Name: From-scratch Granola Bars
Yield: 12

Make these straightforward from-scratch Granola Bars with oats, nuts, honey, and a little bit of chocolate for good measure!

satisfying from-scratch granola bars, full of chocolate chips, cut into portions, and ready to be enjoyed.

author’s note

My Kids’ Favorite Grab-And-Go Snack!

My kids LOVE granola bars. We bring them along on outings all the time, which means we can go through a box ridiculously fast. Eventually I figured I should just make them myself.

These from-scratch Granola Bars quickly became one of those recipes I make over and over. At one point I was making a couple batches a week because they disappeared so fast!

And thankfully, making granola bars at home is way easier than it sounds. The prep takes less than 30 minutes, and honestly, the hardest part is waiting for them to chill.

One thing that makes these especially good is toasting the oats and nuts first. It only takes a few minutes but adds so much more flavor. Then everything gets coated in a honey-butter mixture, loaded with a little coconut and chocolate, pressed REALLY firmly into a pan, and chilled.

The result is a chewy granola bar that tastes so much better than anything in a wrapper. For a chocolate-loaded version, try these Chocolate Granola Bars next!

Oats and nuts, the key ingredients used in the recipe, arranged and ready to be toasted in the oven.

from-scratch Granola Bars Ingredients

Ingredient	Swap or tip
Old-fashioned oats	Do not use quick oats or steel-cut.
Cashews & almonds	Keep the nuts coarsely chopped so the bars are straightforward to cut and hold together well.
Honey	Maple syrup works but bars are softer.
Butter	Coconut oil can also work, although the bars may be a little more delicate and will benefit from staying chilled.
Brown sugar	This adds sweetness but also helps bind the bars. You can slightly reduce it if you prefer less sweetness, but I wouldn’t cut too much or the bars can get crumbly.
Chocolate chips	You can swap for dried fruit or coconut.

Melting honey, butter, brown sugar, and salt; heating and stirring until smooth; combining oats, nuts, and coconut; pouring the syrup mixture in; combining and mixing in chocolate chips; pressing the mixture into a pan; and adding chocolate chips on top.

How To Make from-scratch Granola Bars

Heat & Prep: Heat oven to 350°F. Line a pan with parchment paper.
Toast Oats & Nuts: Toast oats and nuts for 4-6 mins.
Make Syrup: Heat honey, butter, sugar, and salt until smooth.
Combine & Add Chocolate: Mix oats, nuts, syrup, and vanilla. Add chocolate chips.
Press & Chill: Press into the pan, top with more chips, and chill bars.
Cut Bars: Lift using parchment paper and cut into bars.

Variations

Nuts: Use any chopped nuts, up to 1/2 cup total.
Chocolate chips: Swap with dark chocolate, dried cranberries, raisins, or extra coconut.
Spices: Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice.
Sea salt: Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top for a salty-sweet finish.
Variations