Quick No Bake Granola Bars Healthy Freezer Friendly

I like to mix up buying store bought snacks and making them at home to keep things interesting and to keep my grocery budget in check and these No-Bake Granola Bars are one of my go-to recipes. They come together easily in a bowl and just need 10 minutes in the fridge to set up into sliceable bars. You can make them thick or thinner and they store so well in the fridge or freezer for weeks. The best part? There’s no baking and you can customize the flavor for your family. (You may also like No-Bake Chocolate Granola Bars, Homemade Granola Bars, and Fruit and Nut Bars. For a bar without nut butter, try my Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.)

Ingredients You Need

These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this no-bake granola bar recipe. See the full information at the bottom in the recipe.

Rolled oats: These are sometimes called “old-fashioned oats” at the store. Crispy rice cereal: Like Rice Krispies or a store brand equivalent. Shredded unsweetened coconut: This adds nice flavor to the bars. You can use additional cereal in place of the coconut if desired. Add-ins: You can use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, raisins, or dried cherries or cranberries—or a mix of all three. Unsweetened creamy peanut butter: Or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option. Either of these helps the bars hold together. Brown rice syrup: This is very sticky and is the best way to make no-bake granola bars have the same texture as bars you buy from the store and also hold together. See the Notes at the end of the recipe for a tip on how to make these with honey. Vanilla extract: This adds nice flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s a look at the steps involved in making this no bake granola bar recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information. TIP: I like to line the pan with parchment and leave a 2-inch overhang on two sides so I can easily lift the bars out to slice. You can slice in the pan if you prefer.

Why to Use Brown Rice Syrup

I try my best to use regular pantry ingredients in my recipes, but this is one case when using brown rice syrup really adds a deliciously chewy texture and helps the ingredients hold together nicely. I live in a small town and can find it in my regular grocery stores near the sugar or agave and it usually costs under $5 for a jar. One 21-ounce jar will make two batches of these bars. You can also order it online, though it’s often more expensive (for reasons I don’t quite understand!). An opened jar lasts for months in the fridge so you can use it again whenever you’re ready. TIP: My Soft-Baked Granola Bars are another easy option if you don’t have or can’t find brown rice syrup.

Chewy Granola Bars

You can make these thicker bars using an 8×8-inch pan or thinner by using one that’s 11×17-inches. Both create chewy, crispy granola bars similar in texture to a “chewy” granola bar you’d buy at the store. We store these in the fridge to keep them fresh and to reduce their stickiness, but you can pack them for snack and they’ll hold together fine. We usually pack them with an ice pack just to ensure they stay cool.

How to Store

I prefer to wrap each bar in plastic wrap —this is the best way to keep them from sticking and it’s then easy to serve them up for snacks or with lunches. Place wrapped bars into a gallon size storage or freezer bag and store for up to a month in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. You can also place layers of bars, with parchment paper in between, in a large storage container.

Best Tips for Success

These are best slightly chilled. They do soften a bit at room temperature. Use raisins, dried cranberries or cherries in place of the chocolate chips if preferred. Chop up the chocolate to disperse it more evenly. (It’s okay if it melts a little!) Pair with milk or fruit for snack or serve for dessert. To make these without coconut, use ½ cup additional cereal or oats. Use honey in place of brown rice syrup, though increase the nut or seed butter to 1 ¼ cups and use ¾ cups honey. (Otherwise they may be too sweet.) Gluten-Free: Use GF Rice Krispies or crispy rice cereal and GF rolled oats. Nut-Free: Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.

Please comment below if you have any questions or to offer feedback. I love hearing what your kids think of my recipes and appreciate each comment.