These homemade granola bars have white chocolate, cranberries, and pecans. They’re one of the best healthy snacks and are super easy to make as well.

Does anyone else get overwhelmed by the enormous selection of granola bars at the grocery store? We’re talking the types I ate as a kid (aka Quaker Oats Chewy bars), the ones with extra fiber (aka the ones my mom tries to get me to eat), organic, super protein, crunchy, soft, superfood infused, etc…

While I love trying new granola bars from the store, making them from scratch is so easy and lets me decide what I want in them (whether that’s extra fiber or fruits, or whatever ). My ideal combination for a granola bar includes a fruit, a nut, and something fun–usually chocolate. These have white chocolate, dried cranberries, and pecans. I think that white chocolate pairs incredibly well with tart fruits such as cranberries. The pecans add a nice crunch as well as a dose of healthy fats.

What You’ll Need

Rolled Oats
White Chocolate Chips
Dried Cranberries, also known as Craisins
Chopped Pecans
Honey
Almond Butter
Coconut Oil
Vanilla
Salt
An 8×8 baking pan: You could use a larger one, but it will just result in a much thinner bar.
Parchment paper: In my opinion, parchment paper is the MVP of baking. It’ll prevent the granola bars from sticking to the pan and help lift them out.

How to Make Homemade Granola Bars

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C). A low temperature here is what will help the bars get nice and golden brown without over-baking. Line an 8×8 pan completely with parchment paper.

You’ll start by melting all of the “binding” ingredients together (honey, almond, butter, coconut oil). I used a small pot over low-medium heat to do so, but a microwave will work just as well. Just be sure to use a microwaveable bowl and heat for 20-30 seconds at a time to prevent burning.

You’ll then add all the dry ingredients into the sticky mixture, mix thoroughly, and then bake for 25-27 minutes.

Once the bars are baked, it is very important that they cool completely before removing from the pan. I let mine rest at room temperature for 10-20 minutes, and then transfer to the freezer for an hour.

There are also so many ways to customize these! You could swap out the pecans for pistachios, or cranberries for dried cherries. You could also use maple syrup instead of honey.

Enjoy and happy snacking! <3

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White Chocolate, Cranberry & Pecan Granola Bars

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Cooling Time 20

Total Time 55

Servings

These homemade granola bars are loaded with white chocolate, cranberries, and nutty pecans. They're easy to make and are a great healthy snack for any time of day.

Equipment

Square Baking Pan

Ingredients

⅓ Cup Honey
⅓ Cup Almond Butter
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
2½ Cups Rolled Oats
⅓ Cup Chopped Pecans
⅓ Cup Dried Cranberries (Craisins)
⅓ Cup White Chocolate Chips
¼ Tsp Sea Salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F and line an 8×8 square baking pan with parchment paper
In a medium bowl, combine the rolled oats, pecans, cranberries, white chocolate, and sea salt. Set this aside to start.
In a small pot, combine the honey, almond butter, and coconut oil. Place the pot over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth and melted. Option to do this in the microwave with a microwave-safe bowl as well by heating for 30 seconds at a time.
Take off of heat and stir in the vanilla. Let the mixture cool slightly.
Now pour this over the oat mixture and then use a rubber spatula to combine everything until all of the oats, nuts, and berries are evenly coated with the almond butter and honey.
Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking pan. Place a piece of parchment paper on top to prevent sticking as you use your hand or the bottom of a jar to press the mixture firmly into the pan. Remove this paper once you're done.
Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until the bars start turning golden brown. They will still be soft when you remove them from the oven.
Remove from the oven and let the bars cool for 10-15 minutes before transferring them to the freezer or fridge. In the freezer, I would chill for 45 minute – 1 hour, and in the fridge I would chill for at least 2 hours.
Once chilled, lift the bars out of the pan and cut into 8-16 even sized pieces using a sharp knife. Enjoy!