Grab one of these homemade granola bars for an on-the-go snack and avoid a hangry moment in your day. My healthy granola bar recipe creates a pan of perfectly flavored oatmeal raisin bars that are perfect for kids and adults alike.
If you’re looking for a snack that will give you sustained energy + leave you feeling full, then these homemade granola bars are for you!
I grew up on Nature’s Valley bars thanks to my dad, but I wanted to make my own version using my fav plant-based ingredients. Now this, my friend, is a “rawkstar” healthy granola bar recipe.
Homemade granola bars vs store bought
The reason I love these homemade granola bars so much is because I get to choose the ingredients. It is TOUGH to walk through the aisles of grocery stores while on the hunt for a granola bar filled with protein and healthy fats… that still tastes good… and doesn’t included added sweeteners, corn syrup, super processed fat, as well as chemicals I’m not interested in consuming.
Healthy granola bar recipe
The combination of chia seeds, almonds, and gluten-free rolled oats packs a protein punch for your body—whether it’s making it to the next hour at work or making it to the next vista on hike. Just check out this rawkstar ingredient list.
Plant powered, protein packed granola bars
People often ask how I get enough protein through plant based eating. I love getting this question, because then I share all the incredible protein packed plants out there. Here’s what you can expect from protein in these homemade granola bars:
- gluten free rolled oats contain 16.9 grams of protein per 3.5 oz
- almond flour contains 6.1 grams of protein per serving
- sliced almonds contain 6 grams of protein per 1 oz
- chia seeds contain 4 grams of protein per 1 oz
While plant protein may look different from other forms of protein, it is just as effective. It often provides more than just a protein boost when you look at the vitamin and mineral content of these awesome ingredients as well. I want these homemade protein bars to taste good, while also fueling my day.
Healthy, necessary fat
Many people shy away from recipes with fat in them because we’ve been trained to see fat as bad. Yet the truth is, fat is a vital necessity to break down the protein and carbs in foods, and helps turn that food into usable energy. Here are the ingredients bringing healthy fat to this homemade granola bar recipe:
- gluten free rolled oats contain 6.9 grams of fat per 3.5 oz
- almond flour contains 14.2 grams of fat per serving
- sliced almonds contain 14 grams of fat per 1 oz
- almond butter contains 9.5 grams of fat per 1 tbsp
- chia seeds contain 9 grams of fat per 1 oz
Plant powered ingredient swaps
While this recipe is for oatmeal raisin bars, feel free to swap the raisins for a dried fruit of your choice. Don’t you love how versatile these homemade granola bars are?! I also like to use dried apricots, blueberries, or cherries, depending on what’s in my pantry. If almond butter isn’t your thing, swap for cashew butter, or even sunflower seed butter, to avoid nuts altogether. The nut butter acts as a binder + healthy fat in this homemade granola bar recipe, so feel free to swap with your preferred choice.
If you’d like an extra protein boost in these homemade granola bars, I recommend using just 1/4 cup of almond flour, then using Protein Smoothie Boost for the other 1/4 cup (which is one serving). This plant powered protein powder offers 10 extra grams of protein. That boost brings the total per serving to 17.3 grams of protein! It also adds an extra dose of healthy fat. This helps burn turn the carbs into energy that will fuel you all day long.
Homemade Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup almond flour
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup almond butter
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- pinch ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8 × 8-inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, almond flour, almonds, maple syrup, raisins, almond butter, chia seeds, oil, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
- Press the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges. Let cool completely in the pan.
- Cut into 8 rectangles.
Video
Notes
- Gluten free if using gluten free oats.
- Nut-free: Remove almonds, increase oats to 2 cups, and replace almond butter with sunflower butter).
- They will keep for about 1 week if wrapped well and stored in a cool place.
This recipe is a must try. I must admit that I have tried many of your green smoothies and salad recipes with great success. This has got to be a winner, too.
Ding ding ding!!! SO happy this recipe is a winner for you!!!
I’ve made them twice already … they are that good!
Yay Sandy!!
I am so crazy excited that you are loving this recipe! Sounds like you will be crunching or chewing on these for a while =P
Do you think these would freeze well? Wrapped in parchment maybe? (I’m guessing yes)
Hey Beth!
I think the bars would hold up nicely if you wrapped them in the parchment paper to freeze. Sounds like you are about to make a big batch! I am getting hungry just thinking about it 🙂
Looks delicious. I would love to see nutrition facts for all the recipes though.
Thanks for your feedback Marla!
At this time we do not offer nutritional facts but that is something we may start adding in the future. 🙂
I dont see where you can comment on the video so maybe it is here on the blag. Recipe looks great cant wit to try it
Hey Lisa,
Thanks for leaving a comment! You will have to let us know what you think when you give these a try. I have a feeling you will love them!! On our Youtube page if you scroll down to the bottom of the video you should be able to leave a comment there 🙂
These sound delicious! Is there a substitute for the maple syrup? Can I use liquid stevia?
Hi Loraine! We prefer to use maple syrup or raw honey as our sweeteners. Or, you could skip those and throw a super-ripe banana in there (as long as you like bananas). We prefer not to use stevia as it tends to be highly processed.
These look good, adaptable and easy to make, more importantly.
And crunchy for me! There’s something satisfying about the crunch.
The crunch is the best part! Feel free to leave them in the oven for a little longer for an even bigger CRUNCH!!
They totally are! That crunch is everything =P
I would prefer the crunchy bars! p.s. your oven looks pretty clean for all the baking you do. lol
The crunchy edge pieces are always my go-to as well. 🙂 I try to keep my oven clean, yet some days it gets a little crazy.
I would have loved to make this recipe however my child is allergic to almonds and all tree nuts. However since she is not allergic to peanuts, which is a legume, I can use peanut butter. do you know if the consistency can work with another nut free flour?
I found the nut free answer by reading to the bottom at your notes thanks! I had only read the yummy ingredients when I commented
You can def swap out the almonds for sunflower seeds and the almond butter for sunflower butter (or peanut butter if you prefer). I would swap the almond flour with oat flour (just grind down some oats into a fine powder) and it should work!
Yummy!!!! I will be making these this weekend. I prefer crunchy!!
Yum! Yum! Enjoy these Traci and feel free to cook extra long if you want them even more crunchy!
I like it give good a recipe
I will be trying this recipe today thanks you
You’re welcome Veronica. Glad to share some new fun recipes…. these bars are addicting… in all the right ways.
Chewy all the way for me!!! Love that you don’t need a food processor for this one!
Blender all the way Brooke! I rarely use my food processor— just for pesto really. I tried to blend pesto once and it was too powerful and made it a green slime. Bleh!
Simple delish and nutrish! I LOVE it
You got it right Karen! xoxoxoxo
This sound AMAZING Jen! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe— your video is super helpful too. My go-to granola bar is Rise, which has a delicious lemon cashew flavor that I can’t put down. It’s sometimes hard to find, yet Whole Foods usually has it and they are popping up more and more!
Hey Dani. Lemon cashew sounds really delicious! You could try subbing those flavors into this recipe and see if you can recreate your favorite bar at home!
I love crunch granola bars. Yummm…..
I will be trying this recipe
Me too Dunmola! Glad you’re gonna make it— I know you’ll love it!