Healthy Homemade Granola Bars are full of the good stuff; cherries, flaxseed, honey and oats. They’re nut-free, so safe for every…
As a parent of small children, snacks are often a lifesaver. A healthy snack means peace in the afternoon hours between the end of the school day and the time I put dinner on the table.
A healthy snack means I can enjoy a conversation among adults while the kids play at the park. A healthy snack even means that this busy mama can sometimes sneak a bite in between carpooling and work and ballet lessons. These healthy homemade granola bars are some of our favorite homemade snacks right now.
These granola bars have a few extra steps in the recipe process, but it’s well worth the small amount of extra effort. Toasting the oats in butter is essential to the nutty flavor and chewy texture of this yummy snack. With seeds, flaxseed meal, and whole grain rolled oats, these tasty bars can satisfy after school cravings and even the energy boost needed for an active day at the park.
The best thing about granola bars is that you can easily adapt them to fit your family’s tastes and preferences. Other rolled flakes, like rye, barley, or spelt can be substituted for the rolled oats. We love the flavor of pumpkin seeds and dried cherries, but sunflower seeds and raisins are delicious too. Granola bars make it easy to use what you have on hand to create a snack your family will love.
While school may not be back in session yet, you should definitely start making these nut-free granola bars now, and continue once the cooler weather rolls in and it’s homework season once again. And remember that granola bars like these aren’t just for the littles when you’re packing lunch. Mom and Dad deserve them too.
We love a good healthy snack, don’t you? You should definitely make Allison’s homemade granola bars, Erin’s healthy oatmeal cookies or Taylor’s chocolate protein bars recipe to cure your next snack attack.
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Healthy Homemade Granola Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 stick Unsalted Butter
- 2 cups Rolled Oats
- 1/2 cup Ground Flax Seed
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Raw Pepitas coarsely chopped (pumpkin seeds)
- 1/2 cup Dried Cherries
- 1/2 cup Honey
- 1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Molasses unsulphured – not blackstrap
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the oats and while stirring frequently, toast in the butter for about 6 minutes or until the oats have darkened slightly in color.
- Pour the toasted oats into a large bowl and stir in the flaxseed meal, cinnamon, seeds, and cherries.
- Using the same large pot, combine the honey, sugar, molasses and salt over medium heat. Stirring frequently, bring the syrup to an even boil then remove from heat. Pour the syrup over the oat mixture and toss well to combine evenly. Pour the granola mixture into the prepared pan. Using a buttered spatula, press the oats firmly and evenly into the pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The bars will be shiny and golden when done. Cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing and cutting into 16 smaller bars or 9 large bars. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.