Thank you so much for your kind words regarding my Grandma’s passing – so thoughtful. We really appreciate it. :)
I know a lot of people believe in signs from passed loved ones, myself included. Some think it’s woo woo though I don’t think it’s a coincidence that since we returned from her services, I’ve been feeling semi-stalked by cardinals. We always have cardinals passing through our yard of course, but I kid you not, every. single. time. I look out a window to the backyard, a cardinal lands in my direct view. Not off to the side, not high up in a tree – straight within my line of vision. It’s crazy! My Grandma loved birds, and I have a special, Grandma-related project in the works back there, so I like to think it’s her checking in and saying hello. Even if it’s not, the sightings are a great reminder of her wonderful spirit. :)
Hey, maybe the cardinals have just been trying to sneak a peek at my latest recipe that resembles bird food – Homemade Chewy Granola Bars! Ummm…get your snackatite (snack + appetite – I tried.) ready because these low sugar, nutrient dense, absolutely YUMMY granola bars are off the chain!
Last week Ben and I took the kids out to dinner and it was a Disaster with a capital D. I always feel better reading other parent’s accounts of nice dinners gone bad, so here you go: right off the bat Cam ate a raw jalapeno then started dipping fried wonton chips into ice water to cool his mouth off. Wasn’t messy at all. Nope! Then Lincoln, who’s usually our good eater, declared the entire platter of assorted dumplings Ben ordered for him inedible. Still unsure why. To top it all off, poor Gwen, who was unusually fussy (read: screaming) during dinner, ended up having a 102 degree fever by the time we got home.
Parents of the year right here, people!
Anyway, thankfully I had a random granola bar in my purse to distract our fire-breathing two year old and give Mr Lincoln something to chew on too (no upside for sis, though thankfully she is on the mend!) which reminded me of this awesome recipe I posted seven years ago (woah!) here on IGE.
Far from the sugary, store-bought granola bars that leave you satisfied for maybe 5 minutes, Homemade Chewy Granola Bars are gluten free, packed with healthy fats and protein, and naturally sweetened with a wee bit of honey. They are SO dang delicious and my kids (and I) gobble them up. There’s even a secret ingredient, ya see, that takes the flavor of these homemade granola bars up 500 notches.
That said, the secret ingredient, along with all the other ingredients in this recipe, are kitchen staples so we can whip these granola bars up anytime. I’m thinking they’ll become regular weekly meal prep items for us, along with Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars, Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Bars, Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins, and Cranberry Chocolate Almond Energy Bites, to have on hand for easy and healthy snacking. With summer break just around the corner, lord knows we’ll need them!
Couple of notes:
- This recipe calls for coconut oil and I do not recommend substituting in any other type of oil. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature, and even harder when chilled, (these granola bars live in the fridge or freezer) and help keep the bars together.
- Along the same lines, I haven’t tested this recipe with any other sweetener besides honey. Its thick and sticky texture keeps the bars together.
- I use almonds and pecans in my chewy granola bars though you could most likely use whatever nut or seed you have on hand.
Let’s do this!
Start by adding 1/2 cup each almonds and pecan halves, plus 3/4 cup gluten free old fashioned oats to the bowl of a food processor, then process until all the ingredients are finely chopped. I know I’ve said it 1,001 times, but the only oats I use are from GF Harvest.
Pour the nuts and oat mixture into a large bowl then add an additional 1/4 cup oats, 1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries, 2 Tablespoons chia seeds, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and another 1/2 cup each almonds and pecan halves that have been roughly chopped. Stir everything together then set aside.
Next add 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup coconut oil, and a scant 1/2 teaspoon salt to a small saucepan then bring to a foamy bubble over medium heat. Let the mixture foam and cook for 1 minute then remove it from the heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon each almond extract and vanilla extract.
The almond extract is the secret ingredient in this recipe, by the way. I’m telling you – the subtle, special flavor it adds is craveable.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients then mix well to combine. Scoop the mixture into a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed 8×8 baking pan then spray the bottom of a glass measuring cup with more nonstick spray and press press press!! The harder you press the better these bars will stick together.
Refrigerate the bars until they’re completely set – a few hours – then lift out of the baking pan using the foil and slice into bars. These bars will soften at room temperature so keep them in the fridge, or wrap in parchment paper or saran wrap and freeze individually. However you eat them them, I hope you love these homemade chewy granola bars! Enjoy!
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Homemade Chewy Granola Bars
Description
Homemade Chewy Granola Bars are a cinch to make from pantry staples. Gluten free and kid friendly, they're a great, low-sugar option for snack time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup almonds
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup certified gluten free old fashioned oats
- 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (no substitutions)
- scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Line a 8x8” baking dish with foil, letting it hang generously over the sides, then spray with nonstick spray and set aside.
- Add 1/2 cup each almonds and pecans, plus 3/4 cup old fashioned oats into the bowl of a food processor then process until finely chopped. Pour mixture into a large bowl then add remaining 1/4 cup oats, dried cranberries, chia seeds, and cinnamon. Chop remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1/2 cup almonds then add to the bowl and stir everything together. Set aside.
- Add honey, coconut oil, and salt to a small saucepan then bring to a bubble over medium heat, stirring once or twice. Turn heat down slightly, simmer for 1 minute, then remove saucepan from heat and stir in extracts. Pour over the dry ingredients then stir well to combine, and then pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
- Spray the bottom of a measuring cup or bowl with nonstick spray then press firmly into an even layer. The harder you press, the better the bars will stick together! Refrigerate until set, a couple hours, then pull out of the baking dish using overhanging foil and slice into bars using a sharp knife. Store bars in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze for up to 3 months.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
YUM! Those look delish. I just made raw “cookie dough” balls w/ raw almonds, oats, agave nectar, vanilla and mini chocolate chips. Oh goodness are they a yummy snack.
These look FABULOUS!! Can’t wait to make them!
Ahhhhh, I tried making granola bars tonight but had an epic fail!!!
These look mega delish. I can’t stop eating dried mango!
Those look amazing! I envy your total stash of TJs goodies, since I live in Canada and we don’t have it! :(
These look FAB! Any ball park figure on calories?
About 180 each!
These look awesome!
These look so great! Cherry almond is my favorite combo for smoothies so I’m sure these are delicious. Can you even imagine these bars PLUS dark chocolate chips?!
I totally agree – they would be awesome in here!
so i am using a couple of the treadmill workouts. thank you! they help to push me over the normal routine…i am very winded when i finish and it helps take focus off just running. :>
i did have to scale back .5 on speed the first week as i wasn’t used to running at 8 or 7.5 in awhile. but good routines i am alternating between right now.
anyhoo…all the carb-less meals and running you are doing and you never post a pic of your rock hard running legs!! i need inspiration i imagine calves and thighs of steel! come on we need some more motivation….that it is working for you! lol ….blerg…lol
I can’t wait to make these! I just need to pick up some sesame seeds. :)
You forgot the first step- #1 “Go shopping at Trader Joe’s” It’s okay though, I would do that step anyway!
Cool Measuring cup! Where did you find that ?
It’s pampered chef! Here’s my contact’s info: http://pamperedchef.biz/lynjudd
These look delicious. I also want to know what is that awesome measuring cup you are using?
It’s pampered chef! Here’s my contact: http://pamperedchef.biz/lynjudd
Making homemade granola and granola bars are my all time favorite “it’s way better homemade” items. I’ve been making granola for about 3 years now and bought a bag the other day on a whim and it was sooooo gross (and had way more calories & fat!). Homemade is the way to go!
Oh girl! These look amazing! It is kiling me that I can’t eat granola bars right now with these goofy braces I still have :( Definitely going on my “to make” list. I did make your Greek Quinoa Salad tonight, and added cucumber to the mix ! It was so good!!! Love this post!
Those look amazing! Thanks for sharing…will be making these soon!
I really wish I would have seen these a few hours ago because I JUST posted a recipe for trail mix bars on the NAG site that looks so similar. :)
I really want to try these! Mini chocolate chips would be amazing in there as well =)
looks good…btw made the broccoli beef recipe you wrote about recently…usually my attempts at making blog recipes are FAILS – but this was AWESOME! Better than restaurant B&B and healthy (now we can have our B&B and eat it too)…my two little boys who are picky and usually refuse to eat what we are eating – loved it and gobbled it up – we topped it over Trader Joe’s Brown Rice Medley (frozen food section) – yum!!! We will be making this regularly.
These look great! Do you have a guess on the nutritional value?
I am snack obsessed with scones and puppy chow!
i have been SCOURING the internet for a recipe like this — healthy, delicious, and on-the-go. of course IGE comes through :)
Mmm. That looks amazing! Will need to try :)
These look delicious and with 3 young boys who like “cereal bars” for breakfast, I may have to give these a whirl.
the lightning on these are amazing!!!!
mmm, love homemade granola bars! i made some a few weeks ago that i froze individually for lunches. awesome snack :)
How might you up the protein count?
My favorite bars are my cereal bars – which I do in a muffin tin because I am too lazy to cut them up – see http://www.snack-girl.com/snack/cereal-bar-recipe/
These look perfect! Cant wait to make them!
These look awesome. Any chance you could give an estimated calorie count? I’d think I died and went to heaven if you started including that on your recipes. You’re already famous in my house :D
buy coconut oil from vitacost.com……WAY cheaper than hyvee!
So does the coconut oil “taste” like coconut? Can an unflavored oil be used in its place (if it does taste like coconut)?
I should have mentioned that, sorry! No, coconut oil does not taste like coconut. It’s got a neutral/slightly buttery taste!
Above you said coconut “butter”, but you did use coconut “oil”, right? Coconut butter definitely tastes like coconut.
Yep, coconut oil!
It must be a coconut oil granola bar type of day in Iowa! I just made some of my own this afternoon after running to Costco and getting some bulk almonds. My husband & I use coconut oil for EVERYTHING (cooking, baking, lotion, you name it!)
I had the same – can’t stop eating these- reaction today When I made “healthy banana oat bars” from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. They are loaded with healthy, yummy ingredients. I actually left the house so I wouldn’t eat the whole pan! I make a variety of granola type bars for my kids and now I’m anxious to try your recipe too!
I will have to try these but I would probably use dried cranberries. I just cannot become a cherry fan so matter how much I try.
I made your shepard’s pie tonight and it was delicious! I cannot believe how well the cauliflower blended with the potatoes that I couldn’t even taste it. I can’t wait to eat the leftovers at lunch tomorrow!
Will it go back if I don’t put it in fridge or freezer?
I was hoping to ship it to a friend…
I’d imagine it would be ok as there’s nothing in the ingredient list that would spoil. Coconut oil melts at 76 degrees, so even if the bars “melted” a little bit while shipping, they should firm back up in the fridge!
Thank you for answering my question!
Your blog is beautiful! It’s inspiring me :)
Would it become too hard to bite if I put it in the fridge?
I did that before with another recipe and that’s what happened… :)
thanks!
Nope, they stay perfectly soft and chewy! :)
Once you go to homemade ones, it’s hard to go back. They never taste the same again!
Ok, this is probably a bad question, but how coconutty does coconut oil taste? My family does not like coconut flavor so I want to know if it would be a waste of money for me. Thanks.
It definitely does not taste like coconut! It’s very neutral tasting.
Thanks!
I’m lovin’ on the Quaker Whole Hearts…SOOOO tasty!
Sounds yummy and I love the healthy ingredients!
These look amazing! I am on a peanut butter sandwich kick for snacking right now. I just found your blog and I am obsessed! You are adorable! I can’t wait to give some of your recipes a try.
These look like amazing! I am allergic to berries and it’s hard for me to find a granola bar with fruit that isn’t a berry, so this looks like a match made in heaven for me! I can’t wait to try these.
Yum! I’ve been wanting to make chewy granola bars for so long (hate. the. crunchy. ones.) and you certainly sell this recipe, haha. :)
My current snack obsession has been licorice and french chocolate granola (from Orangette, divine!). Or, rather, whatever is right at hand in the midst of essay writing.
there is a bottle of something behind the almond extract and salt. what is that?? i don’t see it listed in the ingredients.
thanks!
Vanilla extract.
These look awesome! Pinning them now:)
May I ask what camera lens you use? Your pictures always come out GREAT!
:) Thanks again!
First of all, love your blog! I’m an Iowa girl too and I love seeing all your delicious recipes! My husband works for Hy-Vee too, so I have to admit I liked that plus as well :) We are heading to Trader Joe’s this weekend because we’ll be in West Des Moines for a baby shower, so I’m hoping to stock up on lots of goods, especially the majority of ingredients for these bars! We don’t have one near by so i’m excited! Theirs nuts and dried fruits are so reasonable! :) Thanks for the recipe!
Do you think these would hold together if the honey was omitted?
No they wouldn’t, unfortunately!
I JUST bought some coconut oil from TJs last week so this is the perfect recipe to try it out on!
I am currently obsessed with baby carrots and Sabra’s Roasted Red Pepper Hummus. Can’t get enough!