5 Ingredient No Bake Granola Bars

These no-bake granola bars are so easy to make and they taste better than the store-bought bars by a landslide. They are chewy, full of flavor, and packed full of nutrition to curb any hunger pang. Did I mention there are only 5 ingredients?!

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I remember buying ALL THE BARS at the grocery store, and it broke my budget. I spent more on bars than I did produce and whole foods. If you are interested in how I meal plan the simple way check it out!

I will give myself a hard pass if I am in a hurry and need something fast, but getting into a habit was not sitting well with my budgeting and health-conscious self. This healthy granola bar recipe costs PENNIES compared to store-bought granola bars. 

There are days when my kids sit at my feet asking for snacks all day (who can relate?) and I was feeling guilty for giving them the bars full of sugar! They would devour them so fast and then ask for another. The managing of the snacks alone was going to make me go mad.

These superfood granola bars have come to the rescue! I know they are packed with nutrients and you can prepare them a handful of ways so you never get tired of them. This specific recipe is a chia seed granola bar recipe with peanut butter and chocolate chips. I love incorporating one small superfood in for additional nutrition!

I also love that you can double the recipe and put them in the freezer. This saves me during a week that becomes busier than I would like. I can pull an entire batch of granola bars out of the freezer and put them into the fridge to enjoy all week long. 

TIPS FOR HOMEMADE GRANOLA BAR SUCCESS

• Make sure you add enough syrup to bind together the ingredients. There is nothing worse than a no-bake granola bar that is falling apart and dry. The syrup is your friend!

• When lining your pan with parchment paper or wax paper use a larger piece where the edges are coming up so you can easily grab the bars out of the pan. 

• Press the granola down hard, really pack it so it does not crumble when it comes out of the freezer.

• Add a small number of chia seeds to get the superfood benefits of omega-3 and protein.

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Tools You May Need

Large Glass Bowl (I love these Pyrex bowls) 

12 x 18’’ square baking pan or you can use a granola bar pan 

Cookie sheet (if you are using the granola bar pan) for stability in the freezer

Wooden Spoon for mixing and pressing

Parchment or Wax paper

HOW TO TURN GRANOLA INTO GRANOLA BARS

Or really how to turn oats into granola bars! This easy peasy 5 ingredient granola bar recipe will leave you speechless with how easy it is to prepare.

Get out a large glass bowl that can be safely microwaved. If you are doing this on your stovetop, get out a pot and turn the stove on to medium-low heat. Add in the peanut butter and then syrup together and microwave for about 20 seconds or until the syrup is bubbling.

When your syrup and peanut butter are heated up, fold in the oats and chia seeds until they are all bound together. I bounce back and forth between 3 and 4 cups of oats depending on how “chewy” I want them to be.

Add in the mini chocolate chips if you are using them. I didn’t have any on hand so I used regular sized chocolate chips.

Get out your 12×18’’ baking pan and line it with parchment or wax paper

Press down the oat mixture into the pan with your wooden spoon until it is completely flat. It is important to press the oats firmly down so they don’t crumble apart when they come out of the freezer.

If you are using a granola bar pan make sure you tightly pack down the granola with a spoon that can get into the small corners. 

Place the baking pan in the freezer for around 30 minutes to let the syrup harden and set. 

HOW TO STORE

You can either keep this in the freezer (covered) and eat them later if you doubled the batch. Or you can pull them out and slice them up. Place them in the fridge and store them for 1-2 weeks.