Chewy Granola Bars

Oats, honey and whatever nuts and fruit you've, pressed and baked soft.

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time1 hr 40 mins
Yield12 bars
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Before You Start

Shop-bought granola bars are mostly syrup. These aren't much better for you, to be honest, but you control what goes in and they cost a fraction as much. The real trick is pressing the mixture down far harder than feels reasonable, or they crumble.

Instructions

0 of 6 done

  1. Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Spread the oats, nuts and coconut on a tray and toast for 8 minutes, giving them a shake halfway. This is where the flavour comes from.

  2. Line a 20 cm square tin with paper. Warm the honey, butter, brown sugar and salt in a pan until the butter melts and it just starts to bubble.

  3. Take it off the heat, stir in the vanilla, then tip in the toasted oat mixture and the cranberries. Stir until everything is coated and sticky.

  4. Scrape into the tin and press down hard with the back of a spoon or a flat glass. Keep pressing. Loose bars fall apart, and this is the only step that prevents it.

  5. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are golden, then scatter the chocolate chips over the hot surface and press them in.

  6. Cool in the tin for an hour, then chill for another hour before lifting out and cutting into bars with a sharp knife.

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💡 Baker's tips

  • Cut them cold, straight from the fridge. Warm bars tear along the oat lines no matter how carefully you slice.
  • If yours still crumble, add another 2 tablespoons of honey next time. Different oats absorb wildly different amounts.

🔀 Make it your own

  • Swap the honey for maple syrup and the butter for coconut oil to make them vegan.
  • Use chopped dried apricots and pistachios, or peanut butter stirred into the syrup for a more filling bar.

📦 Storing & freezing

Wrap individually and keep at room temperature for a week, or freeze for 3 months. Wrapping them separately stops them welding into a block.

❓ Frequently asked

How many grams is a cup of rolled oats?

About 90 g per US cup, so the 2½ cups here is roughly 225 g. Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant, which turn to mush.

Can I make them no-bake?

Yes. Skip the oven step, press the mixture in and chill for 3 hours. They'll be softer and stickier, and they need to stay refrigerated.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

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