No-Bake Granola Bars Recipe
Make chewy granola bars at home without ever turning on your oven. This easy, no-bake granola bar recipe features honey-sweetened oats, creamy peanut butter, and tasty mix-ins.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Snack
Keyword: easy snack, family friendly, granola bar, healthyish, make with kids, no bake snack
Servings: 16
Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $4.00
8x8 baking dish
Parchment Paper
Mixing Bowl
Saucepan
- 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup puffed rice cereal (like Rice Krispies or you can use puffed brown rice cereal)
- 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup mix-ins, reserve some to sprinkle on top (see below for some of my favorites)
Line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper.
In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Heat over medium heat just until the peanut butter is softened and easy to pour, 2 to 3 minutes. Move the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cereal and oats.
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the top and gently fold until everything is evenly combined. Fold in the mix-ins (you can set some aside to press into the top of the bars if you’d like.
Press the granola bar mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle any reserved mix-ins on top. (You can press the top down with the bottom of a measuring cup to get an even, flat surface.)
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set.
Remove the granola and slice into 16 even bars. These will hold their shape best if stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Ideas for mix-ins:
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chopped pretzels
- Dried fruit (raisins or cranberries)
- Chopped nuts
I also like to add a couple teaspoons of chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
Serving: 1g | Calories: 151kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg