Nutty Granola Bars with Honey for Healthy Snacking
Toasted oats, mixed nuts, and peanut butter press into bars sweetened with honey and dried cranberries.
These bars come together on the stovetop rather than in the oven — peanut butter, honey, and vanilla warmed until smooth, then poured over toasted oats and chopped nuts and pressed firmly into a lined pan. Toasting the oats in a dry pan for a few minutes beforehand adds a deeper, nuttier flavor to the finished bars.
Because peanut butter, honey, and a full cup of mixed nuts all go into a fairly small batch, each bar ends up more calorie-dense than a typical store-bought granola bar, which makes them a convenient snack for anyone trying to add calories throughout the day without a full meal. Dried cranberries and optional chocolate chips add sweetness in every bite.
Refrigerate until fully set before cutting into bars, then store in an airtight container.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats — toasted
- 1 cup mixed nuts — almonds, walnuts, cashews, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup peanut butter — or almond butter
- 1/3 cup honey — natural sweetener
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries — or raisins
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips — optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- 1Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- 2In a mixing bowl, combine toasted oats, mixed nuts, dried cranberries, and salt.
- 3In a saucepan over low heat, warm peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- 4Pour the warm mixture over the oats and nuts. Mix well until fully coated.
- 5Press the mixture firmly into the lined baking pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top if using, pressing lightly to stick.
- 6Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container.