Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Name: Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1.25 cups rolled oats; 1 cup poha/flattened rice [ or use rice krispies instead]; 1 cup pitted medjool dates (around 14-15 dates); 2-3 tablespoons raisins or chocolate chips; 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons honey; 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

By Manali Singh

Feb 19, 2014, Updated May 07, 2023

Homemade Peanut Butter Granola Bars are great for snacking!

Jump to Recipe

EF DF

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Peanut-Butter-Granola-Bars-notitle-cwm

Granola bars make great snack option, they are tasty, healthy and filling. But the problem with the ones available in the market is with the use of artificial sweeteners in them. Somehow they never appear healthy to me because of all the sweeteners that they add in these granola bars and that’s why I hardly buy them. But it’s a different story altogether when you make granola bars at home.

You use fresh ingredients and sweeten them the way you want to, now that’s what I call a healthy snack. For making these peanut butter granola bars, I used only 6 ingredients, really it’s that simple and sweetened them with honey and dates. These bars can be a great post-workout snack too.

Now I have made granola bars before and I know one of most common problem one encounters is of bars not sticking together. It has happened to me in the past when I was left with only granola mixture and no bars.

For this recipe of peanut butter granola bars or for any granola bar recipe, you need something which can bind the bars together. Things like dates, chocolate chips, honey, raisins work great to hold the bars together. Few points to keep in mind if you are planning to make these peanut butter granola bars.

1. In the recipe, make sure you use dates. Actually in my experience dates work the best , better than chocolate chips or raisins to hold the bars together.

2. When you heat the peanut butter and honey together, let it come to a slight boil and them simmer for 2 minutes. Do not take off the honey-butter mixture off the stove as soon as it heats up. The bars will crumble if you do that. So simmer the mixture for 2 minutes before mixing it with oats and poha mixture.

I wrap these peanut butter granola bars individually, it’s easy to pick up one and eat them this way!

Method

Line a 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.

1. Chop the pitted dates finely or pulse them in a food processor.

2. Toast the oats and poha in the oven at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

3. Mix the oats, poha, pitted dates and raisins in a bowl. Set aside.

4. In a saucepan, heat together peanut butter and honey till warm, around 2-3 minutes.

5. Pour the honey-peanut butter mixture into the bowl and combine well with the oats, poha and dates. Mix thoroughly, the dates shouldn’t stick to each other. They should be thoroughly dispersed throughout. You might want to use your hands here so that everything is mixed properly.

6. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, press it down firmly using back of your spoon. Press for 1-2 minutes.

7. Bake at 350 F degrees for 15 minutes or till it’s set and edges look golden brown.

8. Let it cool down to room temperature and then cover with a cling sheet and refrigerate for half an hour.

9. Cut the granola bars into desired shapes using a sharp knife.

10. Store the bars in an airtight container.

* I love peanut butter, but in case you don’t use any butter you like – almond, cashew, sunflower.

* You can add a lot of ingredients to these bars like chocolate chips, nuts, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds etc.

* In case you don’t have poha (flattened rice), use rice krispies cereal. Basically poha makes the granola bar crunchy, rice krispies would do the same.

* Don’t forget to line the baking pan with parchment paper to make sure the bars come out easily.