This is my first attempt at homemade granola bars and I had no idea how easy it was to make your own! I definitely won’t be going back to the boxed ones. Healthy, portable, and delicious granola bars packed with almonds, pistachios, sunflower seeds, blueberries, cranberries, and raisins. They are the perfect for an on the go breakfast or a long fall hike. The perfect weekend for me is going to Turkey Run or Hocking Hills with my husband and two dogs. We always pack a portable lunch and snacks to have while on our hikes. Granola bars are always included. It wasn’t until two weekends ago while we were on a hike at Turkey Run that I thought to myself, why haven’t I tried to make these before? So when we got home I searched for the perfect recipe and tweaked it to include my favorite dried fruits and nuts. Give these a try and let me know what you think, I bet you will agree they are the best homemade granola bars ever! 
Fruit and Nut Granola Bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
- 1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup pistachios
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut, loosely packed
- 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
- 3/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup dried blueberries
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends.
- In a medium bowl, combine oatmeal, almonds, and coconut. Spread onto a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ and sunflower kernels.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt to a boil. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the blueberries, raisins, and cranberries and stir well.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a small piece of parchment paper, press mixture evenly into pan; Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before cutting into rectangles. Serve at room temperature.
Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa
This post was featured on the Foodbuzz Top 9!
Wow, there’s a lot of deliciousness packed into that bar! Great photos!
Delicious. I love homemade granola bars. Wonderful mix of fruits….love the cranberries. I like to pop in some chopped dates…it’s a secret addiction.
Is there another option for the coconut? I’m just not a coconut person and am at a loss for a substitute.
Donna,
You can omit the coconut, just add the same amount of extra nuts or dried fruits. Give them a try..they are a perfect healthy snack!
Those look delicious and easy to make too! I will definitely have to give these a try. Great photos too
Your granola looks wonderful! Must try your recipe asap. Lovely photos too.
I am going to make these today!
I think I might add chocolate chips instead of blueberries. Your pictures are so yummy looking!
this is great! thanks for posting – I have tried granola bars using a few different recipes but I can’t really get them to stick together – so i just turn it into loose granola for yogurt. I will definitely give this a try!
Your pic on FG has dragged me here! Looking at your granola, I’ll try my hand asap. Thanks for recipe.
Would these be ok to freeze? Or how long do you think they would last in the cupboard? Thanks!
Yes you can freeze these.
They stay more crisp that way. If you plan on storing them in the freezer I always wrap each item in plastic wrap first and then place in a ziploc freezer bag. There is nothing worse than freezer burn so I try to avoid it as best as I can. If you leave them at room temperature they get chewier. You can store these in an airtight container at room temperature for a week or two. Hope this helps! Thanks for commenting! 
How many calories are in the granola bars?
These granola bars have about 209 calories each. This recipe is also featured In her book, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics and I found the nutritional information there. Hope you enjoy them-I thought they were excellent!
Beautiful pictures! and they sound absolutely wonderful. Great post.
I never made granola bars, I usually buy them. Do you know if I can use quick oats instead of old-fashioned?
If you have never tried to make your own you will really be surprised at how easy it is!
Both kinds of oats can be used interchangeably, although old-fashioned oats may give the granola bars more texture. I always use old fashioned oats when I make granola bars, but that is my personal preference-I like the hearty texture.
Wow, I just made some granola bars too! But yours sound like they have fabulous flavor from toasting the oats, coconut, and almonds. I’m going to remember to do that next time!
I made these tonight. They are so delicious. I put mini chocolate chips in the recipe. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
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Hi, just made the granola, taste awesome but most of them dont seem to stick together. It crumbles. What do you think is wrong ?
Thank you..
Hmmm…if you do not press the granola into the pan enough, I noticed that it is really crumbly. You could try using a small piece of parchment paper to press the mixture evenly into pan before placing it into the oven and when you take it out of the oven (don’t burn yourself, wear ovenmits). This is one recipe that I make all the time (like once a week) my family loves it! If you try it again, let me know how it turns out!
Hi, I’ve just found your blog and I love it. Very beautiful photos, too.
I’m from Romania and I can’t figure out what old-fashioned oatmeal looks like. I tried to translate, but I’m wondering if this is something like a porridge or more like a flower :-s
How can I substitute it or make something like at home?
Thank you in advance!
Old fashioned oats are also known as rolled oats ( I am not sure if they are available in Romania). If you cannot find those, you could try it with plain muesli. Let me know hwo they turn out!
Thank you very much, Christina. I found out in the meantime
Yes, we have “rolled oats”, I made granola bars from other recipes, I will try this, too! 
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Does anyone have the nutritive information about this recipe ?! How Many calories etc !?? Thank you a lot !! They look so healthy and delicious !!
If you cut them into 16 large bars they are 300 calories each. I usually cut them into smaller sized bars so they are a 150 calorie snack.