Nothing beats our homemade Granola Bars recipe that takes just 15 minutes to prep, no baking required, and they're healthier and less expensive than store-bought.
We have tons of healthy snacks you'll love, like our Banana Oat Muffins, Fruit Pops, Frozen Yogurt Recipe, or a Strawberry Banana Smoothie!
Chewy Granola Bars are my cure for hangry meltdowns
Chewy Granola Bars are my cure for hangry meltdownsA fridge stocked with ready-made snacks and healthy foods is what gets me through the grind of school-lunch and snack packing! I always try to have some healthy mini muffins, and our veggie bucket stocked with homemade ranch or hummus.
I love that our granola bars recipe is thick and chewy, and they don't fall apart. Customize them with favorite mix-ins like coconut, dried fruit, nuts, peanut butter, etc. If you're looking for an even healthier option, try Granola Bites, or Protein Bars.
How to make No Bake Granola Bars:
Combine Dry Ingredients: Pour oats, Rice Krispies cereal, and flaxseed into a large mixing bowl. Place parchment paper inside an 8 or 9 inch pan, leaving some overhang to pull them out.
Make Syrup: In an extra-large microwave safe bowl add butter, brown sugar, and honey. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Microwave again for 1 ½ minutes then remove and stir in vanilla.
Combine: Drizzle syrup over the oat/cereal mixture, gently stirring to coat. Stir in chocolate chips, then pour mixture into prepared pan, spreading into an even layer.
Press: Place another piece of parchment paper on top and press down with our palms, to press the mixture firmly into the pan. Press extra mini chocolate chips on top if you'd like, then refrigerate bars for 1-2 hours before cutting.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Bars will keep in an air-tight container for up to 7 days. Store in the fridge for firmer bars, or at room temp for softer bars.
To Freeze: Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil (or wrap individual bars in parchment paper and store in a freezer safe bag) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Healthy Snack Recipes:
- Chia Pudding
- Applesauce Muffins
- Healthy Banana Muffins
- Healthy Granola
- Instant Pot Yogurt
- Vanilla Protein Shake
- Chocolate Protein Shake
- Garlic and Parmesan Kale Chips
Follow me for more great recipes
Recipe
No Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups quick oats
- 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 6 Tablespoons butter*
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 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 some paper overhang.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl stir together oats, rice krispies cereal, and flaxseed.
- Microwave Wet ingredients: Add butter, brown sugar and honey to a large microwave safe bowl and cook for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir mixture until butter has melted. Return to microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Carefully remove from microwave and stir in vanilla.
- Combine: Drizzle mixture over dry ingredients, stirring gently until coated evenly. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into prepared pan, spreading into an even layer.
- Press into pan: Place a small piece of parchment over the mixture (or use lightly greased hands) and press mixture firmly into the pan. This is important so 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 airtight container in the fridge for firmer bars or at room temperature for softer bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Follow Me
I originally shared this recipe in May 2015. Updated May 2018 and August 2024.
This post contains affiliate links.
Love it! It stays together and I can send it to school!!!
I started making these as an alternative to store bought granola bars. My kids love granola bars, but I kept thinking I could make better. Being summer, I hate using the oven, so these were perfect. They love these more than any other bar they’ve ever gotten at the store. I add a non salted nut and fruit trail mix for my dried fruit and chop it up with a handful of chocolate chips in a mini chopper to make them easier to mix and eat.
I do need to play around and see if I can make a lower sugar version for my diabetic in laws….this is such a yummy, filling snack that I want to share with them at the next get together but definitely have to tweak. Any suggestions would be immensely helpful….
I purchased Nature’s Path Organic Love Crunch dark chocolate, cinnamon and cashew granola. How can I use your no bake recipe with this product?
I’m not familiar with that brand of granola, so I couldn’t say for sure–it would just require some testing–you could make a bigger batch of the syrup to pour over it and you may not end up using it all–just pour and stir until it seems the right consistency to press into a pan.
Hi Lauren! I just have to share with you my latest add-ins for your fabulous recipe (can you tell I’m a bit obsessed with it?):
1) orange zest, crushed anise seed, cinnamon and bits of candied ginger, 2) toasted unsweetened coconut flakes and dry-roasted, unsalted almonds, with a skinny drizzle of Ghirardelli dark melting wafers; 3) a scant teaspoon of instant espresso, walnuts, and a skinny drizzle of Ghirardelli dark melting wafers. I drizzle on the chocolate after cutting the bars while they’re still cold from the fridge. That way, the chocolate hardens immediately, and I can divide the bars into baggies and store them in the fridge.
Sometimes, I add too many nuts and other bits and the bars crumble in places. I use the crumbles to top my overnight oats.
Brilliant, Lauren! I’ve made these bazillion times over the past few weeks, and everyone loves them. I don’t know how you came up with the microwave caramel base, but a million thank yous for this recipe. For my add-ins, I use one cup Triple Berry Nut Trail Mix from Sam’s Club, which, in addition to dried berries, has almonds, cashews, walnuts, and some dark chocolate.
I also recently decided to try a sesame-peanut version (2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (with, not instead of, the flax), 1/2 tsp. sesame oil, and 1 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts. For a a little less sweetness, I subbed corn syrup for the honey, and I used Special K instead of rice krispies, because that’s what I had. And it works! Your recipe is so versatile. I can’t stop sharing the bars and the recipe.
Those sound amazing, thank you for sharing your ideas! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed this recipe 🙂
I was looking for an alternative to store-bought granola bars, and stumbled upon this recipe. It is incredibly easy, and the bars are absolutely delicious! My 17-year-old daughter loved them. I plan to make a triple batch to take to my co-workers this week.
Is there any way to reduce the sugar
Hi Breanna,
You could try cutting down the brown sugar and/or substituting a different sweetener!
I am working on my third batch. Just love this recipe and I do not get hungry all morning. I do add coconut and dried cranberries .
My kids love these but they are too sweet for me. Anyone have an idea how to reduce the sugar or honey but still have the stickiness needed to form the bars? A friend of mine suggested cinnamon which is a nice touch to counter balance the sweetness.
I would leave out the honey and replace it with a little bit extra butter.
Hi Lauren,
I’m looking forward to making these. I have a question. Do you need to use quick oats for this recipe to turn out? Or is it possible to use slow cooked or even steel cut oats? I have your skinny banana bread recipe in the oven right now and I’m really looking forward to trying it. Thank you for posting your recipes.
Hi Melissa, I haven’t experimented with steel cut oats–I don’t think they would soften enough if you add them raw, but If you par-cook them a little it may work, you’ll just need to play around with the dry/wet ratios of the mix until you get the right consistency to press them into the pan. 🙂 Hope you enjoyed the banana bread! (Also, I have an energy “bites” recipe that you may like instead that uses steel cut oats and you don’t have to cook them. https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/oatmeal-peanut-butter-energy-bites/ )