What if we told you that you could make the crispiest, chewiest, yummiest granola bars in as little as 15-minutes? It's true! Today we're sharing the ultimate chewy granola bar recipe.
How GOOD do those look?! We're going to teach you how to make the best-ever chewy granola bars today. They're a delicious and filling snack option for the kids and the grownups, and they're super easy to whip up.
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Grab your apron and a few simple ingredients, and let's get to baking! We'll walk you through every step of the process, share recipe modifications to try, and of course, dish out all the secrets to making a perfect chewy granola bar. Here we go!
OTHER CHEWY GRANOLA BAR FLAVOR COMBOS TO TRY
The beauty of this recipe is that there are ENDLESS flavor combinations to try! You could make this recipe a thousand times and end up something totally new each time! Mix it up to your heart's content. Here are some combos we're dying to try:
- Cinnamon and Pecan
- White Chocolate and Dried Blueberries
- Dried Pineapple and Coconut
- White Chocolate, Macadamia Nut, and Dried Cherries
- Chocolate Chips and Dried Strawberries
- Butterscotch and Peanut Butter Chips
Shelf cook this one up and use whatever you have! If you've got some leftover Halloween or Valentine's candy, you can even try crushing those up for your granola bars. And this brings us to our next point: substitutions!
HOW TO MODIFY THIS GRANOLA BAR RECIPE
Running low on an ingredient or two? Well, don't you worry! We've got ideas:
- Rice Krispies Substitute – If you don't have any Rice Krispies in the pantry, you can use Cheerios instead.
- Almond Substitute – No almonds? Try another nut! Pecans, cashews, or macadamia nuts work well, too. Just chop them up!
- Brown Sugar Substitute – We know; it happens! Check out these brown sugar substitute ideas.
- Honey Substitute – If you're running low on honey, you can sub in some maple syrup instead.
Now you're ready for anything! Seriously, don't be scared to experiment with this one. If you have dried fruits, seeds, or nuts lying around, this is the perfect time to use them! Just try to stick to use the measurements we've provided as a guideline, so you don't alter this chewy granola bar recipe's consistency.
HOW TO STORE THESE CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
Guess what? These granola bars are the perfect make-ahead snack because you can freeze them! Toss one in your kiddo's lunchbox, and it will be thawed by lunchtime. Sweet!
Plan to eat your granola bars within a week? Just drop them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature! They're probably fine a few days past a week, but after 8-10 days, they start to go stale. So, if you don't think you can eat them all in time, go ahead freeze a few!
To freeze, just wrap them individually with plastic wrap or parchment paper, then pop them in a freezer bag and label. Be sure to use within two months.
And now, the time has come! Let's get to the recipe, you guys.
LEARN TO MAKE CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
Who's excited?! This is a fun recipe to make with kids. Little hands love helping choose add-ins and pressing the mixture into the pan. And frankly, we think this is the BEST granola bar recipe around. Bar none!
The Ultimate Chewy Granola Bar Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1½ cup Rice Krispies
- 4 tbsp butter
- ⅔ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1½ cup add-ins of your choice we used ½ cup each of unsweetened coconut, banana chips, and chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Toss together the old-fashioned oats and sliced almonds. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until golden, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt together the butter, honey, and brown sugar. Stir in vanilla and salt, set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix your add-ins, rice puffs, and toasted mixture. The pour-over sugar mix and stir well. If using chocolate chips, let cool 10 minutes before adding.
- Line a 13×9 inch pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Pour granola bar mixture into the pan. Spray a second piece of parchment lightly with cooking spray and lay over the top, spray side down. Press the granola mixture into the pan well, using your hand or the back of a measuring cup. Take your time on this step; it keeps any granola bar recipe from crumbling when cut.
- Bake for 25 minutes and then allow to cool for 2 hours before cutting.
Notes
Why did we choose a baked recipe instead of a no-bake? You KNOW we believe in keeping things simple, but there is a method to our madness! We found the no-bake kind to be visually unappealing, but they also fell apart SUPER easily. We wanted these to be great grab-and-go snacks for your family, so baking ensured they stayed together, were crispy and chewy, and took on a beautiful golden color.
Round up the kids and make a batch of these granola bars together! It's a fun bonding experience, and you'll all be so proud when you take that first bite.
We hope you love these as much as we do! Quick question: what's your favorite granola bar flavor?
Looking for a few more delicious recipes to try?
- Satisfy your sweet tooth with these ridiculously delicious ooey-gooey bars.
- These make-ahead French toast sticks are a breakfast go-to around here.
- Round up your leftovers and give this chimichanga recipe a try!
Raise the bar on snacking with these granola bars!