Store-bought granola bars are mostly compressed sugar and palm oil with some oat dust on top. Read the label sometime. Making your own takes twenty minutes and you actually know what’s in them. This recipe uses peanut butter as the binder instead of loads of added sugar, which means the bars hold together without tasting like a candy bar. Goji berries are optional if you think they’re pretentious. Golden raisins work fine. The muesli base with flax and sunflower seeds gives these real texture, not the chalky softness of commercial bars. Cut them while still warm or you’ll be wrestling with them once cold.
How to Make Granola Bars
Getting the peanut butter mix right
Warm the peanut butter and syrup gently before mixing. Cold peanut butter doesn’t incorporate evenly and you end up with dry patches in the finished bars. A quick thirty seconds in the microwave is all it needs. Stir until fully combined before adding to the dry mix.
Press hard
Once the mixture is in the pan, press it down firmly and evenly. Lightly greased hands help. Bars that aren’t compressed tightly enough fall apart when you cut them. Use the flat bottom of a glass if your hands aren’t doing the job. 
Cutting and cooling
Score the bars as soon as they come out of the oven, before they fully set. Let them cool in the pan completely before separating. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Granola Bars
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Makes 16 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Homemade granola bars are a fantastic treat,
perfect for busy mornings or afternoon snacks.
Ingredients
- 1 cups (237 ml) agave syrup or honey
- 0.67 cups (158 ml) chunky natural peanut butter
- 2.67 cups (635 ml) muesli with flax and sunflower seeds, or rolled oats
- 1 cups (237 ml) whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) golden raisins
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) dried goji berries
- 0.5 cups (118 ml) chopped almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine the syrup and peanut butter until well mixed.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients.
- Add the peanut butter-syrup mixture to the dry ingredients and combine.
- Lightly grease your hands and press the mixture into the pan, flattening into a uniform sheet.
- Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Cool for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and cut into bars.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
- For easier mixing, gently warm the peanut butter and syrup before combining.
- If the mixture is too dry, add a tablespoon of water or milk at a time until it comes together.
- To make these bars vegan, substitute honey with maple syrup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Oven-Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 15
- Sodium: 50
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Also check out this recipe for chewy granola bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rolled oats instead of muesli?
You can. Rolled oats work well as a direct substitute. You will lose the flax and sunflower seeds that come in the muesli, so consider adding a tablespoon of each separately.
How should I store these granola bars?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. For longer storage, wrap individually and freeze for up to two months.
Can I replace the peanut butter with another nut butter?
Almond butter or cashew butter both work. Use chunky versions for more texture. The bars may be slightly softer with almond butter since it tends to be thinner than peanut butter.
