Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (2024)

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A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned my love for the Whole Food’s granola bars. You know the ones that are always in the checkout line? Yeah, those. I had a reader recommend a copycat recipe for them, and I was instantly intrigued. I finally got around to making them on Wednesday, and I was blown away. A Spicy Perspective, the recipe creator, was spot on. Her recipe is so close to the Whole Food’s recipe that it’s almost unbelievble. She must know an insider because seriously…they’re identical.

I plan to use this recipe again and again. I’ve been breaking them apart and topping my yogurt and smoothies with them the past couple of days. My mom said that the bars are banned from her house because she ate four in one night. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t do the same…
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (1)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (2)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (3)As you can see, the bars are also identical in appearance. The only thing I forgot to do was chop up the cashews, but it didn’t make much of a difference.

It’s fun to re-make recipes and do a review! I’m planning on doing a lot more of that this year. There are so many talented chefs and bakers out there with so many great recipes to try. I’ve always been a throw everything together randomly type of girl, but I need to venture out more. The only problem with exploring her recipe was diving into all of her other posts. A Spicy Perspective is a great blog! I look forward to following, so thank you, Stephanie, for introducing me!
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (4)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (5)When you’re making recipes that are filled with nuts and seeds, it can get pricey, especially if you’re only using 1/4 of the bag. I decided to measure out the amounts and bought the nuts and seeds from the bulk section to save money. Next time, I’ll just buy the ingredients from the large bags because I want them leftover in the house so I can make more of the bars. I promise that once you try these, you’ll be making them again and again. I just wanted to show them off to everyone. As soon as I saw Kyle, I practically shoved them in his face to try.

Did he love them? YES!Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (6)

Copycat Homemade Whole Food's Granola Bars

A Spicy Perspective

5 from 8 votes

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 28 bars

Ingredients

  • 4 Cups Whole Oats (or quick oats)
  • 3/4 Cup Almonds (I used roasted)
  • 3/4 Cup Raw Cashews (chop if you want!)
  • 1/2 Cup Raw Pepitas
  • 2/3 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
  • 1/2 Cup Raisins
  • 1/3 Cup Sesame Seeds
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (i used the Truvia Blend)
  • 1/3 Cup Brown Rice Syrup
  • 1/4 Cup Honey
  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
  • 1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Tsp Sea Salt

Instructions

  • Use a food processor or blender to grind up the oats.

    **I ended up using quick oats as is

  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, sesame seeds, raisins, cranberries, cashews, pepitas, almonds, and shredded coconut. Set aside.

  • Add the brown sugar, coconut oil, honey, and brown rice syrup in a sauce pot and heat over the stop top on high. Once the coconut oil melts, remove from the heat and stir in the sea salt and vanilla.

  • Pour the syrup over the dry ingredients and mix well. Make sure to get every ingredient coated in the syrup.

  • Scoop the mixture out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Spread evenly.

  • Place a separate sheet of wax paper over the top of the bars and press down until the bars are flat and packed.

  • Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before slicing them into bars.

  • Cut into squares, wrap, and store in the refrigerator!

    * I wrapped mine and put them in a container.

Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (7)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (8)
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (9)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (10)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (11)
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (12)
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (13)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (14)
These are great for snacking, great for kids, and so easy to make! There is no baking involved, which is always convenient. You could pack these in your kid’s lunches, take them to sporting events, or put them in your office for when you’re hungry. I mean, you don’t need any excuses to make or eat these. They are also money-savers. The boxes of granola or protein bars are pricey; it’s so much better to make them yourself. Plus, it’s nice to know exactly what goes into them. You can customize them any way you want 🙂Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (15)
I printed out this recipe and stuck it in my files so I can make it for years to come!
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (16)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (17)Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (18)These bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, and can be easily made vegan if you substitute the honey for agave!Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (19)
I look forward to making these again and again! <3 Since Stephanie recomended them to me, it’s now my turn to recomend them to you! 🙂 I hope you enjoy these bars as much as I do!

Questions for you!

  1. Will you be making these?
  2. Do you have a favorite recipe that you’ve made multiple times? (Link me to it!)
  3. What recipe should I post Sunday!? Salmon, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Balls, or Tofu Kebabs!?
Copycat Homemade Whole Food’s Granola Bar Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is it cheaper to make granola bars at home? ›

Not only can you pick the flavors and ingredients you want, but you don't have to worry about preservatives or other odd additions to your snack food. MAKE OR BUY? Homemade granola bars aren't hard to make once you have all the right ingredients and they'll certainly save you money in the long term.

What is the binder in granola bars? ›

Granola Bar Recipe Ingredients

Natural peanut or cashew butter – It helps bind the bars together, and it adds protein, healthy fats, and irresistible nutty flavor. Whole rolled oats – They give these bars a perfect chewy texture.

Are homemade granola bars healthier than store bought? ›

While store-bought granola bars can be unhealthy and full of added sugars, these homemade granola bars are healthy in moderation. They're a delicious and nutritious snack option compared to those that come in a package.

How do you bind granola bars together? ›

While there are several different sticky ingredients that you can use, we've found that the binding agent that works the best is honey! When added to your homemade granola bars, honey acts as glue that sticks all the pieces together.

Why do my homemade granola bars fall apart? ›

If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.

Why are homemade granola not crunchy? ›

Baking time: Increase the baking time for your granola. The longer you bake it, the drier and crunchier it will become. Keep a close eye on it to avoid burning, and stir it occasionally during baking to ensure even toasting.

How do I get my homemade granola bars to stick together? ›

Make sure that whichever granola recipe you use, it calls for some liquid, typically oil of some kind (I recommend olive oil for a subtle earthy, floral flavor, or melted unrefined coconut oil for subtly coconutty flavor). The liquid will help the chia seeds to gel, ensuring the granola sticks together.

What is the best binding agent for granola bars? ›

Honey: Since it's a granola bar, refined sugar is not used in the recipe as it's meant to be healthy. So to provide appropriate sweetness, honey is used. Also, honey acts as the primary binding agent.

What ingredient makes granola stick together? ›

Add an egg white.

The whites act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together. To ensure that the egg whites coat all the ingredients, I beat them with a whisk until foamy and increased in volume, which makes it much easier to fold into the granola.

What is a substitute for brown rice syrup in granola bars? ›

Fortunately, there are several substitutes for brown rice syrup that can be used in granola bars. These substitutes include maple syrup, honey, agave nectar

Why are chewy granola bars so good? ›

All classic flavors of Chewy are made with 100% whole grains and other yummy ingredients, like real chocolate chips and raisins, and no artificial flavors or added colors.

How long do homemade granola bars last? ›

We've found that homemade granola bars stay fresh for about 1 week when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Any longer than that and they tend to become a little stale.

Should you soak oats before making granola bars? ›

Fill the bowl up with water to completely cover the mixture – enough that you can stir to combine. This soaking process will help the oats and seeds digest better. After the oat/seed mixture has soaked 8-12 hours, add the rest of the ingredients and combine.

Why is my granola bar not crunchy? ›

One of the most difficult parts about making homemade granola bars is cooking them enough so that they get dried out all the way through, but not so long that they start over cooking. Toasting the oats first means that the bars start out dry and crispy, so they don't need to cook as long and start overcooking.

What is glycerin in granola bars? ›

Glycerin is used as an ingredient in a variety of food and beverage products to help retain moisture, prevent sugar crystallization, and add bulk, smoothness, softness, sweetness and texture. Like most sugar alcohols, glycerin is not as sweet as sugar—it is about 60–75% as sweet.

Are homemade snacks cheaper? ›

Making homemade snacks is almost always cheaper, healthier and better for the environment because there are no packets. We have great ideas and recipes here, but sometimes you just need a grab-and-go snack!

Is it cheaper to make your own protein bars? ›

Homemade protein bars are much more cost-effective than buying protein bars at the store. A single protein bar can range from $. 99 to $3.99. This entire recipe (for 16 bars) will cost you less than $5 and you likely already have these ingredients on hand!

Can you sell homemade granola? ›

California homemade food types

No restrictions, so long as food is sold the same day it's made.

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