• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Eat Well.
Live Well.
Be Well.
Display Search Bar
  • Dinners Made Simple
  • Work with Us
  • Let’s Chat!
  • Blog
Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Pinterest! Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on YouTube!

The Real Food Dietitians

Eat well. Live well. Be well.

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Specialty Diets
      • Whole30
      • Paleo
      • Egg-Free
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-free
      • Grain-Free
    • Meal Prep Recipes
    • Whole30
    • Freezer-Friendly
    • Appetizers
    • Main Entree
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks & Smoothies
    • Instant Pot
    • One-Dish Meals
    • Slow-Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Salads & Sides
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Soups & Stews
    • Snacks
    • Sweets & Treats
  • Real Plans
  • Meal Prep

Apr 30, 2020 By Stacie Hassing

5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Vegan
Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe

5 ingredients is all you need to make a batch of these easy Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars. They’re gluten-free, soft-baked, studded with chocolate chips, and perfect for healthy snacking. You’ll never need or want to buy a store-bought granola bar again!

Skip the grocery store and make granola bars right in the comfort of your own kitchen!

Not only will you save money, but you’ll also be 100% in control of what’s going into the granola bars. Many of the store-bought granola bars come with a lengthy list of ingredients, are made with refined sugars, and include an array of pesky preservatives (so they’re able to hang out on the shelves for a longer duration of time). These 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars are simple to make, made with only real food ingredients, and are refined sugar-free. Best of all, you know exactly what goes into them! Peanut buttery, chocolatey, subtly sweet, and soft baked! You can’t beat that.

How to spruce them up with what you have on hand

I left this recipe pretty lean with only a few ingredients, but by all means, feel free to customize the bars and make them your own by adding a few extra ingredients. Simply take a quick scan of what’s floating around in your pantry and get creative with what you have on hand. Some of my favorite additions include dried cherries or cranberries, raisins, chopped dates, dried blueberries, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice. Let your kids use their creativity and have them choose a couple of additional ingredients.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars Ingredients

  • Rolled Oats – simple, old fashioned rolled oats.
  • Natural Peanut Butter – I like the drippy kind of peanut butter made with only peanuts and maybe a little salt, but use what you have on hand. Feel free to sub any kind of nut or seed butter.
  • Maple Syrup – could also substitute honey.
  • Chocolate Chips – because chocolate and peanut butter is a pair that can’t be beat.
  • Eggs – looking for an egg-free or vegan-friendly option? You got it, feel free to substitute 2 flax eggs. Instructions below.
  • BONUS Add-in’s – get creative with what you have on hand. See suggestions above.

Can I add protein powder?

If you’re looking for a boost of protein you can certainly add your favorite protein powder. Simply substitute 1/2 cup of protein powder for 1/2 cup of the oats. I would suggest an Organic Whey Protein or an Organic Plant Based Protein.

Can I make the Peanut Butter Granola Bars peanut or nut-free?

Absolutely! Feel free to use any nut or seed butter of your choice.

5 ingredients is all you need to make a batch of these easy Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars. They're gluten-free, soft-baked, studded with chocolate chips and perfect for healthy snaking. Click To Tweet

This post may contain affiliate links that won’t change your price but will share some commission.

How to make Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Toss the ingredients in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Transfer the dough to a 9×9 pan. Pro tip: for easy removal you could line the pan with parchment. Press the dough firmly into the pan. Bake for 14-17 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and then cut into granola bar shapes or squares.

How to meal prep Peanut Butter Granola Bars

I almost always include some sort of energy bite or bar recipe with my weekend meal preps. They make for easy on-the-go fuel. These Peanut Butter Granola Bars are perfect for meal prep. Simply make the recipe as written. Once bars are cooled completely store in an airtight container in the fridge for 7-10 days. My guess is they won’t last that long.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars are freezer-friendly, too!

I also like to stock my freezer with homemade granola bars and bites so that I have something on backup during those times when a meal prep doesn’t happen. To freeze: Once the bars are done baking, let them cool completely and then cut into squares. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-friendly container separating each layer with parchment paper.

Other Bars and Bites to try:

  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Energy Bites
  • Key Lime Pie Energy Bars
  • No-Bake Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
  • No-Bake Fruit and Nut Peanut Butter Granola Bars
  • 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Bites

Hungry for More? Subscribe to get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Let's Get Cookin'

5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars

5 ingredients is all you need to make a batch of these easy Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars. They’re gluten-free, soft-baked, studded with chocolate chips and perfect for healthy snaking. You’ll never need to or want to buy a store-bought granola bar again!

  • Author: The Real Food Dietitians
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 14 mins
  • Total Time: 19 mins
  • Yield: 16 squares 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Bake
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 9 reviews

Ingredients

  • 3 cups rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter (substitute nut or seed butter for peanut-free version)
  • ⅓ cup maple syrup (may sub honey)
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips
  • 2 organic whole eggs (or flax egg for vegan-friendly*)
  • Optional add ins: walnuts, pecans, almond, chia seed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds or dried fruit.

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients in one bowl and mix well.
  3. Transfer to a greased 9 x 9 inch baking dish and firmly press into pan. Pro tip: for easy removal, line the pan with parchment.
  4. Top with additional chocolate chips if you wish. Press into the dough.
  5. Bake for 14-17 minutes or until center is baked through. Start checking at 12 minutes as all ovens are different.
  6. Let cool completely before cut into 16 square or 12-14 bars.

Notes

*Flax egg: 2 Tbsp. flax meal + 5 Tbsp. water. Let set for 5-10 minutes.

**For a boost of protein, add 1/2 cup of your favorite protein powder and reduce oats by a 1/2 cup.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 square
  • Calories: 200
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Sodium: 50 mg
  • Fat: 10 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 6 g

Pin now to make later!

Pin image for 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Granola Bars

 


This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

SaveSave

  • Facebook2.0K
  • Pinterest13.1K
  • Yummly22
  • Email

About Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she, her husband and daughter reside with their two pups. She’s a co-founder of The Real Food RDs and content creator of simple and wholesome recipes. She loves all kinds of fitness and has a passion to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life both in and out of the kitchen - the driving force behind the co-development of the The Real Food RDs brand.

< Previous Post
Next Post >

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    View Comments
  1. Megan says

    August 17, 2016 at 8:04 am

    Looks yummy! Do you think adding some unflavored protein powder to this recipe would work? Trying to up the protein a little.

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      August 17, 2016 at 8:16 am

      Hi Megan-

      You sure can add some protein powder though you may need to add some type of liquid to prevent them from being ‘chalky’ if you’re using a standard protein powder.

      My recommendation would be to use Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides to add some protein without flavor or grittiness. You can get that here: Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (affiliate link)

      Hope that helps – enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Tracy Dalton says

    October 27, 2016 at 9:05 am

    They don’t look like yours….but hope they’ll be good. I added some roasted almonds.

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      October 27, 2016 at 1:14 pm

      That’s ok – as long as they’re delicious, right?

      I love the addition of roasted almonds for extra crunch!

      Reply
      • Tracy Dalton says

        October 31, 2016 at 2:34 am

        They are really good, thanks so much! My fussy eater said, “ooo”, but ate them and liked them! (What’s not to like?!) I’ve given the recipe out already, of course linking to your page…. 😉

        Reply
        • Stacie Hassing says

          November 2, 2016 at 5:42 am

          So great to hear your fussy eater enjoyed the bars! It’s always a big win in my house when my picky eater husband likes a recipes I create. haha! Thanks for sharing our recipes 🙂

          Reply
  3. Ilene says

    May 8, 2017 at 12:23 pm

    What is the shelf life and do they need to be refrigerated? They look and sound delicious! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 8, 2017 at 9:22 pm

      Hi Ilene,

      Honestly, they don’t last long at my house (hours…sometimes a day) but you should be able to keep them in the fridge for 5 days – on the counter for 3 days. You can freeze them for longer if you won’t eat them up fast enough.

      Reply
  4. Kayk says

    January 16, 2018 at 2:52 pm

    This recipe is a staple in my family. Kids And husband love it!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      January 21, 2018 at 3:23 pm

      Yay! We love hearing this – thanks so much for taking the time to share.

      Reply
  5. Brandy says

    January 16, 2018 at 2:57 pm

    My 2yr old is super picky but he will eat these. I make them often for snack time.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      January 21, 2018 at 3:20 pm

      Yes! We’d call that a Recipe Victory!

      Reply
  6. Shannon says

    April 11, 2018 at 12:30 pm

    Can I use quick oats in these? That’s what I have in the pantry….

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      April 12, 2018 at 12:33 pm

      Hi Shannon,

      Yes, you can!

      Reply
  7. Kristen says

    June 28, 2018 at 8:51 am

    Could you use an egg subsitute like a chia egg or egg replacer powder? I’m trying to make protein bars for some military support packages. Many bars are no bake but I want a recipe with baking to help keep the shape for the trip.

    Also do you think this recipe would work doubling it for a 13×9 pan?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      June 29, 2018 at 12:24 pm

      Hi Kristen,

      I love the idea of baking these for military support packages. We have not tried the recipe with an egg replacer. I’m guessing the chia egg may make them too soggy but starch-based egg replacer powder might work pretty well.

      As for doubling them, yes, you can double the recipe to fit a 9×13-inch pan.

      Reply
      • Kristen says

        July 2, 2018 at 10:44 am

        Hi Jessica- I used the powder egg replacer. They stayed together (yeah) but they were a bit dry. The PB I used has no sugar, salt or oil/stablizers and instead of chocolate chips, I did chia and pumpkin seeds. Any ideas how to add moisture into them? They flavor was great.

        Reply
        • Jessica Beacom says

          July 18, 2018 at 9:01 pm

          Hi Kristen,

          It’s good to know that the egg replacer worked for you. I would maybe try adding some coconut oil for moisture. Perhaps start with a tablespoon and work your way up from there.

          Reply
  8. Eric Boiney says

    October 11, 2018 at 12:13 pm

    Mine just came out of the oven and I can’t wait to try it!!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      October 24, 2018 at 6:26 am

      yay! Hope they were delicious!

      Reply
  9. Deborah Ladner says

    October 27, 2018 at 9:54 am

    addedwheatgerandcoconut

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      October 27, 2018 at 2:02 pm

      Awesome!

      Reply
  10. Yoided Briggs says

    January 27, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    Can you add coconut flakes?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      January 28, 2019 at 5:42 pm

      Yes, you can add coconut flakes. However, I would recommend decreasing the amount of oats to compensate for them (for example, if you add 1/2 cup coconut you’d decrease the oats by 1/2 cup). This will ensure you keep the proper wet:dry ratio.

      Reply
  11. Jill says

    February 7, 2019 at 7:12 am

    Would the natural style (the kind that the oil separates) peanut butter work?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      February 7, 2019 at 1:51 pm

      I believe so, just be sure to stir the oil in well before measuring it and adding it to the other ingredients.

      Reply
  12. Paula says

    February 7, 2019 at 11:02 am

    Can you substitute applesauce or dates for the maple syrup in this type of recipe?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      February 7, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      Hi Paula,

      We have not tested the recipe using dates or applesauce though my guess is that applesauce may be too ‘wet’ and dates may be too ‘dry’. Perhaps if you softened the dates in hot water and pureed them to make a date paste then thinned that with a little water to get a date syrup, that might work.

      We’d love to know what you try and how it turns out.

      Reply
  13. Anna says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:49 pm

    So easy to make and so delicious! Thank you for this recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  14. zahra says

    March 5, 2019 at 6:54 am

    I’e never seen a granola bar recipe with egg. how long would it stay healthy. Do they need to be refrigerated?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      March 5, 2019 at 8:30 am

      You can also use a flax egg. And no, just like a cookie made with eggs they don’t need to be refrigerated. Although, they could be to make them last longer.

      Reply
  15. Kate says

    April 16, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    I have made a batch every week since finding this recipe. My mom makes it now too! I love mixing up the nuts and dried fruit.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  16. Jamie says

    July 17, 2019 at 12:45 am

    These are so yummy! I subbed honey for maple syrup and they were perfect. I’ve been looking for a basic chewy granola bar without refined sugar and flour for ages. My friend’s 3- year- old daughter really enjoyed them too. She requested that I make some more immediately. Thank you so much for sharing this!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 17, 2019 at 9:02 pm

      This is so great – thanks for sharing, Jamie!

      Reply
  17. Jennifer says

    October 22, 2019 at 11:15 am

    I am not a big fan of peanut butter. Any other substitutes you might recommend to help with the wet ingredients? Maybe coconut oil?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      October 23, 2019 at 2:06 pm

      Hi Jennifer,

      Coconut oil will likely make them bars too greasy. My suggestion would be to try another type of nut or seed butter. Cashew or almond butter is the most neutral-tasting in my opinion.

      Reply
  18. Rae says

    February 2, 2020 at 5:46 pm

    Hi,
    Could protein powder be added to these? I’m thinking about possibly adding collagen peptides.

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      February 4, 2020 at 6:41 am

      Hi Rae! Yes, you could add a protein powder to this recipe. I would start with 2 scoops of protein powder.

      Reply
  19. Angie says

    February 22, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    They sound delicious. However are they intended as a meal replacement? With 200 calories for one and 10 G sugar I am a little leary – especially of giving them to a child as a snack.

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      February 24, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      Hi Angie, feel free to cut them smaller to make them the size you desire for your kids. I would say these bars make for a great adult size snack as 200 calories isn’t enough for a meal. I think I would be left pretty hungry if all I ate was one of these bars as my meal.

      Reply
  20. Jacqueline Messer says

    March 28, 2020 at 4:05 pm

    Could I add flaxseed to this maybe 1/2 c?

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      April 2, 2020 at 11:33 am

      You sure could! You may want to reduce the oats by 1/2 cup. Enjoy!

      Reply
  21. Lana says

    June 23, 2020 at 5:53 pm

    Very tasty result but mine fell apart. It was like too much peanut butter or something. I did heat the honey and pb together so it would blend (my honey was a bit hard) and then added my flax egg to that and then added that wet mixture to the dry. Maybe that was the probkem. Also, do you recommend reducing oats when adding nuts? I took out 1/2 cup oats to replace with 1 cup of mixed fruit and nuts. I just really want a not dry bar that will stay together when not refrigerated…..will use these bars for kayak trips.

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      June 24, 2020 at 7:21 pm

      Hi Lana,

      It could have been your peanut butter but we’ve tested these many times and haven’t had them come out crumbly (we use natural peanut butter that you could drizzle at room temp) If you can use eggs, they will hold together better when kept at room temperature than they do with flax eggs.

      When adding nuts, you’ll want to decrease the oats by the same amount that you’re adding in nuts (so a 1:1 ratio) so it could be that there were too many nuts and not enough oats. Pulsing the oats in a food processor a few times can also help bars like these hold together especially if your rolled oats are on the thicker side.

      Reply
  22. Meghan says

    July 20, 2020 at 7:00 am

    These were so easy to make and my whole family loves them including my toddler!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  23. Jen says

    July 23, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    I make these every week for my family! We are all obsessed! I had three tablespoons of chia, two tablespoons of ground flax and two tablespoons of hemp hearts. LOVE. Easy breakfast or snack. Also made for traveling! I love all of the recipes on this website.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 26, 2020 at 4:05 pm

      We’re so glad you love this recipe (and all of the others you’ve tried!)

      Reply
  24. S says

    September 16, 2020 at 5:47 am

    Would almond butter work?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      September 16, 2020 at 10:47 am

      Yes!

      Reply
  25. Jim DeSousa says

    September 26, 2020 at 12:16 pm

    Made these today for the first time. They are very tasty, however mine seem a little on the dry side. Almost like the oats did not have enough moisture. We will still eat them of course. Thanks for the recipe!!😋

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      September 30, 2020 at 9:41 am

      Some oats are thicker than others so you may need to add a little more maple syrup or peanut butter next time – that usually does the trick for me.

      Reply
  26. MJ says

    October 1, 2020 at 5:17 pm

    Would it be possible to incorporate pumpkin puree into this by leaving out some of the nut butter?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      October 7, 2020 at 10:14 am

      We haven’t tested them that way but we do have a recipe for No-Bake Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars that already use pumpkin puree.

      Reply
  27. Virginia says

    October 9, 2020 at 5:36 am

    This recipe is a staple in our house! Highly recommend grabbing the ingredients to make these bars!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  28. Vicky says

    December 6, 2020 at 8:34 pm

    Can I skip over the chocolate?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      December 7, 2020 at 11:43 am

      You can omit the chocolate chips and replace them with nuts, seeds, or additional dried fruit if desired.

      Reply
  29. Catherine says

    December 18, 2020 at 9:12 pm

    Could I reduce the honey/agave to make it less sweet? 10g of sugar seems like a lot…

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      December 19, 2020 at 3:58 pm

      You can reduce the honey a bit though the bars may be a bit more crumbly depending on how much you use (or don’t use).

      Reply
      • Catherine says

        December 20, 2020 at 2:18 pm

        Thanks Jessica! I tried using the same proportion. The taste was ok, but the texture is hard to bite, especially for toddlers… Any ideas what could be the cause?

        Reply
        • Jessica Beacom says

          December 25, 2020 at 4:58 pm

          Hmmm, I’m not sure what would make them so hard. Mine are usually on the softer-chewier side when made with honey. My only guess is that you may have baked them slightly longer – or more likely, your oven runs hot – which caused them to dry out a bit.

          Reply
  30. Nick says

    January 13, 2021 at 12:11 pm

    What’s a cup? We have large and small cups.

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      January 20, 2021 at 4:20 pm

      I’m not certain what you are asking here but I think you are referring to measuring cups. 1 cup = 8 oz, 1/2 cup = 4 oz, etc. Hope that helps a little!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

Free eBook

Sign up to get your FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Favorite Recipes

Four fresh artichokes in an Instant Pot ready to cook

How to Make Instant Pot Artichokes

A large stack of sweet potato pancakes on a white plate topped with a pad of butter, pecans, and maple syrup.

Fluffy Sweet Potato Pancakes (gluten-free)

30 Whole30 Appetizers (Gluten and Dairy-free)

Three mason jars filled with yogurt and topped with homemade Paleo Granola and fresh raspberries

Paleo Granola with Honey and Cinnamon

Curry Chicken Salad (Whole30)

A piece of Western-style breakfast casserole on a speckled plate and topped with sliced avocado.

Western-Style Breakfast Casserole

Free Recipe eBook

Sign up to get your FREE recipe ebook + weekly newsletter!

Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Pinterest! Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on YouTube!
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Let’s Chat!
Copyright © 2021 The Real Food Dietitians Site Credits. Designed by Melissa Rose Design. Developed by Once Coupled.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

How about a free recipe ebook?

Sign up for our newsletter and get your FREE recipe ebook delivered right to your inbox!

We respect your privacy! Your information will *never* be shared, traded or sold to a 3rd party.
  • 2.0K
  • 13.1K
  • 22