These homemade Oat and Honey Chewy No-Bake Granola bars are so quick and easy to make and so delicious you may never buy granola bars again!
These granola bars are my latest snack obsession! They’re sweet and chewy and kind of like a cross between a granola bar and a Rice Krispies treat!
Granola bars are the ultimate wholesome on-the-go snack. Throw one in your purse, bag, briefcase, or lunch box, and you’re ready for when those hunger pangs hit.
I’ve always liked the chewy ones better than the crunchy ones myself, which can sometimes be a little dry and crumbly.
If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I love making homemade versions of store-bought items. These homemade granola bars are one of my most favorite make-at-home items ever!
They’re super easy. I know exactly what’s in them. They’re less expensive than store-bought, and they taste so much better than any granola bar I ever bought!
You are going to love how quick and easy this recipe is – everything comes together in less than 10 minutes! Then all you have to do is let them sit in the fridge for a bit to cool and firm up.
Honestly, there really is no reason to buy granola bars when you can make them this fast and this delicious right in your own kitchen!
You might even have all the ingredients you need to make these RIGHT NOW!!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Cooking spray
- Quick-cooking oats
- Crispy rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
- Butter
- Honey
- Brown sugar (I use light, but you also could use dark)
- Vanilla extract
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE OAT AND HONEY CHEWY NO-BAKE GRANOLA BARS:
TIPS AND TIDBITS:
To make sure you get bars that hold together nicely:
- Use quick-cooking oats. If you use regular old-fashioned rolled oats, it’s likely that the bars won’t stay together well and the texture won’t be right. I know because I tried it.
- Mix the oat mixture and the honey mixture together very well so that everything is coated. You don’t want any dry spots.
- Press the oat mixture down into the pan firmly with a spatula or the back of a spoon so it is very compact.
- I store these granola bars individually wrapped in plastic inside an air-tight container, either at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one week. They will get a bit hard in the fridge, but they will soften up as they come to room temperature again.
If you’re a fan of peanut butter and chocolate, check out my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip No-Bake Granola Bars!
I hope you try this recipe for Oat and Honey Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
Oat and Honey Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- cooking spray
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (I use light brown sugar, but you could also use dark brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Lightly spray an 8×8-inch pan or baking dish with cooking spray. Place a piece of parchment paper in the pan that will cover the bottom and come up two of the sides (so you have "handles" to easily lift them out of the pan later).
- In a large bowl, combine the oats and the crispy rice cereal.
- Place the butter, honey, and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the butter is melted and the mixture comes to a boil.
- Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer vigorously, stirring constantly, for two minutes.
- Turn off the heat, and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the hot honey mixture over the oat mixture and stir well to combine. It's very important that all of the oat mixture is coated with the honey mixture. You don't want any dry spots as this will prevent your bars from holding together.
- Place the oat mixture into your prepared pan and press it down firmly with a spatula or the back of a spoon until it is very compact. You don't want it to be loose at all as this will prevent your bars from holding together.
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until cooled and firm. Remove from the pan and cut into 12 bars.
- To store, wrap each bar individually with plastic wrap and store in an air-tight container. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
-
- If you store these in the refrigerator, they will get a bit hard, but they will soften up once they come back to room temperature.
Recipe slightly adapted from Brooklyn Farm Girl.
MLO
I made these this morning and I can’t stop eating them. They are the best I have ever made and they taste great!! I used Splenda brown sugar and they came out delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Michelle
Thank you! I am so happy that you enjoyed the granola bars (I have a peanut butter chocolate chip version too if you like those flavors)! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!
Maya
Have you tried putting in any ground flax seed or chia or anything like that to up the nutrition value? If so what would you suggest?
Michelle
Hi, Maya! Great question! I have not done that yet, but ground flax seeds and/or chia seeds would be my first choices. Sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, and pepitas are other options. As far as how much to add, I’m not sure. Just be careful not to add too much, as that could make the mixture too crumbly and keep the bars from holding together. Let me know how it goes!
Sharon
I just made a batch of these this morning..they came out great! I eat one with coffee for my breakfast… thank you
Michelle
Thank you very much, Sharon! I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
Linda
I am flying overseas in a few days, will this be ok out if the refrigerator for 2 weeks?
Michelle
Hi, Linda! These will definitely be ok for one week when individually wrapped and then stored in an airtight container or bag at room temperature, but they may become a little stale after that. Hope you have a nice trip!
Audrey Horacek
How do you think these would turn out with coconut oil vs butter? I’m nursing and my baby has a milk protein allergy so I’m dairy free for him. The sunbelt granola bars are my favorite!
Michelle
Hi, Audrey! I think they would be yummy with coconut oil, and it should work just fine. I say give it a try!
Audrey Horacek
It worked perfectly! Just a faint coconut flavor. So delicious!
Michelle
Awesome! Thanks so much for coming back and sharing this with us…going to have to try it myself!