Homemade gluten free granola bars are loaded with nuts, coconut, chunky rolled oats, and dried fruits. They’re chewy, healthy, and lightly sweetened, making them the perfect take-along snack everyone can enjoy!
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This recipe is a variation of our family’s favorite rustic granola recipe that I make every week.
Many of the same ingredients, but made into an easy, on-the-go bar.
To take it up a notch, I add toasted coconut. Maybe your kids don’t like coconut. If that’s the case, leave it out!
I love coconut so much, though. I top coconut flour lemon poppyseed muffins with it, I use it in einkorn chocolate chip cookies, and I also love to top homemade Instant Pot yogurt with toasted coconut and fruit.
Occasionally, I’ll just eat it with a spoon.
I love this recipe because it isn’t just packed with oats like most granola bar recipes. Rather, it’s full of pecans, walnuts, coconut, and a variety of dried fruits.
These bars are healthy, rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats, and they are lightly sweetened with honey and brown sugar. We love the chewy texture and the convenience of a wholesome snack that is easy to have on hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Wholesome and delicious: These granola bars are made with wholesome ingredients, creating a healthy snack that is packed with nutrition, texture, and flavor. It’s tasty enough for everyone to enjoy, making it a great option for road trips or those mid-morning quick snacks.
Use your own favorite ingredients: We have our own family favorite add-ins, and you probably will, too! The great thing about this recipe is the ease of customizing it to fit your family. Choose the add-ins and make it your own!
Easy recipe: The process is quick and simple with consistent, delicious results.
Ingredients
Nuts: Chopped and roasted nuts. Whatever kind you like!
Oats: I like to use organic rolled oats for the texture. Quick oats would also work. I wouldn’t recommend steel cut oats though.
Honey: You could also use maple syrup. Honey works to bind the ingredients together, plus adding a light sweetness!
Dried fruit: I like 1/4 cup each of dried blueberries, cherries, golden raisins, and apricots (I chop the apricots).
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Gluten Free Granola Bars From Scratch
Step 1: Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a cast iron skillet, toast the shredded coconut over medium-low heat until it turns golden brown. Take off the heat.
Step 2: In a large saucepan or pot, add butter, vanilla, honey, brown sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. While the sugar is melting, chop up nuts and dried fruit.
Step 3: Once the butter mixture has come to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the oats, pecans, walnuts, and toasted coconut. Stir well.
Step 4: Fold in the dried fruit, then press the granola into a 9×13 pan. I like to cut out a piece of parchment paper and place it over the pan to press down hard on top of the mixture without my hands sticking.
Step 5: Bake for 30 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Allow to cool completely. Cut and serve. Wrap them individually with parchment paper to store in the fridge or freezer.
Tips
- If you are celiac, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
- Keep an eye on the butter and sugar mixture as it comes to a simmer so it doesn’t burn.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper to make popping them out of the baking dish easy.
- I find almonds to be a bit too crunchy for the kids, so you may want to avoid those or crush them up before making them into bars.
Recipe FAQs
I like to wrap mine in parchment paper so they are separated into servings and not sticking together. Store them in the fridge for about a week, or in the freezer for several months.
The key to them not falling apart is the binder. In this case, the recipe uses brown sugar and honey to bind the nuts and oats together. It also helps to press down the granola very firmly into the pan.
Yes, but if you are severely gluten intolerant or have celiac disease, make sure you choose certified gluten-free oats, because regular oats often share the machinery with other gluten grains, thus cross-contaminating the oats.
I sure think so. Aside from the obvious differences in quality, you also have a larger serving size and more servings when you make your own granola bars. And if you buy the ingredients in bulk, you’ll have leftovers for the next round.
More Healthy Snacks from the Farmhouse
- Sourdough Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
- Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles
- Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies
- Stove-top Coconut Oil Popcorn
- Easy Sourdough Focaccia
- Sourdough Granola
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Gluten Free Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup toasted shredded coconut
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups oats
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup dried fruit, I like 1/4 cup each blueberries, cherries, golden raisins and apricots (chop the larger fruit)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a cast iron skillet, toast the shredded coconut over medium-low heat until it turns golden brown. Take off the heat.
- In a large saucepan or pot, add butter, vanilla, honey, brown sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. While the sugar is melting, chop up nuts and dried fruit.
- Once the butter mixture has come to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the oats, pecans, walnuts, and toasted coconut. Stir well.
- Fold in the dried fruit, then press the granola into a 9×13 pan. I like to cut out a piece of parchment paper and place it over the pan to press down hard on top of the mixture without my hands sticking.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
- Cut and serve. Wrap them individually with parchment paper to store in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
- If you are celiac, make sure to use certified gluten-free oats.
- Keep an eye on the butter and sugar mixture as it comes to a simmer so it doesn’t burn.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper to make popping them out of the baking dish easy.
- I find almonds to be a bit too crunchy for the kids, so you may want to avoid those or crush them up before making them into bars.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Making for the first time. Smelt so good and tasted so yummy the mixture barely made it from the bowl to the pan to the oven! I used maple syrup and added a bit of cinnamon. A great way to use up those
bits of dried fruit before restocking pantry for fall.
Have you ever added egg whites to them? I was trying to think of ways to add in a little protein and was wondering if anyone had tried that?
I have not, but I don’t see why you couldn’t!
I love these! It was my very first time making granola bars, so I was a bit intimidated, but they turned out great! I added less nuts and more oats. And once mostly cooled I pressed in some chocolate chips, to encourage the littles to try them.
These taste amazing! I will definitely be making them again. I had some trouble with them staying together while cutting into bars. I think I’ll have to press more when putting them into the pan. I was also thinking of adapting the recipe to delete the honey for those who can’t have it. Do you have any suggestions on how to do that?
You can replace the honey with maple syrup.
Have you ever used honey or maple syrup instead of sugar for these?
You could do that! They may be a little more tacky.
What is the texture for these? I’m hoping for something chewy. If they’re crunchy, could I bake them less?
Yes, you could bake them a little bit less.