Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

By Laura Fuentes Updated Jul 25, 2024

4.91 from 10 votes

Recipe

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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!

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:

Prep
Line an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch square baking pan or glass baking dish with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the oats, cereal, salt, and raisins. Set aside.
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.
Combine
Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
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!
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.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars

Servings: 12 bars

Prep Time: 10

Cooling time: 2

Cook Time: 4

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

4.91 from 10 votes

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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!