DIY Granola Bars

Enjoy this heart-healthy recipe from our kitchen to yours! Check out more wonderful recipes by visiting our collection.

Print

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 0 mins | Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 3 c rolled oats (+/- ¼ cup depending on consistency)

• 1 c nut butter (peanut butter or almond butter)

• ½ c sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave)

• ¼ c optional add-ins (see Notes below for ideas)

Optional toppings:

• ¼ c butterscotch or chocolate chips, melted

• Pinch flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine nut butter and sweetener and stir until smooth. If mixture is too thick, microwave for 30 seconds or add warm water.

3. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

4. Add dry ingredients to nut butter mixture and stir until well combined.

5. Transfer granola mixture into lined baking dish and press down to form an even layer. If using optional toppings, drizzle the melted butterscotch/chocolate and sprinkle with flaky salt.

6. Refrigerate granola bars in the fridge for at least an hour or until firm and set.

7. Remove from fridge and slice into bars.

8. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week or in a Ziplock bag in the freezer for up to six months.    

Notes

• Have fun with different flavor combinations! Be sure to limit the overall add-ins to a total of ¼ cup.

  • Dried fruit with nuts, dark chocolate with coconut, mini chocolate chips, M&Ms, or sprinkles.

  • Protein add-ins to try: nuts, pumpkin (pepita) or sunflower seeds, chia or flax seeds, hemp hearts or even protein powder to your granola bar mixture. Note that you may need to adjust your amounts of dry ingredients or sweetener to achieve the desired consistency.

• To mix and match with other grains, reduce the oats ¼ cup.

  • Options to try include: bran cereal, crispy rice cereal, or other puffed grains.

• To make it taste more like home, add a dash of cinnamon or other favorite spices.

• If using honey or agave as your sweetener, increase the oats by about ¼ cup as these are quite a bit stickier.

Nutrition*: (per 1 bar) Calories: 179 kcals | Total Fat: 9.5 g | Sat Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 36 mg | Carb: 21 g | Fiber: 3 g | Added Sugar: 7.5 Protein: 5.5 g.

*Nutritional information is for base recipe only (rolled oats, nut butter, and honey/maple syrup); optional add-ins not included in the above values.

In the Kitchen | June 2025 | Adapted from The Big Man’s World
Basecamp Prevention + Wellness, Providence | providencebasecamp.org