Healthy Granola Bar Recipe
This Healthy Granola Bar Recipe is packed with nutrition, flavor, and wholesome ingredients. Perfect for on-the-go snacking and will satisfy your sweet cravings!
Servings: 12 granola bars
Ingredients
- 2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup almonds roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup rice krispies or rice crispy cereal
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds optional
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup peanut butter or almond butter (not the drippy kind)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Toast the oats and almonds (optional)
- Place the oats and almonds on a baking sheet and bake for 5minutes or just until toasted at 350 degrees F. Let cool. *this is optional, you can also leave the oats and almonds raw, I prefer the toasted flavor.
To make granola bars
- In a large bowl, add toasted oats, almonds, rice crispy cereal, ground flaxseed, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
- In a small microwavable bowl add honey, vanilla extract, sugar, peanut butter. Heat in 30 second intervals just until warm. Alternatively, you an also warm the ingredients in a small saucepan on the stove for a few minutes. Stir until all the ingredients are melted together.
- Pour the liquid mixture over the dry mixture and thoroughly mix well until all of the ingredients are combined.
- Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips until they are evenly mixed in together.
- Transfer the mixture to a a 8x8 inch baking pan or 9x9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Gently press down firmly on the mixture until evenly flattened. I recommend using something flat like a drinking glass to help pack the bars together. Place the pan in the refrigerator to firm up and set for 2 hours, or you can place them in the freezer for 15-30 minutes.
- Remove bars from pan by lifting the parchment paper out and cut into 12 even bars or squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- To Store Leftovers: Store in an airtight container or wrap each bar in wax paper. You can also store bars in the refrigerator which will last a bit longer. They will last up to 2 weeks when properly stored at room temperature and will last 3 weeks when stored in the refrigerator.
- To Freeze: Wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe bag. When you want to defrost a bar, leave it out in the counter for 20 minutes or so or in the refrigerator overnight.