Healthy Granola Bar Recipes

Blueberry and Maple Granola Bars Recipe

Wholesome granola bars lightly sweetened with maple syrup and studded with dried blueberries make a delicious snack. Although the combination of blueberries and maple is delicious, feel free to substitute the dried fruit of your choice. Dried cherries, cranberries, or raisins all would be delicious.

You should be able to find unsalted sunflower seeds in your local health foods store or in the natural foods section of your supermarket. If you can't find unsalted you could always give salted ones a quick rinse and dry since the recipe calls for toasting them before they are added with the other ingredients.

Although the recipe calls for unbleached all-purpose flour, I've had good success using King Arthur's white wheat flour in its place. This recipe calls for pure maple syrup for which there is no substitution. Don't be tempted to use maple-flavored pancake syrup in its place!

• 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dried blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with heavy duty aluminum foil, making sure there is a 1-inch overhang all around the sides of the pan. These will be used as "handles" to remove the granola bars from the pan once they are baked. Set aside.
2. Spread the oats, walnuts, and sunflower seeds on an ungreased baking sheet and bake until they are lightly toasted, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes. This should take about 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and allow the mixture to cool completely before proceeding.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until well combined.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine the canola oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup until the mixture is smooth and well blended. Stir in the egg and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture until it is just incorporated. Stir in the oat mixture until everything is well combined. Stir in the dried blueberries.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the granola bars until they are set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Lift the foil "handles" on either side of the pan to remove the slab of granola bars from the pan. Place them on a cutting board. Cut into desired size and shape bars.

This recipe yields about 16 Maple Blueberry Granola Bars from an 8-inch square baking pan.

Fruity, Nutty, Whole Grain Bars Recipe

This recipe makes delicious chewy, crunchy healthy granola bars full of oats, dried fruit, and whole grains, lightly sweetened with the natural goodness of maple syrup instead of sugar.

Try them once and we think you will want to make them again and again. These healthy granola bars are just that good. You'll need a food processor to make these quick and easy granola bars.

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dried pitted dates
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. Place oats, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, flour, fruit, almonds, dry milk, and cinnamon in a food processor and pulse until everything is chopped and well blended.
4. Add maple syrup and eggs and pulse until everything is well blended.
5. Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.
6. Allow to cool and a wire rack on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Cut bars into desired size and shape.

Once they are completely cool, you can store these fruity, nutty, chewy, healthy granola bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe

Chewy, wholesome, not too sweet homemade granola bars are a perfect lunch bag treat or after school snack. You can use whatever combination of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits you prefer, provided you keep the proportions the same.

• 3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower or pumpkin seeds (optional)
• 2 tablespoons wheat germ
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice (raisins, chopped dates, chopped apricots, cranberries, etc)

1. Preheat your oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8-inch baking pan with foil that overhangs the pan on all sides by at least one inch. Lightly grease the foil.
2. Spread the oats, nuts, and seeds on a baking sheet and bake them for about 10 minutes, or until they are lightly toasted, stirring once or twice to insure even cooking.
3. Remove the pan from the oven and let the oat/nut mixture cool completely.
4. In a small bowl, combine the wheat germ, flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon with a whisk until blended.
5. In a large mixing bowl, stir the oil and brown sugar with a whisk until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla.
6. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined, then stir in the oat mixture and dried fruit until well combined.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly. Bake the bars until they are set, about 25 to 30 minutes.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire rack until the granola bars have cooled completely.
9. Lift the slab of granola bars from the pan using the overhanging foil as handles and place on a cutting board. Cut into desired size squares/bars.
10. These Homemade Granola Bars will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Yield: Makes one 8-inch pan of Homemade Healthy Granola Bars.

No Bake Almond Cereal Bars Recipe

This healthy granola bar recipe is full of tasty healthy ingredients including almond butter, whole grain puff cereal, seeds, nuts, dried fruit and sweetened with brown rice syrup.

Making these healthy granola bars will probably require a trip to the health food store for brown rice syrup and quinoa flakes, but it's definitely worth it if you want a healthy homemade granola bar made without sugar, that is packed with protein from almond butter and quinoa.

They stir together in just a few minutes and require no baking.

• 1 cup almond butter
• 1 cup brown rice syrup
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup dried cranberries or cherries
• 3 cups puffed cereal, such as Kashi 7 Grain Puffs
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 3/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup quinoa flakes

1. Lightly coat a 13x9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large saucepan, heat almond butter and rice syrup over low heat until bubbles begin to form.
3. Quickly stir in walnuts, fruit, seeds, cereal, and quinoa flakes until well combined.
4. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, press into the prepared pan and cool completely.
5. Cut bars into desired size and shape and wrap pan tightly or wrap bars individually for on-the-go convenience.

This recipe makes one 13x9-inch pan of No Bake Almond Cereal Bars.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Recipe

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup wheat germ
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly grease 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, melted butter and vanilla and blend well.
3. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.
4. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
6. Cool pan completely on wire rack.
7. Cut bars into desired size and shape.

This recipe makes one 13x9-inch pan Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.