Granola Bar Recipe

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Cool: 2 hrs

Total: 2 hrs 55 mins

Servings: 12 servings

Yield: 12 bars

These homemade granola bars are made from a basic recipe, but it is one that can be easily adjusted according to your particular palate. They are wholesome, slightly sweet, and filled with nutritious ingredients.

If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape. If, however, the mixture feels too sticky to be able to spread in the pan, simply wet your fingers lightly before pressing it into the pan.

Homemade granola bars can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container or individually wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. They keep for up to one week at room temperature. And they make a great snack for working from home, after school, lunchboxes, or for any time.

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1 cup almonds, sliced

• 1 cup shredded coconut

• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ

• 2/3 cup honey

• 1/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup raisins

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Steps to Make It

1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick foil, letting it hang at least an inch over the edges of the pan.

   

2. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, sliced almonds, and coconut.

   

3. Spread mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally to prevent overbrowning.

   

4. Transfer the toasted oat mixture back to the large bowl and stir in the wheat germ. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F.

   

5. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 1 minute.

   

6. Pour the hot honey mixture over the oatmeal mixture.

   

7. Add the raisins and sunflower seeds, then stir well.

   

8. Pour granola mixture into the prepared pan, then lightly press it into an even layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

   

9. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours.

   

10. Use the foil overhang to transfer the bars to a cutting board, then slide away the foil and cut into bars. Serve at room temperature. Enjoy!

    

Variations

When making homemade granola bars, you can swap in your favorite nuts, dried fruit, and seeds as long as you keep the proportions of dry to wet ingredients the same. Many people love a hint of chocolate in their granola bars. You can sprinkle some chocolate chips over the tops of the bars after they have been pressed into the pan, but chocolate chips can’t be mixed in or they will melt. Chocolate can also be melted and drizzled on top of granola bars.

Instead of the almonds, raisins, and sunflower seeds you can try these combinations:

• Chopped walnuts, dried cranberries, and flaxseeds
• Chopped macadamia nuts, chopped dried pineapple, and sesame seeds
• Chopped pistachios, chopped dates, and pumpkin seeds

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	336
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g	19%
Saturated Fat 5g	23%
Cholesterol 8mg	3%
Sodium 447mg	19%
Total Carbohydrate 48g	18%
Dietary Fiber 5g	18%
Total Sugars 30g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 57mg	4%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 358mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.