5-Ingredient Granola Bars

Name: 5-Ingredient Granola Bars
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 cup natural peanut butter or 1-1/2 cups natural almond butter; 3/4 cup honey; 4 cups pre-made dark chocolate almond granola (or your favorite pre-made granola flavor); 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal; 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips, divided

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Chewy, crunchy, oh so tasty 5 Ingredient Granola Bars made in about 5 minutes and you can make them with peanut butter or almond butter. No baking required!

My Granola Bar Addiction

For another episode of: “My Granola Bar Addiction,” I bring you the easiest ones yet. And, dare I say, the tastiest?! These no-bake granola bars are just too easy to make and boy, do they taste greeeeeat! I made them with granola cereal I had on hand, so no baking, no food processor, no oven. Just mix, pop ’em in the fridge, and enjoy!

I was craving homemade granola bars one morning and my craving wasn’t about to wait for me to bake a batch. So with limited ingredients on hand, I stirred together these 5-ingredient granola bars in about 5 minutes and they turned out awesome! Between breakfast that morning, snacktime that afternoon and some girlfriends coming over to watch The Bachelorette that night, they were gone by the end of the day. So what’s a mama to do when her boys wake up begging for another one the next morning?!…mix together another batch…

Your Choice: Almond Butter or Peanut Butter

The first time I made them with peanut butter, the next time I used almond butter, the next time peanut butter and here I sit eating from yet another batch with almond butter. You choose: peanut butter or almond butter. Both nut butter versions have great flavor! The almond butter is less sweet than peanut butter and the texture is thinner so you have to use a 1/2 cup more of it. So if you’re using peanut butter, use 1 cup and if you’re using almond butter, use 1-1/2 cups. Get it? Got it? Go!

Besides peanut butter or almond butter, all you’ll need is honey, pre-made granola, old-fashioned oats and chocolate chips. I use Cascadian Farm’s dark chocolate almond granola, but feel free to use your favorite flavor of granola. I could see these being made with the optional additions of dried fruit, raisins or cranberries, and even small bits of banana chips. Those work, too!

The pre-made granola adds such great crunch and texture to the granola bars, but if you want to keep it super simple and you’re willing to forgo the crunch and firmer consistency, you could use all oatmeal and they would still taste great! The nice thing about using pre-made granola is this recipe can easily be vegan or gluten-free, if your store-bought cereal is. If you want your granola bars to be gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free oat mixture.

My boys are just as in love with these granola bars as I am so they’ll definitely be on tap until we tire of them, which I have a feeling might never happen. In fact, the boys were patiently waiting for me to photograph a batch for the blog before we ate them for snack yesterday afternoon. Well, most of the boys! Bryce was anything but patient as he stood by trying to poke his hand or head in every shot in hopes that I would wrap it up so he could finally eat one. Little stinker. He sure knows how to rush a photoshoot. 😉 How could I resist this face as he was begging for just a little bite?!

How to Make 5-Ingredient Granola Bars

Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Note, if you prefer thicker bars, feel free to use a small pan, like a loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the peanut butter (or almond butter) and honey. Stir in the granola and oatmeal until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips.

Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips. Use a spatula or your hands with parchment paper under them to press down firmly all over the top of the mixture making sure the top is smooth and the mixture is as compact in the dish as possible.

At this point, you can lift the bars out of the dish (using the edges of the foil or parchment paper) and immediately cut into bars with a sharp knife or you can cover the dish with plastic wrap and place the bars in the refrigerator to firm them up even more, about 30 minutes, before cutting them into bars. Store cut bars in a sealed, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More Granola Recipes You’ll Love

Sweetened with warm honey and packed with coconut flakes, sunflower seeds and unsalted almonds with just a hint of vanilla, this amazing Chunky Homemade Granola is a breakfast you can enjoy all week long! Easily make your own granola with simple, healthy ingredients you already have on hand. This protein and fiber-packed Maple Walnut Granola is sweetened with maple syrup and makes for a great breakfast or afternoon snack.

Alright, that’s all there is to ’em! 5 ingredients and 5 minutes is all it takes to make these tasty granola bars. If you make them, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,