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If you’re ready for a wholesome and delicious way to start the day, these Honey Oat Granola Bars are perfection. Made with simple pantry staples, you’ll never have the need for store-bought breakfast bars ever again.
The best part about making homemade granola bars is that they’re really simple to do. When you can make a delicious oat bar recipe like this one and have success every time, why not keep going with that tasty momentum? While these are great to meal prep for a quick breakfast, they’re also good for simple snacks throughout the day as well.
why you’ll love these oat and honey granola bars
- Fast, flavorful, and easy to make!
- Loaded with healthy ingredients to start the day.
- Perfectly crisp outer layer with a nice chewy texture
Ingredients to make Honey Oat Granola Bars
- Old fashioned rolled oats: Quick oats won’t work for this recipe since they are softer so make sure that you have old fashioned oats.
- Whole almonds: Adding whole almonds adds a great crunch to these simple granola bars. You can also chop them up lightly.
- Honey: The honey helps to add natural sweetness and is the binding agent that keeps all the ingredients sticking together.
- Dark brown sugar: Just a bit of brown sugar to add a tad bit more sweetness!
- Unsalted butter: If you only have unsalted butter to use for this recipe, make sure to omit the extra added salt.
- Flavoring: Vanilla extra, cinnamon and salt to balance the sweetness.
- Ground flaxseed: When you can add flaxseed to recipes, do so! This is a great way to add a big boost of fiber and it helps bind the ingredients together as well similar to a flax egg.
How to make granola bars
- First roast the oats and almonds. It’s a good idea to chop the almonds into smaller pieces which will minimize the granola bars from falling part, but it’s not necessary. After you have the oats and almonds toasted, you can proceed with the recipe as follows
- Add the brown sugar, honey, and butter into a small saucepan on the stove.
- Once melted and mixed well, add in the vanilla and seasonings.
- Combine the mixture with the toasted oats and almonds in the pan.
- Place the mixture into a square pan and press it down so it’s firmly packed together.
- After chilling in the fridge, remove the granola mixture from the pan.
- Cut the granola mixture into bars and enjoy!
Tips for making no bake granola bars
- Use a square baking pan with even straight edges. That creates the best outcome for cutting straight granola bars that look like they’re store bought.
- Double grease your 8” x 8” pan if needed. The pans I use are so great for non-stick baking. But if are worried about yours, I recommend greasing the baking pan, lining it with parchment paper, and then greasing the parchment paper.
- Press down the mixture tightly into the pan. Since you’re not actually putting the granola bar mixture into the oven, press the mixture down in the pan well. Pressing down the granola with the back of a spatula or parchment paper will help it to stick together and not fall apart when cutting it.
- Don’t skip the toasting step. This helps them to dry out they won’t release too much moisture that could otherwise make the granola bars soggy. It also helps to enhance their flavor so they are more nutty and pronounced. Make sure to spread them apart and shake the pan a couple times while toasting.
popular substitutions & additions
- Switch out the almonds. If almonds aren’t your favorite, feel free to substitute with any other nut you like, including walnuts, pecans, cashews, or hazelnuts!
- Add dried fruit: Adding in dried fruit like raisins, craisins, or even chopped up dates can be a great way to add a hint of natural sweetness. Add between ¼ and ½ cup.
- Add chocolate chips: There’s always room for chocolate, right? Chocolate chips or even cocoa nibs are a great flavor for this recipe. Make sure to allow the granola mixture to cool before adding the chocolate chips so they don’t melt. Add between ¼ and ½ cup.
- Make it vegan. If you’d like to make these vegan, you can substitute coconut oil for the butter and agave or maple syrup for the honey. Just be aware that some of these substitutions will bring their own flavors into the mix—if you don’t want your granola bars to have tropical or pancake breakfast vibes, make sure to use agave syrup and refined coconut oil, which are both neutral in flavor.
how to store breakfast granola bars
best way to store homemade granola bars
Keeping the granola bars airtight is key. As long as you have them in a container with a lid that will lock out the air, this is the best way to keep them fresh.
how long will healthy granola bars last in the fridge?
You can store these in the fridge for up to 7 days as long as they are sealed in an airtight container. These can also be stored at room temperature as well, for the same duration of time.
can i freeze granola bars?
Yes. If you want to freeze this granola recipe, just make the recipe in its entirety and then freezer the individual granola bars. Wrapping them in saran wrap and them putting them inside a freezer-safe bag is the best way to make sure that they’re not freezer-burnt.
Frequently asked questions
You may not have added enough honey to keep the ingredients stuck together. Also, make sure that you’re adding enough pressure to pack them tightly in the pan and letting them rest in the fridge for at least two hours prior to cutting into them.
In our house it does! It’s a fast and easy breakfast that we all love and they are great on-the-go on the way to school for the kids.
Pairing granola bars with eggs, yogurt, or even a bowl of fresh fruit helps to complete a well balanced breakfast for everyone to enjoy.
As you can see, this simple breakfast granola bar recipe is one that not only looks great but is loaded with great flavors, too! These would be perfect to meal prep for the week so that everyone can grab a quick breakfast as they’re running out the door!
More homemade bar recipes:
- Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Caramel Apple Granola Bars
- Honey Nut Cereal Bars
- Pecan Date Bars
- Healthy Rice Krispie Treats
- Vegan Protein Bars
- How to Make Granola
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Honey Oat Granola Bars recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Honey Oat Granola Bars
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup whole almonds chopping optional
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed half baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the oats and chopped almonds in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and bake until light brown and smelling toasty, stirring regularly, about 10-15 minutes.
- Line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper.
- While the oats and almonds are toasting, combine the honey, brown sugar, and butter in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until melted. Stir in salt, cinnamon, and vanilla, then fold in the toasted oats mixture and ground flaxseed until evenly distributed.
- Scrape into prepared baking pan and spread out. Use a piece of parchment paper to press down and level out the mixture to the edges.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Once solid, lift from the pan using the parchment paper, and use a very sharp knife to cut into 12 granola bars.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
These are so good! I added a little pure maple syrup with the honey!
Yum, sounds great! Thank you!!
Wow
So happy you liked them!
Easy to make and absolutely delicious!! I added chocolate chips at the end and although they melted, the bars still tasted awesome. Great recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Yay, so happy you enjoyed the recipe! You’re welcome!
These were easy. I had everything on hand and they were a hit.
That’s great!! So happy you liked them, Carol! Thanks!
Are these soft or hard granola bars?
Good question! They have a crunch to them but they’re soft on inside.
Just made these delectable treats! Easy peasy. Thx for the awesome recipe! Added 1/4 cup chocolate chips and 1/4 cup chopped dates. Perfectly fabulous! We can’t stop eating them……
Yay, so happy you liked them! Chocolate chips and dates are great additions!
Hello Yumna from Riyadh
I just made this recipe but used organic coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.
Question: When I pack the dry and wet ingredients, after thorough mixing, into the baking pan, plastic wrap did not work well as the pan was hot. Should I have waited a bit for it to cool down, or used aluminum foil instead?
Thank you
Hi Ibrahim! This recipe calls for a baking sheet, like you’d bake cookies on and then an 8×8 baking dish. The 8×8 baking dish should not be heated, it’s just used to help shape the bars. If you want to use the baking sheet you put in the oven to mold the bars, I do recommend letting it cool before adding the plastic wrap or you can use aluminum foil. Hope that helps!
Thank you Yumna
The recipe has become a favorite in our household.
Hello, if I were to switch the brown sugar for more honey or agave, would it bind together well still?
I think that brown sugar’s stickiness helps bind ingredients together better than honey. If you switch to honey or agave, I am not positive it will bind as well. If you decide to try it, let me know how it works out.
Sooo easy and delicious. I’m in the south, it’s hot … don’t heat up the kitchen for these easy, no bake yummies
I made these treats for the guys at my husband’s work. So doubled the recipe…
I don’t always have the right ingredients so for me this is the ULTIMATE!
Used half syrup and half honey, added chopped dates (an ingredient i have never used but found that on your site too lol) at same time as the choc chips and drizzled way too much chocolate on them. Yum
LOL that sounds so good! I am glad you like the granola bars! Thanks so much for making them.
Amazing bars! I already made it 3 times. My husband asks me every day to make more! Thank you for another great recipe!!!!!
Thank you so much, Tatiana! I am so glad it’s a hit in your house!
These are so good! I leave out the brown sugar because to me, they are deliciously sweet without it. Adding mini chocolate chips to the top makes them taste like cookies! Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you so much! Chocolate chips are always a good idea!
Made these for my husband to take to work, leaving out the ground flaxseed and adding in a cup of Craisins. He says he loves them! 🙂
That’s amazing to hear! Yay!
So easy. So delicious. So customizable.
Thank you for this back-to-school sanity saving recipe!!!
Thank you so much! You’re welcome!!
Instead of ground flaxseed, could I double the amount (4 tablespoons, for example) and exchange for whole flaxseeds instead? I would think the honey and butter is the binder, yet you mention the ground flaxseed helps it stay together? Whole flaxseeds is more appealing to me, or maybe use half ground and half whole?? This looks like an awesome recipe, and pretty much replicates the Kashi honey almond flax bars, which have been discontinued. I enjoyed that Kashi bar every morning with coffee (for
10-years now), so I need a replacement 🙂 Looks like I will be making it, instead of buying 🙂
I haven’t tried this recipe with whole flaxseeds yet, but I think it could work! I think your best bet will be to do half ground and half whole. Let me know how it goes if you give that a try!
Could I omit the flaxseed without messing up the recipe? Thanks for your help!
These look great for a school snack, but I don’t have flaxseed. If I replace it with an egg, what temperature and time should I bake it for? Thanks!
Hi there! You could either skip the flax and use some raisins or dried cranberries instead (about 1 cup) or you could replace with the a little chia seed if you have it to help bind these together.
Hi, I’d love to be able to print your recipe but it’s not allowing me to do so; any idea why? Thanks for your help!
If you scroll to the recipe card, there’s a printer icon. When you click on it, I have it formatted in a way to print on 1-2 pages maximum with no images, no large font or anything that takes up too much ink. Can you try that? It should work fine.
Hi, and yes I had done that several times but it still won’t allow me to print the recipe. A message came up that said your site was automatically blocking the use of printing…
FYI: The exact message that comes up on both my iPhone and iPad is “This website has been blocked from automatically printing.”
Can you try it on a computer? It is working fine on my end on both my laptop and iPhone.
My husband just discovered that our printer cord somehow got knocked off the power cord; printer is now working so I’m so sorry that I bothered you! Thanks for all your efforts to help me.
No worries! Glad it’s working now.
Raw egg in a granola bar?
I would not trust unless straight from the fridge. Not for a snack while hiking!
There is no raw egg in this granola bar. In this recipe, I’ve used a flax egg.
Looks delicious but description says no bake?
Correct! You don’t need to bake these bars.
These look delicious. If we were to add some coconut how much should we add?
Thank you! I’d add in a few tablespoons, but if you like a strong coconut taste, you can definitely add more.
I followed the recipe exactly, but I to omit the almonds for allergy purposes. They were still fabulous. My son loves them and can’t wait to take them in his lunch on Monday!
So glad he enjoyed! That’s amazing!
Before I make these, I want to know if I have to change any measurements to accommodate raisins and coconut which I would like to add.
Thanks.
You should be able to follow the recipe as is and add those in!
Thank you. I did add them and they turned out perfect. Great easy recipe.
Hi. I’ve made a recipe very similar but the only diference is that the mixture of the dried with the liquid is baked .Would it work for this recipe ?
You could try that, but it may turn out a little more dry!
These look so easy! My sister has been on an oatmeal kick lately, so when I get more…these are happening.
Can’t wait for you to try it!