How To Make Granola Bars At Home?
Do your kids go through snacks quickly, or are you on the lookout for on-the-go, healthy snacks that will keep you full and energized? You have come to the right place! Homemade granola bars are a filling and hearty breakfast, on-the-go snack, or even after-dinner treat – and they’re super easy to make. When you’re craving a chewy, satisfying bite, skip the store-bought varieties and make your own healthy granola bar recipe. Take your pick from nutty homemade granola bars to kid-friendly no-bake bars to sweet pie-inspired delights and get cooking!
Do you want to know how to make healthy homemade granola bars? It is the best easy granola bar recipe you’ve been looking for because it’s quick to make, requires minimal ingredients, and is extremely chewy. This granola bar recipe is not only quick and easy to make, but the bars are also quite nutritious and delicious!
How To Make Granola Bars At Home?
The Baked Version
Ingredients:
•Melted coconut oil– used to moisten the granola bars.
•Unsweetened applesauce– aids in the bonding of the granola bars.
•Honey– adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
•Vanilla extract– adds flavor depth.
•Old fashioned oats, Granola, and whole wheat flour– these ingredients give it its structure. In addition to the oats and flour, using pre-made granola, like Fit & Flex Granola, will add a satisfying crunch. You are free to make your granola as well!
•Flaxseed meal– adds extra nutrition to the bars. Flax seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, and other nutrients.
•Baking soda– keeps the granola bars from becoming too dense while baking.
•Salt– balances the sweetness and adds flavor.
•Chocolate chips or chunks– Semi-sweet dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or even peanut butter chips will work. If you choose the Fit & Flex Choco Almond Granola, you will also get that extra flavor.
Because it only takes 10 minutes to prepare, this granola bar recipe is ideal for meal prep. Make a large batch at the start of the week and keep it on hand for quick snacks throughout the week!
Method:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract.
2. Combine the oats, granola, flour, flaxseed meal, baking soda, salt, and chocolate in a mixing bowl. To combine, stir everything together.
3. Place the mixture in a greased baking dish and press it down firmly.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 325oF, then remove from oven and press down with the back of a lightly greased metal spatula.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt and set aside to cool completely before slicing and serving.
The No-Bake Version
Ingredients:
For this no-bake version of homemade granola bars, you will need only seven ingredients. Let’s take a look at them.
•Natural peanut or cashew butter – These add protein, healthy fats, and an irresistible nutty flavor to the bars while also helping to bind them together.
•Whole rolled oats– These provide the perfect chewy texture to the bars. If you are gluten-free, you can use gluten-free oats in this recipe.
•Honey– Along with the nut butter, it aids in the adhesion of all of these ingredients! In this recipe.
•Vanilla extract– It enhances the warm flavor of the bars.
•Sea salt– To bring out all of the recipe’s rich, sweet, and nutty flavors!
•Crushed peanuts or cashews– these nuts and seeds add healthy fats, protein, and crunch.
•Mini chocolate chips– Who doesn’t enjoy the combination of nut butter and chocolate? Regular chocolate chips are too large to make cohesive bars, so use mini chocolate chips instead. If you don’t have mini chocolate chips on hand, finely chopped dark chocolate will suffice.
Method:
1. Line an 8-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
3. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and pepitas (or nuts). The mixture may appear dry at first, but continue to stir, and it will come together. Stir everything together and press it firmly into the pan.
4. Flatten the mixture with a second piece of parchment paper and the back of a measuring cup. Chill for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars.
5. Place the bars in the refrigerator.
What Makes The Granola Bars Stick Together?
The key to getting these granola bars to stick together is to boil the honey for one minute precisely if you do want to go for no-bake granola bars. It causes it to slightly harden as it cools, giving these bars a classic “chewy” texture. If you’re vegan and don’t want to use honey, you can use maple syrup instead.
Either way, you must use moist, sticky ingredients! The honey, coconut oil, and applesauce all act as binders for the granola bars in this case. They also add healthy fat and natural sweetness as a bonus!
Tips To Make Granola Bars At Home
1. Firmly press the bars into the baking dish- It prevents the formation of air bubbles in the bars, which keeps them from crumbling.
2. Grease your hands as well as the spatula- The granola bars will be sticky both before and after baking. It is recommended to grease your hands and the spatula before pressing them down to prevent them from sticking.
3. Allow cooling completely- It can get tempting to eat the granola bars right away, but you need to understand that cooling them makes it worth it. It allows the bars to become cohesive, so they hold their shape rather than falling apart when you bite into them.
4. Make your granola or buy premade granola- If you have the time, make your almond butter granola, but to keep things quick and easy, you can use store-bought granola like Fit & Flex Granola, packed with the finest ingredients, in several flavors, and baked.
5. Experiment with different flavors- Make a mixture of diverse mix-ins. Try peanut butter chips, raisins or dried cranberries, dried coconut, M&Ms, or anything else you can think of at the top of your head! You have a lot of lee ways as long as you use 1-2 cups of mix-ins!
How To Store Homemade Granola Bars?
You can store homemade granola bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for up to two months. To re-enjoy, eat straight from the refrigerator or at room temperature, or thaw at room temperature if frozen.
Both the homemade granola bar recipes are easy-to-make and full of flavor. You can try any of these recipes using the Fit & Flex Granola and give it your twist to these recipes as well. Either way, you will have granola bars to snack on the go and packed with nutrition too.
Why Choose Fit & Flex Granola For Your Homemade Granola Bars?
Fit & Flex Granola comes in several flavors, offering you the perfect breakfast or snack option, as it is healthy and contains the right crunch you need to kick-start your day. Made of the finest ingredients and entirely baked, you can snack on them any time of the day or night or add them to your homemade granola bars as the base ingredient. Begin your journey towards a healthier lifestyle with Fit & Flex Granola today! Here’s where you can buy this healthy and nutritious snack shop granola online.
