Wholesome, chewy-to-crunchy granola bars made with toasted oats, coconut, honey, and peanut butter — a simple, satisfying snack with just a handful of ingredients.
Servings
8
Prep time
15 min
Cook time
25 min
Total time
1 hr 40 min
Ingredients — 8 servings
| Ingredient | Quantity | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking spray | — | as needed |
| Rolled oats | 2 | cups |
| Shredded coconut | ½ | cup |
| Honey | ½ | cup |
| Creamy peanut butter | 2 | tbsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1 | tsp |
| Salt | ⅛ | tsp |
Directions
1
Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2
Toast the oats and coconut. Spread the rolled oats and shredded coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven for about 10 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3
Make the binder. Combine the honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the mixture is completely smooth and well blended.
4
Combine and press. Pour the warm honey mixture over the toasted oats and coconut. Stir well until everything is evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and press the mixture down firmly into an even, compact layer.
5
Bake. Bake for about 15 minutes for crunchy bars, or pull them out a few minutes earlier if you prefer a chewier texture. The bars should look just starting to dry around the edges.
6
Cool and cut. Let the bars cool completely in the dish before slicing — at least 1 hour. Cutting too early will cause them to crumble. Once fully cooled, slice into 8 bars and serve.
Cook's notes
Chewy vs. crunchy
Baking time is your key variable here. Pull the bars out at 12 minutes for a softer, chewier result, or leave them in the full 15 minutes for a firmer, crunchier bar. Both are delicious — it comes down to personal preference.
Press firmly
The harder you press the mixture into the dish before baking, the better the bars will hold together when sliced. Use the back of a flat spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup to really compact the layer evenly.
Mix it up
This recipe is a great base to build on. Try stirring in a handful of dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips, chopped almonds, or pumpkin seeds before pressing into the dish. Swap peanut butter for almond or cashew butter for a different flavor.
Nutrition per serving
| Nutrient | Amount | Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 188 kcal | Saturated fat | 2 g |
| Protein | 4 g | Sodium | 64 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 34 g | Calcium | 14 mg |
| Dietary fiber | 3 g | Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Total fat | 5 g | Potassium | 128 mg |
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