Chewy Granola Bars

Chewy Granola Bars are packed full of flavor. The combination of peanut butter, chocolate, oats, and peanuts satisfies hunger and sweet tooth cravings. This no bake recipe is easily adapted to whatever cereal and add-ins you have on hand.

Why you’ll love this recipe

When you buy a packaged bar, you have to choose from the flavor combinations on the shelf. That can be very limiting, especially if you have food sensitivities or allergies.

With this easy, no bake recipe you can make homemade granola bars with your preferred flavors and none of the ingredients you don’t like or can’t eat.

This is a chewy bar with crunchy ingredients. The flavors and texture continue to improve after a few days, which makes them ideal for care packages, lunch boxes, and as grab-and-go snacks.

Consider this recipe a granola bar blueprint. Following the quantities indicated in the recipe, you can make these bars with whatever nut/seed butter, cereals and add-ins you like.

Instructions

This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.

1. Combine the quick cooking oats and cereal in a large bowl.
2. In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix together the honey, golden syrup, and brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat.
3. Stir in the nut butter, until melted and smooth.

4. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the oat mixture and stir until combined.
5. Mix in all add-ins such as chocolate chips and nuts.

6. Spread the granola bar mixture evenly in a greased baking pan.
7. Cover with a sheet of wax paper and press down very firmly to compress the ingredients. Using a smaller baking pan on top to press is helpful.
8. Allow the mixture to cool and firm before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.

Storage

Store the bars at room temperature in an airtight container in layers separated by wax paper.

For great grab-and-go packaging, wrap each bar in wax paper and place in a ziplock plastic bag or wrap individually in plastic wrap.

Granola bars will stay fresh for up to 10 days.

Tips and variations

• Golden syrup is sugar syrup with a caramel flavor that is very popular in the United Kingdom. In the US it is available at some supermarkets (usually in the pancake syrup or baking aisle), World Market, and online. Though it can be replaced in this recipe with corn syrup or honey, the flavor of golden syrup is especially good.
• For the ½ cup total of liquid sweetener, you can substitute any combination of corn syrup, Golden Syrup, and/or honey.
• Use 2 cups of your choice of cereal. One batch of the bars in the photographs were made with rice krispies cereal and another batch was made with corn flakes. Other possibilities include Cheerios, Chex, corn puffs, or quinoa puffs.
• The ½ cup of nut butter can be varied with peanut butter, tree nut butter, sunflower seed butter, soy butter, or Biscoff butter.
• Variations for the ½ cup of add-ins include: chopped or slivered nuts, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, chopped fruit bits), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, or shredded coconut.
• Use your favorite flavor for the ½ cup of chips or mini chips, such as dark/semisweet/milk chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter.
• This is the glass baking dish that I use when making these bars. I use glass so that I can easily cut the bars directly in the dish without scratching the pan.

Frequently asked questions

More no-bake treats

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies are bite sized cookies with just 4 ingredients!

Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Cookies are chewy treats with crunchy bits of freeze dried banana.

Peanut Butter Krispie Bars are cereal bars speckled with chocolate candy and sprinkles.

If you love breakfast bars with oats, next time try these baked Oatmeal Fruit Bars!

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Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

These homemade chewy granola bars are full of peanut butter, chocolate, oats, and peanuts that satisfies hunger and sweet tooth cravings.

5 from 1 vote

Print Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 15

Calories: 215kcal

Author: Wendy Sondov

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick cook oats
• 2 cups crispy rice cereal or brown rice cereal
• ¼ cup honey
• ¼ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup or corn syrup or additional honey
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup nut butter such as peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Instructions

• Use butter or non-stick spray to coat a 9”x12” pan for easy removal.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and rice cereal. Set aside.
• In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add honey, syrup, and brown sugar. Stir constantly, until the sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat and mix in nut butter.
• Immediately, pour the honey mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir to coat and combine.
• Add the nuts and chips and stir to distribute. The granola will be very stiff and hard to mix.
• Spread the granola into the prepared pan.
• VERY IMPORTANT: Place a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper over the pan and firmly press the granola into the pan. The mixture must be compressed or you will end up with granola snack mix and not granola bars.
• Allow the bars to cool and become firm for about 30 minutes. (15 minutes in the refrigerator).
• Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.
• Store the bars at room temperature in an airtight container in layers separated by wax paper. For grab-and-go packaging, wrap each bar in wax paper and place in a ziplock plastic bag or wrap individually in plastic wrap. Granola bars will stay fresh for up to 10 days.

Notes

• Golden syrup is sugar syrup with a caramel flavor that is very popular in the United Kingdom. In the US it is available at some supermarkets (usually in the pancake syrup or baking aisle), World Market, and online. Though it can be replaced in this recipe with corn syrup or honey, the flavor of golden syrup is especially good.
• For the ½ cup total of liquid sweetener, you can substitute any combination of corn syrup, Golden Syrup, and/or honey.
• Use 2 cups of your choice of cereal. One batch of the bars in the photographs were made with crispy brown rice cereal and another batch was made with corn flakes. Other possibilities include Cheerios, Chex, corn puffs, or quinoa puffs.
• The ½ cup of nut butter can be varied with peanut butter, tree nut butter, sunflower seed butter, soy butter, or Biscoff butter.
• Variations for the ½ cup of add-ins include: chopped or slivered nuts, dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, chopped fruit bits), seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame), or shredded coconut.
• Use your favorite flavor for the ½ cup of chips, such as dark/semisweet/milk chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter.

Packing tips

Wrap the granola bars in plastic wrap, individually or in pairs separated with a piece of wax paper. Self-sealing cellophane bags can also be used. Place the wrapped bundles snuggly in an airtight container or freezer weight ziplock bag.

Nutrition

Calories: 215kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 151mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg

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First Published: June 2012. Last Updated: March 18, 2022. Updated for additional information and better reader experience.

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