Have you ever made your own homemade granola bars? This Best Homemade Honey Nut Granola bars are crispy and not too sweet, packed with protein, these granola bars are naturally sweetened by dates and honey and loaded with oats, nuts, coconut, and dried fruits. These are pretty darn simple granola bars AND amazingly delicious and are a cinch to make. These healthy bars great for fast breakfasts or child’s lunch box or after school snacks for your kids and taste BETTER than a store-bought bar, if you ask me!
This recipe is easily adaptable to use any other nut or seed butters you have on hand.If you have kids make these! Heck, even if you don’t, make ’em anyways. On those busy mornings when you don’t have time for breakfast, there’s nothing easier than tossing a bar into your bag.
They are perfect for freezing and sending in lunch boxes or for quick after-school snacks!
What Makes Granola Bars Stick Together?
The key to making these homemade granola bars stick together is boiling the honey for exactly 1 minute. This makes the honey harden slightly as it cools, giving these bars the classic “chewy” texture that I love in a store-bought granola bar.
And blend a cup of dates to paste which helps to bind the mixture together and act as a natural sweetener.
If you’re vegan and would rather not use honey, you can do the exact same method using maple syrup instead. In my experience, maple syrup hardens a bit more than honey, so the resulting bars have a slightly more crisp texture, but they are equally delicious!
WHAT IS IN GRANOLA BARS?
To make these healthy granola bar recipe, you will need:
- Oats: I used old-fashioned oats for this recipe to make the bars nice and chewy.
- Nuts and Dry Fruits : It gives these bars delicious flavor and crunch.
- Honey : To sweeten the bars and help them hold together.
- Sea salt: To bring out all the flavors!
- Vanilla extract: For flavor!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS?
Alright, let’s do this! To make these homemade granola bars, simply:
- Toast oats and nuts: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then spread the oats and nuts on a baking sheet and toast them for about 8-10 minutes. This step keeps these from being a 100% no-bake granola bar, but it adds a wonderful toasty flavor that I think granola bars really need.
- Melt honey : In a small saucepan, add honey and heat over medium heat for a minute.
- Add vanilla and salt to the honey , then pour over the oats and nuts: If you plan to add any sort of chocolate, let this cool for at least 10-15 minutes.
- Add dates puree : Gently stir in , being careful not to over mix anything.
- Press into a square pan lined with a parchment paper : Spraying the foil with cooking spray first helps the granola bars to release better later for cutting. Press the granola bar mixture firmly into the pan using a piece of parchment paper on top and pressing with your hands all the way to the edges to get it nice and tightly packed.
- Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours: This helps the bars set up so that they are easier to cut and hold together better. If you find they are too hard to cut, let them sit on the counter for 10 minutes, then try again.
- Cut into bars and store or serve: Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil or parchment out and transferring them to a cutting board. Then use a large knife to cut the bars (works so much better than a small knife or cutting them in the pan). The granola bars will keep well stored in an airtight container or plastic Ziploc bag on the counter for up to 1 week with pieces of parchment or waxed paper between layers to keep them from sticking, or wrap them individually in parchment or waxed paper and keep them in the freezer in a large Ziploc bag for up to 2 months.
HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS?
We’ve found that homemade granola bars stay fresh for about 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Any longer than that and they tend to become a little stale.
CAN YOU FREEZE GRANOLA BARS?
Yes, absolutely you can freeze granola bars! I like to wrap the bars individually first with waxed paper or parchment paper, then store in large, labeled Ziploc bags so I know which variety of granola bar I’m getting. They freeze well for up to 2 months. To thaw, just pull however many granola bars you want out of the freezer and leave them on the counter for 30 minutes
They are known to be superb energy boosters. It ideal to have a crunchy granola bar is as a breakfast option on-the-go or post a healthy workout.
Granola bars are gradually becoming very popular in India, especially among working professionals, hikers and anyone looking for a quick yet delicious pick-me-up.
When it comes to benefits, these Granola Bar is filled to the brim with vitamins, minerals, and all the necessary energy you need to keep you on your feet through the day, without taking you down. Here’s how granola bars can do wonders for your body, and therefore, your mind!
- Reduces cholesterol
- Boosts Energy
- Prevents Anaemia
- Great Source of Vitamin E
- Great Source of Protein and Fiber
- Helps Weight Loss
- Helps Increase Cognitive Activity
Let’s see how to make this granola bars at home,
Honey Nut Granola Bars Recipe
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup sliced almonds, pistachios and cashew
2/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup dates, blended
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup dried fruit, such as cranberries, raisins, etc.
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Spread the oats and nuts onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 7 minutes. Add the coconut and toss well with a rubber spatula, then place back in the oven to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Keep an eye on it towards the end; you want the coconut to turn golden but not burn.
- In the meantime, In a small saucepan, add honey and heat over medium heat for a minute.Whisk and bring to a rapid boil, then turn off the heat and set aside.
- Add vanilla and salt to the honey , then pour over the oats and nuts.
- Gently stir in the dates puree, dried fruits and be careful not to overmix anything.
- Transfer the mixture to a square pan lined with parchment paper and press the mixture firmly into the pan using a piece of parchment paper on top and pressing with your hands all the way to the edges to get it nice and tightly packed.
- Chill in fridge for 1 hour to set up the bars so that they are easier to cut and hold together better.
- Transfer the bars to a cutting board, then use a large, sharp knife to cut into rectangles. Store the bars in a single layer in an airtight container, or wrap the bars individually in aluminum foil, for up to a week at room temperature.
Notes:
- You can swap in your favorite nuts and seeds as long as you keep the proportions of dry to wet ingredients the same. You can also toss in some dried fruit. On occasion, I’ll sprinkle some chocolate chips over top for the kids (you can’t mix them in or they’ll melt).
- Be sure your oven is fully preheated before toasting nuts; the initial blast of heat to preheat the oven can burn them.
- Freezer-Friendly: Wrap the bars individually first with waxed paper or parchment paper, then store in large Ziploc bags. They freeze well for up to 2 months.Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.