No Bake Trail Mix Granola Bars

I’m not gonna lie: I really look forward to afternoon snack time. Around here, I’m known as the snack queen and it really does warm my heart to be able to provide healthy snacks for my boys when they get home from school. It’s our time to unwind and transition back to home time. And lately, at the request of my kids, I’ve been making this no bake granola bars recipe on repeat. 

I love them because they have a soft and chewy texture, are quick to make, freeze well, and can be customized with whichever mix-ins I have in the pantry.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

This is not the complete ingredient list, just a few notes about some of the key components.

• Natural peanut butter: Natural, creamy room temperature peanut butter works best for this recipe, and almost any brand will work. I’ve tested it with so many PBs, including Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter, Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter, Crazy Richard’s 100% Peanuts PB, Old Home Natural Peanut Butter, Santa Cruz Organic PB, and Trader Joe’s Organic Salted Valencia PB, and each one tasted great. 
• Pure honey: I use this as a natural sweetener and to help the bars stick together and hold their shape. I’ve also tested with maple syrup for a vegan option to replace the ⅔ cup honey, and it works well, too, even imparting a nice maple flavor.
• Oats: Given that oats offer many health benefits, I use them in a variety of recipes, like these healthy baked oatmeal recipes and no-bake bites. Oats are naturally gluten free, but if making them for someone with celiac or a gluten intolerance, use certified gluten-free oats. For the best outcome, always use old-fashioned oats for these homemade granola bars.
• Chocolate chips: I’ve tested this recipe with Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips for a dairy-free option, as well as Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips. Any brand will work, but I recommend using semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate chips to balance the sweetness of the filling. I also prefer to use mini chocolate chips over regular-sized options so that each bite provides a delicious taste of chocolate.

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make No-Bake Granola Bars from Scratch

These chewy granola bars are a fun way to get the kids involved in the kitchen. My boys enjoy mixing the batter and pressing it into the pan.

1. Combine: Stir the wet and dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl until everything is well combined.
2. Press: Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch square baking dish lined with a piece of parchment paper. Spread the oat mixture out evenly, and press it firmly into the pan.
3. Freeze and slice: Transfer the baking pan to the freezer, allowing the bars to set. Then, slice them into equal-sized bars.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

Possible Variations

• Instead of peanut butter: Use sunflower seed butter, almond butter, or cashew butter instead.
• Make it nut-free: Use sunflower butter instead of peanut butter, and replace the pecans with pumpkin seeds, dried cherries, or raisins.
• For chocolate lovers: For extra chocolatey goodness, add a drizzle of melted chocolate over the bars before transferring them to the freezer.
• Increase the protein: Add a scoop of whey protein powder, plant-based protein powder, or collagen to the oat mixture, adjusting the rest of the ingredients as needed to prevent the granola bars from becoming chalky.
• Get creative with add-ins: Swap out or add to the mix-ins with options like dried fruit, such as chopped dates, apricots, or raisins, mixed nuts, pretzel pieces, candy pieces, chia seeds, or flax seeds. Or try adding 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or sprinkle the bars with a little sea salt before freezing. 

How to Store

These bars keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, but I’ve found they stay chewier and hold their shape best when I store them in the freezer. They’ll last up to 3 months frozen, and I like to wrap each one in parchment paper or plastic wrap before freezing. That way, they’re easy to grab one at a time for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, or a quick treat on the go. To eat one right out of the freezer, heat it on a microwave-safe plate for about 15-20 seconds to soften it quickly. 

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Recipe Changelog

August 2025: We previously published a version of these no-bake bars that called for a base of oats and crispy rice cereal, as well as mix-ins of dried fruit-and-nut trail mix, chocolate chips, and chia seeds. Download the previous version here.

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Casey Colodny of The Mindful Hapa.

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