You can make a batch of these No-Bake Granola Bars in less then 30 minutes—and have a yummy snack filled with whole grains and protein ready for the coming week. (You can even stash half of the batch into the freezer for a future week!)
I like to mix up buying store bought snacks and making them at home to keep things interesting and to keep my grocery budget in check and these No-Bake Granola Bars are one of my go-to recipes.
They come together easily in a bowl and just need 10 minutes in the fridge to set up into sliceable bars. You can make them thick or thinner and they store so well in the fridge or freezer for weeks.
The best part? There’s no baking and you can customize the flavor for your family.
(You may also like No-Bake Chocolate Granola Bars, Homemade Granola Bars, and Fruit and Nut Bars. For a bar without nut butter, try my Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.)
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
These are the ingredients you’ll need to make this no-bake granola bar recipe. See the full information at the bottom in the recipe.
- Rolled oats: These are sometimes called “old-fashioned oats” at the store.
- Crispy rice cereal: Like Rice Krispies or a store brand equivalent.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut: This adds nice flavor to the bars. You can use additional cereal in place of the coconut if desired.
- Add-ins: You can use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, raisins, or dried cherries or cranberries—or a mix of all three.
- Unsweetened creamy peanut butter: Or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option. Either of these helps the bars hold together.
- Brown rice syrup: This is very sticky and is the best way to make no-bake granola bars have the same texture as bars you buy from the store and also hold together. See the Notes at the end of the recipe for a tip on how to make these with honey.
- Vanilla extract: This adds nice flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the steps involved in making this no bake granola bar recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
- Add the dry ingredients to a bowl.
- Warm the peanut butter and brown rice syrup, then stir into the bowl.
- Stir until combined.
- Press into a parchment lined baking pan and let set before slicing.
TIP: I like to line the pan with parchment and leave a 2-inch overhang on two sides so I can easily lift the bars out to slice. You can slice in the pan if you prefer.
Why to Use Brown Rice Syrup
I try my best to use regular pantry ingredients in my recipes, but this is one case when using brown rice syrup really adds a deliciously chewy texture and helps the ingredients hold together nicely. I live in a small town and can find it in my regular grocery stores near the sugar or agave and it usually costs under $5 for a jar.
One 21-ounce jar will make two batches of these bars. You can also order it online, though it’s often more expensive (for reasons I don’t quite understand!). An opened jar lasts for months in the fridge so you can use it again whenever you’re ready.
TIP: My Soft-Baked Granola Bars are another easy option if you don’t have or can’t find brown rice syrup.
Chewy Granola Bars
You can make these thicker bars using an 8×8-inch pan or thinner by using one that’s 11×17-inches. Both create chewy, crispy granola bars similar in texture to a “chewy” granola bar you’d buy at the store.
We store these in the fridge to keep them fresh and to reduce their stickiness, but you can pack them for snack and they’ll hold together fine. We usually pack them with an ice pack just to ensure they stay cool.
How to Store
I prefer to wrap each bar in plastic wrap —this is the best way to keep them from sticking and it’s then easy to serve them up for snacks or with lunches. Place wrapped bars into a gallon size storage or freezer bag and store for up to a month in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
You can also place layers of bars, with parchment paper in between, in a large storage container.
Best Tips for Success
- These are best slightly chilled. They do soften a bit at room temperature.
- Use raisins, dried cranberries or cherries in place of the chocolate chips if preferred.
- Chop up the chocolate to disperse it more evenly. (It’s okay if it melts a little!)
- Pair with milk or fruit for snack or serve for dessert.
- To make these without coconut, use ½ cup additional cereal or oats.
- Use honey in place of brown rice syrup, though increase the nut or seed butter to 1 ¼ cups and use ¾ cups honey. (Otherwise they may be too sweet.)
- Gluten-Free: Use GF Rice Krispies or crispy rice cereal and GF rolled oats.
- Nut-Free: Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
Related Recipes
Please comment below if you have any questions or to offer feedback. I love hearing what your kids think of my recipes and appreciate each comment.
Quick and Easy No-Bake Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3 cups crispy rice cereal like Rice Krispies
- 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/3 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips raisins, or dried cherries or cranberries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened creamy natural peanut butter
- 1 cup brown rice syrup
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing about a 2 inch overhang on two ends. (You’ll use that to lift the bars out of the pan when you’re ready to slice them.
- Add the rolled oats, cereal, coconut, chocolate chips, vanilla and salt to a large bowl.
- Warm the peanut butter and brown rice syrup for about 30 seconds in the microwave.
- Pour into the oats mixture and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed. (Use clean hands if needed to get it all well incorporated. It’s okay if the chocolate melts a little.)
- Pour into prepared pan and press out to all corners evenly. It will be sticky, so be patient if it sticks to your hands at all!
- Chill for at least 10 minutes in the fridge. Remove from fridge and use parchment to lift the bars out of the pan. Place onto a cutting board and slice into squares.
- Serve or wrap and store for later.
Video
Notes
- To Store: Wrap each bar in plastic wrap if you prefer—this is the best way to keep them from sticking and it’s then easy to serve them up for snacks or with lunches. Place wrapped bars into a gallon size storage or freezer bag and store for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
- You can also place layers of bars, with parchment paper in between, in a large storage container.
- You can make these thicker bars using an 8×8-inch pan or thinner by using one that’s 11×17-inches.
- I prefer these slightly chilled. They do soften a bit at room temperature.
- Use honey in place of brown rice syrup, though increase the nut or seed butter to 1 ¼ cups and use ¾ cups honey. (Otherwise they may be too sweet.)
- Use raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, or white chocolate chips in place of the chocolate chips if preferred.
- Gluten-Free: Use GF Rice Krispies or crispy rice cereal.
- Nut-Free: Use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
Hello! I tried your recipe and it turned great (kids enjoyed it!) except that some parts were crumbly and didn’t stick together well even though I chilled over night. I used honey instead of the brown rice syrup and did the adjustments per your instructions. What can I do next time to prevent this from happening again? Thank you!
Good flavor, but dry and not really like granola bars. More like a rice crispy treat with a few other ingredients. We will try them again but maybe make a couple of changes.
YUM! We (family of six) LOVE these and the youngest is 4, so these are for everyone not just toddlers! The bars are fast and easy; definitely making these for filling on-the-go snacks.
I make this so so many times for my family! My husband and 3 kids love it! We also enjoy the chocolate granola bars too! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Delicious and easy! Came together quickly. Great option on a day when I really wanted to bake a snack for the family but didn’t want to turn the oven on. Thanks Amy!
I don’t have access to brown rice syrup, but I live in the UK. Would golden syrup work? Sounds like the consistency is similar to how you describe brown rice syrup.
If the consistency is very thick and sticky like honey, it may work similarly. Let me know if you try it!
What are some alternatives to rice cereal? Thanks!
Puffed grains, Chex, Kix, O cereal…any smaller shape that’s crunchy
We love these bars and they are so versatile. Now that I knew the ratios, I’ve made these with lots of different flavors and mixins. It’s worth tracking down some brown rice syrup for the great texture!
This was a delicious recipe! I made some changes b I didnt have brown rice cereal so I smashed up some chex and I used dried blueberries. It really was so yummy!
Hi, I was wondering if I could make this without oats. And what could I use instead? My son is sensitive to wheat, oats, eggs, dairy. Also mild allergy to peanut and soy. I normally use oats a lot for him and now I don’t know what to do.
Hi- you could look for quinoa flakes which are a great sub for rolled oats.
Do you know if date syrup would work for these? Thank you so much for your recipes, they have been a lifesaver for me and my family!! So many absolutely delicious recipes and great content!!
I haven’t ever tried it so I can’t say for sure. If it’s a similar consistency to brown rice syrup (so very thick and very sticky) it may work.
These came out SO well – thank you! I added some chopped dried apricot. Next time I would like to skip the peanut butter (just a flavor preference) but I’m worried they will fall apart. Is there something you think might work instead (ideally not a nut butter)?
Has anyone tried them without the syrup? Do these hold together and taste okay without it? We’re a low sugar family.
They won’t hold together without it. You could look at this recipe though https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/best-soft-granola-bars/
I’m sure this recipe is fantastic with the right ingredients but when I made it with honey instead of the brown rice syrup it was a complete disaster and a waste of just a crazy volume of ingredients. It could have been my very dry brand of peanut butter too, I don’t know. Anyone know how to turn what is basically granola cereal into actual granola bars? Can I add anything to it to make it stick together? I’m sad.
You could see if you could find rice syrup? Or warm additional honey and peanut butter, stir together, and stir into the bars. I am not sure how the consistency changes with a very dry peanut butter so that’s my best guess.
These are so yummy! Made them with corn flakes instead of crispy rice cereal bc that’s what I had, turned out great!
Amazing and so easy to make!
Every time I try to make these, they fall apart and we end up eating them with a spoon. I tried the sub of honey for brown rice syrup, because I can’t find any, and it just doesn’t work for me. Love the flavour and everything. I need help!
Brown rice syrup does work best so if there’s an option to order a jar or you could try 1 1/4 cups nut butter and 3/4 cups honey. They for sure have to be served cold.
These bars are very good however I was very surprised to see the sugar content. In my effort to reduce the sugar, I used 3/4 cup syrup and 3/4 cup sunbutter and they turned out great. Will try some of your other granola bar recipes in my continued search for a bar with less sugar than commercial granola bars. Unfortunately, this recipe is not it.
I found these easy to make. I added hemp hearts to the mix. One thing I’d change is to use much less of the brown rice syrup. They’re actually way to sweet for me so I’m going to give them away and make another batch where I halve the syrup.
What can I use in place of rice syrup? I cannot find it where I live.
You could use honey but they won’t hold together as well and you’d need to serve them very cold straight out of the fridge.
Could you substitute almond butter for natural peanut butter?
I think so, as long as it’s not too runny and is generally the same consistency as peanut butter.
Thank you!!
Could you use something in place of the coconut?
You could use additional oats instead if you’d like.
Simply amazing! Delicious, easy, and cost effective!I substituted the brown rice syrup with honey. Love love love-thank you for this recipe! I will be checking out more recipes on your site, and have found you on Instagram. Thank you for the work you do!
I’m so glad to hear that!
These are delicious! I waited weeks to make them while I tracked down brown rice syrup as no grocery stores seemed to carry it here in KC. I noticed a disclaimer on the back of the brown rice syrup that said “WARNING: consuming this product can expose you to chemicals including arsenic, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.” I’ve never used brown rice syrup before and was unaware of all the controversy online about it. What’s your perspective on this ingredient? I’m not getting into a debate here…just curious on your perspective. 🙂 The granola bars are still delicious. Is there a substitute for the brown rice syrup like honey or maple syrup?
Rice can have arsenic in it and that statement is likely mandated by the EPA. Most brown rice syrup is made by the Lundberg brand, which is very responsible and transparent with their arsenic reporting and is regularly below the EPA limit. So I am not concerned about it in that context. I am less sure of other brands, but I have again only ever seen brown rice syrup from Lundberg in stores. More info from them here: https://www.lundberg.com/arsenic-in-food (I do not think these will work with anything else, but I also think that in the grand scheme of things since you are likely not going to eat these daily over the course of a long period of time, that it’s fine:). Let me know if you have any other questions!
Yes, thank you for taking the time to reply with your thoughts. 🙂 I only found “GloryBee” brown rice syrup so next time I’ll search for Lundberg.
These are super tasty! Thanks for posting this!
I’m so glad you think so too!