Crispy Honey Nut Granola Bars
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Crispy and not too sweet, these granola bars are loaded with oats, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit.
I’ve tried dozens of recipes for homemade granola bar recipes over the years. This crispy, crunchy version loaded with oats, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit is one of my favorites. Surprisingly, the secret ingredient is Rice Krispies, which lend the bars a light and airy crispiness. Imagine a delightful cross between a granola bar and a Rice Krispies Treat—that’s exactly what you get here.
Table of Contents
“Exactly what I was searching for- Crunchy and delicious, but not too sweet.”
What You’ll Need To Make Crispy Honey Nut Granola Bars
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: The base ingredient, adding bulk and texture.
- Chopped Walnuts: Add crunch and nutty flavor.
- Sliced Almonds: Introduce additional crunch and a delicate, slightly sweet taste.
- Shredded Unsweetened Coconut: Offers a hint of tropical flavor and nice texture contrast.
- Honey: Acts as a natural binder and adds subtle sweetness to the bars.
- Light Brown Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps with crispiness.
- Unsalted Butter: Contributes richness and aids in binding.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances flavor complexity.
- Crisp Rice Cereal: Adds crispiness and lightness to the bars.
- Dried Fruit: Offers bursts of natural sweetness and chewiness. Also provides a nice color contrast.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Ingredients
To begin, spread the oats, walnuts and almonds onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 7 minutes. Add the shredded coconut and toss well.
Place the pan back into the oven to cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Keep an eye on it towards the end; you want the coconut to turn golden but not burn.
In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Whisk and bring to a rapid boil, then turn off the heat and set aside.
Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce heat to 300°F. Combine the oat mixture, honey mixture, rice cereal, and dried fruit in a large bowl.
Toss well to combine.
Turn the granola bar mixture out into a foil-lined baking dish.
Using a rubber spatula, spread and pat the mixture into an even layer.
Bake until lightly golden, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, 1 to 1½ hours. Use the foil overhang to transfer bars to cutting board.
Use a large, sharp knife to cut into rectangles.
Store the bars in a single layer in an airtight container for up to a week (do not stack the bars or they will stick together and fall apart).
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the bars in a single layer in an airtight container, or wrap them individually in aluminum foil, for up to a week at room temperature.
Definitely! These granola bars freeze nicely for up to 3 months. Ensure they’ve cooled completely, then store them in an airtight container with parchment paper or aluminum foil between layers. When you’re ready to enjoy, take them out of the container and let them thaw at room temperature.
Sure — as long as you keep the proportions of dry to wet ingredients the same, these are super versatile. You can switch up the nuts or dried fruits depending on your preferences or what you have on hand. Sometimes I’ll sprinkle some chocolate chips over top for the kids (you can’t mix them in or they’ll melt). Experiment and have fun with it!
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Crispy Honey Nut Granola Bars
Crispy and not too sweet, these granola bars are loaded with oats, nuts, coconut, and dried fruit.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ⅔ cup shredded unsweetened coconut (available at Whole Foods or natural food markets)
- ½ cup honey
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup crisp rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
- ¾ cup dried fruit, such as cranberries, diced apricots, blueberries, currants, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
- Spread the oats, walnuts and almonds onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast for 7 minutes. Add the coconut and toss well with a rubber spatula, then place back in the oven to cook for 4 to 5 minutes more. Keep an eye on it towards the end; you want the coconut to turn golden but not burn.
- In the meantime, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Whisk and bring to a rapid boil, then turn off the heat and set aside.
- Once the oat mixture is done, remove it from the oven and reduce the heat to 300°F. Combine the oat mixture, honey mixture, rice cereal, and dried fruit in a large bowl and toss well. (Reserve the aluminum foil.)
- Use the reserved foil to line a 9x13-inch baking dish, then spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the granola bar mixture out into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly, patting down with a spatula. Be sure the heat is reduced to 300°F, then bake until lightly golden, 20 to 23 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely, 1 to 1½ hours. Use the foil overhang to transfer the bars to a cutting board, then use a large, sharp knife to cut into rectangles. Store the bars in a single layer in an airtight container, or wrap the bars individually in aluminum foil, for up to a week at room temperature.
- Note: You can swap in your favorite nuts and seeds as long as you keep the proportions of dry to wet ingredients the same. On occasion, I’ll sprinkle some chocolate chips over top for the kids (you can't mix them in or they'll melt).
- Note: Be sure your oven is fully preheated before toasting nuts; the initial blast of heat to preheat the oven can burn them.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The granola bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (16 servings)
- Serving size: 1 bar
- Calories: 140
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Sugar: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 60mg
- Cholesterol: 4mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These granola bars were exactly what I was looking for except they are WAY to sweet. I spread some Wow butter on top (peanut-free peanut butter) and they are perfect. Could you tell me the best way to add some peanut butter into the recipe and still have them come out so nice – either as just an addition or substituting for some of the brown sugar or honey? Thanks!!
Hi Ann, You could try adding a few tablespoons in place of the brown sugar or honey. I wouldn’t alter the recipe too much though or the bars might not hold together as well.
Oh and used evaborated cane juice instead of brown
Oh and brown rice cereal. Lol.
Best granola to date. Did pecans instead of walnuts and added dates that I chopped. They do fall apart a bit so I may either press them down more or just use as loose
I made my first batch today and used pecans instead of walnuts, sunflower seeds instead of almonds, and I used gluten free cocoa rice krispies instead of normal rice krispies. I also added raisins and dried cranberries. I only cooked it for 15 minutes, but my oven tends to cook hot. It was fantastic, I LOVED IT! Serving it tomorrow at a family lunch as bite size granola squares
Can the butter be replaced with a nut butter? Also, as there is honey in the recipe I would look to leave out (or reduce) the brown sugar would this affect the texture?
Hi Lauren, You can play around with the recipe a little but it will definitely affect the texture. The honey and sugar act as glue and the butter keeps the bars from being too hard. Sorry!
Can you tell me please if the grola bars fall apart. I want to make bars that hold together well. Thank you
Hi Linda, These hold together well.
This recipe was wonderful. I subbed unsalted peanuts instead of almonds and walnuts and added FD cherries. I also used Frosted Rice Krispies. You are right, you pretty much and mix and match. Now I am hooked. Thanks
My granola bars doesn’t turn crispy?? Why
So??
Hi Rizwana, Did you make this recipe?
No I didnt made this recipe. I made some other recipe of granola bar.
Ok next time i will try ur recipe.
Can these bars be frozen?
I made them last night for a brunch bar this morning! I used pecans and wheat-free oats and rice cereal. I also substituted maple sugar for brown sugar. I sprinkled some dark chocolate chips on top before baking.
I’m very pleased with how they turned out! A definite keeper for the old recipe box!
Hi Louise, Glad the bars turned out! It is fine to freeze them.
Thank you for this delicious recipe! I have been experimenting with Vegan recipes so used coconut oil and palm sugar in the honey mixture. I also added some hemp hearts. I was thinking if I make them for my grand kids (who are not allowed to bring nuts to school) I would sub out the nuts for seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame). Such a versatile recipe… I’ll be using this again!
Hi Carol, I would love to read more precise information regarding your substitution of palm sugar, coconut oil and hemp hearts. I am just beginning to experiment with vegan recipes.
This looks great but I have a question. What can I use instead of nuts, allergy reasons. I want the same crunch but not sure what the substitutes could be.
Try adding sunflower seeds, that’s what I did.
These are addictive! Thanks for sharing. I’m going to enjoy trying endless variations for my family. So much better (and cheaper) than store bought. My kids typically eat some kind of granola bars daily, as do I, so we have lot’s of opportunities to try these.
How long will these keep?
I’d say they keep for about a week as long as you keep them tightly covered.
These are great! I omitted the coconut since it was the only ingredient I didn’t have at home. For my husband and I they are a bit too sweet. Next time I will try them without the brown sugar and butter and add peanut butter instead. Can’t wIt to try more of your recipes!
Very good. Tried it and very easy to make.thankyou
Can you make these without coconut?
Hi Beth, Yes that would be fine. Just replace the coconut with more of another ingredient that you like.
i will let my 2 year old grandson’s review do the talking…num num!!!
These are perfect – exactly what I was looking for: crunchy, crisp, full of flavor! With a small B&B, I’m always on the lookout for keeper-recipes, and this is definitely one! Just packed 2 in our guest’s lunch bag (so she has something to munch on during her painting class. And since she’s come here all the way from Israel, I wanted her to have all that she needed, so these granola bars are filling the bill beautifully!) Thank you!
Cheryl, What a thrill to know my granola bars are being served in your B&B! If you have any keeper-recipes that you’d like to share, please send them my way 🙂
The best granola I made! Truly crispy and tastefull.
I have photos if you re interested!
Thank you from Greece
These are the best granola bars I’ve ever had! So yummy! I wouldn’t change a thing!
These are delicious! I use pecans instead of walnuts. The one time I added golden raisins they were almost too sweet for me (which is amazing because I love sweet things!), so I’m sticking to using only nuts and they are perfect every. single. time. Thank you, thank you for another winning recipe!
You’re welcome, Rebecca. So glad you enjoyed!
Great recipe! We added dried fruit; raisins, cherries, pineapple. Still in the oven but looks Yummy!
I have made these several times for the kids for afterschool snacks they are great!
Thanks!
These granola bars are delicious! I would probably bake them for less time so they are not quite as crispy. I think it would also be delicious as loose granola for yogurt.
We have made these granola bars several times and they always disappear quickly. Three of my four kids have peanut allergies, so it is always a challenge to find store bought bars that are not ‘peanut-tainted’. We had been looking for a crispy granola bar recipe, and this one nails it. I always have all the ingredients on hand and just love how the rice Krispies lighten up the bars…. perfect after school snack!
I have been looking for a recipe for granola bars…cannot wait to try.
These are FABULOUS! My husband doesn’t like nuts, but loves these. I’m a fan of making my kids’ snacks rather than buying processed food. These are perfect! Nothing in them kids don’t like!
I would love to win your Boos Board give-away!
And I look forward to making this yummy sounding recipe for Granola Bars. Love your website. Thank you!
Just made these and they are delicious! Seriously! I have been trying to find a recipe for a granola bar that wouldn’t fall apart and this held together great. I left the coconut out and added some flax seeds and peanut butter and my family can’t stop eating them. Thanks for posting this recipe!
Sooo good. Thanks for the recipe!
Jenn,
Another fantastic recipe! I made these AND your Black Bean Soup today. Love them both! Thank you!!!!
Thank you for sharing, these were a hit!
These are so easy to make and my whole family enjoys them. My kids told me to tell you there the best Granola bars ever!!
I made this last night and followed the recipe perfectly and they were AMAZING! So yummy and my daughter loves them too. Next time I might add a little crazins and some chia seeds I hope its still good with the additions. THANK YOU for sharing your recipe
These are my go-to granola bar recipe!
Since I found this recipe, I have made it once a week without fail. I’m super busy and this is the perfect on-the-go snack. I follow the recipe but add 1/2 c walnuts; 1/2 c pecans; 1/4 c goji berries; a handful of raw sunflower seeds, raw pumokin seeds, and flax seeds. It’s so unbelieveably delicious. We simply can’t get enough ot it. Thanks, Jen!!
These are so good and so much better than the store bought kind! yummm
This is one of the first recipes I tried from Once Upon A Chef and it was delicious!!
Yum. That’s all that needs to be said.
This look simple and AMAZINGLY delicious! I’m going to make it tonight – thanks for sharing!!!
Finally! I have been searching for this recipe for years and can’t wait to try it. I’ve had so many failed homemade granola bar attempts (they usually end up crumbling and turn into granola). Yay!
So I finally made these after I put them off for a week b/c I just thought it was to much work. I was wrong…very easy! So I did make a change….I substituted pecans for the walnuts & I made these in my large bar pan from Pampered Chef (needed something a bit smaller)…I didn’t spray it or use foil. I should have sprayed it…it was ok though….I followed all the bake time and they came out crunchy granola bars which is ok…the bits that didn’t stick together we put in a zipper back and we are going to use it as an addition into vanilla yogurt. Next time I will use the foil so I can lift it out of the pan & going to add raisins & decrease the bake time by 5 min. I also did use the coconut and it was the sweetened b/c I couldn’t find unsweet. I don’t like coconut and I couldn’t taste it all all. I was very happy…I will be playing around with this recipe…Thanks for posting it!
Joy, Thanks so much for your question. Granola bars are very forgiving so you can play around with the recipe. I think your best bet would be to replace the coconut with more oats. If you want to add dried fruits, I’d keep it between ¼-½ cup (I sometimes add ¼ cup currants). There are already a lot of nuts in the recipe but feel free to change the variety. The only other thing I would add is that the coconut flavor in these bars is very subtle and almost imperceptible. I use unsweetened dried coconut which has a much milder flavor than the sweetened stuff. Of course, if you have a coconut allergy it’s a moot point but just thought I’d mention in case you wanted to give the original recipe a go. Hope this helps!
Hi, My family eats very healthy & granola bars are apart of that. I’ve tried other recipes, but didn’t like the outcome. I really want to try yours, but I too have an issue with coconut as the previous poster stated. Could you please give some variations to this recipe? Like how much of the dried fruit & nuts (for a trail mix) to add & others flavors. I’m a recipe follower and I’m afraid of messing stuff up. I can bake and cook very well, but with new things I want it to end up tasting great. Is it possible that you can email me with these change in ingredients? Thanks in advance!
These were GREAT! I did not put the coconut in them (only because my husband dislikes coconut) but the nuts were wonderful in them! I brought some to work & they want more! Extremely easy recipe – another keeper!! Thanks!
Ohh I love these. I prefer ones w/o peanut butter, so these sound perfect!
I was looking for something I could make and send to my son who is deployed right now. This will be perfect as it won’t melt and should package well for shipment.
I love your recipes! Being a foodie myself, I have been inspired by your blog and shared it with hundreds of friends! I’m definitely making these bars and adding some flax seed as well.
Thank you!
I have been looking for a good homemade granola bar recipe for AGES! This looks perfect! Thank you!
These look fantastic! I am not a big fan of coconut though, but I’m afraid that omitting it will throw off the delicate balance of fats in the recipe (and lead to a crumbly bar). Could I substitute flaxseed meal maybe?