Homemade Granola Bars: A Small Win in the Adulting Game

I had a mini crashout when TikTok shut down—because, honestly, where else was I supposed to get my recipes?! But instead of completely spiraling, I leaned into ChatGPT, and to my surprise, I ended up with the perfect granola bar recipe. Crisis averted.

Now, I’m not saying this snack magically organized my calendar, paid my bills, and made me a ready for work person, but eating it at work today did make me feel just a little closer to those adults who seem to have everything figured out—even if it’s just in this one aspect. 😭

Why Make Your Own Granola Bars?

If you’ve ever grabbed a store-bought granola bar, flipped it over, and realized you needed a science degree to understand the ingredients list, you already know why homemade is the way to go. When you make them yourself, you control the ingredients, flavors, and textures—plus, it’s surprisingly easy and a lot cheaper in the long run.

Big thanks to Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah) for the constant reminders to make as much as we can ourselves and to take small, intentional steps toward sustainability. 💚

The Perfect Granola Bar Recipe

This is a quick tried-and-true version, but feel free to swap ingredients and make it your own! I didn’t really measure—just let the ancestors guide me ✋✨.

Ingredients:

2 cups oats
½ cup mixed nuts & seeds (almonds, walnuts, chia, flax—your call)
⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
½ cup nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but worth it)
Pinch of salt

Instructions:

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
Melt the honey, nut butter, and pinch of salt in a pot on the stove until smooth.
Combine the melted mixture with the dry ingredients, folding it in until everything is coated and nothing is left in the bowl.
Spread mixture into a pan at least 2 inches deep.
Press firmly into a parchment-lined pan to ensure everything sticks together.
Chill in the fridge for at least an hour (I did mine before bed and let it sit uncovered overnight).
Slice into bars and store for the perfect grab-and-go snack.

That’s it—no baking, no fuss. Just a homemade snack that feels like a tiny adulting win.

If you try this, let me know what you think! What’s your favorite add-in? Drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram! 🚀✨