No Bake Granola Bars are so easy you’ll never buy expensive breakfast bars again. This easy recipe is made with granola, dried fruit and nuts, these make a great healthy grab and go snack for busy mornings!
Have your kids grab a make-ahead egg muffin, healthy breakfast cookies, peanut butter oatmeal bars or one of these on their way out the door and they can munch them on the way to school.
Are Granola Bars Good For You?
Granola bars are generally considered to be a healthy snack, but the picture is mixed. Yes, they contain lots of healthy unprocessed or minimally processed fiber-rich foods, such as the oats, nuts, and coconut. Also, many nutritionists recommend eating a small number of nuts each day!
However, granola bars do contain plenty of added sugar that is necessary to bind the ingredients together. And as we all know, there’s nothing especially healthy about added sugar in any form, whether granulated or syrup, so don’t overdo the sweet stuff in your overall diet.
There are other ways you can make your granola bars healthier. For instance, if preservative-free is your goal, then ensure the ingredients you’re adding meet this requirement. You can also try substituting peanut butter for the butter, and cut back a tiny bit on the amount of sugar and honey.
How to Make Granola Bars
This granola bars recipe goes from start to finish in a flash. No prepping, and very little clean up too! Similar to Extra Chewy Rice Krispie Treats, simply heat, cool and eat!
- Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a pot and bring it slowly to a boil.
- Stir in the other ingredients and mix well.
- Pour and then press the hot mixture into a buttered or parchment lined baking dish, using the back of a spoon.
Cool and then cut into squares and serve or store.
Want to switch things up? You can substitute to your heart’s content here! Add raisins, dried cranberries or any other dried fruit. Try sunflower seeds, pepitas, or other nuts could in these no-bake breakfast bars. Dark chocolate chips are another optional add-in, or peanut butter!
Do Granola Bars Expire?
Granola bars have extraordinary staying power, thanks in part that most of the ingredients are shelf stable and the sugar acts as a natural preservative.
You can store your no-bake homemade granola bars in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for weeks and for many months in the freezer.
More Tasty No-Bake Snacks!
- No Bake Oatmeal Cookies – deliciously chewy and chocolatey!
- Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies – addictively good
- No Bake Chips Ahoy! Icebox Cake – only 4 Ingredients!
- Incredible Whipped Apple Pie – the perfect no bake dessert
- Chocolate Macaroons – ready in under 15 mins!
- Easy No Bake Energy Balls – freezer friendly
10 Minutes No Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup honey
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 ½ cups oats (I used large flake)
- 2 ½ cups Rice Krispies
- 1 cup coconut
- 3 cups mixed nuts seeds, dried fruit, raisins etc
Instructions
- Combine butter, honey and brown sugar in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil.
- Once it begins to bubble, stir in remaining ingredients. Continue to cook over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until browned.
- Firmly press into a 9x13 pan lined with parchment paper.
- Cool completely and cut into bars.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!
So awesome, Holly! I love this recipe! I used coconut oil instead of butter so they would be dairy and gluten free. Thanks again! I love it!
You’re welcome!
These are delicious and so much healthier than store bought granola bars. I substituted peanut butter for the butter to make it even healthier, then used a combination of Craisins, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds for the nut and fruit mix. I’ll be making this often!
Do you use regular butter or can I use margarine?
I use regular butter but squares of margarine should work too (spreadable margarine will not work in this recipe).
These bars are incredible! I’ve been making them every week for at least 2 months. They are easy, nutritious and oh so versatile. I make different combinations of fruits, nuts and seeds and they always come out perfectly. Rarely do I find a recipe that gets such a “do over and over” rotation in my kitchen, Thanks for this one!
Do you use regular or quick cook oats for the recipe?
I use regular oats in this recipe.
Is there any substitute for butter? Coconut oil?
I have not made this with coconut butter so not sure Jamie. Maybe another reader can help!
Did these tonight for a healthier midnight snack! I used mixed seeds and coconut sugar and agave syrup as substitutes of the original recipe, and they are delicious! Mine came up very crispy, I think cutting them before they cool completely would be best. Leaves a nice aftertaste, a bit caramel and nutty, mmmmm.
Thank you for a lovely snack!
Yum, great substitutions Martin!
Do you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut. And is there a substitute for Rice Krispies? I normally don’t keep that in my pantry but I do have Special K.
Depending on how sweet you want the granola bars you can opt for sweetened or unsweetened coconut. We have not tried this recipe with a different cereal but would love to hear how it turns out for you DeeJay!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I can only eat walnuts and pecans due to allergies, and every granola bar in the store has peanuts and cashews! Now I can easily make my own!
So happy you can enjoy these Linda!
Is the nutrition information per serving?
Thank you!
Hi Tina, nutrition is per bar. We were able to cut ours into 12 bars in total :)
Thank you for answering my question. I made them today with peanut butter instead of butter. A little less brown sugar & honey. I used peanuts and raisins and sunflower seeds. The family likes
them. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the advice! Happy New Year
So glad your family loved them Tina! Happy New Year!
Love your recipes
Thank you for the recipes…
Love this recipe recommend to everyone
Thanks Beverley!
Do you think I could substitute almond butter for the butter in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure. I’d love to hear how it works out for you if you do try it.
I have been looking for a fruit & nut recipe for a long time and this one looks yummy! I am allergic to dairy, so I can’t use butter. Can I use margarine for this recipe or will it be too greasy? Do you have any idea? Thanks!
I have only tried it as written. If you use the square baking margarine (not the spreadable tub margarine), I think that might work. Please let us know if you do try it.
How do you store these? By the way…..they are awesome! Thanks for posting this recipe :)
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!! I just keep them in a sealed tupperware container.
I have made these twice now. I love the taste but I cannot get the bars to firm up. They are soft enough that they have to be frozen to cut and then stored in the freezer, other wise they are just a sloppy mess. What am I doing wrong? Also, I am not sure how to continue cooking all the ingredients for an additional 10 minutes. I add everything and there is no room to stir or cook anything afterwards. It melds together and you cannot stir it anymore. Am I understanding the directions wrong?
The key to getting them to firm up is the additional cooking once the ingredients are added. It might work well if you have a bigger pot to work in while you are stirring. It may seem like it melds together but after a minute or 2 they do separate and sort of “dry” out a bit.
Hello, I’ve made these so many times now and I have the same issue as Heather. They just call apart. This last time I did actually cook it for 8 minutes after including the dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Yet, I still had to refridgerate and yet, after storing them in an airtight container. Becoming room temp. They do crumble. At least now they don’t crumble as bad and I can at least pick them up like a bar. Sometimes. HAha. I’m thinking, with so me of the knowledge that I do have. I believe you need to let the butter, honey(can use agave syrup) and sugar(of any kind you wish). You need to boil it for at least 5 minutes. So it can form into a thick, sugar syrup. This will help form and form up everything you add. also, don’t add stuff like, figs or plums. This is too bulk for it. If you want to add it; Mince it up first.
I’ve been thought, you’re add so much. You should have at least a half cup more liquid as well. Maybe some water?
What a yummy treat! There are so many ways you can vary this too. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
My weekly Say G’Day linky party starts this weekend so please pop by and join in if you have a minute!
Best wishes,
Natasha in Oz
These look yummy! I can adjust them so I avoid nut allergies in my home. Thank you! I love granola bars and these would be a frugal find!
These look awesome! I love homemade granola,so I bet these are even better! Would love for you to link up at Mom’s Library!
this granola bar recipe sounds so good & easy, thanks