This recipe makes soft, slightly chewy homemade granola bars baked in an 8×8 inch pan, using your oat, honey, and mixed nuts base plus a simple brown sugar–butter syrup for binding. The method is very straightforward: mix and bake, then cool completely before cutting so the bars hold together well.
Ingredients and equipment
- 2 cups Rolled Oats
- ½ cup Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Honey
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 2 cups mixed nuts and dried fruit
Pan prep and oven setup
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (about 175°C) so it reaches temperature by the time the mixture is ready. Lightly spray or grease an 8×8 inch baking pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to act as handles for lifting the baked slab out later.
Press the parchment flat against the base and corners so there are no big air pockets, which can cause uneven baking at the bottom. Set the prepared pan aside on a baking sheet if you like extra stability while moving it in and out of the oven.
Make the binding syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and unsalted butter. Add the honey to the same pan, pouring it over the sugar and butter so everything melts together evenly.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking for about 1 minute after it starts bubbling, just until the brown sugar has fully dissolved and you have a smooth, glossy syrup with no visible sugar granules.
Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract, mixing with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon until the vanilla is evenly incorporated. Let the syrup sit for a minute or two off the heat while you prepare the dry ingredients so it is hot but not aggressively boiling when you pour it over the oats.
Combine dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, add the rolled oats and your 2 cups of mixed nuts and dried fruit. This can include combinations like cranberries, raisins, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, or any other nuts and dried fruits you prefer.
Sprinkle in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, making sure these dry ingredients are distributed evenly over the oats and fruit. Use a whisk or your hands to toss everything together until the flour and spices coat the oats and mix-ins, which helps ensure even flavor and better binding later.
Mix in the syrup
Pour the warm brown sugar–honey–butter syrup over the oat mixture in the large bowl. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold the syrup through the oats, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl so no dry pockets remain.
Keep stirring until every flake of oat and every piece of nut or dried fruit looks lightly glossy and coated. Take a moment to press the mixture together with the back of the spoon; it should clump when pressed, which is a good sign that the bars will hold once baked and cooled.
Press into the pan
Transfer the granola mixture into your prepared 8×8 inch pan, scraping the bowl well so nothing is wasted. Spread it out roughly with the spatula, then use clean, slightly damp hands or the back of a spoon to press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
Pay attention to the corners and edges, pressing them down so they are as compact as the center; this prevents crumbly edges once cut. The more firmly you press now, the better the bars will slice into neat pieces later.
Bake and cool completely
Place the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes. The top should look lightly golden and set, with the edges just starting to turn a deeper golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack, allowing the granola slab to cool completely in the pan. This cooling step is crucial; plan for about 3 hours so the bars firm up fully before you attempt to cut them.
Lift, slice, and serve
Once completely cooled, run a small sharp knife around the inside edges of the pan to loosen any bits that might have stuck. Use the parchment overhang as handles to lift the entire granola slab out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board.
With a large sharp knife, cut straight down into bars or squares, depending on your preferred portion size. Wipe the knife between cuts if needed to keep the edges clean and reduce crumbling.
Storage and serving ideas
The bars can be wrapped individually in parchment or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. They pack well for work or school snacks, and their balance of oats, nuts, and dried fruit makes them a convenient grab-and-go breakfast option.
For a softer bite, enjoy them at room temperature; for a slightly firmer, chewier texture, refrigerate them before serving. These bars also work well crumbled over yogurt as a quick parfait-style breakfast or dessert.
Extra tips for perfect bars
A firmly packed mixture is one of the biggest keys to granola bars that slice cleanly without falling apart. Pressing down evenly, especially around the edges, condenses the oats and nuts so the honey and brown sugar syrup can glue everything into a cohesive slab during baking. If the mixture is left loose and fluffy in places, those pockets tend to crumble into granola instead of holding bar shape.
Cooling completely before cutting is just as important as pressing firmly. While still warm, the syrup is soft and the structure of the bar is not fully set, so cutting too early encourages cracking and breaking along the knife line. Allowing the slab to cool for the full 3 hours lets the sugars firm up and the bars stabilize, which makes it much easier to lift, slice, and store neat pieces.
Customizing the nut and dried fruit blend can subtly change both flavor and texture without affecting the basic method. Softer dried fruits like raisins and cranberries give chewier pockets, while crunchy seeds and nuts add a satisfying bite and help balance the sweetness of the honey. Sticking to a total of about 2 cups of mix-ins keeps the ratio of syrup to solids in a good range so the bars bind properly.
Essential Equipment Guide
Nutritional Information
Approximate values per serving (based on 10 servings from recipe totals using standard ingredient data).
| Nutrient | Amount per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 250 kcal |
| Total Fat | 12g |
| Carbohydrates | 32g |
| Protein | 5g |
| Fiber | 3g |
| Sugars | 18g |
Pairings
- Pair with yogurt for a creamy breakfast parfait.
- Serve alongside fresh fruit like apples or bananas for added freshness.
- Enjoy with a cup of coffee or milk as a mid-morning snack.
Variations
- Swap mixed nuts for almonds and pumpkin seeds to boost crunch.
- Add chocolate chips to the dry mix before baking for a sweeter treat.
- Use maple syrup instead of honey for a different flavor profile.
Recipe Timing
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The Granola Bars Recipe That’ll Replace Your Store-Bought Snacks
This recipe makes soft, slightly chewy homemade granola bars baked in an 8×8 inch pan, using your oat, honey, and mixed nuts base plus a simple brown sugar–butter syrup for binding. The method is very straightforward: mix and bake, then cool completely before cutting so the bars hold together well.
- Total Time: 45 Mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rolled Oats
- ½ cup Flour
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 1/3 cup Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Honey
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 2 cups mixed nuts and dried fruit
Instructions
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (about 175°C) so it reaches temperature by the time the mixture is ready. Lightly spray or grease an 8×8 inch baking pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to act as handles for lifting the baked slab out later.
Press the parchment flat against the base and corners so there are no big air pockets, which can cause uneven baking at the bottom. Set the prepared pan aside on a baking sheet if you like extra stability while moving it in and out of the oven.
Make the binding syrupIn a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and unsalted butter. Add the honey to the same pan, pouring it over the sugar and butter so everything melts together evenly.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking for about 1 minute after it starts bubbling, just until the brown sugar has fully dissolved and you have a smooth, glossy syrup with no visible sugar granules.
Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla extract, mixing with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon until the vanilla is evenly incorporated. Let the syrup sit for a minute or two off the heat while you prepare the dry ingredients so it is hot but not aggressively boiling when you pour it over the oats.
Combine dry ingredientsIn a large mixing bowl, add the rolled oats and your 2 cups of mixed nuts and dried fruit. This can include combinations like cranberries, raisins, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, or any other nuts and dried fruits you prefer.
Sprinkle in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, making sure these dry ingredients are distributed evenly over the oats and fruit. Use a whisk or your hands to toss everything together until the flour and spices coat the oats and mix-ins, which helps ensure even flavor and better binding later.
Mix in the syrupPour the warm brown sugar–honey–butter syrup over the oat mixture in the large bowl. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to fold the syrup through the oats, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl so no dry pockets remain.
Keep stirring until every flake of oat and every piece of nut or dried fruit looks lightly glossy and coated. Take a moment to press the mixture together with the back of the spoon; it should clump when pressed, which is a good sign that the bars will hold once baked and cooled.
Press into the panTransfer the granola mixture into your prepared 8×8 inch pan, scraping the bowl well so nothing is wasted. Spread it out roughly with the spatula, then use clean, slightly damp hands or the back of a spoon to press the mixture firmly and evenly into the pan.
Pay attention to the corners and edges, pressing them down so they are as compact as the center; this prevents crumbly edges once cut. The more firmly you press now, the better the bars will slice into neat pieces later.
Bake and cool completelyPlace the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for about 25–30 minutes. The top should look lightly golden and set, with the edges just starting to turn a deeper golden brown.
Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a cooling rack, allowing the granola slab to cool completely in the pan. This cooling step is crucial; plan for about 3 hours so the bars firm up fully before you attempt to cut them.
Lift, slice, and serveOnce completely cooled, run a small sharp knife around the inside edges of the pan to loosen any bits that might have stuck. Use the parchment overhang as handles to lift the entire granola slab out of the pan and transfer it to a cutting board.
With a large sharp knife, cut straight down into bars or squares, depending on your preferred portion size. Wipe the knife between cuts if needed to keep the edges clean and reduce crumbling.
- Prep Time: 15 Mins
- Cook Time: 30 Mins
