This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you ever bought them in stores. They’re super healthy, slightly crunchy with a bit of sweet chocolate in every bite and absolutely delicious!
Table of Contents
Why I Make Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Do you know off the top of your head how much money you spend on granola and/or nutritional bars for your kids? Take a minute and add it up. I would bet it’s more than you think! Before you say “they’re convenient”, trust me, I get it. On those busy mornings when you don’t have time for breakfast, there’s nothing easier than tossing a bar into your child’s lunch box and another one into your bag. But, a majority of the brands on the market are not as healthy as their manufacturers would lead you to believe and are way more expensive that making them at home.
I got so fed up with what my we were spending on bars, I devoted myself to figuring out how to make Protein Bars myself. I worked so hard at it, I even flirted with starting my own business! These Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are unbelievably delicious, and if you wrap them individually, they’re just as easy to grab when you’re on-the-go as the ones you buy at the market. Plus, you’ll have no problem pronouncing all of the ingredients in these.
The Ingredients
- Old fashioned oats: For these bars we use old fashioned oats (also know as rolled oats) as the base for our bars.
- Whole wheat flour: I use whole wheat because it has more health benefits than all purpose, but any flour you have on hand will work.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut: I know coconut can be polarizing, but you barely taste it in this recipe. If you still give coconut a hard no, you can leave it out!
- Brown sugar: This adds a touch of sweetness to the bars.
- Mini chocolate chips: If you want, you can substitute raisins or other dried fruit for the chocolate chips.
- Kosher salt: A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness.
- Oil of choice: You can use vegetable, canola, avocado or an other oil of your choosing.
- Vanilla extract: Another ingredient that just adds a little sweetness and warmth.
- Honey: The majority of the sweetness in these bars come from naturally sweet honey instead of processed white sugar.
*Exact measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below*
Variations and Substitutions
- Don’t have whole wheat flour? No worries! You can use any flour you prefer. All purpose, a cup-for-cup gluten free flour or even almond flour will work. I use whole wheat because it has more health benefits than all purpose, but use what you have on hand.
- Don’t want chocolate chips? If you’re hesitant to give your kids chocolate chips in the morning or for snack time, you can easily substitute them with naturally sweet dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or raisins.
- Not a fan of coconut? I get it. Sometimes people are just don’t love coconut. You can leave it out completely if you want. I will say, you hardly taste it in these, but do what feels best to you.
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars Recipe Video
How to Make Homemade Granola Bars
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients – oats, flour, coconut, brown sugar, chocolate chips and salt.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – oil, vanilla extract and honey.
Step 3: Make the granola mixture by pouring the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
Step 4: Form a large granola slab. Place the granola mixture on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangle about 13 x 9 x 1 inches thick. Press firmly so that the granola sticks together. Bake for 30-40 minutes in a pre-heated 325°F oven.
Step 5: Allow to cool completely then, using a large serrated knife, cut into 3 x 1 inch bars.
Storage Tips
You can store granola bars in an airtight container or individually wrapped on the counter for up to two weeks or in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Would you like to save this?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Frequently Asked Questions
I get this question a lot with homemade granola bars. First of all, let the bars cool completely before you try to cut them into bars. Also, using a large serrated knife in a sawing motion (don’t press down super hard) will help you cut them without making them crumble.
This usually happens for two reasons. One, the wet and dry ingredients weren’t incorporating together thoroughly enough. Next time, mix them really, really well so that every piece of the oat mixture gets coated in the honey/oil mixture. Two, when forming the granola rectangle before baking, press everything firmly together so it sticks.
Absolutely! To freeze these chocolate chip granola bars, add them to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Just make sure to let them thaw for about 20 minutes before you eat them!
More Healthy Bar Recipes
These Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are delicious, healthy, cost effective and so easy to make! You’ve got to give them a try and let me know what you think by leaving a rating and comment below.
Want more Weelicious? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for all the newest recipes!
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 4 cups old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chocolate chips (You can substitute raisins or other dried fruit for the chocolate chips.)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable, canola, avocado or other oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Combine the first 6 ingredients in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the oat mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Place granola mixture on a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangle, about 13 x 9 x 1 inch thick. Press firmly so that the granola sticks together.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into 3 x 1 inch bars.
Notes
- Storage: Individually wrapped, the bars will remain fresh for several weeks.
- To Freeze: To freeze these chocolate chip granola bars, add them to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4 months. Just make sure to let them thaw for about 20 minutes before you eat them!
- Don’t have whole wheat flour? No worries! You can use any flour you prefer. All purpose, a cup-for-cup gluten free flour or even almond flour will work. I use whole wheat because it has more health benefits than all purpose, but use what you have on hand.
- Don’t want chocolate chips? If you’re hesitant to give your kids chocolate chips in the morning or for snack time, you can easily substitute them with naturally sweet dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or raisins.
Hi! Any possible substitutes for someone with an oat allergy? My family loves the recipe and I’d love to see if there is an oat substitutes so that I can enjoy them too. Also, any tips on how to quickly/easily/nicely wrap them individually? Thanks all!
We always freeze ours and they are just fine! I reuse the parchment they baked on, wrap the whole lot of cut bars and put it inside a large zip top bag. This way they are always ready to go for lunches.
I bought the same MadeGood granola balls and bars! My kids love them so much I had to ration them! Unfortunately I don’t seem to be able to find them any where and I’m almost out! I bought them at Royal Winter, where did you buy them?
I actually have never frozen these! They last for about 2 weeks in the fridge! You could add about 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and the results wouldn’t do any harm to the recipe. 🙂
Catherine,
Before I ruin them by putting them in the freezer, can they be frozen? Thanks. I bought a box of organic granola bars on the weekend and I could NOT believe how tiny tiny they were – my daughter loved them … pure cocoa and oats and seemingly not bad for you but expensive and not a lot for your money. Looking forward to this great alternative.
Seems like a lot of people have made substitutions to your recipe … I’d like to follow it as close to the letter as I can – option for adding cocoa?
The brand I bought are Canadian and not yet introduced to the market – Made Good – (Organic Granola Minis (balls)) there are vegetables in it now that I look really closely. I know ‘hiding’ veggies is not a great option but a nice side benefit.
I made these for my 15-month old twins today. I subbed coconut oil for the canola and omitted the brown sugar. They were delicious!!! They were a bit crumbly, but I saw your note to stir wet and dry ingredients well and will pay more attention to that next time. Based on other people’s comments I will also try to replace the flour with ground flax next time. To change it up my next batch will have raisins + walnuts. I also want to do a batch with goji berries + chocolate chips and one of dried cranberries + pecans. I am so excited to have found this versatile, healthy & delicious recipe. Thank you!!!
ok so these are perfect! if only I can get them off the parchment paper!!!! Why is it sticking?
My husband made these and used raisins instead of choco chips, increased flour to 1/2 cup and used white whole wheat flour, added 1 tsp. of cinnamon and left out coconut. Used coconut oil instead of canola and instead of honey used 1/4 cup agave and 1 tbsp. molasses. They came out so great like a crispy granola bars. Just like store bought! With these changes they stayed together better:)
Make sure to mix in the wet ingredients really well to insure they are evenly coated! Then let the bars cool completely before cutting them!
we love these but they never come out as bars. what makes them stick together to become bars? I use spelt flour and coconut sugar instead…is that what the problem is? I just really dont want to use brown sugar….trying to have less sugar in our diet. please help me make them stick together. Thank you
This is a very good recipe. I’ve used the base items and added raisins and nuts in place of the chips. Delicious!!!!!!
Can these be frozen? Thanks for all of your inspiration!
These are amazing!! And so versatile! The first batch I followed the recipe except for sub agave in place of honey, (didn’t have honey). They were a huge hit! I’ve made at least 3 more batches in the past 2 weeks, using raisins & craisins, chocolate chip & raisins. I’ve also discovered that any crumbs make a delicious raisin bran/honey bunches of oats like cereal in milk! I’ve made batches without forming them just for cereal! And have sent many moms to your site specifically for these! I was curious though, Catherine, is there a specific reason you chose honey over agave? I’ve see you replace agave for honey in a lot of your recipes and wondered why you chose not to here? Thanks for this recipe!
What hot mixture? You mix everything dry and cool!
How do you prevent the chocolate chips from melting?
If I mix the chips into the hot mixture and bake it, the chips wll melt and sink to the bottom of the granola.
If I sprinkle the chips on top, the chips do not stay well when cooled, drop off easily when packed individually.
[…] making homemade cereal bars. i’ve tried a couple of different recipes, but this one from weelicious.com tasted great and requires no use of the stove so the girls can help from start to finish. […]