Chewy Granola Balls will be your new go to snack. When you want something that’s healthy and filling, but also super tasty and something kids want to eat, these Chewy Granola Balls are your answer!
One of the greatest challenges when it comes to making kids snacks or desserts is coming up with recipes that are actually both healthy and delicious. As a parent, you want what they eat to have nutritional value, but still also have eye and taste appeal. From the moment my kids saw these Chewy Granola Balls, I knew I fulfilled both criteria. Snack time just got a lot easier!
Loaded with whole grains, protein and fruit, these granola balls have just the right amount of sweetness and a crunchy, chewy texture that kids seem to love, similar to my Chocolate Chip Granola Bars recipe. I brought a batch of them to my informal “focus group” of classmates at Kenya’s school and play groups and I didn’t have enough to fulfill the demand for seconds. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, when the crowd is happy, so is mommy!
Another reason I love this recipe is because these little granola balls are perfectly bite sized so small hands have no problem with these spherical morsels. The crispy, yet chewy texture mixed with the tanginess from the fruit bits make this snack irresistible. Go ahead and make double because these disappear fast!
I know snack time can be a chore, so I’m always looking to give you lots of snack recipes that are both yummy, good for you and that you can grab and go. Next time you’re looking for something that fits that bill, try these Spinach Cake Muffins, Carrot Snack Sticks, Date Nut Bites or Protein Cereal Bars.
Let me know what you think of these Chewy Granola Balls! Leave a comment or tag me on social media if you make them.
Chewy Granola Balls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/2 cup rice syrup
- 1 cup Rice Crispies Cereal
- 1 1/2 cups granola
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries and/or raisins, chopped
Instructions
- Place the almond butter and rice syrup in a small saucepan over low to medium heat and warm for 2 minutes or until it becomes smooth and combined.
- Place the remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
- Pour the warm almond butter mixture into the bowl with the granola mixture and stir to combine.*
- Roll into 1 inch balls (I used a mini ice cream scooper to scoop out each portion, but you could also use a tablespoon) .
- Serve.
Notes
- If you want your granola balls to be chocolatey, add chocolate chips at this point!
You could try a seed butter instead! And check with your pediatrician about the age limits, it all depend on you and your baby!
I made these today…. used brown rice syrup and peanut butter.. kids loved them! I have a question though… i have a 13 mo old, whom also loved them… but I forgot that I shouldn’t be giving her PB till age 2… what can I substitute for the nut butter? Thanks! And thanks for the amazing recipes on your website!
I made these for my 2yr old …and my picky husband and the both gobble them up. They don’t last long in our house. They are so good! I found the brown rice syrup at my local publix but not all publix stores carry it. Thanks for the recipe, Catherine!
THANK YOU for this! Looking for snacks that little hands can hold, and made with ingredients I don’t cringe at–so fits perfectly:) Just one question: Do these freeze well? Even though we are a small family, it works best for me if I can make 2-3 batches of everything and then freeze.
Thanks for the reply!
[…] if peanut allergies are a concern), strawberries/blueberries, cauliflower, cajun cheese curds, granola bites (I substitute natural p.b. for the almond butter, but you could use sunbutter if nut allergies are […]
I made these yesterday (using peanut butter instead of almond) and they were a HUGE hit with everyone — with my 2 year old, my 1 year old, my hubby AND my in laws!! So much so that today I’m heading BACK to the store to get more granola since there’s not enough left for my daughter’s lunch this week (the original reason I made them)!! When cooled, they were nice and hard on the outside (not sticky as I thought they were going to be) and held together GREAT! Thank you so much for a fantastic treat!
These are great (kind of addicting though)! I made them with peanut butter instead of almond. Also, instead of the rice crispies, I used popped quinoa (sort of like puffed wheat but the size of Grape Nuts – I found them in the bulk food of my local health food store). It worked great with the quinoa, perhaps not as crunchy as the oringial recipe but more nutritious and still very delicious!
no they do not 🙂
Do these have a sticky texture when cooled to serve?
Just wanted to say that these are literally my favorite snack ever and I love them so much! Thank you for sharnig the recipe!!!
I made these this morning using crunchy Sunbutter and honey and they came out great. My boys love them!
Since many people were trying to work out a substitute for the rice syrup – let me help you avoid one more thing that won’t work – Agave Nectar. It totally thinned out the peanut butter and I ended up with something more like ‘granola clumps’. However, these tasted AMAZING – even my household’s pickiest eater gobbled them up. Already picked up my jar of rice syrup so no more clumps 🙂
any idea what the calorie content might be for these? Thinking it might be a healthy snack for adults too 🙂
There is a peanut-butter substitute made from soybeans (and unfortunately I can’t recall the name – Smart – something?) however you can usually locate it in the health food section next to the other nut butters. Double check the label of course to be on the safe side. It has a somewhat grainier, and definitely less sweet quality than the nut butters, so you may need to add a (oh dear) granular sugar such as brown sugar to it to get it to “adhere” properly. Good luck!
These look great but my son has a tree nut allergy. Any substitute for nut butter?
I’m excited to try these b/c I can make them gluten-free (w/ GF rice krispys) for my daughter!! I’ve been trying to find a yummy recipe that’s GF too. This looks great!