Granola bars have been a staple in lunchboxes for years.
They’re convenient and they’re definitely tasty. And most people consider them
to be healthy. But it’s important to note that not all granola bars are created
equal.
If you look at the ingredients of some granola bars, they contain high fructose corn syrup, and that’s not all that healthy.
But fortunately it’s just as easy to make your own granola bars.
I’ve been making this granola bar recipe about once every other week for the past year because it is so easy and so good! The ingredient list is very simple (only 6 ingredients!) and I love that it keeps you feeling full.
You can also customize it to your own liking. Instead of chocolate chips, you could substitute Craisins. Instead of peanut butter, you could substitute sunflower butter. And if you don’t like coconut, just omit it!
And also, I should add that I used the Baked Goods Recipe Cost Calculator to compare the cost of these granola bars to store-bought granola bars. It costs $3.72 to make this entire recipe, and the cost per granola bar is 15 cents! Compare that to an 8-pack box of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, which costs $4.19 for a box and 52 cents per granola bar. That’s a huge difference!
Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Servings: Makes about 24 bars
Calories per serving: 84
- 2/3 cups shredded
unsweetened coconut - 1 cup quick
oats - 1/2 cup peanut
butter - 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup mini
chocolate chips - 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions
- Preheat oven to
325 degrees Fahrenheit - Disperse
shredded coconut on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. - Bake coconut for 5 minutes, just until the coconut is
lightly toasted, and remove from oven. - Mix toasted coconut with quick oats, peanut butter, honey, mini
chocolate chips, and vanilla. - Line 8 x 8 pan with aluminum foil and press mixture into
bottom of pan - Refrigerate pan
for at least a half hour before cutting. - Granola bars will stay fresh for about a week; refrigerate
to increase freshness time.
