Gimme Some Oven

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

This Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars recipe is easy to make with 7 everyday ingredients, naturally protein-packed and gluten-free, and irresistibly delicious. No baking required!

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Meet…the healthy, chewy, peanut buttery, amazingly delicious homemade granola bars that we can’t stop making.

Well, mostly that’s because Barclay has been requesting them non-stop lately.

He recently switched from working from home to officing at a cool coworking space here in Barcelona. Which means that, for the first time in our married life, we’re now packing him a cute lil’ lunch to take to work. Also — of critical importance for his survival — snacks. I married a man who adores good snack, especially when it’s healthy, and especially when some kind of nut butters are involved.

So over the past few weeks, I’ve switched from making our usual granola to tweaking a new recipe for much-more-portable granola bars.  And Barclay has been a more-than-willing taste tester. We were going for for a recipe that tasted like a throwback to those classic, chewy, peanut butter and mini chocolate chip granola bars that we used to love as kids. (Anyone else used to carry those in your lunch box?)  But of course, as adults, we wanted a recipe that was naturally-sweetened, protein-packed, and made with everyday ingredients that we could easily grab in our pantry. I was also especially interested in a granola bar recipe that was soft and chewy, but didn’t completely fall apart at room temperature, as so many bars tend to do.

Now — over a dozen batches in — I think we’ve officially nailed it. 

Melted Peanut Butter and Honey | Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars Recipe

Homemade Granola Bars Ingredients:

To make these healthy granola bar recipe, you will need:

  • Natural peanut butter: Or natural almond butter, you choose!
  • Honey: To sweeten the bars and help them hold together.
  • Coconut oil: Also to help the bars hold together.
  • Oats: I used old-fashioned oats for this recipe to make the bars nice and chewy.
  • Almonds: I used slivered almonds, which give these bars delicious flavor and crunch. But feel free to sub in any other chopped nuts that you might prefer.
  • Vanilla extract: For flavor!
  • Sea salt: To bring out all the flavors!
  • Mini semisweet chocolate chips: Or chopped up chocolate bars. Or, if you’re looking to make these granola bars dairy-free, these chocolate chips!

How To Make Granola Bars

How To Make Granola Bars:

Alright, let’s do this! To make these homemade granola bars, simply:

  1. Simmer the peanut butter, honey and coconut oil. Yep, we’re going to heat these three ingredients first, which I’ve found is a key step in helping these bars stick together. Combine the PB, honey and coconut oil in a saucepan and heat over medium until it comes to a simmer (low bubble), stirring occasionally. Continue simmering for 1 minute, stirring often so that the bottom of the peanut butter does not burn. (If you start to see little brown bits on the bottom, turn the heat down.)  Remove then pan from the heat and…
  2. Add in the vanilla and salt. Stir until combined.
  3. Add in everything else. Well, if you would like the chocolate chips to hold their shape, I recommend stirring in everything but the chocolate chips. Then once the granola is combined, pop it in the fridge to cool off for 15 minutes, and then stir in the chocolate chips. (They will still be just as delicious if they melt a bit.) ;)
  4. Press the granola into a square baking pan. Line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. And then press the granola firmly and evenly into the pan. I use the bottom of a measuring cup to help press it down so that it’s nice and flat. (You want it firmly packed so that the bars will hold their shape well.)
  5. Refrigerate until chilled. Then cover the baking pan and pop it in the fridge for an hour or so, until the bars are chilled.
  6. Cut the bars. Lift up on the parchment paper to transfer the big slab of granola to a cutting board. Then cut the bars into your desired shape and size.
  7. Serve and enjoy! The bars will definitely hold their shape better when they are chilled. But no worries, if you leave them out at room temperature for awhile, they will just be a bit softer.

Healthy Granola Bars Recipe

Possible Variations:

There are all sorts of ways that you can change up this granola bar recipe if you’d like! A few ideas…

  • Make these nut-free: If you’re allergic to nuts, feel free to use seeds (like pepitas and/or sunflower seeds) instead of the almonds, and seed butter (like sunbutter) instead of the peanut butter. Or, I also tested a batch with puffed rice instead of nuts, and the bars were delicious. Or of course, you could tinker around and add a mixture of puffed rice (or puffed quinoa) and some shredded coconut or something, for extra flavor.
  • Add dried fruit: Feel free to add dried fruit (i.e. raisins, dried cranberries, chopped apricots) in place of the chocolate.
  • Add coconut: Just subtract 1/3 cup of the oats and replace them with 1/3 cup shredded coconut, if you’d like.
  • Add chia seeds: Add 1-2 tablespoons chia seeds to the recipe.
  • Add spices: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon for extra flavor. Or for a Mexican chocolate-y twist, I like to add in a lil’ pinch of cayenne along with cinnamon!
  • Add protein powder: Feel free to add 2-3 tablespoons protein powder to these bars, if you’d like.
  • Add cocoa powder: If you don’t happen to have chocolate chips but would still like the chocolate-y flavor, feel free to stir 2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder in along with the oats. (Skip this if using protein powder.)

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe

More Healthy Granola Recipes:

Healthy Peanut Butter Granola Bars Recipe

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.7 from 51 reviews
  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars recipe is easy to make with 7 everyday ingredients, naturally protein-packed and gluten-free, and irresistibly delicious.  See notes above for potential ingredient variations.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt*
  • 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats*
  • 1 cup slivered or chopped almonds
  • optional: 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (plus extras for sprinkling on top)

Instructions

  1. Line an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.  Set aside.
  2. Stir the peanut butter, honey and coconut oil together in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a simmer.  Continue to simmer for 1 minute, stirring often so that the bottom of the mixture does not burn.  Remove from the heat.
  3. Add the vanilla and salt, and stir until combined.  Add in the oats and almonds, and stir until completely combined.  (Optional step: If you would like the chocolate chips not to melt, I recommend chilling transferring the granola to the refrigerator at this point for about 15 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature.)  Then stir in the chocolate chips until combined.
  4. Press the granola firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.  (I use the bottom of a measuring cup to help press it down so that it’s nice and flat.)  Sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top if you would like.  Then cover and refrigerate the granola bars for about an hour or so, or until they are chilled.
  5. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out of the pan and transfer them to a cutting board.  Cut, serve, and enjoy!  Or store in a sealed container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

This post contains affiliate links.

Chewy Granola Bars with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips

Share this Post

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

100 comments on “Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars”

  1. Can I substitute something for the coconut oil?

  2. Is natural peanut butter a must? I only have regular creamy on hand

    • You don’t have to use natural peanut butter, but since natural pb doesn’t have added sugar, the bars might be a little sweeter

  3. This might be a silly question, but does it matter if the peanut butter is creamy or crunchy?

    • Hi Brianna!

      I don’t think it would matter, crunchy might make them crunchier, but creamy would make them less crunchy.
      Whatever you decide! Crunchy or non! Both work. (Probably)

  4. Hi there, just wondering if I could use maple syrup instead of honey to make vegan? Thanks!

    • I use agave. It has less sugar, And comes from a plant! I think it’d probably be a better solution than maple syrup.

    • I used maple syrup and it turned out well. I also like the flavour of maple syrup. It’s a little heartier.

  5. Do you think maple syrup would work in place of the honey?

  6. Can I use another type of oil instead of coconut? Thanks!

    • I use olive oil. It really doesn’t effect the taste at all. It’s basically just for getting the ingredients to stick together!

  7. I’m pretty disappointed you didn’t use my request for the name on this – Mom’s favorite new snack – but am still anxious to try them! Love chocolate and peanut butter and the fact that my son-in-law does, too!

  8. Thanks for sharing! Do you know how many calories one bar is?

  9. Hi there! Are there any subs for coconut oil, or is it necessary in order for the bars to stay together? I have a coconut and tree nut allergy (thank goodness peanuts are still okay!). Thanks for your input!

    • Does olive oil work for you? It’s what i use (we’re am anti coconut household). You could use basically any oil, although I’d caution against avocado oil as it doesn’t do well with high heat.

  10. This might be a silly question, but does it matter if you use smooth or chunky peanut butter?

    • I’m my experience, chunky tends to work less well, as it adds more “dry” ingredients that the peanut butter, oil, and honey have to work to keep stuck together.

  11. Can you use less honey? 1/2c seems like a lot.

  12. Can you substitute the coconut oil for another oil?

  13. These are SO GOOD!!!! I added chia, hemp, and collagen protein powder and they turned out delicious!






  14. These came out perfect. I think it was the addition of the almonds that gave it such a great texture. Better then any other homemade ones I’ve tried and my family loved them too :)






  15. I made these yesterday and while the flavor is DELICIOUS, mine did not stick together enough to stay in bar form., even after refrigerating for 24 hours. It’s very crumbly like granola. Any suggestions?

  16. I made these on Sunday and they are so delicious and so easy to make! Will be making them again once I finish eating them all :)






  17. LOVE these! Super easy to make and better than anything you can buy in the store ☺️ (Oops, meant 5 stars)






  18. You definitely nailed it….these are awesome. Made them twice already…but had to double the second batch because they disappear so quickly. 5 stars easily!!!






  19. Just made these and mine turned out too dry and kind of fell apart when I cut them so I turned half of my bars into granola and baked for a few minutes to crisp up, yummy granola. I will make these again because the taste was very good but I will add less oats. Thanks for the recipes!






  20. Made these today. Delicious! I didn’t have parchment paper, so I lined the pan with foil. It worked great. I used a little less oats, 2 cups, and used 1/2 cup of mixed dried fruit pieces instead of chocolate chips. I also used chopped walnuts instead of almonds. The next time I make it, I am going to add more dried fruit, because this wasn’t enough for me. I am planning on making these often.






  21. Forgot to give this a rating.






  22. I made these today. When I found the recipe, I thought “oh that could be a nice alternative to store bought bars” not expecting much … little did I know, they would be DELICIOUS. Instead of making them into granola bars, I cut them into 20 cookie sized squares and treated them as like a healthier “cookie dough bite”. Honestly, so delicious, and I dont even like honey!






  23. These are perfect in every way. I make a new batch most weeks to pack in lunches. Everyone I’ve shared them with loves them!






  24. Can i use a different kind of oil?

  25. Soooo good! I used almond butter instead of peanut butter and added 3 tbsp chia seeds, 1/2 cup toasted raw coconut flakes and 1/2 cup toasted pecans instead of almonds! Very yummy ?

  26. The recipe says cooking time is 8 minutes. Is that just the peanut butter and oil cooking? No oven time?

  27. Absolutely delicious!! I gave my adult daughter a few for her family and she immediately asked for the recipe. She also told me her kids loved the bars crumbled over ice cream. A real keeper recipe.






  28. I have made these several times now for my husbands lunch as a dessert. This time I doubled it so I don’t have to make it as often. I don’t add dried fruit or nuts because he’s not a fan, but I do add shredded coconut and I also melt some chocolate into the base (since it’s a dessert) for a more chocolatey flavor. Huge hit here! :) thank you for the recipe, best granola bar base recipe I’ve ever tried! :)






  29. These are delicious! However, I have made these twice and I still can’t get them to stick together to make bars. Any suggestions?






    • Mine didn’t stick together either and I followed the recipe exactly. This is my second post but I can’t get any suggestions. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks

    • Try adding less oats next time if it’s too dry or more oats if it’s too wet and it won’t hold. Hope this helps. We really love this granola bar recipe.

  30. Hey Ali:)
    Just made the peanut granola bars added the dark chocolate after cooling for a few minutes. Mom eats these store bought each am and loves the homemade and I know exactly what’s in them, thanks. Lynn

  31. These are delicious – I’ve made a couple of different ways and the family love them. I wanted to stop buying store bought bars and these are so easy to make. I like that you can play with ingredients to make them slightly differently each time for variety.






  32. Thank you for this healthy and easy recipe! I’ve been looking to replace store-bought granola bars and I’m hoping these will be my weekly go to!! Thank You!

  33. Mine turned out perfectly! I didn’t add the almonds, used Costco natural peanut butter, organic honey, dark chocolate chips. These are sooooo good.






  34. I love your blog! I first came across it when i was looking for tips with baking chicken, and I’ve been a fan since. I love how you break things down and how engaging your content is. I don’t skip to read the recipe; I love reading your entire post every time. Keep up the good work (and I look forward to making my granola bars with your recipe)!

  35. Have you ever dipped in white chocolate?

  36. Is the coconut oil in solid form or do you melt it down to liquid. And do you measure it in the solid form?

  37. These are delicious! Like some others, my dry ingredient ratio was too high. Next time I’ll add half of the dry ingredients all at once, then mix in the rest gradually until it’s a perfect ratio. I think it’s just the nature of things like peanut butter, oats, and almonds that it’s impossible to measure perfectly the same every time, unless weighing ingredients.

  38. Excellent taste and texture! Thx for all the experimentation to get it right!






  39. Sounds delicious, going to try it soon

  40. Thank you! My kids and I combined your two recipes…first made the granola then made bars with it. We wanted crunchy bars!

    They taste great from the bowl but I’m storing them in the freezer…that way I can grab a couple and throw them in a lunch bag and they’ll be thawed but not melty by lunchtime.






  41. Yummy!! Made these today and am very happy. They turned out delicious. I did not have honey on hand so I substituted Brown Rice Syrup. Worked perfect. Also instead f chocolate chips I added 1/3 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut. Will definitely make again!






  42. I used a mixture of regular PB (not natural) and natural almond butter. For the nuts, I used a mixture of cashews, peanuts, and a bunch of different seeds. They turned out SO delicious!

  43. I added flax seed and it essentially sucked up all the honey.. didn’t bind well at all and dried up. I’ll
    Probably try again but add a bit more honey to bind.






  44. Tasty, but mine came out very crumbly so will work only as granola, as it did not stay together as a bar.






  45. Delicious! I make a batch of these every other weekend to take in my lunch, but I add 1/4 cup of shaved coconut.






  46. Awesomeness in a square !






  47. i’ve made these and they taste delicious, but my family said they taste too much like peanut butter. is there a substitute that i can use for some of the peanut butter. other than that i love the recipe !






  48. This was easy and fun to make. The results were delicious!






  49. I have some plain store bought granola I’d like to get rid of- can I use it instead of raw oats?

  50. These bars are amazing! I forgot to use less honey (as I am used to less sweet bars) but they are really really nice! A perfect snack – dessert!

    Thank you for this recipe!