If you would have told me just a year ago that I’d be making my own granola bars I’d have said you were off your rocker. Seriously, make granola bars? Yet, here I am telling you today that indeed I do make these delicious homemade treats from scratch. And, I have to say, it’s really not that hard and doesn’t take that long. The reward of eating something you made is totally worth the effort on this one.
Truth be told, I got sick and tired of buying boxes of individually wrapped granola bars only for them to disappear in a few days. We were eating them all the time. Have you seen those things? They are either 1. totally expensive or 2. tiny, tiny bars — and in some cases, both! Be gone store-bought granola bars. Enter this fabulous recipe that any home cook can manage.
There are only a few ingredients. This is a great opportunity to use organic, but go with what you have to get you started.
You mix the dry ingredients together. This batch I added raisins.
I just use my hands to mix it all together. Easy-peasy.
Mix the wet ingredients. Use a whisk to get it mixed together until it forms one liquid. Then mix the dry and wet ingredients. You may want a spoon for this. Mix until all the oats are completely coated with the honey mixture.
Drop it on a sheet pan that has sides. I used a 9×13 and just pressed it down until it was even. They are about an inch thick.
Next, bake away. Keep your eye on the oven — you know it best. Don’t let these babies burn, but do let them cook long enough.
After they are done cooling in the pan, cut them into individual bars. Sometimes I cut traditional bars, other times I cut squares. I like to change things up sometimes.
The best part about this recipe is that you can use the base recipe and add different ingredients to it like dried cranberries or cherries, almonds, or other types of chocolate chips.
Many of my bars break during the cutting process, but I just crumble them up and use them as toppings in cereal and yogurt. Nothing is wasted with these babies.
Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips or other treat like dried fruit
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325
- Line 9x13 baking sheet (with sides) with parchment paper or a silpat liner
- Combine dry ingredients: oats, flour, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and salt
- In separate bowl combine the wet ingredients: oil, honey, and vanilla
- Pout the combined honey mixture onto the dry ingredients and stir until oats are well coated and honey mixture is evenly distributed
- Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet, pressing down to achieve evenness
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden
- Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes (and not longer), then cut into desired shape
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Comments & Reviews
Erin says
These look great! I don’t know why I haven’t made granola bars before … this will be my inspiration.
Alicia at BalancingMotherhood.com says
Thanks! And, I kind of like these all crumbled up on yogurt.