Easy Homemade Granola Bars (No Peanut Butter)
These easy homemade granola bars are made without peanut butter. They are simple, chewy, and have enough chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you like munching on healthy snacks, this recipe is perfect!
ARE GRANOLA BARS HEALTHY?
When I started my healthy eating and exercise journey, one of the pieces of advice I took seriously was incorporating healthy snacks into my daily food routine. And various fitness trainers or health coaches advised on eating granola bars.
But I didn’t know enough back then that some store-bought granola bars are actually unhealthy. They all contain the necessary carbs, protein, and fiber. But many have too much added sugar (almost as much as candy), artificial sweeteners, and preservatives. So, all these different things can negatively impact your health.
But this problem is avoidable because you can make your own granola bars using simple ingredients. Many recipes out there call for using peanut butter. And this is an excellent addition because peanut butter helps keep the consistency of the bars, so they don’t crumble. It also serves as an excellent source of protein.
However, many people and children are seriously allergic to peanuts. So, not being able to use peanut butter in making granola bars should be a manageable factor. Just make granola bars without peanut butter. And yes, they might become crumby, but this recipe’s honey and coconut oil hold everything together well.
NO PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups granola. In this recipe I used my homemade granola. In the past I also used Ancient Grains Probiotic Granola I typically buy at Costco store, but you can you any other kind; make sure it is low in sugar.
- One teaspoon flaxseed. The best way to incorporate healthy flaxseed is to add it to smoothies, cookies, and granola bars. Check out my Healthy Banana Avocado Berries Smoothie recipe, where I add flaxseed.
- 1/2 cup coconut oil. Melt coconut oil either on a stove or in a microwave. I usually melt it in a microwave since it is faster. I start with 20 seconds and then add additional 10-20 seconds. You don’t want the oil to be too hot, just melted enough to mix well in the dough.
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey. I like using honey since it helps keep the bar consistent after cooling so they don’t break apart. If you are concerned about using honey, you can add maple syrup.
- One freshly squeezed orange or 1/4 cups orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice gives the best taste, but bottled orange juice will work if you don’t have a fresh orange handy.
- 1 cup chocolate chip. I used semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Making homemade granola bars is incredibly easy. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and mix everything well. Then, add wet ingredients and mix the mixture well until all is combined. Add chocolate chips to the dough last and mix to combine. You can slightly oil the bottom of the baking dish so that the dough doesn’t stick. Or you can line the bottom with parchment paper and spread the dough evenly using a spatula (which might work better when baked – you can take it out of the baking dish by pulling the parchment paper and peeling it off the bottom of the granola bar). Bake it at 360 F (180 C) for about 25-30 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. You’ll probably need to adjust the timing based on your oven, but these are some general guidelines.
It is crucial to let these homemade granola bars cool completely before storing them. I typically let the large bar sit in the baking dish for about 30 minutes. While still in the baking dish, I cut it into individual bars (it is easier to cut when it is hot). Then I transfer individual bars to a cooling rack to cool them completely. You can then store them in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. Ensure they are away from heat, so either in the pantry or the kitchen counter away from your stove will work fine. Mine never lasted longer than two days; they are delicious 😋.
Quick Tip!
These granola bars might crumble because they don’t have peanut butter to act as glue. But this doesn’t compromise on taste; they taste delicious. You can even eat them with a spoon 😏. Store them in the fridge so they stay more compact.
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Homemade Granola Bars without Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- 2 cups granola
- 1 tsp flaxseed ground
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup orange juice or freshly squeezed orange
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 360°F (180°C). Line a 9×9-inch or 7×11-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the granola, flaxseed and chocolate chips.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Add honey (or maple syrup and orange juice. Stir until the mixture is well combined.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients in the bowl. Mix thoroughly until all the dry ingredients are coated.
- Press the granola mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Use a spatula or the back of a spoon to compact it.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
- Allow the granola bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the granola slab out of the pan.
- Place the slab on a cutting board and cut into bars of your desired size.
- Note: These granola bars might crumble because they don't have peanut butter to act as glue. But this doesn't compromise on taste; they taste delicious. Store them in the fridge so they stay more compact. You can even eat them with a spoon.
- Store the homemade granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
Video
Notes
- Refer to the post above for video instructions and other useful information.
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will depend on your specific ingredients.
