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For a fast and filling snack — or okay, sometimes a meal — granola bars just can’t be beat. They’re portable and tasty and filling. I decided it was time to learn how to make granola bars back when my kids were in elementary school, and these are still a favorite today.
Originally published March 2014; this post has been updated.
Click here to see my great big collection of homemade granola bars.
Once upon a time, when my boys were young and in Little League, we did a lot of eating on the run. The slow cooker helped us manage meals, but people were hungry during those games and seemingly never-ending practices.
Granola bars were my go-to grab and go snacks. I chose what I thought were the healthiest bars, but not long into the season I realized that 1. we were creating a lot of trash and 2. we were spending a lot of cash.
Time to learn how to make granola bars myself!
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Easy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe
The good news is, it’s not hard. It’s a simple matter of combining ingredients, pressing them into a pan, and baking. The house will smell lovely, you will have snacks, and you’ll save money.
These peanut butter granola bars, adapted from a recipe from a vintage television show called Zoom (remember THAT?), became our standby snack on busy days. Even now, my adult children will fall back on this recipe when they know they’re going to be out and about all day long and in need of sustenance.
Ingredients
Oats— The bulk of this granola recipe comes from old fashioned rolled oats. Skip the quick oats; you want the heft of whole, rolled oats here.
Honey — This recipe is lightly sweetened with honey. If you like, you could easily use maple syrup instead.
Peanut Butter — Added for both flavor and a little extra protein, peanut butter helps hold the ingredients together, too. I prefer a natural peanut butter; opt for creamy peanut butter or crunchy peanut butter. For a nut free version, try sunflower seed butter or use melted butter or coconut oil.
Eggs — Fresh eggs, store bought, use what you have readily available.
Optional Add-Ins— This is where you can really customize these homemade granola bars. We typically add raisins or dried cranberries, along with mini chocolate chips and nuts. You can also add unsweetened shredded coconut.
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Making Them
Start by mixing the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and eggs in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Transfer oat mixture to a rimmed baking pan and spread evenly. Use a spatula or your hands to press the mixture firmly into the pan.
Bake, remove from oven, and once again press the oat mixture firmly into the pan. Doing this both before and after baking the bars helps them retain their shape.
Cool, then cut into bars.
Storage
Place bars into an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to a week.
Be sure to try these homemade granola recipes, too!
- Easy Homemade Granola
- Persimmon Granola
- Pumpkin Granola
★ Did you make these granola bars? Don’t forget to give them a star rating below!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups organic raisins or cranberries
- 2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 cup nuts (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir salt, flour, baking powder, and oats into peanut butter mixture. Add raisins, chocolate chips, and nuts.
- Spread mixture into a 13"x18" baking sheet, greased or lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- Press the mixture firmly down into the pan using a flat spatula or other tool.
- Bake 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and press bars again to help them hold their shape.
- Cool, then slice into 24 bars.
Notes
For a nut free version, try sunflower seed butter or use melted butter or coconut oil instead of the peanut butter.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24Serving Size: 1 bar
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 330Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 122mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 5gSugar: 22gProtein: 9g
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FAQs
While there are several different sticky ingredients that you can use, we've found that the binding agent that works the best is honey! When added to your homemade granola bars, honey acts as glue that sticks all the pieces together.
How do you get homemade granola to 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 granola bars at home? ›
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.
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.
How do you keep homemade granola bars from falling apart? ›
If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.
What ingredient makes granola clump together? ›
Clumpy Granola Method: Add Egg White
About this method: According to Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen, “Nothing glues like protein.” While there are many granola recipes that include an egg white, I got this tip from the Big Cluster Maple Granola recipe in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook.
What is the binder in granola? ›
The binder is what helps the base ingredients clump together into clusters. Traditionally this is usually a sugar syrup, but it's possible to use any ingredient that has the power to bind. Egg - Egg whites are a great binder for granola if you are trying to avoid sugar.
How do granola bars stay together? ›
Honey – Along with the nut butter, it helps all these ingredients stick together! I love its warm amber flavor in this recipe.
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 package homemade granola for gifts? ›
As for packing the granola and shipping, anything airtight will do, but I would stay away from glass since there's the risk that it might break. You might want to consider packing the granola in a resealable plastic bag, and then placing that into a metal or plastic container so it doesn't get crushed.
Cut into desired size and put each into a bag. Roll up the bag and tape! Store in fridge.
Do homemade granola bars need to be refrigerated? ›
Even though you should refrigerate your granola bars to help them firm up quickly, you do not need to store them in the refrigerator. After cutting them, I wrap mine in a strip of parchment or wax paper (to keep them from sticking to each other) and then store them in a resealable Ziploc bag in my cabinet.
What happens if you don't soak oats? ›
By soaking your oats you neutralize the phytic acid. This soaking allows the beneficial enzymes to work and increases the number of vitamins and minerals present that your body will absorb. On the plus side, the process of rolling oats removes at least part of the bran, where a large portion of the phytic acid resides.
Is it better to boil or soak oats? ›
Soaking not only softens the oats, but it also makes them more tender, quicker to cook, and easier to digest. In a side-by-side comparison, we found that unsoaked oats lacked that fluffy, creamy texture soaked oats provide. So, from here on out, we'll be soaking. Once they're soaked, it's time to cook.
How long must you soak oats for? ›
Soak the oats overnight
The best way to prepare your rolled oats is to soak them overnight in enough water to cover them (allow half a cup of oats per person). You could add some almonds to pre-soak with the oats. Soaking grains and nuts makes them easier to digest.
What is a good binding agent for granola? ›
Nut butter is a super flavorful fat that serves multiple purposes in granola. It acts as a binding agent—along with additional coconut oil and whatever natural sweetener I've chosen—helping to pull the dry ingredients together into a wet, sticky mass for baking.
What is a good binder for protein bars? ›
Overall, raisins are an excellent binder that perform well when used in protein bar applications and could be used as a binder in many other applications. BENCHTOP PROCESSING METHOD: In a food processor or buffalo chopper, blend whole raisins, half the nuts, all the egg white, salt, vanilla, and yogurt powder.
What is glycerin in granola bars? ›
Glycerin is used as an ingredient in a variety of food and beverage products to help retain moisture, prevent sugar crystallization, and add bulk, smoothness, softness, sweetness and texture. Like most sugar alcohols, glycerin is not as sweet as sugar—it is about 60–75% as sweet.
