Homemade Granola Bars

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 Snacks for everyone. The nutty, chewy texture, sweet oat flavor bars are also easy to make. We love making them because I know exactly the ingredients I am using. For more easy snack ideas, try Summer Snack Charcuterie Board, Healthy Late Night Snack Recipes and Summer Snacks.

Why Make Your Own Granola Bars

Skip the pricey store-bought packs and control every ingredient. These homemade granola bars blend simple ingredients into a naturally sweet, chewy bar!

Perfect for quick breakfasts, lunch boxes, or pre-workout fuel, they’re endlessly customizable and freeze like a dream.

Ingredients

• Butter – We used unsalted butter
• Brown Sugar – You can also see The Best Brown Sugar Substitutes
• Light Karo Syrup – Helps holds everything together
• Rice Krispies Cereal – Feel free to use other types of cereal
• Granola – Add the extra crunch
• Chocolate Chips – We used semi-sweet chocolate chips but you can use dark chocolate chips

Scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe and ingredients.

How to Make Granola Bars

Step 1 – Prepare you Pan – Line an 9×13″ baking dish or baking sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Spray with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Step 2 – Melt Ingredients – In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar and Karo syrup.

Step 3 – 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.

Step 4 – Add Cereal – Remove from heat and stir to combine the Rice Krispies cereal and granola until dry ingredients are mixed together.

Step 5 – Pour Mixture into Pan – Pour oat mixture into prepared pan and spread evenly with a scraper or rubber spatula.

Step 6 – Add Chocolate Chips – Gently press the chocolate chips in with your scraper.

• Step 7 – Let Granola Rest – Let sit at room temperature before cutting. (Around 20-30 minutes.) Cut into desired size.

Pro Tips

• 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.

Variation and Substitution 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, Walnuts, Pecans
• White Chocolate Chips
• Mini Chocolate Chips
• Raisins
• Peanut Butter Chips
• Peanut Butter or almond butter
• Dried Fruits – Dried Cranberries or Dried Cherries are our favorite.
• Maple Syrup

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

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