The PERFECT Soft Granola Bars – These chewy homemade granola bars are a perfect snack or school lunch treat. With so many ways to change them up, you can make a different batch every week! (Naturally sweetened, gluten free, vegan friendly.)
Some people love crunchy granola bars (I do!) and some love soft granola bars (I also do!). I’ve found a lot of kids prefer the soft kind, so when I developed this recipe a few years ago, my goal was something that was sweet (but not TOO sweet), soft and chewy (without falling apart) and easy to adapt (no one wants to eat the same kind forever, right?).
These are JUST what we’re looking for. They’re the PERFECT soft granola bars! They make a great afternoon snack or a fun surprise in a school lunch. After all that testing, here are a few secrets to the best homemade soft granola bars (plus a lot of different variations to choose from!)…
FIRST UP: WHAT’S IN SOFT GRANOLA BARS?
- GLUTEN FREE QUICK COOKING OATS. I almost exclusively use rolled oats or steel-cut oats in my kitchen, but this is a good use for quick-cooking oats. I’ve found rolled make the bars too chewy, and they don’t hold together as well. (Steel-cut would be rock hard.) This brand and this brand are certified gluten free.
- GLUTEN FREE CRISP RICE CEREAL. We almost always use crisp brown rice cereal, since it’s certified gluten free. If you’re not gluten intolerant, any crisp rice will do! We usually go for Erewhon, One Degree, or Barbara’s brands, which are certified GF. I get them at Sprouts, Whole Foods, Thrive Market, Natural Grocers, or in bulk at Amazon. (Note: Rice Krispies brand is NOT gluten free–it contains malt syrup, which contains gluten)
- COCONUT OIL. I use coconut oil since it’s subtly sweet and I don’t feel like these granola bars have a strong coconut taste. You can use refined coconut oil (which doesn’t have any coconut flavor), or swap in butter or vegan butter, depending on your needs.
- BROWN RICE SYRUP. Brown rice syrup is a thick, sweet syrup made from brown rice. It works wonders binding the mixture together and is neutral enough to let the other flavors shine. I find it least expensively ($4-5) at Sprouts, Natural Grocers, or Whole Foods, but I have also found it at Kroger and Amazon. *Can’t find it? See the FAQ + TIPS section below for a solution.
- PURE MAPLE SYRUP. Just 2 tablespoons here, but pure maple syrup add a lovely sweet note.
- SALT & VANILLA. My flavor balancers! I notice a difference when I forget the pinch of salt. It really brings out the other flavors. Vanilla lends some sweetness as well, though you can swap it out for other extracts (See the flavors section below for ideas!)
- GOODIES. This is the fun part! You can mix and match ALL kinds of goodies to make new flavors. Keep scrolling for ideas!
MIX-IN IDEAS FOR HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS:
Here’s where you can really make things interesting! Feel free to gravitate toward classics you grew up with (chocolate chip, anyone?), or experiment with some fun combinations. Here are some ideas to get you started:
NUTS & SEEDS. (macadamia nuts, chopped or sliced almonds, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.)
DRIED FRUITS. (raisins, cranberries, apricots, apples, cherries, goji berries, pineapple, mango, coconut, etc.)
FREEZE-DRIED FRUITS. So nice and fresh-tasting! The flavor is much brighter, and the sugar is less concentrated than in dried fruits. We like strawberries, raspberries, & blueberries. You can also go with mango, peach, pineapple, etc.
CHOCOLATE + CANDIES + EXTRAS. Add something fun, like:
- chocolate chips (we love these dairy free ones)
- candy-coated chocolate pieces (like M&Ms–these and these are dairy free!)
- mini marshmallows (Trader Joe’s and Dandie’s brands are GF + vegan)
- crushed pretzels (these are gluten free),
- or sprinkles (these are dye-free!)
EXTRACTS & SPICES. Add lots of big flavor with a small splash of an extract! Vanilla, almond extract, and coconut extract are regular faves at our house. Or, add some cinnamon, or pumpkin spice for variety!
SOME FAVORITE FLAVOR COMBINATIONS FOR HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS:
The possibilities for homemade soft granola bars are nearly endless! You could make a different batch every week for months without running out of flavor combinations! All you need is about 1/2 cup mix-ins for each batch. Some of our favorite combinations are:
- Chocolate + Dried Cherries = 1/4 cup dried cherries + 1/4 cup chocolate chips
- Coconut + Macadamia Nut = 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut + 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts
- Chocolate Strawberry = 1/4 cup chocolate chips + 1/4 cup chopped freeze-dried strawberries
- Vanilla Almond & Sea Salt = Sub 2 Tbsp. honey for maple syrup + 1/3-1/2 cup sliced almonds + 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt
- Coconut Chocolate = 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut + 1/4 cup chocolate chips +1/4 tsp coconut or almond extract (optional)
- Cherry Almond = 1/4 cup dried cherries + 1/4 cup dried almonds + 1/4-1/2tsp. almond extract.
- Trail Mix = 1/4 cup mixed dried fruit + 1/4 cup mixed nuts & seeds (opt. +1/4 tsp. almond extract or vanilla)
- Monster Cookie = 1/4 cup peanuts + 1/4 cup M&M candies (these are dairy free)
- Cranberry Almond = 1/4 cup dried cranberries + 1/4 cup sliced almond
- Chocolate Hazelnut = 1/4 cup chocolate chips + 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
- Cinnamon Raisin Cookie = 1/2 cup raisins (or 1/4 cup each raisins and chocolate chips) + 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- Mixed Berries = 1/2 cup diced freeze dried berries, such as strawberries + raspberries + blueberries
Need more combination ideas? Check out some of our favorite flavors for trail mix! All of them work beautifully here.
FAQ + TIPS FOR THE BEST SOFT GRANOLA BARS.
WATCH THE BOILING TIME. You really want to follow the directions and let the mixture boil 3-4 minutes before pouring it into your oatmeal mixture. If you boil it less, they may not hold together as well. If you boil it too long, the mixture may be thicker, and the granola bars will end up more dry and hard.
PACK THEM TIGHTLY. The other important tip for perfectly soft, chewy granola bars is to pack them as tightly as you can. The more densely you can pack them into your container, the better they’ll stay together as they cool. If you don’t pat them down at all, they’re more likely to fall apart when you pick them up. If you pack them down, you shouldn’t have any trouble slicing them into bars or squares once they’ve set.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE GRANOLA BARS. We store our soft granola bars in a zip-top bag in the refrigerator or freezer after slicing them. The less air exposure, the softer they’ll stay. They’ll keep for 4-5 days in the fridge and about a month in the freezer. (My kids pack them frozen for school lunch, and they’re perfectly soft and thawed by lunchtime!)
GLUTEN FREE NOTES. If you’re gluten free, be sure you’re using certified gluten free oats and certified gluten free crisp rice cereal. Neither oats nor crisp rice contain wheat gluten themselves, but they’re often processed or grown in ways that can cause cross-contamination. Certified GF is the way to go if you’re intolerant!
CAN’T FIND BROWN RICE SYRUP? Brown rice syrup is more common than it used to be (Sprouts, Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, Kroger, Amazon, etc.), but sometimes you just can’t find it. In that case, you can use 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup coconut (or brown) sugar, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup in place of the brown rice syrup/maple syrup/coconut oil amounts listed below. Follow the rest of the directions as written.
Like this recipe? You might also like:
- 7 Ways with Overnight Oats
- 15 Healthy Snacks You Can Make RIGHT NOW
- Peanut Butter Protein Bars – Clean Eating Couple (So easy!)
- My Ultimate Guide to Trail Mix
- 10 Healthy Snacks with Fruit
- 2 Weeks of Healthy School Lunches (+2 MORE Weeks of Ideas!)
The PERFECT Soft Granola Bars (Gluten Free + Vegan)
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10–12 bars per pan 1x
Description
The perfect base recipe for perfect soft granola bars! These chewy homemade granola bars are perfect for snacks or school lunches. (Naturally sweetened, gluten free, vegan friendly)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats (gluten free, if needed)
- 1 cup crisp rice cereal (gluten free, if needed)
- pinch salt
- 1/3 cup brown rice syrup**
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (or honey, if not vegan)
- 4 Tbsp coconut oil (can sub butter/vegan butter)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup add-ins (Mix and match! See notes below for ideas)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8″ or 9×9″ baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the oats, crisp rice, and salt. Stir to combine well.
- In a small saucepan, combine brown rice syrup, honey, and coconut oil. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring regularly. Boil 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract (or any other extracts you’re using).
- Pour wet mixture over the oat mixture. Add your mix-ins (nuts, fruit, chocolate chips, etc.) and stir to combine really well. Press into an 8×8″ baking dish and press down with a spatula as hard as possible to flatten and compact it into the pan. The more compact, the better.
- Refrigerate about 1 hour before slicing into bars or squares, and enjoy!
- Store extra granola bars in a zip top bag in the refrigerator for a week or the freezer for up to a month.
Notes
**If you can’t find brown rice syrup, you can substitute 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup for the amounts of brown rice syrup/coconut oil/pure maple syrup above. Follow the boiling instructions and keep the rest of the directions the same.
ADD-IN IDEAS
- NUTS & SEEDS (macadamia nuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, peanuts, etc.)
- DRIED FRUITS. (raisins, cranberries, apricots, cherries, goji berries, pineapple, mango, coconut, etc.)
- FREEZE-DRIED FRUITS. (strawberries, raspberries, & blueberries, mango, peach, pineapple, etc.)
- CHOCOLATE + CANDIES + EXTRAS. Chocolate chips, candy-coated chocolate pieces (like M&Ms), mini marshmallows, crushed pretzels, etc.
- EXTRACTS. 1/2-1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/4-1/2 tsp. almond extract, and 1/4 tsp. coconut extract are regular faves at our house.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Granola Bar (1/10th recipe)
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 8.6 g
- Sodium: 259.1 mg
- Fat: 6.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1.2 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Originally posted April 2016. Completely updated Aug 2019.
Question: have you tried ever adding protein powder?
I haven’t yet. It may work here, but you’d likely need to tinker with the ratio of wet:dry ingredients, since you’d be adding a dry powder.
Hi, could this recipe be baked to help give them a little more crunch?
Hi! Probably? These were specifically designed to be soft, so you might prefer looking for a recipe for crispy granola bars instead. But if I were going to bake them, I’d probably use a lower temperature and not bake them long. (Keep in mind that baking will also melt or harden your mix-ins!)
Do you have to store them in the fridge or can I wrap them individually in Saran Wrap in the pantry?
I find the fridge prolongs their shelf-life, but you can keep them for a few days individually wrapped in the pantry!
Hi, I used gluten free oats and coconut sugar instead of the brown rice syrup. The bars crumbled so bad that there wasn’t even a full bar left in tact once I was done cutting. What did I do wrong? The flavor was great.
Coconut sugar is the problem here. You need to use liquid sweetener for these bars. Sugar will create a VERY crumbly result. Brown rice syrup is the best bet for soft, chewy bars that hold together.
If you can’t find brown rice syrup, you can substitute 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup coconut or brown sugar, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup for the amounts of brown rice syrup/coconut oil/pure maple syrup above. Follow the boiling instructions and keep the rest of the directions the same.
Or, you can try this recipe that uses honey and peanut butter!
For this mixture for the brown rice syrup, do you just mix those three ingredients together or choose one of those? Just double checking.
Thank you!
Hi, Taylor! You’ll combine 1/3 cup brown rice syrup, 2 Tablespoons maple syrup (or honey), and 4 Tablespoons coconut oil for that mixture!
Do you think it would work if I added protein powder?
I wouldn’t add protein to this recipe, since it would probably end up gritty.
Can date syrup be subbed for the rice syrup? I already have that.
Hi Wendy! I haven’t worked with date syrup in this recipe. I don’t think it would be a great substitution here.
Made these with all puffed rice cereal in place of oats. Otherwise followed the recipe as written with brown rice syrup. The bars came out great. Not too sweet, a bit chewy and they stayed together well. I made a small batch and the recipe called for 1/2 cup mix ins. Probably because I used puffed rice instead of oats and the grains are bigger I feel the mix in amount could have been increased to a full cup since it was mostly cereal with little bit of dried fruit and nuts mixed in. Super happy with this recipe and I will continue to us it!
These turned out great. My 3 yo son can’t have gluten, dairy, or nuts so finding a granola bar he can have is a challenge. When we do, it’s almost $2 or more a bar! I had to substitute a mixture of honey and light corn syrup for the rice syrup. I also used vegan butter. I was worried that it would be too sweet but they turned out about as sweet as store bought bars. I mixed in some sunbutter, dehydrated marshmallows, and alergen free chocolate chips. I used the back of a measuring cup to press them down. They seemed too crumbley at first but after 15 minutes in the freezer they held up just fine. Your recipe is toddler approved!
Hooray! I’m so glad to hear it Renee!
Could honey work as a substitute for the brown rice syrup?
Hi Stephanie! Brown rice syrup will definitely give you the best results, but if you can’t find it, you can use 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup coconut (or brown) sugar, and 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey in place of the brown rice syrup/maple syrup/coconut oil amounts listed below. Follow the rest of the directions as written. They won’t be *quite* as soft or chewy, but it’ll work in a pinch!
I really enjoyed this recipe. It was easy to follow and made with every day ingredients. My daughter wanted triple C bars (coconut, cranberry, white choc chips) and they turned out quite good. My only issue was that, for me, they were too sweet. I’m always cautious when adjusting sugar because I know it can also change texture. I also know that the white chocolate chips getting a little melty probably added to the sweetness. Any recommendations on how to cut down on the sweetness? Also, for sharing/gifting, recommendations on how to wrap?
Tani – I’m SO glad you enjoyed them! I agree that it’s probably the white chocolate (it’s so sweet!). You definitely need all the liquid in this recipe for them to hold together, but you could try cutting down on the added chocolate chips and drizzling them with a little bit of melted white chocolate instead at the end, rather than adding them to the recipe. You may also like these peanut butter granola bars that use nut butter to cut down on the sweetness!
Love, love, LOVE this recipe!! So yummy and chewy, and I love that they are super customizable!! One question, the first time a made these the chocolate chips melted because the mixture was so hot from boiling the syrups and oil. Then the second time I made them, I stirred in the syrup mixture, and then let it cool, but it got kind of hard and crumbly. I still love the recipe, I was just wondering if it would work if I boiled the syrup and oil mixture, let it cool, and then mixed in into the granola bars. Thank you sooo much for the great recipe!
Oona – Thank you so much for your review! Yes–I think that letting the syrup cool slightly then mixing it into the oatmeal mixture will help protect your chocolate chips!
Thank you soooo much for getting back so quickly!! Making them this morning!!
I have continued to make this PERFECT recipe MANY times!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE them!! They freeze amazingly well, and taste FANTASTIC!! I really want to thank Emily for creating such a great recipe that is pretty healthy. I struggle to find healthy and yummy recipes to make for my family, and Emily’s website has been so amazing for me!!! Thank you soooo much
You’re the best, Oona. THANK YOU!
Did anyone else follow the recipe exactly but the bars came out super dry and don’t really stick together? I made a second time and added an extra 1 tbsp of each wet ingredient and they are still crumbly?? Taste AMAZING tho!!
Nicole – I’m so sorry to hear that! Did you use the brown rice syrup or maple syrup? The brown rice syrup option will stick together better than the maple syrup. Another trick you can try is stirring 1-2 Tbsp. nut butter into the wet ingredients mix to help bind things. Again, I’m so sorry they didn’t stick together as well as you’d hoped!
Made this recipes for my son’s lunches for school … struggled not to just eat it out of the bowl before even making the bars! they’re in the fridge hardening right now, but super excited to send one with him tomorrow! love homemade options and I’m so glad I found this recipe! thank you so much!
I’m so glad you liked them, Hannah! Hopefully they’re a huge hit for your son this week!
Hi there! Just found this recipe and the flavor was absolutely amazing! However, I followed your instructions for the brown rice syrup substitute version ( with coconut sugar, not brown), and my bars mostly crumbled when I cut them. Any idea what went wrong?
Sorry you ran into trouble! The substitute version doesn’t hold together as well as the brown rice syrup version, but I’m usually at least able to cut them without them crumbling. One thought is that you may have let the mixture boil too long, which can lead to crumbling and dryness later. Another way to help prevent this in the future is to add 2 Tbsp. nut butter to the liquid mixture after boiling. Sometimes this will thicken and soften the liquid ingredients enough to make the bars more pliable. Again, I’m so sorry!
Where do I get brown rice syrup? I can’t find it anywhere. I didn’t even know it existed before this recipe
Christine – I find it least expensively ($4-5) at Sprouts, Natural Grocers, or Whole Foods, but I have also found it at Kroger and Amazon. Depending on the store, it’s sometimes kept in the natural or health food section, near breakfast syrups, or by baking syrups (like corn syrup, molasses, etc.).
Very yummy!!! Easy to make, with great results!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! They’re my favorite! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review! I appreciate it so much!
Do you think that this will work with canola oil? I need to find a vegan option that is palm oil, coconut, and nut free. Thanks!
Sherry – It should work, though it won’t add the slightly sweet taste of coconut oil. You should be good! 🙂
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe! I have to drastically reduce my sugar intake so I’m using stevia as my go to sweetener. I’m sure I can find a sugar free maple syrup … have you tried any of the lower sugar options? I’m just hoping that they will still turn out as amazing as the comments I’ve been seeing! Thank you!
Darlene – I don’t bake with any sugar subs, so I haven’t tried these with any lower sugar options. I’m sorry! The syrups here are really great binders. If you use a different option, your bars may not hold together as well…
I just made these. They are easy and SO GOOD! I used a tsp of vanilla powder instead of the extract. I did the variation with the freeze-dried blueberries and strawberries and threw in some pepitas. Will definitely be making a zillion variations.
I LOVE vanilla powder! I bet that tasted amazing! 🙂
These look awesome! Can’t wait to make these for school lunches. And thank you for being so detailed and thorough. Just a couple of questions: if I pulse rolled oats in the vitamin for a bit is that an ok substitute for quick oats? Or are quick oats thinner, processed differently enough that I wouldn’t want to use rolled oats at all? And my second question, would you be able to provide a teaspoon measurement for the salt? I know what a pinch is, but it seems that every recipe I try that calls for a pinch always tastes under-salted.. thanks so much!!!
Lindsay – Great question. The big difference between quick and rolled oats is largely the steaming, rolling, and slicing. Quick oats are sliced thinner, so they cook faster. In this case (for a no-bake recipe), I like the texture, and I’ve found that rolled oats aren’t as tender and don’t compact the same way since they’re thicker. (You want the mixture super compacted so it stays together well).
If you pulsed rolled oats in a food processor, it would definitely break them up a bit, but I’m not sure if it’d be uniform enough for the best texture. (Since they’d be ground in irregular shapes, rather than thinly sliced). So for *best* results, I’d say stick with quick-cooking oats if you can. But, in a pinch, your workaround would probably work! I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
And for the salt, I usually start with about 1/8 tsp. and always taste and add more salt, as desired. You should be able to tell right away after stirring the mixture together (before pressing it into the pan) if it’s salted to your taste. If not, feel free to add a bit more!
Hope that helps–THANK YOU so much for your questions!
Hi! I now make these every week for my family 🙂 thanks so much for the great recipe. One question though they are still far too sweet for my taste buds… We eliminated all sugar last year so this now affects how we taste sweet things. Do I need to add the extra honey or can I just use the rice syrup? Or can I cut the honey in half? How can I reduce the sweet flavor but still have them stick together and be chewy… Thanks a lot! Julie
Julie – So glad you enjoy them. I know what you mean about your sweetness tolerance adjusting! As for how to adapt them, I haven’t tested them any other way, so you’ll probably need to play with the amounts a bit, since you still want them to stick together.
As you mentioned, you might be able to get away with eliminating the honey/syrup and sticking with just the brown rice syrup, since it’s just 2 Tbsp. I’d start by using half the amount of honey and seeing how they stick together, then going from there.
Another idea would be to stir in a Tbsp or two of nut/seed butter in place of the honey, which will give you that moisture/binding power without any more added sugar. If you go this route, I’d add the nut butter AFTER boiling the brown rice syrup, then whisking till it melts/gets smooth. Does that make sense?
If you end up adapting them, I’d love to know how they turn out!
What can I substitute with brown rice syrup? Or can I just put more honey?
You can’t substitute for brown rice syrup in this recipe–I’m sorry! Honey or maple syrup won’t be thick enough and they’ll be overly sweet.
One more question, what do you think. About using molasses instead of rice syru?
I would not use molasses instead of brown rice syrup. Molasses is a VERY strong flavor and will overpower the granola bars. Brown rice syrup blends right in and allows the other flavors to shine more.
What do you think about adding weat germ to the recipe?
I am so excited to try your recipe
Anna – Since we’re gluten free, I haven’t tested it that way. If you only add a little, I think it’d blend in just fine!
Hi, can I use oat flour instead (ground up jumbo oats). Thanks
I haven’t tried it with oat flour, but I don’t think the ratios would be the same. If you try it, I’d love to know how it works out!
By far the best granola bar recipe! Every other recipe I ever made were either falling apart or hard as rock, but these are absolutely perrrrrrfect! Other ad-ins ideas : slivered almonds and dried cranberries, or chopped dried mangoes and coconut! Yummmmmy!
Annie – I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for making my day! Totally loving the dried mango idea!
If I use butter instead of coconut oil do I have to use real butter or can I use margarine? Thanks (:
Jenelle – I have never made them with margarine, but I imagine they’d work out just fine. If you make them this way, I’d love to know how they turned out!
Thanks Emily! Totally appreciate these recipes. Definitely loving these and your gluten free/dairy free family friendly food!!
Can you make huge batches and frezze as I would love to make ahead for lunches
YES! We do this a lot. They freeze beautifully, which makes them perfect for packing in lunches!
Excited to try this recipe but im wondering if, when you pack them in a container, do they stick to each other?
Amanda – I store my leftovers in the fridge to prolong their shelf life and I have no problem with sticking. If you were going to take them unrefrigerated into the hot sun for a few hours, they will probably stick together. If you have them in a lunch box or cooler, or even at room temperature, this shouldn’t be a problem.
SO SO YUMMY! and SO SO easy to make! We did the cherry chocolate combo and the first time I forgot the chocolate, but they still tasted awesome. The next time I didn’t forget the chocolate and they were incredible! My kids LOVE them too, which is always a plus 🙂
Oh, I’m SO GLAD to hear this! The chocolate makes them extra amazing, so I’m glad you tried them again! 🙂
I love these, I’m going to try them! I love that they’re basic and we can tailor them to our nut/peanut allergies. Thanks for the recipe!
Can I use regular rolled oats?
Lindsay – I actually wouldn’t. They’re so thick that they won’t compact as well as quick-cooking oats. They’ll also be much chewier.
I’m excited to try these!!!
I’ve never made granola bars in my entire life. Which I realize is super pathetic… I need to try and make these asap though because they look just like the chewy brand ones that I love!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com