No Bake Granola Bars

I have been wanting to make my own granola bars and finally tried tried it out! These were easy and delicious. Everyone loved them! They did not last long at my house.

No Bake Granola Bars
2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almonds (I used slivered)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 pinch salt
1 1/2  tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup dried cranberries,raisins or other dried fruit
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds and almonds into a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and place in a large mixing bowl.

While the toasting is happening: Combine the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, oil and pinch of salt together in a saucepan.  Over medium heat, stir until peanut butter is melted and everything is smooth and mixed well.
Pour mixture over the oat mixture and stir to mix well.  Add oil and cranberries and stir until well blended.*At this point you can add 1/4 shredded coconut with the dried fruit if you would like.
Put mixture in the fridge for about 15 minutes or until the mixture is cool enough for the chocolate chips to not melt.
Stir in the chocolate chips and pour mixture in a 9 x9 or 8 x11 pan that has been lined with wax paper.
Press mixture firmly into the pan. You may have to dampen your fingers a bit! 
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before cutting into bars.
* If you cut them into 16 bars: Each bar has 180 calories, 2 g fiber and 5 g. protein.

Enjoy!!

Comments

  1. Those bars look yummy and healthy.

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  2. LOVE LOVE LOVE granola bars! I will definitely be trying these.

    Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Blessings,
    Patti

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  3. I have never made granola bars but these look so delicious and fairly simple. Thanks for the recipe!

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  4. I keep meaning to make these too. Everyone here would love them, thanks!

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  5. I've been wanting to make granola bars! It looks like I have all the ingredients on hand! Time to get in the kitchen!

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  6. Those look so great! What a terrific idea.

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  7. What a perfect treat!! I love them already :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters

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  8. I was looking for a no-bake granola bars recipe. I bookmark the recipe. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. hey, those look fabulous! will definitely be bookmarking this page. thanks!
    Dmarie@ http://bettermebetterworld.blogspot.com/

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  10. They really do sound great. I love that you don't have to bake them :)

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  11. I have plans to make tons of these this summer when it is just too hot to bake. Thanks for the recipe!

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  12. Oh goodness, I'm so glad I found these. I like to make bars for the daughters lunch and these are perfect. I like to try to switch it up so I dont burn her out on one bar or two bars. Thumbs up!

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  13. I made these and we loved them. I left out the sunflower seeds and added unsweetened coconut. No dried fruit but we added chocolate chips! Wrapped and ready for lunches for the rest of the week...if they last that long! Thanks for a terrific recipe. :)

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  14. A tip for pressing down the granola bars: put a plastic baggie over your hand and spray it with cooking spray. Your hands won't get sticky and you can just throw away the bag when you're done.

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  15. I just made these and was unable to get a lot of the granola to stick together in bar form. While parts of the mix made actual bars, a lot of it is just dry, loose granola. It's delicious anyway since I love granola in all forms, but any suggestions for what I might be doing wrong? I pressed down the mix in the pan very hard, so I don't think that can be the problem. Thanks again!

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  16. Samra~ I am so sorry! I have not had that problem yet so I am baffled. I cut the oil a bit. So maybe try 3 Tablespoons and see if that helps or add a bit more honey or peanut butter. Also try to not use quick oats. For some reason things always turn out dryer when I use them. Just some thoughts. Hope it is helpful. I would love you to update me.

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  17. Just made these and a variation using coconut instead of the sunflower seeds and nutella instead of the peanut butter. The kids all agreed that they love both kinds! Thanks :) Oh also - the nutella ones held together better than the ones with the peanut butter....we put raisins and cranberries in the the peanut butter ones - I think that is making them crumble a bit.

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