100+ Recipes for Granola Bars, Bites, and Cereal (2024)

This collection of homemade granola recipes includes granola bars, bites, and breakfast cereal. Making these snacks at home is not difficult and allows you to customize the ingredients to suit your taste buds. Plus? It will save you some serious cash at the checkout stand. The hardest part will be deciding what to make first!

Originally published February 2018; this post has been updated.

The Handcrafted Pantry

100+ Granola Recipes

Granola bars are a great snack for busy days when families are on the go (hey, Little League season!) or for taking along on longer excursions. Whether you’re planning for a camping trip, taking a plane ride, or heading out on a long road trip, they’re a wholesome way to fill the hunger void.

The trouble with store-bought granola bars?

They’re expensive at a couple bucks (or more!) a pop.
They come packaged in individual wrappers that will end up in the trash.
Not all of them are as clean as the label would have you believe.

Happily, these granola recipes are easy to make at home!

Below you’ll find everything you need to start making these snacks at home. I’ve gathered recipes for a variety of basic granola bars, as well as homemade granola bars that are gluten-free, Paleo, and raw. There’s even a section that includes breakfast cookies.

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What you’ll need to make homemade granola bars

Most kitchens are equipped with the gear you’ll need for making homemade granola recipes, but there are a few things that will make your granola bar-making easier.

Food processor: This is a must for many of the raw recipes included here, as you’ll need to grind nuts and seeds into a fine grind.
Scoop: While not necessary for making energy bites, a cookie scoop can help keep the dough size uniform as you make them.
Silicone baking mat: I’m a big fan of these baking mats, as they prevent sticking and eliminate the need for the disposable parchment paper called for in some recipes.

Packing homemade granola bars with less waste

If you’re switching to homemade granola bars in part because you’d like to create less waste, you’ll want to take that into consideration when you pack these to go.

Reusable snack bags are easy to make at home. If you’re not up for making your own, try these.
Stainless steel snack boxes are a bit expensive, but they are durable and will last almost forever.

Storing homemade granola

Whether you add it to yogurt or serve it with milk, you’ll want to keep your homemade granola in an air-tight container to preserve freshness. I’m a fan of 1/2 gallon canning jars for this, but there are a number of other pantry storage options here that will work, too.

Basic Homemade Granola Bars

The standard granola bar recipe requires mixing natural ingredients and pressing them into a pan or tray for baking. Cut them into squares or rectangles once they’re baked and you’re ready to snack. Most granola bar recipes freeze well, too.

from Attainable Sustainable
Cinnamon Raisin Granola Bars from Raia’s Recipes
Soaked Granola Bars from Raia’s Recipes
Soft and Chewy Protein Granola Bars from Running with Spoons
Chia, Quinoa, and Banana Granola Bars from Ambitious Kitchen
Soft and Chewy Pumpkin Granola Bars from Running with Spoons
Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars from Frugal Living NW

No-Bake Bars and Bites

No-bake, raw homemade granola bars and energy bite recipes don’t require any baking, making them a great option for summertime snacks. No need to turn the oven on and warm the house up to pull these recipes together. Some of these recipes are pressed into a tray and cut into bar shapes; others require rolling into balls for a bite-sized energy boost.

Raw Apple Pie Energy Bitesfrom So, Let’s Hang Out
No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Chia Seed Bars from Running on Real Food
No Bake Granola Bars from Live Simply
Bite Sized Power Bites from Conveying Awareness
Snack Bars from Traditional Cooking School
Cherry Nut Larabarsfrom Live Simply
Enzyme Rich Larabars from Traditional Cooking School
Raw Power Energy Bars from Small Footprint Family
No Bake Almond Butter Granola Bars from To Simply Inspire

Paleo Granola Bars

These grain-free granola bar recipes work for those who are sticking to special diets like Whole 30 or aiming for a lectin- or gluten-free diet. Double check the ingredients for these granola recipes to make sure that these fit your required eating plan.

Copycat Kind Bar Recipe from Wholesome Yum
Homemade Protein Bars from Fit Mitten Kitchen
Grain Free Granola Bars from My Darling Vegan
Mocha Almond Kind Bars from Plaid and Paleo
Paleo Pumpkin Energy Bars from Unbound Wellness
Nut Free Granola Bars from Raising Generation Nourished
Low Carb Granola Bars from Beauty and the Foodie
Paleo Granola Bars from Oh The Things We’ll Make

Gluten-Free Granola Recipes (Bars and Bites)

Gluten-free recipes often include grains like oats and quinoa that are not a fit for grain-free, paleo plans. The paleo granola bars above may fit within a gluten-free diet, though, so be sure to give those a once-over. (Hard to keep up, isn’t it?)

Sweet Potato Breakfast Bars from Dishing Delish
Grain Free Nut Butter Breakfast Cookies from Vintage Kids, Modern World
Banana Oatmeal Breakfast Bars from The Good Hearted Woman
5-Ingredient No Bake Granola Bars from Naturally Loriel
No Bake Chocolate Chip Walnut Energy Balls by Drugstore Divas
Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Squares from My Gluten Free Kitchen
Fig Breakfast Bars from Raising Generation Nourished
Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal Bars from Beaming Baker
Chewy No Bake Granola Bars from The Big Man’s World
No Bake Almond Cranberry Bars from Life Made Sweeter
Sweet and Salty Trail Mix Bars from Running with Spoons
Savory Power Bars from QuitoKeeto
Chewy Granola Bars from Schneiderpeeps

Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for breakfast? Sounds indulgent, but similar to a granola bar recipe, these cookies feature natural ingredients and less sugar than your average cookie. They take a bit more effort than making granola bars, but they’re a tasty alternative to baked granola bars.

Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies from Rootsy
Granola Breakfast Cookies from Common Sense Homesteading
Grab and Go Banana Breakfast Cookies from The Cook’s Pyjamas
20-Minute Breakfast Cookies from Chef Savvy
Breakfast Oatmeal Craisin Cookies from Dishing Delish
Breakfast Cookies from Spend with Pennies
Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies from Kristine’s Kitchen
3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies from One Clever Chef
No Egg Gluten Free Coconut Cookies from Low Carb Yum
Energy Cookies from Cooking Classy
Blueberry Breakfast Cookies from Sally’s Baking Addiction
No-Bake Grain Free Breakfast Cookies from Health, Home, and Happiness
Eggless Almond Flour Cookies from Rachna’s Kitchen
Grain Free Pumpkin Raisin Cookies from Raising Generation Nourished
Paleo Pumpkin Spice Protein Cookies from One Clever Chef
Hazelnut Flour Keto Cookies from Low Carb Yum
Easy Breakfast Cookie from Teaspoon of Goodness
Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies from To Simply Inspire
Breakfast Cookies from Farm Fresh Feasts
Breakfast Snack Cookies from Schneiderpeeps
Sugar-Free Breakfast Cookies from Homestead Lady

Homemade Granola Cereal

Most store bought cereal is full of ingredients that don’t exactly fit with a wholesome eating plan. And goodness, they’re expensive! Try some of these granola recipes for making your own breakfast cereal at home.

How to Make Granola: Breakfast Cereal That Won’t Break the Bankfrom Attainable Sustainable
Sunflower Granola from Homespun Seasonal Living
Persimmon Granolafrom Attainable Sustainable
Paleo Granola from The Real Food Dieticians
Maple Pumpkin Granola from Attainable Sustainable
Paleo Cinnamon Granola from Jay’s Baking Me Crazy
Strawberry Granola from Delicious Obsessions
Maple Pecan Cinnamon Granola from Garlic and Zest
Pumpkin and Spice Granola from Delicious Obsessions
Easy Granola with Honey and Nuts from Inside the Rustic Kitchen
Sweet & Crunchy Oats and Honey Granola from Reformation Acres
Pumpkin Coconut Almond Granola from Grow Forage Cook Ferment
Fruit and Nut Granola with Chia Seeds and Coconut from Delicious Obsessions
Coconut Pumpkin Granolafrom Casey the College Celiac
Grain Free Paleo Granola from West Coast Mommy

100+ Recipes for Granola Bars, Bites, and Cereal (2024)

FAQs

What binds granola bars together? ›

While there are several different sticky ingredients that you can use, we've found that the binding agent that works the best is honey! When added to your homemade granola bars, honey acts as glue that sticks all the pieces together.

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Is making your own granola bars cheaper? ›

They save well (wrap and freeze them for up to two months), are more affordable than store-bought bars, and don't contain the long list of unpronounceable ingredients. Plus, your kitchen will smell like a bakery while these granola bars bake. Ahhhh.

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Should you soak oats before making granola bars? ›

Fill the bowl up with water to completely cover the mixture – enough that you can stir to combine. This soaking process will help the oats and seeds digest better. After the oat/seed mixture has soaked 8-12 hours, add the rest of the ingredients and combine.

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What makes granola clump together? ›

You may have heard that egg whites help granola bind together into clumps. Same thing with honey.

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How do you keep homemade granola bars from falling apart? ›

If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.

What is the best glue for granola bars? ›

Honey and brown sugar help make a glue for the bars.

The honey and brown sugar really helps with keeping the bars together. Chocolate chips added to the mixture help, too. We add some to the granola mixture while it is still warm.

Why do you rinse soaked oats? ›

Gently rinsing soaked oats not only helps them to be less “pasty” in texture, but also helps to reduce any sour flavor that may develop as a result of the soaking process.

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How do you get homemade granola to stick together? ›

Add an egg white.

The whites act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together. To ensure that the egg whites coat all the ingredients, I beat them with a whisk until foamy and increased in volume, which makes it much easier to fold into the granola.

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What to avoid in granola? ›

Saturated Fat

Some granola recipes or brands have a lot of saturated fat, often from ingredients like coconut oil. A diet high in saturated fat can harm your heart. Hence, aim for granola packed with more unsaturated fats, such as nuts and seeds.

Why is my homemade granola not crunchy? ›

Higher temperatures can cause ingredients like nuts, seeds, and coconut to burn before the batch has a chance to properly dry out and crisp up, Perry says. Stick with a low temperature, keep an eye on your mixture, and stir it from time to time to help it brown evenly.

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Why is my granola bar not crunchy? ›

For really crispy bars, you can either bake them all the way to 32 or more minutes or you can take the bars out after 25 minutes, let them cool for a bit, slice them up into the bars, and then put them back in on a baking sheet to bake for 10 -15 minutes so that they get more crispy.

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What is a good binder for protein bars? ›

Overall, raisins are an excellent binder that perform well when used in protein bar applications and could be used as a binder in many other applications. BENCHTOP PROCESSING METHOD: In a food processor or buffalo chopper, blend whole raisins, half the nuts, all the egg white, salt, vanilla, and yogurt powder.

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What is glycerin in granola bars? ›

Glycerin is used as an ingredient in a variety of food and beverage products to help retain moisture, prevent sugar crystallization, and add bulk, smoothness, softness, sweetness and texture. Like most sugar alcohols, glycerin is not as sweet as sugar—it is about 60–75% as sweet.

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How do you make granola bars last longer? ›

Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. I kept mine in the freezer to keep them extra fresh, but it isn't necessary.