Easy Homemade Baked Granola Bars
One of our favorite on-the-go snacks is baked homemade granola bars! This is a great recipe and so versatile; it’s a healthier option than store-bought granola bars that contain lots of different additives and unwanted ingredients.
Not only is this healthy granola bar recipe great for just snacking at home, it is also a healthy option for road trips, plane rides, school lunch boxes, breakfast-on-the-go, and for a post-workout goodie that you will look forward to!
As a homemaker, being able to provide simple, yet healthy and delicious snacks, is so important for a growing family, and making your own granola bars is a special treat for everyone!
One thing that I love about this recipe is that you can add in or substitute different ingredients depending upon what you have in the pantry, so don’t worry if you don’t have all of the ingredients!
If you love the combination of oats and chocolate, try my delicious oatmeal cookie bars and my mouth-watering peanut butter banana oatmeal cookies as well!
What are Baked Granola Bars?
These sweet granola bars are a delightful combination of a rolled oat mixture, honey, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and mini-chocolate chips.
It’s a comfort to know that you can provide your family healthy granola bars with delicious ingredients that you can you can choose.
Healthy snacks like these are better than store-bought bars because they don’t have added and processed ingredients, and contain fiber, protein, and healthy fats.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Your family will have nutritious treats that you won’t have to worry about and they will love!
- You can make this baked granola bar recipe ahead of time and freeze it for the perfect snack or quick breakfast later.
- These healthy snack bars are customizable, so you can easily add in or substitute ingredients.
- Homemade chewy granola bars will remind you of both oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies all in one mouthful!
- This simply an easy recipe!
Tell Me About Baked Granola Bars
- Taste- You will feel like you are eating a sweet candy bar!
- Texture- Crunchy and chewy texture describes these bars.
- Ease- These delicious bars are very easy to make!
- Time- It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare the granola bar mixture and about 30 minutes to bake.
Ingredients for Baked Granola Bars
- Rolled Oats- Oats add texture and provide the main substance to the bars.
- Brown Sugar- The brown sugar adds sweetness and caramelizes as the bars bake.
- Ground Flax- Flax is used in baking and has a nutty flavor.
- Ground Cinnamon- Cinnamon has a warm spicy flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour- Flour helps to thicken the mixture.
- Salt- Salt adds flavor and brings out the flavor in other ingredients.
- Honey- Honey is a natural sweetener.
- Egg- The egg helps bind the granola together.
- Avocado Oil- This oil has a high smoke point and helps to make the granola bars soft and chewy.
- Vanilla Extract- This ingredient adds wonderful flavor to the bars.
- Mini Chocolate Chips- Milk chocolate chips contain milk and are sweeter than semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Make Baked Granola Bars in 3 Easy Steps
- Mix dry ingredients- While the oven preheats, whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl of your electric mixer.
- Add wet ingredients- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix slowly.
- Bake- Pour the ingredients into the prepared baking dish and gently press the mixture into the pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake granola bars for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Cut the bars carefully and cool. Enjoy!
Variations for Baked Granola Bars
- Unsweetened Shredded Coconut- Coconut baked into the granola bars adds an extra crunch.
- Peanut Butter- Peanut butter is so creamy and adds extra protein. Chocolate and peanut butter perfectly complement each other.
- Dried Fruits- You can try raisins, dried cranberries, or dried apricots.
- Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds- Seeds add extra crunch, fiber, and flavor.
- Nuts- Add the nut of your choice!
Tips for Baked Granola Bars
- After cutting the granola bars, leave them in the pan until they are completely cooled so that they have time to set.
- If you would prefer, melt the chocolate chips and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars immediately after baking and let it cool.
- Double the recipe and wrap each individual bar to keep in the freezer so that you always have them available.
- If you like chewy granola bars, adjust the baking time to your preference for a chewier bar.
- When you keep the bars on the counter or the refrigerator, store them between layers of parchment paper.
How to Store Leftover Granola Bars
If you would like to store them at room temperature, place them in an airtight container for up to one week.
Otherwise, store them in the fridge for up to two weeks in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can freeze it for up to two months. Make sure you wrap each individual bar in plastic wrap and then store them in the freezer in freezer bags. Thaw them at room temperature.
Yes, you can use gluten free 1:1 flour. Also, make sure that you check labels on the oatmeal containers as well. Usually, organic oats do not have added flour.
Yes, you can. However, quick oats are more processed than old-fashioned oats and do not provide as much texture or chewiness to the bars.
Homemade Baked Granola Bars
Homemade Baked Granola Bars
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking pan
- 1 large bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ cup ground flax
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup honey
- 1 egg beaten
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×13" baking pan and line with parchment paper.
- In the large bowl of your electric mixer, add the oats, brown sugar, ground flax, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Slowly whisk the ingredients together until combined.
- Next, add the honey, egg, oil, and vanilla. Mix slowly, and until just combined.
- Pour into your prepared pan and gently press the mixture into the pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips and bake for 30-35 minutes or until your bars are a golden brown.
- While the bars are still warm, cut them carefully.
Notes
- After cutting the granola bars, leave them in the pan until they are completely cooled so that they have time to set.
- If you would prefer, melt the chocolate chips and drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the bars immediately after baking and let it cool.
- Double the recipe and wrap each individual bar to keep in the freezer so that you always have them available.
- If you like chewy granola bars, adjust the baking time to your preference for a chewier bar.
- When you keep the bars on the counter or the refrigerator, store them between layers of parchment paper.
I have been looking for a granola bar recipe that was baked. All of the no bake ones fall apart. I used coconut oil and added lots of mix ins. They stayed together and passed the kid test. I recommend them if you are looking for a no peanut baked recipe. Thanks Lisa.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m glad you liked them.