No Bake Granola Bars

Thick and chewy No Bake Granola Bars that wont fall apart! This easy recipe is easily adaptable to include your favorite add-ins, like chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, coconut and peanut butter!

I feel like a supermom when I have homemade snacks on hand for my kids. It just makes life easier! Whenever I make these no bake granola bars I have to factor in my husband taking some to work too, because we all love them so much!

I’m not going to tout these as the healthiest granola bars ever, but I love that I can at least control what ingredients go in them.  Store-bought granola bars are typically packed with sugar and they don’t even taste very good.

There are a few reasons I obsess over these no bake granola bars.

1. No baking required: all you need is a microwave or stovetop. I live in Arizona, so turning on my oven during the summer months is just not an option.
2. They are thick and chewy and they wont fall apart when you cut or eat them!
3. You can customize these granola bars a million different ways. Take the base recipe and add coconut, dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter etc. You can’t go wrong.

If you’re looking for an even healthier kids snack, you should definitely try these Healthy No Bake Granola Bites.

How to make No Bake Granola Bars:

Line an 8 or 9 inch pan with parchment paper, or no-stick foil. Leave some overhang on the sides so that you will be able to pull the bars up and out of the pan when it’s time to cut them.

Add the oats, rice krispies cereal and flaxseed to a large mixing bowl.

In a separate large bowl add the butter, brown sugar and honey. Be sure to use a large bowl so the mixture doesn’t boil over in the microwave.

Cook for 1 minute, then stir the mixture until the butter has melted and everything is smooth. Microwave again for 1 ½ minutes.

Carefully remove from the microwave and stir in vanilla. Pour hot mixture over the oat/cereal mixture and stir gently to coat.

Stir in chocolate chips. Just give them a quick stir, so they don’t have time to melt too much.

Pour mixture into lined pan and smooth into an even layer.

Grab another piece of parchment paper and lay it over the top of the bars. Use the palms of your hand to press down really firmly on the bars. You can’t press them too firmly. This will help them stick together well.

Press extra mini chocolate chips on top, if you’d like. Refrigerate them for 1 to 2 hours. If you’re in a hurry you could stick them in the freezer for 20 minutes or so until they’re really firm.

Once you see how easy granola bars are to make from scratch, you’ll never go back to the packaged ones.

Also, did I mention you can FREEZE the finished bars? They’re perfect for those of you who are uber organized and want to have grab and go snacks ready for your family.

LOOKING FOR MORE HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS? TRY SOME OF MY OTHER FAVORITES:

• Healthy Applesauce Oat Muffins
• Strawberry Banana Protein Smoothie
• No-Bake Granola Bars
• Healthy No-Bake Granola Bites
• Tomato Avocado Melt
• Citrus Fruit Salad

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST for more great recipes!

Recipe

4.97 from 52 votes

No Bake Granola Bars

Thick and chewy No Bake Granola Bars that wont fall apart. These delicious homemade granola bars are easily adaptable to include your favorite add-ins, like chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, coconut and peanut butter!

Print Pin Rate

Author Lauren Allen

Course Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 18

Calories 165

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 3 minutes mins

Refrigeration 1 hour hr

Total 1 hour hr 13 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed (optional)
• ▢ 6 Tablespoons butter (*see note)
• ▢ 1/3 cup honey
• ▢ 3/4 cup light brown sugar , packed
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips , or other favorite add-in's

Instructions

 

• Line 8 or 9’’ square pan with parchment paper, with paper some overhang. 
• In a large mixing bowl stir together oats, rice krispies cereal and flaxseed.
• Add butter, brown sugar and honey to a large microwave safe bowl and heat mixture on HIGH power for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir mixture until butter has melted. Return to microwave and heat on HIGH power for 1 ½ minutes. 
• Carefully remove from microwave and stir in vanilla. Pour over oats mixture and stir gently until coated evenly. Gently stir in chocolate chips. 
• Pour mixture into prepared pan. Lightly grease your hands with cooking spray and press the mixture evenly into the pan. 
• Lay a piece of parchment or wax paper over the top of the bars and press extra firmly all around the pan to flatten the bars. This is the most important step to insure they don't crumble when you cut them.
• Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top and press them gently onto the tops of the bars. 
  
• Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours before pulling up on the parchment paper to remove them from the pan and cut them.  
• Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for firmer bars or at room temperature for softer bars). 
Bars are best enjoyed within 7 days.

Notes

Butter: You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt in with the butter and sugar mixture.  You could also substitute coconut oil, but only cook for 2 minutes (total) in the microwave, instead of 2 ½ minutes.

Other mix ins: Substitute the chocolate chips for other favorite mix-ins, like chopped almonds, coconut, or Craisins.

To Freeze: You can freeze these homemade granola bars! Wrap each individually in plastic wrap and then freeze them in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag.

Nutrition

Calories: 165kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 52mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 285IUVitamin C: 1.5mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1.4mg

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I originally shared this recipe in May 2015. Updated May 2018.