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.
Everything you need
- 2½ cups (225 g) rolled oats
- ¾ cup (113 g) chopped nuts
- ½ cup (40 g) shredded coconut
- ½ cup (60 g) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- ⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ⅓ cup (57 g) chocolate chips (optional)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
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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.
For this step
- 2½ cups (225 g) rolled oats
- ¾ cup (113 g) chopped nuts
- ½ cup (40 g) shredded coconut
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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.
For this step
- ½ cup (170 g) honey
- ⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- ½ tsp fine salt
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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.
For this step
- ½ cup (60 g) dried cranberries
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
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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.
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Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are golden, then scatter the chocolate chips over the hot surface and press them in.
For this step
- ⅓ cup (57 g) chocolate chips (optional)
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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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Worth knowing
- 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.
Cooking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.