Homemade peanut butter granola bars
Did you know you can make granola bars at home? It’s true! Instead of wasting money on sugary storebought bars, make these tasty Peanut Butter Granola Bars in just a few minutes. Every bite is bursting with sweet and salty flavors thanks to the delicious mix of peanut butter, pretzels, oats, chocolate chips, and honey. I’m a huge fan of peanut butter and could put it in everything I eat (like these Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies and Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream). I especially love it in no bake oat bars because it adds a delightful chewiness and nutty flavors to each bite. Even if you have an aversion to nuts, you can easily swap it with just-as-delicious seed butter! This recipe is naturally egg free and made with simple, easy to find, and budget-friendly ingredients. There’s plenty of room for substitutions and fun add-ins, so feel free to get creative! It isn’t hard to make the most delicious and healthy after-school snack of your dreams.
How to make peanut butter granola bars from scratch
These healthy peanut butter cereal bars are so easy to put together. You don’t even need to turn on your oven! This is how it’s done: Mix the oats, cereal, and pretzels together in a bowl. In a saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter, brown sugar, honey, and peanut butter together. Turn the heat down once the mixture starts to bubble and keep stirring. Finish by stirring in the vanilla. Pour the hot syrup over the dry mixture and stir until everything is well coated. Transfer it to your prepared 8×8 pan and press it down with a spatula. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Cover the dish and refrigerate the granola for 2 hours. When it’s set, cut the granola into bars and enjoy!
Can I double the recipe?
You can easily double or even triple the number of granola bars you make so you always have a delicious homemade snack on hand. To do so, I recommend using a 9×13 baking dish so the bars aren’t too thick. Double or triple each of the ingredients and store the extras in the fridge and freezer.
Homemade granola bar tips
The newer the peanut butter, the better. Peanut butter at the top of a fresh jar will be much easier to work with than the stuff at the bottom. Use all natural peanut butter if you can. The only ingredient in all natural peanut butter is peanuts, meaning there won’t be any added sugars or preservatives to affect the flavor of the granola bars. These need to set in the fridge for at least 2 hours. The bars will fall apart if you cut the time too short.
Substitutions and add-ins
Gluten free – Make sure the quick oats are certified gluten free to make gluten free homemade granola bars. Nut free – Sunflower seed butter, tahini, or pumpkin seed butter would be delicious nut free alternatives to peanut butter. Vegan – Replace the butter with vegan butter or coconut oil, and honey with agave syrup or maple syrup. Add-ins – Protein powder, chia seeds, raisins, hemp hearts, peanuts, walnuts, pecans, dried cranberries, coconut, colorful sprinkles, white chocolate chips, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and more.
Storing and freezing granola bars
To store, keep the cut granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. To freeze, place the cut granola bars in an airtight container and wrap each one in parchment paper so they don’t stick together. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before eating, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
More homemade granola bar recipes
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Cake Batter Granola Bars Rainbow Crunch Granola Bars Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars
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