No-Bake Granola Energy Bars (Printable)

Nutritious chewy bars with oats, nuts, and dried fruit, ideal for on-the-go snacking.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup crisp rice cereal
03 - 1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, or pecans)
04 - 1/2 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins, or chopped apricots)
05 - 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, optional
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

07 - 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
08 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter or almond butter
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-Ins

10 - 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
11 - 1 tablespoon chia seeds or flaxseed meal

# Directions:

01 - Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, rice cereal, chopped nuts, dried fruit, shredded coconut, and salt. Mix thoroughly.
03 - In a small saucepan over low heat, combine honey and peanut butter. Stir constantly until melted and smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Pour warm mixture over dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly until all components are evenly coated.
05 - If using chocolate chips, allow mixture to cool for 2 to 3 minutes before stirring them in to prevent melting.
06 - Transfer mixture to prepared pan. Press firmly and evenly using a spatula or the back of a measuring cup to create uniform density.
07 - Sprinkle additional chocolate chips or nuts on top if desired, pressing gently. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully set.
08 - Lift bars from pan using parchment overhang. Cut into 12 equal bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Ready in 15 minutes of actual hands-on work, with the oven staying blissfully cold on warm days.
  • Naturally chewy and satisfying—they taste indulgent but won't leave you feeling sluggish.
  • Endlessly customizable to match whatever nuts, dried fruit, or add-ins are hiding in your pantry.
02 -
  • The mixture needs to be warm enough for the honey and peanut butter to flow and coat everything evenly—if you let it cool too much before mixing, it becomes stubborn and clumpy.
  • Press the bars down firmly in the pan, or they'll crumble when you cut them and your beautiful work will fall apart on the plate.
03 -
  • If your peanut butter is the natural kind with oil on top, make sure it's fully stirred in before adding it to the saucepan—this gives you a smoother, more cohesive binding mixture.
  • For nut-free bars, swap the mixed nuts for seeds (sunflower, pumpkin) and use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter—the result is just as satisfying and delicious.
Go Back