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Home » Recipes » Granola Bars

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jul 25, 2024

4.89 from 9 votes

Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy here.

These healthy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars are an easy homemade snack the kids will love!

Learn how to make the classic chewy oatmeal raisin bar at home with this no-bake recipe!

12 oatmeal raisin granola bars

Soft and Chewy No-Bake Granola Bars 

If your kid loves those chewy bars with the oat man on them, but you don’t like buying them, this Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars recipe is for you! Goodbye box, hello homemade!

I love this recipe because it’s also a no-bake recipe! You read it correctly, there’s no need to turn on the oven. Woohooo!!! Making a tasty and healthy snack kids devour with real ingredients and very little work involved… No doubt this recipe is a win!

The little ones -and you- can enjoy these no-bake granola bars as a snack to eat on the go or pack it for lunch with fruit, veggies, and other sides to fill bellies and satisfy any cravings!

Ingredients

Most of this recipe’s ingredients are pantry staples, so making homemade granola bars is quite simple and much healthier than store-bought snacks! Here’s what you need:

  • Quick oats: since this is a no-bake recipe, quick oats are the better choice. Old-fashioned oats may be tougher to chew but they work just as well!
  • Crispy rice cereal: adds a nice crunchy texture.
  • Salt: just a little to enhance all the flavors.
  • Raisins: tons of nutrition!
  • Butter: or coconut oil to make this recipe dairy-free.
  • Brown rice syrup: helps to hold together all the ingredients. Get it here.
  • Brown sugar: to sweeten the granola bars and bind the mix.
  • Vanilla: makes everything more delicious!

You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.

How to Make Oatmeal Raising Granola Bars 

This healthy Oatmeal-Raisin Granola Bars recipe involves minimal work and no baking at all! So, let’s grab the ingredients and make these bars while we give the oven a break. Check how to make this recipe:

  1. Prep
    Line an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch square baking pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper.
  2. Combine dry ingredients
    In a large bowl, mix the oats, cereal, salt, and raisins. Set aside.
  3. Make the liquid mix
    In a small pot, melt the butter, syrup, and brown sugar. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 4 minutes, making sure the mixture continues to minimally bubble while stirring often. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla.
  4. Combine
    Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
  5. Press down!
    Place the oaty mixture into the square baking dish. Cover with parchment paper, and press down with your hands until the mix is well packed. Just when you think you’ve pressed down enough, press some more!
  6. Chill & slice
    Allow the pan to cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Lift the parchment paper out onto a cutting board, slice into 12 bars, and store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the pantry.
12 oatmeal raisin granola bars ans a person grabbing one on them

Is there a substitute for brown rice syrup?

Brown rice syrup can be substituted with corn syrup. Both have the same texture and help bind the ingredients together. I do not recommend swapping it out with honey or maple syrup, they do not have the same elasticity as brown rice or corn syrup.

How to Store Them

Once you cut the bars, store them in a ziplock bag or an airtight container for up to 1 week in the pantry. I don’t recommend freezing these granola bars since they get soggy.

Pack No-Bake Granola Bars for School Lunch

These Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars are a terrific addition to any lunchbox. Follow these hacks to pack epic lunches like a pro:

Keep it separately
When packing these granola bars for school lunch, keep them separately wrapped in parchment or wax paper and place them in their own compartment so they don’t absorb any moisture or other ingredients’s flavors.

Make it a meal
Want to add extra nutrition to the lunchbox? Build a balanced meal by packing these Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars along with veggies, fruits, deli meat, hard-boiled eggs, healthy desserts, or your kid’s favorite school snacks.

12 oatmeal raisin granola bars ans a person grabbing one on them

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

healthy oatmeal raisin granola bars
Servings: 12 bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cooling time: 2 hours hrs
Cook Time: 4 minutes mins
These healthy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars are an easy homemade snack the kids will love!
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Pin

Ingredients

  • 2 cups quick oats
  • 1 cup crispy rice cereal
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons raisins
  • ¼ cup butter or coconut oil
  • ¼ cup brown rice syrup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Prep:

  • Line an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch square baking pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper.

Make the bars:

  • In a large bowl, mix the oats, cereal, salt, and raisins. Set aside.
  • In a small pot, melt the butter, syrup, and brown sugar. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 4 minutes, making sure the mixture continues to minimally bubble while stirring often. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla.
  • Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
  • Place the oaty mixture into the square baking dish. Cover with parchment paper, and press down with your hands until the mix is well packed. Just when you think you’ve pressed down enough, press some more!

Chill and slice:

  • Allow the pan to cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.
  • Lift the parchment paper out onto a cutting board, and slice into 12 bars.

Storage:

  • After cutting the bars, store them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 1 week in the pantry.

Equipment

Brown Rice Syrup
The Best Homemade Kids’ Lunches on the Planet

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 44mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

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Comments

    4.89 from 9 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sara Bye says

    October 07, 2021 at 1:23 pm

    4 stars
    So delicious! I didn’t work quick enough to mix the syrup with the dry ingredients so they were a little more crumbly than I would have liked, but that is my fault to make them while getting children ready for school. To remedy I made a little extra syrup, mixed and then tossed in the microwave for 30 seconds before pressing down into bars. Also, I wanted to up the nutritional content so I added 3 TBS of chia seeds and a half handful of pumpkin seeds. Also, to that second set of batch I used Date Syrup instead of more brown sugar. Not sure if I totally replaced the brown sugar with date syrup what would happen. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • MOMables-Laura says

      October 08, 2021 at 4:34 pm

      Hi Sara, I’m not 100% certain what would happen if you replaced the brown sugar entirely. They might be a little more soft, but if you keep them refrigerated it shouldn’t be a problem.

      Reply
  2. Shari says

    March 13, 2021 at 12:00 am

    5 stars
    These are so delicious and addicting! I had never tried brown rice syrup before and now I want to experiment with it more! Thanks so much for sharing the great recipe!

    Reply
  3. Dee says

    March 08, 2021 at 5:16 pm

    Making an adult version adding 2 tablespoon each of peanut butter and protein powder…how much more rice syrup to bind?
    Thanks! These are great!

    Reply
    • MOMables-Laura says

      March 11, 2021 at 5:36 pm

      An additional tablespoon should work!

      Reply
  4. Katie says

    April 10, 2017 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! After trying many recipes, I’m so glad I came across this one! So good! I made them for my girls, but I think my husband and I ended up eating most of them…oops. Time to make more!

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      April 11, 2017 at 11:07 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for following me :)

      Reply
  5. Katie says

    November 30, 2014 at 4:35 pm

    I tried making these tonight but I got confused on the Ingredient list. Do I add brown rice syrup, honey, and brown sugar with the coconut oil or just some of them? Please advise. Thanks!

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      December 01, 2014 at 5:16 pm

      Katie, In a pan, you melt the binders (butter, brown rice syrup, brown sugar). then you add vanilla. when that mixture is done, you pour it into dry ingredients. all wet together, all dry together then mix.

      Reply
      • Michelle says

        March 19, 2016 at 10:13 am

        What else can I use besides the rice syrup, someone said Karo syrup? I just do not have the money to invest in the syrup 15.00 here to buy it.

        Reply
        • MOMables says

          March 22, 2016 at 3:57 pm

          You could use Karo syrup, though it isn’t the healthier, but I understand not wanting to spend the money on brown rice syrup! You may also have success with honey.

          Reply
  6. Jack says

    March 13, 2014 at 11:09 am

    I am a newly-diagnosed diabetic, and am avoiding sugar and flour. Is there any way to adjust this recipe to suit my needs? Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      March 13, 2014 at 8:48 pm

      unfortunately not. the rice syrup is what holds it together. sorry!

      Reply
      • kyrielslight says

        March 24, 2016 at 1:44 pm

        would the stevia syrup work in its place? I know my diabetic neighbor uses hers in place of honey as a sweetener in some recipes.

        Reply
        • MOMables says

          March 31, 2016 at 11:40 am

          Yes that should work!

          Reply
  7. M says

    February 26, 2014 at 4:42 pm

    They are super good, but some of my dry mixture didn’t get coated and so they are really crumbly. And a bunch of dry oats/krispies. Any advice? Kind of the same thing that happened to the other poster.

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      February 26, 2014 at 5:11 pm

      an even coating is key. pressing down firmly is essential, and allowing them to fully dry is the hardest part. Add an extra tablespoon of brown rice syrup next time.

      Reply
  8. Amanda says

    February 04, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    Tried them today and they are tasty. It can be difficult to find snacks that are nut, dairy, wheat free that non allergy kids will enjoy. This one is going to school for snack tomorrow. Thank you!

    Reply
  9. Lucy Windevoxhel says

    August 24, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    HI!
    I just made these and the texture came out perfect!! They did not break apart at all. I would like to make them a tad less sweet and maybe add some nuts/ nut butter for protein but I’m afraid it would alter the texture. Have you tried any alterations yet? What would you recommend?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      August 24, 2013 at 9:16 pm

      Lucy, it’s hard to cut the sugar since the sugars is the liquid that holds and binds the recipe. believe me, i’ve tried a hundred ways. consider them a treat.

      Reply
  10. Kimberly R says

    August 24, 2013 at 6:12 pm

    How long can you store them for and would freezing extend their life?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      August 24, 2013 at 9:15 pm

      these store in an airtight container or zip bag for about a week. freezing them will make them soggy.

      Reply
  11. Sarah says

    August 17, 2013 at 12:57 pm

    Is there a substitute for brown rice syrup that will still hold the granola bars together? Besides corn syrup. :)

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      August 17, 2013 at 8:46 pm

      besides corn syrup or marshmallows… no. Once you use brown rice syrup… you’ll never use corn syrup again lol

      Reply
  12. Maria says

    August 11, 2013 at 9:03 am

    I’ve never used brown rice syrup. Is it unrefined? I tend to only use honey and maple syrup for that reason. Also, can you replace the brown sugar for sucanat?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      August 11, 2013 at 9:39 am

      Hi Maria! Brown rice syrup is made of brown rice starches. It’s “refined” in the sense that it has to be spun and filtered to get that consistency. It’s one of the best sweeteners though and it’s often preferred above agave and refined honey. you can absolutely substitute sucanat for the sugar. I do that all the time (most people don’t know what it is so we just write “sugar”).

      Reply
  13. Sarah says

    August 11, 2013 at 5:50 am

    I’ve been looking for a granola bar recipe that doesn’t fall apart – but do you think I could swap in chocolate chips for the raisins? My kids despise raisins :(. I know they’ll probably get melty but wouldn’t they harden up (at least somewhat) when they cooled?

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      August 11, 2013 at 9:40 am

      Sarah, yes you can swap out chocolate chips for raisins… but wait until the mixture has cooled off some, otherwise they will melt in the bar.

      Reply
  14. Nicole says

    June 16, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    Is there something I can use instead of brown rice syrup (maybe more honey or maple syrup)? Thanks

    Reply
    • MOMables says

      June 17, 2013 at 1:58 pm

      no. the brown rice syrup holds it together. if you substitute honey they break apart. :(

      Reply
  15. Jackie says

    May 03, 2013 at 9:53 am

    Hi, Laura! I attempted to make these yesterday, but I did something wrong. I poured the syrup into the oats/rice cereal as fast as I could, but it hardened and clumped before I could mix evenly. Do you think I cooked the syrup on too high of a heat? Or maybe too long? It looked like butterscotch pudding when I was done (the color, not the consistency).

    Thanks!

    Reply
  16. Sarah says

    April 30, 2013 at 11:51 pm

    I will be giving this one a try! Looks fantastic!

    Reply
  17. Claude Campeau says

    April 25, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    I really want to try this. I’ve never heard of brown rice syrup before, I hope I can find it around here!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 25, 2013 at 2:43 pm

      Claude, you’ll be able to find brown rice syrup at most health grocery stores (such as Whole foods) and on Amazon.

      Reply
  18. Marishannon says

    April 25, 2013 at 1:53 pm

    I see brown sugar in the instructions but not in the ingredient list. Am I overlooking it?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 25, 2013 at 2:46 pm

      my apologies, the “and” should have said “or” -honey “or” brown sugar. fixed!

      Reply
laura fuentes momables holding a lunch bag and lunch boxes

My name is Laura Fuentes
I’m here to help you simplify school lunches with fresh ideas your kids will actually eat.

Mom of 3. Certified in Integrative Nutrition. 5x Cookbook Author.

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