Homemade Fruit & Nut Granola Bars

Homemade Fruit & Nut Granola Bars

3.7 of 5 (39)
member ratings
Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 16
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 160.7
  • Total Fat: 6.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 31.5 mg
  • Total Carbs: 24.3 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 3.0 g
  • Protein: 4.4 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Homemade Fruit & Nut Granola Bars calories by ingredient


Introduction

Better than store-bought, these granola bars include healthy almonds, whole grain, natural sweeteners and a touch of fruit. Better than store-bought, these granola bars include healthy almonds, whole grain, natural sweeteners and a touch of fruit.
Number of Servings: 16

Ingredients

    3 Tbsp. almond, peanut or soy butter
    2 Tbsp. honey
    4 Tbsp. agave nectar
    3 Tbsp. brown sugar
    1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
    1 1/2 cups puffed wheat, kamut or rice cereal
    1/2 c. Grape Nuts cereal
    1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
    1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped
    1/4 cup flaxseed
    1/4 cup sunflower seeds
    1/2 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, blueberries, cherries, apricots, apples)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, so that the paper overhangs on opposite sides (to make removing the bars easy).

In a small saucepan, combine nut butter, honey, agave nectar, brown sugar and vanilla. Heat over medium-low, stirring frequently, until the brown sugar dissolves and the nut butter is incorporated smoothly into the mixture.

In a large bowl, combine puffed wheat (or rice or kamut), oats, Grape Nuts, chopped almonds, flaxseed, sunflower seeds and dried fruit. Pour 1/2 of the warm honey mixture over the oat mixture and use a rubber spatula to combine. Pour the remaining honey mixture over the oat mixture and continue stirring with the spatula until the mixture is thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and use the spatula to press the mixture firmly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the granola bars are golden brown all over. Remove the pan from the oven and again use the rubber spatula to press down on the mixture. Let the bars cool completely in the pan, then use the overhanging parchment paper to lift them out of the pan. On a cutting board, use a sharp knife to cut 16 pieces. Wrap and keep air-tight for a week. Granola bars can also be wrapped and stored in a plastic bag in the freezer for several months.

Serving Size: makes 12 bars

TAGS:  Snacks | Snack | Snacks Snack |

Member Ratings For This Recipe


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    Very Good
    13 of 13 people found this review helpful
    I made changes due to food allergies in my family, but it still turned out really well. I don't expect granola to be low in carbs, so I wasn't surprised or disappointed by the count or cals in this recipe. Easy to modify if folks want to up the protein or cut the carbs. Thanks for posting! - 8/3/12


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    11 of 18 people found this review helpful
    Seems a little high in calories for a snack and really high in carbohydrates. I would love to see a version closer to 100 Calories and 15-20g carbohydrates (without just making it 16 bars instead of 12). - 8/2/12


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    Very Good
    7 of 7 people found this review helpful
    Great recipe and easy to follow. Any snack under 200 calories is a winner. I don't see what the big deal is with the amount of carbs. The last time I checked, my body needed the carbs and this was mainly the type of carbs I should be consuming along with the fiber. Also, its easy to add more protein - 1/18/13


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    Incredible!
    7 of 7 people found this review helpful
    This tastes AMAZING! Love it! My family especially likes it with dried cherries! But here's a hint, the granola MUST cool COMPLETELY or it will all fall apart! In order to cut it into bars it HAS to cool. Didn't think it was so important and just had a giant pile the first time. - 11/5/12


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    Incredible!
    7 of 7 people found this review helpful
    These are so terrific! I used all honey because I don't use agave syrup; they came out fine. - 8/20/12


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    Bad
    5 of 31 people found this review helpful
    way too high in simple carbs! hardly any protein! come on, you can post a better bar! - 8/3/12


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    Incredible!
    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
    Love them! I use a high fiber, high protein grain instead of Grape Nuts. I don't expect this to be low carb. They must COOL COMPLETELY to avoid crumbling so we refrigerate them after cooling on stove 15 mins. They're a staple now. We change up the fruit and/or nut butter flavors, too. - 2/1/13


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    Good
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
    A little carby, but that is pretty normal for granola. I made mine w/ dried cranberries & golden raisins. Taste is good, but didn't stay together very well. Would probably taste good on greek yogurt for a mini meal & that would help with the protein quota. - 8/27/12


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    Very Good
    2 of 9 people found this review helpful
    I would omit the brown sugar and agave, just use a tad bit of honey which is not a trigger for me. I have been a sugar addict all my life and now I am sugar free for almost twenty months. Not about to sabotage myself now, but sounds great. I will try them without the added sugar. Thanks - 10/14/12


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    Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
    These were easy to make. I used Uncle Sam's cereal in place of the rice/puffed wheet. Lightly sweet very tastey. I will be making these again soon. - 9/23/12


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    1 of 12 people found this review helpful
    Seems like a lot of sugar content and carbs. - 11/11/12


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    1 of 8 people found this review helpful
    Looks like a very small bar for such high calories. I would want two - 10/28/12


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    Incredible!
    1 of 5 people found this review helpful
    I luv these, they sound just perfect. - 9/17/12


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    1 of 4 people found this review helpful
    how about substitute agave with apple sauce? Will try then report... - 9/17/12


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    :) - 7/6/21


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    Incredible!
    YUM - 5/16/21


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    thanks - 5/3/21


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    Incredible!
    yum - 4/25/21


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    Incredible!
    very good! - 11/14/20


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    Was easy to make but kids werent wild about them. - 10/9/20


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    Good
    i would do some thinking on this great recipe - 7/21/20


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    Great idea - 4/5/20


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    Very Good
    Really good... Thanks for sharing - 3/16/20


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    amazing - 2/15/20


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    These were so good and simple to make! - 1/17/20


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    I'm going to add this recipe to my list of things to make. Will come back a rate it once I try it. - 11/25/19


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    Very Good
    I couldn't manage the ingredients so had to increase the amount of liquids. Used maple syrup instead of agave nectar. Tastes amazing, like snickers. Came out very well. DELICIOUS! - 11/3/19


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    Great recipe - 11/1/19


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    Great snack one can make at home - 9/25/19


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    Good
    Great - 8/13/19


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    Bad
    Really OLD recipe! Flax seed goes right through you, you need FLAXMEAL! The other stuff is ridiculous, so many better things on the market now. - 8/13/19


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    Incredible!
    Yum - 7/26/19


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    Incredible!
    Loved these. Made them and would take them to work as a snake. - 7/20/19


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    yummy... - 7/6/19


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    Very good! - 6/11/19


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    Good
    Thanks - 6/9/19


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    O.K.
    Too many carbs for a diabetic. - 4/28/19


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    Interesting - 4/21/19


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    Incredible!
    This is a great basic recipe. Thank you. - 4/3/19


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    sounds good - 1/31/19


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    Good
    Easy recipe. Very nice! - 1/27/19


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    looks great and will try to make with my allergies - 10/12/18


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    Sounds like they would be healthier and tastier than the ones I have been purchasing in the store. Looking forward to make them. - 10/12/18


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    Very Good
    good - 8/24/18


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    nice - 8/11/18


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    Incredible!
    Was easy to make and taste pretty good for a granola bar. Will make this again. - 6/8/18


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    A cookie is a cookie is a cookie... - 5/17/18


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    tasty - 5/14/18


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    I am going to give this a try. I have had homemade granola bar and they are always way nicer then what you buy at the store. this looks reasonable easy to make. I am not a baker in any way. - 4/25/18


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    These look good. Thanks. - 3/19/18


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    Nice. - 3/1/18


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    Very Good
    Yum - 2/20/18


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    yummy - 2/12/18


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    Another one to try. - 2/9/18


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    Very Good
    I love granola! - 1/16/18


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    Good
    good and tasty - 12/10/17


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    This is worth giving a try to see if I can fit it into my plans. - 12/4/17


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    Good
    Good - 11/21/17


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    Bad
    agave nectar = tequila sugar, honey is sugar, brown sugar is sugar. Is so much sugar necessary when dehydrated fruit is added.
    flax seed was not good.
    The concept was good, but there was too many undesired elements for me to consider making it again...or even eating what was made.
    - 11/4/17


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    Bad
    A RIDICULOUS gram count of sugar...once again, SP refuses to add the sugar count to the first page of the nutrition listing! - 10/13/17


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    Is granola supposed to be synonymous with full of sugar - 10/5/17


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    Nice for taking on the run when time is short. - 8/24/17


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    substitute pumpkin seeds for the sunflower seeds - 8/4/17


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    give it a go. - 7/19/17


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    Thanks for sharing - 7/13/17


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    DD is allergic to honey, I think I would sub maple syrup for it. These look so simple to prepare! - 7/12/17


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    Incredible!
    Yummy! I left out the grape nuts due to gluten issue but it's delicious! - 6/28/17


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    Good base recipe for these bars. Glad to see a choice in the nut butter. - 6/27/17


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    Incredible!
    These are great and you can add your favorites to make it your own signature granola bar. I also used honey and added a little protein powder! - 6/5/17


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    There is a lot of sugars (honey, agave, brown sugar). I would think that could be drastically cut. Fewer calories! I'll have to play with this recipe. - 6/2/17


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    Very Good
    These are better than most I have tried from the store - 5/9/17


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    I have never tried granola bars, but the recipe looks really good. The only thing is that if I recall correctly grape nuts cereal is a pretty hard cereal so I would need to find something to put in its place. - 5/3/17


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    Better than store bought - 3/23/17


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    Incredible!
    These were a hit with my boys. I used honey instead of agave as suggested by another Sparker and these turned out great! - 3/21/17


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    These are really good!!! - 3/12/17


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    Homemade is always better , the taste is amazing ! - 1/27/17


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    please verify whether this granola bar recipe makes either 12 or 16 servings, recipe states both?? - 9/30/14


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    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
    THis sounds so yummy and easy to make. Cant wait to give it a try! - 8/26/14


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    Very Good
    0 of 2 people found this review helpful
    Thanks for a good recipe!! - 8/4/12