Homemade Granola Bars

Homemade granola bars are perfect for breakfast on the run, or a high-energy snack. They make the perfect portable snack for hiking and lunch boxes. They’re made without refined sugar or butter, and are super healthy.

Chock full of oats, seeds and dried fruit they’re a great go-to snack for a wholesome energy hit. They’re chewy, with just the right amount of sweetness from the honey, cranberries and raisins. The yoghurt drizzle icing is completely optional but it does add a nice tangy flavour to the bars.

We’re not fans of store bought granola bars that are loaded with sugar and salt and homemade is the way to go as the ingredients are not expensive and they’re more economical than store bought. Win, win!

Homemade granola bars are a great little recipe for children to help make and are quick and super easy. It’s great to get children involved and they get to see that the ingredients are all healthy options.

Make Your Own Combinations

The great thing about making homemade granola bars is you get to control exactly what goes into them. As long as you keep the ratios the same you can pretty much add whatever you like.

We like to make all sorts of different combinations depending on what’s on hand. Think apricot, coconut and pistachio, chocolate chips, cherries and pecan or mango, pineapple, coconut and almonds. The combinations are almost endless.

Mix It Up Options

• nuts: pecans, pistachio, almonds, peanuts, cashews, brazil or hazelnuts would all work well
• seeds: flax, chia, hemp or sesame
• dried fruits: cherries, sultanas, currants, apricots, blueberries, mango, pineapple, figs and dates
• coconut: shredded or desiccated will work. Unsweetened is best as the bars are sweet enough as is
• chocolate: mini chocolate chips or roughly chopped small pieces of chocolate

Toasting the Oats and Seeds

Toasting the oats really takes away the raw flavour and brings out a nice sweetness, and toasty flavour to the oats. Likewise with toasting the sunflower and pepitas.

Spread the oats and seeds out on some baking (parchment) paper and place on the middle shelf of a preheated 175c (345f) oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring the mixture once or twice. The oats don’t really change colour but do take on a toasty flavour.

The Trick

The simple trick for getting your granola bars to slice and not crumble is to make sure you really press the mixture down really, really well both before and after baking. Be quite firm using your hand covered in a plastic glove or a glass and make sure you get into the corners as well.

The honey and coconut oil will do the rest of the work in keeping them together.

Perfect for ‘No Nuts’ School Policy

Homemade granola bars are the perfect snack for children to take to school. Overwhelmingly most schools have initiated a ‘no nuts’ policy and these little beauties will keep little Johnny fuelled up, and on the go.

Yoghurt Drizzle

Granola bars with a little drizzle made from yoghurt and icing (confectioners) sugar is made in seconds and adds a lovely tangy flavour to the bars. Try adding some finely grated orange or lemon zest into the drizzle or vanilla extract. You can also drizzle with melted milk or dark chocolate as well.

Watch How To Make Homemade Granola Bars

Scroll to the bottom for the Homemade Granola Bars recipe

Check out some more healthy recipes

click on the link for the recipe…..Easy Healthy Grain and Seed Bread – GF V

click on the link for the recipe…..Healthy Avocado and Edamame Smash

We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make these healthy homemade granola bars.

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Yield: depends on how big you cut your slices

Homemade Granola Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Homemade granola bars are perfect for school lunch boxes and snacks, super easy to make and quick. Just how we like it!

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick cook) toasted - see heading above
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• zest of 1 orange, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup pepita (pumpkin) seeds, toasted
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup raisins

Yoghurt Drizzle - Optional

• 2 tablespoons icing (confectioners) sugar
• 2 tablespoons thick yoghurt - we used Greek

Instructions

• lightly grease and line a 20cm (8 inch) square tin with baking (parchment) paper so that the paper comes up the sides of the pan making it easy to lift the granola bars from the tin
• preheat oven to 175c (350f) on bake, not fan
• add the oats, seeds, fruit and salt into a bowl
• in a small pan heat the honey, coconut oil, orange zest, vanilla and cinnamon till the coconut oil has melted
• pour the honey mixture over the oat mixture
• give it all a good mix
• pour into prepared tin and make sure to really press the granola down (see 'the trick' heading above)
• bake on the middle shelf for 20 minutes
• remove tin from oven and use an off-set spatula or glass to press the mixture down quite firmly
• allow to cool in the tin
• slice into pieces and drizzle with the yoghurt drizzle if using
• store in the refrigerator in a covered container
• enjoy!

Yoghurt Drizzle

• mix icing sugar and yoghurt together till smooth
• pipe or use a spoon to drizzle over the bars

Notes

• granola bars keep for a couple of weeks refrigerated
• granola bars can be frozen for up to a month

Nutrition Information

Yield

10
Amount Per Serving Calories 0Total Fat 0gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 0mgCarbohydrates 0gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 0g