Healthy No-Bake Granola Bars

If you’ve ever looked at store-bought granola bars and thought… why are there 20 ingredients and half of them sound like a chemistry experiment? 😅 — this recipe is for you.

These healthy no-bake granola bars are made with simple pantry staples like oats, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, peanut butter, and dried cranberries, then topped with a smooth layer of melted chocolate.

Why You’ll Love These Homemade Granola Bars

Here’s why this recipe is such a hit:

✅ Quick + easy — only 10 minutes of prep
✅ No oven required — perfect for busy days
✅ Clean ingredients — no weird fillers, no preservatives
✅ Budget-friendly — cheaper than buying “healthy bars” at the store
✅ Kid-friendly + lunchbox approved
✅ Customizable — swap nuts, seeds, sweetener, or chocolate

Benefits of Each Ingredient

• Oats: High in fiber, keeps you full longer, supports digestion.
• Pumpkin seeds: Rich in magnesium and zinc, supports immunity and energy.
• Dried cranberries: Adds natural sweetness, antioxidants, and chewy texture.
• Walnuts: Heart-healthy omega-3 fats, supports brain health.
• Almonds: Vitamin E + healthy fats, supports skin and steady energy.
• Peanut butter: Adds protein and healthy fats, helps bind the bars.
• Honey: Natural sweetener, it has antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties .
• Vanilla extract: Boosts flavor and makes the bars taste like dessert.
• Chocolate chips: Antioxidants + rich taste (and makes them extra satisfying!).
• Coconut oil: Helps chocolate melt smoothly and sets into a shiny topping.

These healthy no-bake granola bars are one of the easiest snacks you can make at home — no oven, no blender, no complicated steps.

Just mix, press, chill… and try not to eat half the pan before it sets 😄

Healthy No-Bake Granola Bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes Chill Time: 2 hours  Servings: 10 bars

Dry Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• ¼ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup almonds, chopped

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup peanut butter (runny/drippy works best)
• ⅓ cup honey (or replace with rice syrup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Topping (Optional but AMAZING)

• ½ cup chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• chopped pistachios for sprinkling optional

Directions

1. In a large bowl, add the oats, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, and chopped almonds, and mix everything together until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, stir the peanut butter, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. If your peanut butter is too thick, gently warm it together with the honey on very low heat just until it becomes easy to mix.
3. Pour the peanut butter mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until all the oats and nuts are evenly coated and the mixture becomes sticky.
4. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, transfer the mixture into the dish, and press it down very firmly and evenly. Use your hands or place parchment on top and press with the bottom of a glass to really compact it.
5. Place the pan in the fridge while you melt the chocolate chips with the coconut oil. Melt them in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each round, until smooth — or melt them in a bowl over gently simmering water on the stove.
6. Pour the melted chocolate over the pressed mixture and spread it evenly, then return the dish to the fridge and chill for 1–2 hours, or until fully firm.
7. Lift out using the parchment paper, slice into about 10 bars, and store in the fridge.

Variations + Substitutions

Want to switch it up?

• Swap walnuts/almonds → pecans, cashews, hazelnuts
• Replace cranberries → raisins, chopped dates, dried cherries
• Peanut butter → almond butter or sunflower seed butter
• Honey → rice syrup or maple syrup (bars may be softer)

Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Bar)

Based on 10 bars total (approximate values).

• Calories: ~368 kcal
• Protein: ~9.4 g
• Fat: ~27.2 g
• Carbs: ~27.3 g
• Fiber: ~4.2 g