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no bake granola bars stacked on a wooden tray
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5 from 3 votes

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
Total Time20 minutes
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

Equipment

  • 8x8 baking dish
  • Parchment Paper
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 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)

Instructions

  • 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.

Notes

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.
 
 

Nutrition

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