Amazing Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Make these addicting soft and chewy peanut butter granola bars. With simple ingredients like oats, peanut butter, and honey, plus yummy mix-ins, it’ll be your family’s new favorite snack!

One of my husband’s favorite granola bars was Quaker Chewy Granola Bars. I’m sure you’ve heard of them, right?

Well, when we first got married, those were the only granola bars he ate and they were as close as he would come to touching oatmeal, period.

He’s come around since then, enjoying Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets with walnuts and honey and even a Chocolate Snack Cake that uses up leftover oatmeal, but he REALLY turned a corner when I made these peanut butter granola bars.

He told me they were BETTER than those boxed granola bars he used to love!

You know you’ve done something right when the family fights over who gets the last piece of something you’ve made.

I made a double batch of Black Bean Brownies on Monday to cover snacks and desserts for the week, but Mr. Crumbs had been sneaking a few and the batch didn’t make it past Wednesday. The kids weren’t happy about that.

Then I made these soft and chewy peanut butter granola bars, and the cycle started again. Neither my husband nor the kids can stop asking for more!

HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS

I totally agree with them too. These peanut butter granola bars are:

• Naturally sweetened
• Made with 8 simple ingredients I almost always have in the kitchen (way better than the storebought granola bars with multiple types of sugar and preservatives!)
• Crazy simple to make
• Ready in 30 minutes
• No-bake (hello not having to use the oven!)
• Portable, on-the-go snacks that won’t leave your hands sticky or the car full of crumbs

PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BAR RECIPE INGREDIENTS

Here are the simple pantry ingredients you need to make this peanut butter granola bar recipe:

• Oats. The base for the granola bar recipe. I use old fashioned rolled oats, but quick oats would work too.
• Crushed Pretzels. You’ll need about 4 ounces of pretzels, which should equal about 1 cup after you pulse them in the blender.
• Peanut Butter. I use an all-natural peanut butter that contains just peanuts and salt, but if yours has added sugar, the granola bars may be sweeter. Crunchy or creamy peanut butter will work.
• Honey. Honey helps sweeten the peanut butter granola bar recipe, and it acts as some of the “glue” to help hold the bars together. Do not substitute maple syrup in the recipe. It won’t stick together the same way honey does.
• Coconut Oil. The other half of the “glue”, since it solidifies in the cooler temperatures of the fridge and freezer. Coconut oil also helps add moisture to the granola bar peanut butter recipe.
• Vanilla Extract. This adds depth to the flavor and brings out the sweetness. Try Homemade Vanilla Extract.
• Mini Chocolate Chips. Or use roughly chopped regular chips – you want small bits that can be evenly distributed throughout all the granola bars.
• Peanuts (optional). Use whole or halved unsalted peanuts or leave them out if you’re not a fan.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR GRANOLA BAR PEANUT BUTTER RECIPE

Step 1. Measure the pretzels into a blender or food processor and pulse until they are the consistency of breadcrumbs. Set aside.

Step 2. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or just using a large glass bowl), stir the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla until well blended.

Step 3. Add the oats and crushed pretzels and mix until everything is well coated and evenly combined.

Step 4. Add the chocolate chips and peanuts (if using) and mix again for just a few rounds to incorporate them into the mixture.

Step 5. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper. Scoop the granola mixture into the pan.

Step 6. Moisten your fingers and hands with water and press the granola down and out into the corners and edges of the pan until it is evenly distributed and pressed together.

Step 7. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Step 8. Remove the pan from the freezer and pull the granola bars out of the pan by using the edges of the parchment paper as handles.

Step 9. Slice the granola bars into 24 pieces. Store peanut butter granola bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze them for up to 4 months.

PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS RECIPE TIPS

• I’ve made this peanut butter bars recipe using a regular bowl and a stand mixer and both work well. I recommend the mixer bowl because the paddle makes distributing the honey and peanut butter a lot easier, but you can always use your hands or a spatula with a medium bowl.
• Natural peanut butter tends to be more oily, so if you’re using a different kind of peanut butter, you may need to add a bit more coconut oil to the mixture so that it isn’t dry and crumbly.
• Getting your hands a little wet before handling the granola keeps the chocolate from melting from your body heat and also keeps more granola mixture in the pan rather than sticking to your hands. You don’t need much water – just stick them under running water and shake off the excess.
• For a gluten-free version of this granola bar peanut butter recipe, use certified gluten free oats and gluten free pretzels (you can find some at Aldi) or replace the pretzels with another add-in, like sunflower seeds or chopped nuts.
• Need a pretzel substitute? Instead of 1 cup of crushed pretzels, add ½ cup of almond flour, ½ cup of shredded coconut, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

YUMMY ADD-INS FOR OAT BARS WITH PEANUT BUTTER

I like to shake things up with the flavors, so we never get bored of one recipe. Here are some of my favorite add-ins for oat bars with peanut butter:

I have not tried this, but you should be able to substitute other nut butter for the peanut butter. Almond butter or sunflower seed butter are good options! Add a little flaxseed meal if the nut butter seems runny.

HOMEMADE GRANOLA BAR RECIPE PEANUT BUTTER FAQS

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