Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Homemade peanut butter granola bars are chewy and delicious. They’re full of the peanut butter flavor everyone loves.
We always have granola bars on hand. They’re the perfect thing to grab when the kids need a quick snack at home or on the go.
Truthfully I love them too. What’s not to like about chewy bars full of my favorite ingredients?
Chocolate chip granola bars are always a hit, but for a different taste I like to make batches of peanut butter granola bars.
With double peanut flavor from peanut butter and peanut butter chips, these oat bars quickly tide over any cravings or hangry incidents.
Homemade granola bars are easy to make, too!
Ingredients
Ready to make peanut butter granola bars? You might have everything you need in the pantry.
Oats – You’ll want rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. Don’t use quick oats or steel-cut oats.
If you need this recipe to be gluten free, make sure to check that the oats are certified gluten-free and do not have risk of cross-contamination.
Peanut butter – Both creamy and crunchy peanut butter are good options. Note that if you use natural peanut butter, it is more oily and your granola bars might end up less firm.
Honey – Peanuts and honey are a great combo, plus the honey is an excellent binder to keep everything sticking together. Maple syrup will work as a substitute, but keep in mind that it is runnier than honey, so your bars might be less firm.
Brown sugar – For toasty sweetness
Egg – Egg is needed to bind the ingredients so you get bars, not loose granola.
Peanut butter chips – For extra peanut butter flavor, I add peanut butter chips. You could use peanuts instead, or swap them with regular or mini chocolate chips.
Butter – Melted butter is used to provide a little extra fat.
Salt and Vanilla – Add a bump of extra flavor with salt and pure vanilla extract.
How to make granola bars with peanut butter
To make the granola bars, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment or coat with nonstick spray.
I like to use parchment, as it makes the bars easier to remove from the pan.
If you want thick granola bars, you can use a 9×9 pan, but remember to increase the baking time to 20-25 minutes.
In a saucepan, warm peanut butter and honey just enough to soften and make it easy to mix them together.
Remove from heat and whisk in melted butter, vanilla, and egg.
In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and salt.
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the top and stir well to completely coat all of the oats. Stir in the peanut butter chips.
Scoop the mixture into the prepared pan and press evenly all the way to the edges.
Place the pan in the oven and bake granola bars for about 15 minutes.
Let cool completely before slicing into bars or squares.
Recipe customizations
Wondering what else you can do with homemade granola bars? Try some of these options.
- Sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter, or your favorite nut butter
- Dark chocolate chips in place of the peanut butter chips, or melted and used as a chocolate drizzle on top
- Add coconut flakes or chia seeds
- Try with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or dried fruit like cranberries or chopped dried cherries
There’s so many things you can add to homemade granola bars that are absolutely delicious, so make your own favorite flavor combination.
Storage tips
Homemade granola bars will keep well in an airtight container for 7-10 days.
If you like, you can store them in the refrigerator. This makes them more firm, and they will soften as they warm to room temperature.
You can also freeze granola bars. To freeze, wrap the bars individually in parchment or freezer paper, then place into a freezer-safe bag or container.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or tuck a frozen bar into your lunch box in the morning.
Enjoy these peanut buttery, delicious oat bars the next time your snack cravings hit! Happy snacking!
Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment or coat with nonstick spray.
- In a small saucepan, combine peanut butter and honey. Heat over medium just until peanut butter is melted; whisk to blend.
- Remove from heat and whisk in egg, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and sea salt. Pour peanut butter mixture over the oats and stir well using a rubber spatula. Stir until no dry oats remain. Fold in peanut butter chips.
- Scoop mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly to the edges. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate based on online calculators and provided as a courtesy. Any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline only.
