30 Minute Meals
No-Bake Granola Bars
Prep
10 minutes
Yield
8
🍯 Ditch those store-bought sugar bombs for these no-bake granola bars made with ingredients you can actually pronounce! Ready in just 10 minutes and packed with nutrient-rich seeds, these customizable treats make healthy snacking incredibly simple.
Did you know that most granola bars you buy in the grocery store are not actually good for you? They are often loaded with sugar, sodium, and/or ingredients you can’t even pronounce. However, we all know granola bars are such an easy snack. That’s why I created these no-bake granola bars to help you out!
❤️ Why You’ll Love These No-Bake Granola Bars
- No-Bake: Just like the name says, you don’t have to bake these. So easy!
- Quick: Have them ready in 10 minutes, which is shorter than it would take you to drive to the grocery store.
- Healthy: You can pronounce everything that goes into these. They’re so good for you!
🍲 Ingredients
Honey – The perfect natural sweetener and binding agent for these no-bake granola bars. It helps hold everything together and adds a delicious sweetness and subtle floral notes. If you prefer a vegan version, simply swap the honey for maple syrup – problem solved!
Seeds Trio – This powerful combination of flaxseeds, chia seeds, and hemp seeds transforms these no-bake granola bars into nutritional powerhouses. Flaxseeds provide omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, chia seeds offer antioxidants and additional fiber, and hemp seeds deliver magnesium that helps maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Together, they add texture, nutrition, and staying power to these bars.
👩🍳 How to Make No-Bake Granola Bars
- Prepare an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Transfer the granola mixture to the prepared pan and press down.
- Set in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Cut into 8 equal pieces. Enjoy!!
🗒 Tips and Tricks
- Pressing: Use the bottom of a measuring cup to firmly press the mixture into the pan for bars that hold together.
- Cutting: For clean cuts, refrigerate until completely firm and use a sharp knife.
- Variations: Experiment with different mix-ins like dried fruit, coconut flakes, or chopped nuts.
- Binding: If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit more honey or nut butter to help it stick together.
🗒 Variations
Experiment with different ingredients to make different variations of these No-Bake Granola Bars.
- Sweetener: Use maple syrup instead of honey for a vegan version with a slightly different flavor profile.
- Nut Butter: Any nut or seed butter works well – try almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter.
- Chocolate Chips: Use a combo of white, dark, and butterscotch chips, or choose dairy-free versions for a vegan option.
- Mix-ins: Create your own combination with coconut flakes and dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots and pistachios.
🗒 Best served with
- Snacks for Kids 6: Raw Melon Skeweres
- Easy Fresh Fruit Salad
- One Cookie Dough Recipe Six Ways
- Homemade Sesame Snaps (Greek Pasteli or Sesame Seed Bars)
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for 1-2 months. HOT TIP – you can individually wrap the granola bars in plastic wrap to make it easy to grab and go!
🤔 Common Questions
The most common issue is not pressing the mixture firmly enough into the pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to really compact the mixture. Also, ensure you’ve used enough “binding” ingredients like honey and nut butter.
Simply substitute maple syrup for the honey and use dairy-free chocolate chips. All other ingredients are already plant-based!
Yes, though the texture will be slightly different. Quick oats make a softer bar, while rolled oats provide more chewiness and texture.
The mixture should be sticky enough to hold together when pressed between your fingers but not so wet that it’s gooey. If it’s too dry, add a bit more honey or nut butter.
Absolutely! Simply roll the mixture into balls instead of pressing it into a pan. This is great for portion control and grab-and-go snacking.
No-Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooking OR rolled oats
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp peanut butter
- ½ cup mixed nuts OR trail mix
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tbsp coconut oil softened
- 1 tbsp flaxseeds
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp hemp seeds
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips your choice!
Instructions
- Prepare an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Mix to combine.
- Transfer the granola mixture to the prepared pan and press down.
- Set in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours.
- Cut into 8 equal pieces. Enjoy!!
Video
There are so many other ideas you can do with this recipe, bars, balls, bases. Very unique and tasty!
Exactly! This is a great base recipe!! Customize it 🙂 so delicious!
These were delicious and so easy!
Amazing 🙂 !!
Great recipe, I used agave instead of honey!!.
Perfect substitute! Thanks Beatrice !
My family adored these granola bars- thank you!
You’re so welcome!!
I have been looking for something healthy for the kids to snack on instead of junk… I have to say the first time I made these they disappeared before I had the chance to try it myself, and every other time after I made them, again, gone!
That’s too funny and also amazing!! Make a super large batch next time and then place some in the freezer to keep safe 🙂
I no longer buy store-bought granola bars because of all of the additives, so I’ve been experimenting with homemade granola bar recipes. This one was really good- totally recommend it!
Thank you Zoe!! That’s wonderful!
This is the perfect “basic”, no-bake, whole-food granola bar recipe I’ve ever made and tried!
Love it!!!
What nuts would you recommend, I know you’re saying a trail mix, but I prefer just a mono, what would you choose?
I would recommend peanuts, pecans, walnuts, pumpkin seeds & sunflower seeds! All great choices and interchangeable. Toast the nuts beforehand to get an incredible flavour!
One word…Amazing. So easy and fast to make. Really important to mix well so the ingredients don’t get stuck!
Exactly Quinn! You can even use freshly cleaned hands to give it a proper mix 🙂
Hi Maria..just made the blender banana oatmeal muffins with lots walnuts & they are delish..Thank you
For your no bake granola bar recipe, could organic ‘creamed’ honey i have on hand work well or is liquid honey better.. I thought of melting the creamed honey a tad?
hey!!! thank you so much! If you can please leave a starred review on the muffins hun! Yes, melt the creamed honey a bit and that should work perfectly!