Easy Homemade Granola Bars

• servings: 16 servings
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1½ cups rolled oats

½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

¼ cup honey ((or maple syrup or applesauce))

¼ cup whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons peanut butter ((or sunflower seed butter or 1 egg))

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon baking powder

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons chia seeds

¼ cup water ((or ¼ cup mashed ripe banana, pumpkin puree, applesauce, butternut squash puree, OR sweet potato puree))

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Warm the honey and peanut butter for about 15 seconds if not stored at room temperature.

Place the oats and coconut into the bowl of a food processor and blitz to grind into a coarse texture (similar to quick oats).

Add the remaining ingredients, including the peanut butter and honey, and blend well.

(You can also grind the oats or use instant oats, then mix everything together in a bowl.)

Add ¼ cup water and blend until batter comes together like thick cookie dough. You should be able to press the batter together between your fingers and have it stick together. If it doesn't, add a bit more water.

Place batter onto the center of the prepared baking sheet and use your hands to press thin, about ¼-½-inch thick and about 8x8-inches big. I measure roughly using an 8x8-inch baking pan. (You can also roll out the dough—just cover it with a piece of parchment paper first to make sure it's easy to do.) Use a knife to lightly score lines for squares in whatever size you like.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, remove from oven, and let cool completely on the pan.

Break into squares and serve.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or a week at room temperature. To freeze, place cooled bars in a sealed zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 96 kcal
• Total Fat: 4 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Sodium: 19 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 13 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 2 g