These Homemade Gluten-Free Granola Bars are soft, chewy, and packed with flavor. Made with homemade, grain-free granola and just two other simple staples, they’re the perfect mid-afternoon snack or an easy add-on for school lunches.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ⏲️Ready In: 50 Minutes
- 👪Serves: 6 bars
- 🍽 Calories and Protein: 288 kcals and 9 grams of protein
- 📋Main Ingredients: Homemade granola, eggs, dairy-free chocolate chips and dried fruit.
- 📖 Dietary Notes: Dairy-free, gluten-free, and can be grain-free.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: These grain-free granola bars are soft, chewy, and incredibly easy to make with just a few nourishing ingredients, making them perfect for snacks or grab-and-go fuel.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Skip the overpriced store-bought stuff and make a batch of these grain-free granola bars instead. They’re soft, chewy, and actually hold together (no sad crumbs in the bottom of a lunch bag). You can use any homemade granola you love, whether it’s a nut-based one or a crunchy classic like this homemade high-protein granola, and they’re an easy make-ahead snack right alongside my healthy snacks for busy moms.
With three kids, I can’t justify spending a small fortune on “healthy” granola bars that are either loaded with ingredients I don’t love… or somehow still leave everyone hungry 30 minutes later. Making your own means you control everything and still save money.
Jump To
💭Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy to make: Any homemade granola will work for this recipe, and in addition to it, you only need 2 other ingredients!
Flavors: Making your own granola bars means that you can adjust the flavors and change them up frequently.
Texture: This dairy-free granola bar recipe is different from most because the end result is soft and chewy, not crunchy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Homemade granola: The kind of granola you use will alter the texture of the bars a bit. I originally made the bars with my gluten-free nut-free granola recipe (which is also grain-free).
- Add-ins: You need either dairy-free chocolate chips or dried fruit to make the soft, chewy granola bars really come together.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
Dried fruit: Switch up the fruit for different flavors. Just make sure if you’re using bigger fruits, to chop them into smaller pieces. Dates, apricots, or dried blueberries are always delicious choices.
Spices: Adding some extra cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract brings out a whole new warming flavor.
Drizzle: Make the grain-free granola bars extra indulgent by drizzling them with coconut milk caramel sauce.
How To Make Homemade Gluten-Free Granola Bars
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
Step 2: Mix until sticky and portion into a lined loaf pan.
Step 3: Bake for 21-25 minutes and let cool fully in the pan before slicing.
Expert Tips
Texture of the bars: If your homemade granola is softer, like with apple pie granola, the bars will have a chewier texture. If your granola is crisp or crunchy like granola with cinnamon, your bars will also be.
Cooling: The granola bars will look soft coming out of the oven and be very delicate. Let them cool fully before you slice them, and know that they firm up the longer they set or when placed in the fridge.
Storing: These gluten-free, dairy-free granola bars are best stored in the fridge for 5-7 days. They will firm up a bit if your granola is oil-based, which also helps them hold together well and ensures they're not crumbly.
Freezing: Granola bars can also be stored in a freezer-safe bag in a single layer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them thaw fully in the fridge overnight. I do find that they don’t hold together as well once thawed as they did originally. Still delicious though.
Homemade Gluten-Free Granola Bars FAQ's
Yes, you can freeze homemade granola bars. Freeze them in an airtight container or wrap individually and then place them in a bag for up to 2 months.
Yep, you can make homemade grabola bars with store-bought granola. Just make sure to choose a granola that’s not overly oily and isn’t too chunky, or you'll have crumbly bars. Likewise, keep an eye on the final few minutes of baking so that the nuts look toasted and not burnt.
Granola bars become hard usually from overbaking or using a granola that’s already super crunchy/dry. Keep an eye on bake time and let them cool naturally.
More Gluten-Free Recipes You'll Love
If you tried this Grain-Free Granola Bars Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!
Homemade Gluten-Free Granola Bars
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups Nut and grain-free granola room temperature or cooled
- ⅛ Cup Dairy-free chocolate chips or dried fruit
- 2 Eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients until sticky.
- Line an 8x4 loaf pan with parchment paper and pour the granola mix into it. Smooth it out and press down so that there's no air pockets.
- Bake for 21-25 minutes until mostly cooked. It will look underdone coming out of the oven but firms up on cooling.
- Let the granola bars cool completely before slicing them.
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Nutrition
Shelby says
These granola bars are so much better than store bought! My kids gobble them up everytime.