On-the-go breakfasts and snacks make life so much easier! Try my easy Chocolate Energy Balls for an added boost to your day, and my Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches can be premade and stocked up for months!
The Best Chewy Granola Bar Recipe
Mornings can be really tough, and on those days when you have no energy…what do you do for breakfast? These Chewy Granola Bars are always my go-to! My daughter is obsessed with store bought granola bars so I thought why not make our own! They take just 15 minutes to throw together, and this is also a no-bake recipe so once you’ve mixed the ingredients together you just pop the bars in the fridge to firm up. SO easy! This is also a fun recipe to get the kids in the kitchen and help you make these. They can pick there favorite add ins! See my suggestions below. These granola bars keep really well for up to a week, making them perfect for meal prep. You can serve them for breakfast or as a snack. They’re also perfect for kids lunch boxes or you can keep them at home for them to munch on after school. My favorite part of this recipe is that I know exactly what is going into these bars. No strange ingredients, just healthy wholesome ones…plus a little chocolate! If you like this recipe then you’ll love my Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe or my Energy Bites!
Ingredients in this Chewy Granola Bar Recipe
Oats: I use old-fashioned rolled oats in this recipe. Quick oats can also be used. Almonds & Pecans: Add a great crunch to the bars. If you don’t have any almonds or pecans on hand feel free to substitute cashews or walnuts. Honey: Sweetens the bars and helps to bind them together. Unsalted Butter: Melted butter helps to get a chewy texture. You can take it a step further and brown the butter before adding in the rest of the ingredients for added flavor. Light Brown Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness and a hint of caramel flavor to the bars. Vanilla: I add lots of vanilla extract for flavor! Salt: I love the sweet and salty combo! You can also sprinkle these with a pinch of sea salt. Chocolate Chips: I use mini chocolate chips however regular chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips would also work! You can also omit the chocolate if you prefer.
How to make this Chewy Granola Bar Recipe
Making your own granola bars at home is a lot easier to make than you think! Toast the oats and nuts: The first thing I do when making these bars is toast the oats, pecans, and almonds in the oven for a couple of minutes until golden brown and nutty. Melt the wet ingredients and sugar: Next, I melt butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan. Mix it all together: I toss the honey mixture with the oats and chocolate chips. Press and chill: Press the granola mixture into a 9 x 9 pan lined with aluminum foil. I like to refrigerate these for 2 hours to help them firm up. Slice and eat or store: Lift the aluminum up out of the pan and then slice the granola into 12 bars. The bars can be stored in the fridge for up to a week!
Tips for Success
Line the pan with foil or greaseproof paper before pressing in the granola mixture. This makes cutting the bars much easier, and cleanup is a breeze! Make a double batch if you have a lot of mouths to feed or you can freeze half for later. Toast the oats and nuts! Don’t skip this step! It makes the world of difference and can bring stale nuts back to life. Save some chocolate chips to sprinkle on top before pressing the bars into the pan. It looks good (it is chocolate after all) and we eat with our eyes. When something looks particularly tempting we savor it more! Make sure to really press down the bars before refrigerating. This helps them stay together!
How to Store Homemade Granola Bars
Store these chocolate chip granola bars in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap. Keep them in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze them in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 6 months. Thaw completely before eating.
Is this chewy granola bar recipe healthy? This particular recipe is pretty healthy, loaded with lots of oats and nuts. Plenty of fiber and a little protein to keep you going. How do you make granola bars not fall apart? In this recipe, the granola bars stick together because of the honey and the sugar. It melts and then sticks to the oats, keeping everything intact. Then, as the bars are set in the fridge, they firm up as a solid chocolate chip granola bar. Also making sure to really press the bars down in the pan before refrigerating makes a big difference too! Can I add anything else in? Absolutely! These chocolate chip granola bars are fully customizable. Here are a few suggestions:Hemp SeedsChia SeedsFlax SeedsWalnutsCashewsDark Chocolate ChipsWhite Chocolate ChipsPeanut Butter ChipsShredded CoconutRaisinsCraisins
Here are more breakfast recipes to try!
Copycat Kind Granola Bars Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars Easy Breakfast Cookies Almond Joy Energy Balls Healthy Baked Oatmeal Coconut-Pecan Chocolate Chip Granola Energy Balls
