granola bars   Credit: Fred Hardy

There are plenty of good options in the granola bar aisle at the grocery store, but some are loaded with added sugar. Homemade granola bars are super-easy to make-and you can control the ingredients and keep added sugar to a minimum. Using this granola bar formula, you can pick your favorite combination of nuts, seeds, fruit and flavorings. If you’re a parent, this is a no-brainer healthy kids’ snack to pack for school or camp. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and have healthy grab-and-go snacks all week long. Try one of our favorite flavor combos or make up your own. Basic Granola Bar Recipe Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 1/2 hours To make ahead: Individually wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Equipment: Parchment paper Makes: 2 dozen bars 3 cups old-fashioned oats 1 cup crispy brown rice cereal 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups Mix-Ins (see below) 2/3 cup brown rice syrup or corn syrup 1/2 cup Nut or Seed Butter (see below) 1 teaspoon Flavoring (see below) Here are the 4 steps to the best healthy granola bars: 1. Prep Your Pan. pan lined with wax paper for granola bars Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and leave a few inches overhanging the sides to create a sort of sling to remove the granola bars. This technique also keeps the bars from sticking and you don’t have to scratch the bottom of your pan to cut them out. Lightly coat with cooking spray. 2. Mix the Dry Ingredients. granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy The base starts with rolled oats (for gluten-free granola bars, be sure to buy gluten-free oats), brown rice cereal and a mix of nuts, seeds, fruit, coconut and/or chocolate. Cut larger dried fruit into 1/4-inch pieces, otherwise the bars could fall apart. Toast your seeds and chopped nuts to give them more flavor. Combine 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup crispy brown rice cereal and 1/4 teaspoon salt with 2 cups total mix-ins in a large bowl. Here are some ingredients you could mix in: Dried fruit (chop into ¼-inch pieces if large): bananablueberriescherriescranberriesdates Chopped toasted nuts: almondscashewshazelnutsmacadamiaspeanutspecanspistachios Toasted seeds: flaxseedpepitassunflower Other add-ins: mini chocolate chipsunsweetened shredded coconut 3. Hold It Together. granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy A sticky combination of brown rice syrup and nut or seed butter glues the bars together. We tested several other sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. The nut or seed butter adds a bit of extra stickiness plus a bit of protein. Combine 2/3 cup brown rice syrup, 1/2 cup Nut or Seed Butter and 1 teaspoon Flavoring in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute). Add to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Transfer to the prepared pan and firmly press into the pan with a spatula. Nut or Seed Butter: almondcashewpeanut buttersunflowertahini Flavorings: coconut extractvanilla extractground cardamomground cinnamonground ginger 4. Bake ‘Em Up. granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy Whether you choose chewy or crunchy granola bars, both will be soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool. For chewy granola bars: Bake until barely starting to color around the edges and still soft in the middle, 20 to 25 minutes. For crunchy granola bars: Bake until golden brown around the edges and somewhat firm in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Using the overhanging parchment, lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board (they will still be soft). Cut into 24 bars and let cool completely without separating the bars, about 30 minutes. Once cool, separate into bars. Our Favorite Flavor Combos to Try coconut chocolate granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy Coconut-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. vanilla extract 7861182.jpg Cranberry-Almond Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans 1/2 cup smooth almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract Banana-Peanut Granola Bars Banana-Peanut Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup chopped dried banana 1/2 cup each macadamia nuts and unsalted peanuts 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. ground ginger granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup each unsalted pepitas and sunflower seeds 1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 7861190.jpg Date-Pistachio Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup each chopped hazelnuts and chopped unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. ground cardamom Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews and flaxseed 1/2 cup smooth cashew butter 1 tsp. coconut extract Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Try the Recipe 1 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup each chopped unsalted almonds, mini chocolate chips and unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

granola bars   Credit: Fred Hardy

granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy

granola bars

Credit: Fred Hardy

There are plenty of good options in the granola bar aisle at the grocery store, but some are loaded with added sugar. Homemade granola bars are super-easy to make-and you can control the ingredients and keep added sugar to a minimum. Using this granola bar formula, you can pick your favorite combination of nuts, seeds, fruit and flavorings. If you’re a parent, this is a no-brainer healthy kids’ snack to pack for school or camp. Make a big batch at the beginning of the week and have healthy grab-and-go snacks all week long. Try one of our favorite flavor combos or make up your own.

Basic Granola Bar Recipe

Active Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

To make ahead: Individually wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Equipment: Parchment paper

Makes: 2 dozen bars

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup crispy brown rice cereal

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups Mix-Ins (see below)

2/3 cup brown rice syrup or corn syrup

1/2 cup Nut or Seed Butter (see below)

1 teaspoon Flavoring (see below)

Here are the 4 steps to the best healthy granola bars:

1. Prep Your Pan.

pan lined with wax paper for granola bars   Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and leave a few inches overhanging the sides to create a sort of sling to remove the granola bars. This technique also keeps the bars from sticking and you don’t have to scratch the bottom of your pan to cut them out.

Lightly coat with cooking spray.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients.

The base starts with rolled oats (for gluten-free granola bars, be sure to buy gluten-free oats), brown rice cereal and a mix of nuts, seeds, fruit, coconut and/or chocolate. Cut larger dried fruit into 1/4-inch pieces, otherwise the bars could fall apart. Toast your seeds and chopped nuts to give them more flavor.

Combine 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup crispy brown rice cereal and 1/4 teaspoon salt with 2 cups total mix-ins in a large bowl. Here are some ingredients you could mix in:

Dried fruit (chop into ¼-inch pieces if large):

bananablueberriescherriescranberriesdates

Chopped toasted nuts:

almondscashewshazelnutsmacadamiaspeanutspecanspistachios

Toasted seeds:

flaxseedpepitassunflower

Other add-ins:

mini chocolate chipsunsweetened shredded coconut

3. Hold It Together.

A sticky combination of brown rice syrup and nut or seed butter glues the bars together. We tested several other sticky sweeteners, including maple syrup and honey, but found brown rice syrup held the bars together the best. The nut or seed butter adds a bit of extra stickiness plus a bit of protein.

Combine 2/3 cup brown rice syrup, 1/2 cup Nut or Seed Butter and 1 teaspoon Flavoring in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds (or heat in a saucepan over medium heat for 1 minute). Add to the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. Transfer to the prepared pan and firmly press into the pan with a spatula.

Nut or Seed Butter:

almondcashewpeanut buttersunflowertahini

Flavorings:

coconut extractvanilla extractground cardamomground cinnamonground ginger

4. Bake ‘Em Up.

Whether you choose chewy or crunchy granola bars, both will be soft when they come out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.

For chewy granola bars: Bake until barely starting to color around the edges and still soft in the middle, 20 to 25 minutes.

For crunchy granola bars: Bake until golden brown around the edges and somewhat firm in the middle, 30 to 35 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Using the overhanging parchment, lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board (they will still be soft). Cut into 24 bars and let cool completely without separating the bars, about 30 minutes. Once cool, separate into bars.

Our Favorite Flavor Combos to Try

     coconut chocolate granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy      Coconut-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. vanilla extract              7861182.jpg        Cranberry-Almond Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans 1/2 cup smooth almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract             Banana-Peanut Granola Bars        Banana-Peanut Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried banana 1/2 cup each macadamia nuts and unsalted peanuts 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. ground ginger             granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy      Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup each unsalted pepitas and sunflower seeds 1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter 1 tsp. ground cinnamon             7861190.jpg        Date-Pistachio Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup each chopped hazelnuts and chopped unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. ground cardamom              Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars        Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews and flaxseed 1/2 cup smooth cashew butter 1 tsp. coconut extract             Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars        Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup each chopped unsalted almonds, mini chocolate chips and unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

pan lined with wax paper for granola bars Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

pan lined with wax paper for granola bars

Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy II, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

    coconut chocolate granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy      Coconut-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. vanilla extract    

    7861182.jpg        Cranberry-Almond Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans 1/2 cup smooth almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract    

    Banana-Peanut Granola Bars        Banana-Peanut Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried banana 1/2 cup each macadamia nuts and unsalted peanuts 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. ground ginger    

    granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy      Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup each unsalted pepitas and sunflower seeds 1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter 1 tsp. ground cinnamon    

    7861190.jpg        Date-Pistachio Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup each chopped hazelnuts and chopped unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. ground cardamom    

    Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars        Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews and flaxseed 1/2 cup smooth cashew butter 1 tsp. coconut extract    

    Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars        Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup each chopped unsalted almonds, mini chocolate chips and unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract    

  coconut chocolate granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy      Coconut-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. vanilla extract   

 coconut chocolate granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy

Coconut-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. vanilla extract

coconut chocolate granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy

coconut chocolate granola bars

Credit: Fred Hardy

coconut chocolate granola bars

Coconut-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. vanilla extract

    7861182.jpg        Cranberry-Almond Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans 1/2 cup smooth almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

    7861182.jpg

    Cranberry-Almond Granola Bars

    1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans 1/2 cup smooth almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

    7861182.jpg

    7861182.jpg

7861182.jpg

Cranberry-Almond Granola Bars

  • 1 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans 1/2 cup smooth almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

    Banana-Peanut Granola Bars        Banana-Peanut Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried banana 1/2 cup each macadamia nuts and unsalted peanuts 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. ground ginger

    Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

    Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

    1 cup chopped dried banana 1/2 cup each macadamia nuts and unsalted peanuts 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. ground ginger

    Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

    Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

Banana-Peanut Granola Bars

  • 1 cup chopped dried banana 1/2 cup each macadamia nuts and unsalted peanuts 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 1 tsp. ground ginger

    granola bars     Credit: Fred Hardy      Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup each unsalted pepitas and sunflower seeds 1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

    granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy

    Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars

    1 cup chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup each unsalted pepitas and sunflower seeds 1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

    granola bars Credit: Fred Hardy

    granola bars

Apricot-Sunflower Granola Bars

  • 1 cup chopped dried apricots 1/2 cup each unsalted pepitas and sunflower seeds 1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

    7861190.jpg        Date-Pistachio Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup each chopped hazelnuts and chopped unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. ground cardamom

    7861190.jpg

    Date-Pistachio Granola Bars

    1 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup each chopped hazelnuts and chopped unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. ground cardamom

    7861190.jpg

    7861190.jpg

7861190.jpg

Date-Pistachio Granola Bars

  • 1 cup chopped pitted dates 1/2 cup each chopped hazelnuts and chopped unsalted pistachios 1/2 cup tahini 1 tsp. ground cardamom

    Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars        Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews and flaxseed 1/2 cup smooth cashew butter 1 tsp. coconut extract

    Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

    Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

    1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews and flaxseed 1/2 cup smooth cashew butter 1 tsp. coconut extract

    Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

    Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

Blueberry-Cashew Granola Bars

  • 1 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup chopped unsalted cashews and flaxseed 1/2 cup smooth cashew butter 1 tsp. coconut extract

    Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars        Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars  Try the Recipe  1 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup each chopped unsalted almonds, mini chocolate chips and unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

    Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

    Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

    1 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup each chopped unsalted almonds, mini chocolate chips and unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract

    Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

    Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Cherry-Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

  • 1 cup chopped dried cherries 1/3 cup each chopped unsalted almonds, mini chocolate chips and unsweetened shredded coconut 1/2 cup almond butter 1 tsp. vanilla extract