Homemade Granola Bar Treats Recipes

CRISPY HONEY NUT GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Spread the oats, walnuts and almonds onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 7 minutes. Add the coconut and toss well with a rubber spatula, then place back in the oven to cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Keep an eye on it towards the end; you want the coconut to turn golden but not burn.
• In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Whisk and bring to a rapid boil, then turn off the heat and set aside.
• Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300°F. Combine the oat mixture, honey mixture, rice cereal, and dried fruit in a large bowl and toss well. (Reserve the aluminum foil.)
• Use the reserved foil to line a 9x13-inch baking dish, then spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the granola bar mixture out into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly, patting down with a spatula. Be sure the heat is reduced to 300°F, then bake until lightly golden, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, 1 to 1½ hours. Use the foil overhang to transfer the bars to a cutting board, then use a large, sharp knife to cut into rectangles. Store the bars in a single layer in an airtight container, or wrap the bars individually in aluminum foil, for up to a week at room temperature.
• Note: You can swap in your favorite nuts and seeds as long as you keep the proportions of dry to wet ingredients the same. You can also toss in some dried fruit. On occasion, I'll sprinkle some chocolate chips over top for the kids (you can't mix them in or they'll melt).
• Note: Be sure your oven is fully preheated before toasting nuts; the initial blast of heat to preheat the oven can burn them.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The granola bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.

BASE GRANOLA BAR RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment or foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
• Place the oats and nuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted.
• While the oats are toasting, add the honey, butter, and brown sugar to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Let the mixture bubble, while stirring, for 1 minute and then remove from the heat.
• Place the nuts and oats in a large bowl.
• Stir in the vanilla and salt to the butter mixture. Pour this mixture over the oat and nut mixture and stir to combine. Add any extra ingredients (except for chocolate) and stir to combine. Make sure none of the oats are dry.
• If you are adding chocolate, wait about 15 minutes for the mixture to cool a bit before adding the chocolate and then stirring to combine.
• Place all of the oat mixture in the prepared pan. Use a rubber spatula or the bottom of a greased measuring cup to press the mixture into the pan. Press it in very firmly, this is what makes the bars stick together.
• Chill the granola bars for at least 2 hours. Lift the bars from the pan using the edges of the foil or parchment and place them on a cutting board. Cut into desired shape/sizes and serve.
• Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. If you are stacking the granola bars place a piece of parchment between the layers to help prevent sticking.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper.
• Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and coconut together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots, and cranberries and stir well.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS (PB CHOCOLATE CHIP)

Steps:

• Line a square 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper and spray it very lightly with non-stick baking spray.
• Add the peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil to a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute.
• Stir together the peanut butter mixture until it is smooth and thick. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
• Next add the oats and fold them, making sure to get the oats evenly coated with the wet ingredients.When the oats are almost fully incorporated, add half of the chocolate chips and half of the peanuts. Continue folding until they are fully combined.
• Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan and spread it out evenly with your spatula. Sprinkle over the remaining chocolate chips and peanuts.
• Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the granola bars and press them into the pan. You want to pack them very tightly so they stay together!
• Transfer the granola bars to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours- make sure to leave them covered with the parchment paper on top!
• Remove the granola bars from the pan, slice, and enjoy.
• Store the granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days.

HEALTHY 5-INGREDIENT GRANOLA BARS

Steps:

• Process dates in a food processor until small bits remain (about 1 minute). It should form a "dough" like consistency. (Mine rolled into a ball.)
• Optional step: Toast your oats (and almonds if raw) in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven for 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Otherwise, leave them raw - I prefer the toasted flavor.
• Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl - set aside.
• Warm maple syrup (or agave or honey) and peanut butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and pour over oat mixture and then mix, breaking up the dates to disperse throughout.
• Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to an 8x8-inch baking dish or other small pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper so they lift out easily. (A loaf pan might work, but will yield thicker bars // adjust size of pan if altering batch size).
• Press down firmly until uniformly flattened - I use something flat, like a drinking glass, to press down and really pack the bars, which helps them hold together better.
• Cover with parchment or plastic wrap, and let firm up in fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
• Remove bars from pan and chop into 10 even bars (or 9 squares // as original recipe is written). Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn't necessary.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BAR TREATS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with enough parchment paper so that it comes up the sides and hangs over by 1 inch.
• Stir together the condensed milk, nut or seed butter, vanilla and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the oats, nuts and seeds and mix to combine. Scrape into the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Press the candy-coated chocolates and dried apricots into the top. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely. Chop into squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze these.

6 HOMEMADE GRANOLA ENERGY BARS RECIPES

Steps:

• To make each Homemade Granola Bar Recipe:
• Combine dates, honey, nut butter or nuts, and coconut oil in food processor or high-powered blender (such as Vitamix or Blendtec). If you want to blend the oats into a flour-type consistency, add to food processor. If you want hearty oats (like a granola bar), stir in oats when you add mix-ins.
• Pulse mixture until smooth.
• Place mixture into a bowl and stir in remaining mix-in ingredients.
• Press into a small pan or baking dish (I use a quarter baking sheet) and place into freezer to chill for 15 minutes to allow the bars to set up.
• Remove from freezer and cut into bars.
• Store in pantry, refrigerator, or freezer.