Oatmeal, pecans, dried cranberries, and mini chocolate chips combined with a honey butter sauce to make the BEST Chewy Granola Bars recipe. These homemade granola bars are a good source of fiber, protein, and sweetness, making them a great breakfast or snack bar!
Our family loves a good homemade granola bar. They are perfect for quick breakfasts and snacks, but finding the perfect one is never easy, especially when multiple kids are involved. However, these chewy granola bars with dried cranberries and pecans got nothing but rave reviews from my crew. They even commented on the nuts in the bar and didn’t wince. Yay! The mini chocolate chips in a granola bar are a win every time! They were pleasantly surprised that a bar with something healthy in it could be good!! We enjoy making this chewy granola bar recipe and hope you do, too.
How to make Great Chewy Granola Bars
To make this homemade granola bar recipe, toast the oats and nuts first, then make the sauce, combine dry ingredients, press into bars, cool, cut, and enjoy! This chewy granola bar recipe is forgiving and super customizable!
Ingredients for Chewy Granola Bars
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- Substitutions: walnuts, almonds, peanuts, or any favorite nut.
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
- Substitutions: dried fruits like apricots and strawberries
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- Chia seeds are optional and can be omitted. They are a good source of fiber and are good for heart, digestion, and bone health. They are also anti-inflammatory and gluten-free!
- 1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions for Chewy Granola Bars
First, prepare an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking dish. Line it with parchment paper or foil across the sides and bottom. This will make it easier to get out and cut the granola bars.
Toast the oats and nuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and add both the oats and nuts on top. Spread them out evenly and bake the oats and nuts for 5 minutes. Stir gently and bake them for another 3 minutes, ensuring not to burn the oats and nuts. Remove them from the oven and pour them into a large mixing bowl.
Make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a low boiling point where the sugar has dissolved, and then remove the sauce from the heat.
Form the bars. Then, pour the sauce over the toasted oats and pecans, stir well, and let cool for 5-20 minutes. The granola must be cooled enough for the chocolate not to melt.
Next, stir in the dried cranberries, chia seeds, and 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips. It’s ok if some of the chocolate chips melt; they will act like glue for the bars.
Then, pour the granola mixture into the prepared, lined baking dish, firming it into the pan with the back of a spatula. Add the remaining chocolate chips and press again. The more you press down, the better your bars will hold their shape.
Let the bars cool and cut. Cover and put them in the refrigerator for at least two hours or the freezer for 30 minutes. Lift the granola bar block from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Cut the block into 12 granola bars. Enjoy!
Storing Homemade Chewy Granola Bars
Chewy granola bars are best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks. For a chewy bar, bring them close to room temperature before eating, as they will be hard coming straight out of the fridge. They can also be stored on a cool counter out of direct sunlight.
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Chewy Granola Bar
Ingredients
- 2½ cups old fashioned oats
- ½ cup pecans coarsely chopped
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
- ¼ cup mini chocolate chips to mix in to bars
- 2 Tablespoons mini chocolate chips topping
Instructions
- Prepare an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch baking dish. Line it with parchment paper or foil across the sides and bottom. This will make it easier to get out and cut the granola bars.
- Toast the oats and nuts. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Then, line a small rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and add both the oats and nuts on top. Spread them out evenly and bake the oats and nuts for 5 minutes. Stir gently and bake them for another 3 minutes, ensuring not to burn the oats and nuts. Remove them from the oven and pour them into a large mixing bowl.
- Make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt over medium heat. Stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to a low boiling point where the sugar has dissolved, and then remove the sauce from the heat.
- Form the bars. Then, pour the sauce over the toasted oats and pecans, stir well, and let cool for 5-20 minutes. The granola must be cooled enough for the chocolate not to melt. Next, stir in the dried cranberries, chia seeds, and 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips. It's ok if some of the chocolate chips melt; they will act like glue for the bars. Then, pour the granola mixture into the prepared, lined baking dish, firming it into the pan with the back of a spatula. Add the remaining chocolate chips and press again. The more you press down, the better your bars will hold their shape.
- Let the bars cool and cut. Cover and put them in the refrigerator for at least two hours or the freezer for 30 minutes. Lift the granola bar block from the pan and set it on a cutting board. Cut the block into 12 granola bars. Enjoy!
- Storing Homemade Chewy Granola BarsChewy granola bars are best stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to two weeks. For a chewy bar, bring them close to room temperature before eating, as they will be hard coming straight out of the fridge. They can also be stored on a cool counter out of direct sunlight.
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