What helps homemade granola bars stick together? ›

Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavor in this recipe. Vanilla extract – It amps up the bars' warm flavor.

How do you make granola bars not fall apart? ›

While the oats and nuts bake, you can make the sticky glue that holds our bars together. You'll melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Mix this sticky mixture with the toasted oats and nuts. Allow everything to cool, and then toss in dried fruit and chocolate chips.

What ingredient makes granola stick together? ›

Add an egg white.

The whites act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together. To ensure that the egg whites coat all the ingredients, I beat them with a whisk until foamy and increased in volume, which makes it much easier to fold into the granola.

Is it cheaper to make your own granola bars? ›

They save well (wrap and freeze them for up to two months), are more affordable than store-bought bars, and don't contain the long list of unpronounceable ingredients. Plus, your kitchen will smell like a bakery while these granola bars bake. Ahhhh.

What is the best binder for granola bars? ›

Honey. Sweetens the granola bars and helps bind the dry ingredients together.

Should you soak oats before making granola bars? ›

Fill the bowl up with water to completely cover the mixture – enough that you can stir to combine. This soaking process will help the oats and seeds digest better. After the oat/seed mixture has soaked 8-12 hours, add the rest of the ingredients and combine.

Why is my homemade granola not crunchy? ›

I aim to let it hit room temperature, whatever that may be; the real point is to give it ample time to shed excess heat and steam. This should take about 45 minutes; if left out indefinitely, the granola can turn sticky or soft, so do try to put it away as soon after cooling as you can.

How do you increase the shelf life of granola bars? ›

To keep your granola bars fresh, you must allow the least amount of air possible to reach the bars. Because air (and warmth) can easily cause spoilage, sealing your granola bars in an airtight container or wrapping them in wax paper is a great way to keep them fresh for longer.

How do you soften Nature Valley granola bars? ›

For added softness, Nature Valley's hack is a quick pop in the microwave for a warm and chewier snack. Alternatively, yogurt lovers can break up the bars while they're still wrapped and pour it into their yogurt for extra crunch.

Why didn't my homemade granola stick together? ›

If so, the reason that your granola isn't clumpy already is because it was deliberately stirred and broken apart while it was baking, and it might be possible to make it re-clump! Try putting a scoop in the microwave and heating it in 30 second bursts on high. If it starts to get sticky, you're golden.

What is the main ingredient in chewy granola bars? ›

GRANOLA (WHOLE GRAIN OATS, BROWN SUGAR, BROWN RICE CRISP [WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT], WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, SOYBEAN OIL, WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, BAKING SODA, SOY LECITHIN, NONFAT DRY MILK), CORN SYRUP, BROWN RICE CRISP (WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT), SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE ...

What makes homemade granola stick? ›

Make sure that whichever granola recipe you use, it calls for some liquid, typically oil of some kind (I recommend olive oil for a subtle earthy, floral flavor, or melted unrefined coconut oil for subtly coconutty flavor). The liquid will help the chia seeds to gel, ensuring the granola sticks together.

How long do homemade granola bars last? ›

We've found that homemade granola bars stay fresh for about 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can you sell homemade granola? ›

Allowable items include most baked goods, candies, syrups, mustards, nut butters, pastries, preserves, caramel corn, honey, granola, candied apples, crackers, pretzels, and dried goods like cereals, coffee beans and fruit leather. California cottage food producers may not sell pickles, juices and products containing ...

Do granola bars count as junk food? ›

Often touted for their whole grain goodness, most granola bars are sticky-sweet junk food in disguise. Don't let a few oats fool you — especially when you also see marshmallows and chocolate chips. Instead: If granola bars are a must-have, choose one with 6 grams of sugar or less per bar, and hopefully some fibre.

Why is my homemade granola not sticking together? ›

Make sure that whichever granola recipe you use, it calls for some liquid, typically oil of some kind (I recommend olive oil for a subtle earthy, floral flavor, or melted unrefined coconut oil for subtly coconutty flavor). The liquid will help the chia seeds to gel, ensuring the granola sticks together.

Why is my homemade granola sticky? ›

I aim to let it hit room temperature, whatever that may be; the real point is to give it ample time to shed excess heat and steam. This should take about 45 minutes; if left out indefinitely, the granola can turn sticky or soft, so do try to put it away as soon after cooling as you can.

How do you tamp granola? ›

Get as clumpy as you like.

First, press the granola into an even layer before you put it in the oven. Then, stir it only once halfway through cooking. For really good clumps, press down on the finished granola before it cools and avoid jostling it on the pan until cooled completely.

What is a substitute for dates in bars? ›

If you can't find dates, you can substitute 3 cups of chopped pitted dried figs for the dates. For best results and easy prep, use prepackaged chopped dates for the filling.

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