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Homemade Granola Bars (freezer friendly)

These delicious homemade granola bars can be made ahead and frozen. This makes them perfect for school lunches or snacks. They are so much fresher and healthier than what you can buy in the store. light brown granola bars with a messy array of chocolate chips sprinkled with text that reads "Homemade Granola Bars make ahead school snack" #freezermeals101 #granolabars #makeaheadsnack #homemadegranolaThe week before my kids went back to school, I spent an afternoon making things ahead that they could take for school lunches or snacks. I made these granola bars, mini corn dog muffins, mini pumpkin muffins, and I froze bags of rhubarb for making rhubarb muffins in the future.

I’m so glad to have these snacks made ahead. It’s making our mornings so much easier. I’m not getting complaints about there being “nothing to put in my lunch” anymore either!

If your child attends a school that is peanut-free and nut-free or if there are any allergies in your house, you can substitute the peanut-butter for SunButter or WowButter.

Homemade Granola Bars Recipe:

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 cups honey
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 cups peanut butter (or SunButter)
  • 4 tsp. vanilla
  • 8 cups Rice Krispies
  • 5 cups old fashioned oats
  • chocolate chips
  • optional: flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, or hemp

Instructions:

  1. In a medium pot on the stovetop, bring the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, and salt to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.
  2. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir.
  3. Put the oats and Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl. If you’re adding any of the optional ingredients, mix them in.
  4. Pour the mixture from the pot over the oats and Rice Krispies. Stir.
  5. Let sit for 5 minutes or so.
  6. Spread parchment paper onto two cookie sheets.
  7. Lay the granola bar mixture on the parchment paper.
  8. Press a second cookie sheet on top to flatten. Sprinkle chocolate chips over and press again.
  9. Cool in the fridge. Cut.
  10. Freeze flat on the tray. When frozen, transfer the granola bars to freezer bags, remove the excess air, seal, and freeze again.

collage of home made granola bars on a rack and in freezer bagsYou may also be interested in these other make-ahead snack recipes:

Corn Dog Mini Muffins for School Lunchesclose up of corn dog mini muffins piled on a plateEnglish Muffin Pizzasclose up of English muffin pizza with apples

Mini Pancake Muffinsclose up of pancake mini muffins on a plate

Homemade Granola Bars
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Keyword: granola
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 327 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 cups honey
  • 2/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 cups peanut butter
  • 4 tsp. vanilla
  • 8 cups Rice Krispies
  • 5 cups old fashioned oats
  • chocolate chips
  • optional: flaxseed pumpkin seeds, or hemp
Instructions
  1. In a medium pot on the stovetop, bring the brown sugar, honey, coconut oil, and salt to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.

  2. Add in the peanut butter and vanilla. Stir.

  3. Put the oats and Rice Krispies in a large mixing bowl.

  4. Pour the mixture from the pot over the oats and Rice Krispies. Stir.

  5. Let sit for 5 minutes or so.
  6. Spread parchment paper onto two cookie sheets.

  7. Lay the granola bar mixture on the parchment paper.

  8. Press a second cookie sheet on top to flatten. Sprinkle chocolate chips over and press again.

  9. Cool in the fridge. Cut.
  10. Freeze flat on the tray. When frozen, transfer the granola bars to freezer bags, remove the excess air, seal, and freeze again.

Recipe Notes

You can make these homemade granola bars peanut-free by substituting the peanut butter for WowButter or SunButter.