Easy Granola Bars

This recipe is SO easy, versatile, and FAST. I’ve made them so often that I have this memorized! My husband loves these. I mix in 3½-4 cups of whatever he wants (even a ½ cup of Optimum Nutrition’s plain cooking whey to create ‘power’ bars) and a pinch of spice. He usually goes for nuts and raisins. I use a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan (JRP-a cookie sheet with edges) to create commercial-sized snack bars. (If you make this in a 9×13, consider dusting the pan with oat flour.) When I use a 17×15-inch JRP, I add an extra cup of oats. I oil the JRP pretty heavily to prevent sticking. I've skipped the butter and also used fat-free sweetened condensed milk successfully. Stir for about 4 minutes to dampen the dry ingredients. I use wax paper to press the mix to the edges and corners. When it comes out of the oven 20 minutes later, I immediately use a pizza wheel to cut the bars. Then I seal the JRP with tin foil and (very quickly) flip it onto the table and remove the JRP to cool. This creates a crisp bar that he can run with. We store them in zip lock snack bags—unless we’re traveling, then a gallon freezer bag works. I love the hint from BEVERLYS55 dated 1/15/2006 (put the unopened can of sweetened condensed milk in a bowl of hot water while you mix the dry stuff, open it and add the melted butter and it will be easier to mix). Thank you, Aliceyn, for contributing this recipe. My husband, his co-workers, and our friends appreciate it!

I don't actually want to rate my recipe, just offer some changes. This is the original recipe that I put in, but what I actually do is use 3 cups oats and 3-4 cups of mixed'whatever'. The more you experiment, the more you come up with your own preferred recipe. I've used Reeces' Pieces instead of choc. chips for a different flavour. Trail mix usually makes up at least 1 cup of my recipes.

This is so easy, and easy to make it as good-for-you as you want. I use freeze dried edama beans and soy nuts and any dried fruit I have around, and my husband loves it. Hint: put the unopend can of sweetened condensed milk in a bowl of hot water while you mix the dry stuff,open it and add the melted butter and it will be easier to mix.

These are fantastic. I line a 10'x15' cookie sheet with parchment. I omit the butter and use low fat condensed milk. I reduced the coconut to 1/2 cup. Deleted the choc chips. Added raisins, cranraisins, dried papaya, peanuts, almonds, soy nuts, pumpkin seeds and some rice krispies. I cut the recipe into 40 bars. My family love them. My husband suggested toasting the oatmeal a bit first. I will try that next time.

This is a fantastic recipe! I leave out the butter and use skim condensed milk and it turns out great. This is a quick, easy, versatile recipe that has turned our house into granola bar-junkies. Thanks for the recipe!

Really good when you use flavored oatmeal. I use about one cup (2 packages) of maple brown sugar flavored instant oatmeal and use two cups of the regular. Of course, then I leave out some of the other ingredients and add other things like raisins. I've also tried it with banana-flavored oatmeal, which was good. Delicious. My little brother loves them. It's awesome because you can experiment with different flavors!

I had high hopes for this recipe -- I really love granola bars. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The flavor was good (although I probably would reduce the amount of chocolate chips), but texture was not. The bottoms of the bars were slightly mushy. (I think moisture formed at the bottom of the pan as they cooled. I'm not sure how to fix this problem, since the recipe said not to take bars out of pan until fully cooled.) Would not make again. :(

I didn't want to worry about these bars spoiling (as butter can do in granola bars), so I substituted vegetable oil in place of the butter. I made no other changes. I honestly thought that this recipe wouldn't be as great as the reviews stated but I'll tell you, they turned out absolutely perfect. The kids had one each for lunch and are still telling me how good they are and begging for another. Next time, I'll play around with the add-in's to try to come up with another combination but the recipe as is is fabulous!

Unbelievable good! I enhanced the nutritional value by adding about 1/2 cup wheat germ. My kids loved them and I am going to use them for my daughter's "snack sharing" day at school. You can make all kinds of different mixes. today i made craisin, raisin and butterscotch chip bars.

Be sure to let this cool completely or it will fall apart. Chewy and delicious.

I followed this recipe pretty closely. I did take the advice of one person who said they added an egg. I had no problems at all with it crumbling - even just 10 minutes out of the oven - maybe it was the egg?? I also added vanilla and about 1/2 tsp of salt. We used dates (just a few), dried apricots, craisins, slivered almonds, sunflower seeds and about 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. I didn't try them cuz of a restricted diet, but my kiddos and hubby loved them. Hubby said he liked them better than store bought. I think I will try them with PB instead of butter next time. Oh - and my 9x13 batch made 15 bars that were just the same size as store bought. Wrapped in plastic wrap and froze for future lunches. Thanks for a good recipe! UPDATE - I make these about twice a week now. I use 4 cups oatmeal, 3 cups other stuff (usually choc chips, dried fruit, nuts), plus one egg and omit butter and add 1/2 cup pb. Tastes awesome - never falls apart. Because of added oatmeal making them thicker I cut the pan into 20 bars. Store in snack baggies. Yum! They freeze well too. With 4 c. oatmeal, 3 cups other stuff, add one egg and 1/2 cup PB - cutting into 20 bars - I went to a calorie calculator and they are approx 300 per bar. Keep that in mind when you make yours! They might be healthier than some in the stores but they aren't low-cal!

I LOVE this recipe!! I have used it a ton and everyone is impressed with the healthy snack. I skip the butter, they are fine without it, and use low fat condensed milk. I follow another reviewers suggestion of 3 cups of oats and 3 cups of whatever else you like, then I just chop or food process my nuts, add in coconut and craisins. I use a 15 x 10" pan and I line it with parchment paper and the bars never stick. No need for cooking spray. The tip to press with wax paper was inspired. Works like a charm. I have also crumbled the mixture onto a baking sheet and baked for 15 min. stirring every 5 to get a great granola to add to yogurt.

Wonderful recipe! I added a lot more extra ingredients and family, friends, co-workers, EVERYbody loves these bars!

easy AND yummy granola bars. i liked the taste of sweetened condensed milk and butter, a nice change up from oil and honey. and the submitter was right, just use whichever mix-ins sound good! my first batch were cherry and chocolate, and i will try other combos in the future. i used parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan and they came out easily, and they cut easily while still warm. everyone loved these, great recipe!

Easy is right! I never knew making homemade granola bars could be so easy and SO GOOD! The only thing I didn't have on hand was almond slivers so I used chopped pecans instead. My family LOVES them! I won't be buying store bought granola bars ever again! I like that it is so flexible and I can use whatever I have on hand too. I can't wait to experiment! My husband is a hunter and likes to pack granola bars in his pack to curb his hunger in the stand and that's what made me decide to try these. They literally took 5 minutes (or less) to mix up. My 2 toddlers loved them too. I did follow the advice of a couple other reviewers and warm up the condensed milk before mixing and that worked really slick. A 9 x 13 pan made 14 generous sized bars. Thanks Aliceyn! UPDATE: Since I posted this I have made this using a jelly roll pan and the bars don't get as thick and it yields anywhere from 18-22 bars depending on how wide I cut them. Also, one day I had only 2 1/2 cups oatmeal so I substituted more coconut for the rest and will make them this way from now on! We LOVE coconut and you definitely can taste the coconut this way! Also, I have made these without the butter and they turn out just fine. I won't be using butter in the future...the fewer calories the better. I make this at least 2x a week now. My family can't get enough of them! I have used pecans and walnuts in place of almonds when I didn't have any on hand and that tasted good too!

This is an awesome recipe. Some earlier reviewers had wondered whether you can use evaporated milk in place of the sweetened condensed. You certainly can! I made this with evaporated skim milk and without the butter (I added a couple tablespoons of sugar)and it turned out great. Next time I'll add a few spices to give it some more flavor (I don't do coconut).

These were wonderful!!! I was reluctant at first because of the sweetened condensed milk, and not wanting to use so much sugar for the children, but let me tell you, the trade off was worth it. My 3 and 6 year old loved it and ate it all, asking for seconds. What a healthy treat. I used my homemade granola, which I usually make in large amounts, and contains oats, wheat germ, sesame seeds, raw cashews, peanuts and almonds, dried cherries, dates, and raisins, and used only half a cup of chocolate chips, another half of a cup I put on the bottom of the parchment lined pan, and melted in the oven prior to spreading in the granola. When done, I lifted out the parchment and let it cool on a cookie rack for about an hour, then cut into bars on the paper on a cutting board, and into the fridge to cool completely. The granola bars had a soid chocolate layer on the bottom, and crunchy gooey goodness on top! Wraped in wax paper aith kids stickers to hold closed - I will never send another store bought bar for snacks! Thanks!

I am super pleased with these!!! So easy; can't wait to try out different variations of cereal, nuts, dried fruits, candies, & try w/nonfat/lowfat condensed milk. I used: regular oats (not quick cook), ground flax, chopped pistachios & almonds, sunflower seed kernels, dried cranberry & blueberry craisins, raisins, Kashi crisp cereal, & coconut. I 'chopped' the oats a bit since they were not quick cook -worked great. I toasted the oats in the oven, then toasted the nuts, coconut, and flax too. Used 3 c oats & planned to use 3 c other ingred but got carried away & it was closer to 3.5-4 c. Warmed milk in hot water before opening -great tip. With the extra ingred, I did use 2 T. melted butter (Smart Balance - healthier) because the mix seemed a bit dry, otherwise I don't think it's needed. Mixed in lg bowl & then used hands to mix better. Pressed down firmly, covered w wax paper & hammered w/ flat meat mallet. Removed wax paper, baked in a 16x11 pan lined with foil, which yielded 16 lg bars, maybe .5 in. thick. Baked 18-20 min, could have been less. Cooled 2 min in pan, cut into long rectangles with pizza cutter, cooled 10 more min, removed foil w/bars from pan, cooled completely on the foil. Great texture, delicious flavor w/customized ingred, and so much healthier! Next time I will try 6 c total ingred, add chocolate or M&M's & bake less to try for softer texture - these are chewy & firm (but not hard). Hold together beautifully. (They get firmer as they cool; cut warm).

Excellent recipe; I followed the ingredients list exactly as written. Only small change I made wasn't a "recipe" change, I just didn't press the bar mixture all the way to the edges of the pan. I left about an inch border between the pan edges and the mixture. The bar mixture is solid enough that it holds it's shape while baking and doesn't spead itself out to the pan edges. When I do this, it avoids any of the bars having hard pan-border edges when they're cut. Also, just one other note. I reallly like all the variations of this versatile recipe, submitted by those who have tried it. However, I don't understand why some people are saying this recipe is no good when they changed the recipe to the point where it is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT recipe, then they give it one star.

Very tasty and very easy

Instead of butter I added a large 1/2 cup of peanut butter which I "melted" in the microwave to thin down, added an extra cup of oats & some protein powder. Warmed the condensed milk which was a great tip. To keep the mixture from sticking when spreading wet your hands and press down with fingers or palms and rewet as you go. I thought it would fill a 17x15 jelly roll pan but wasn't quite enough. 20 minutes was the max in my oven as the edges burned. Used parchment to line my pan so wouldn't stick. Cut in pan, covered with foil and flipped onto counter. Just make sure you completely cool or they will crumble.

Used dried apricots and blueberries and semi-sweet mini chocolate chips (the chocolate chips make this special). They taste like the Kellogg's dark chocolate-almond bars you buy at the grocery store. Watch the baking time, as you don't want these to overcook. Absolutely delicious and EASY.

Such an easy and tasty recipe! For my healthier batch I omit the chocolate chips and cranberries and add 1/2 c. Chopped dried apricots, 1/2 c. raisins, 1/2 c. chopped dates. For a guiltier pleasure I substitute the butter with melted peanut butter, and subtitute the cranberries with 1/2 c. banana chips (broken into little pieces) and 1/4 tsp. salt. A tasty treat for sweet & salty fans like me! Also, for those of you who find that these bars crumble too easily, I've found that you have to really press these into the pan. Try spraying a spatula with nonstick cooking spray and using it to firmly press the granola into the pan. Also, I never had any luck flipping the pan. I just wait until they are completely cooled in the pan before I cut them and that works for me.

The BEST!

I really like this recipe and have made it many times now, because both my husband and I take them to work. The first time I had a hard time getting them out of the pan, so now I line my baking pan with wax paper. MUCH easier :-) I also add 1/2 cup of flaxseed meal to make them a bit healthier.

All I can say is yuuuuummmm-E! Didn't change anything about the recipe and it was fantastic! Definitely plan on making these again, great recipe.

I did not have any nuts on hand, so I just used the shredded cocnut, and white chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. I felt like the bars were a little bland, but the kids and I liked them and ate them. Next time I will add casheews to them. I also took somebody's advice and cooked for only twenty minutes rather than 25. But they were not crunchy enough for me. I envision granola bars being a little crunchy. I will work with this recipe and turn it into my perfect granola bar! Also I lined the pan with parchment paper. Worked great!!

I absolutely love love love this recipe! I made it today with a few changes though! I added 1 cup honey instead of the condensed milk and used regular vegatable oil instead of butter. I used the regular old fashioned rolled oats and I toasted the three cups in the oven for about 15 mins at 160C first. I added dried apricots, dried cranberries, pitted prunes and almonds. I just eye balled the measurements. The result was fab! My husband said " This is even better than the ones we buy at Whole Foods"....WOW! Thanks for sharing the recipe..

Probably one of my favorite things I have ever made! They are definitely going to be a staple at our house now! I used regular oats--not instant, and opted out of the cranberries, choc chips, and coconut. I used almonds, dates and raisins--about 3.5 cups worth. And I also used the skim condensed milk. I cooked them on a Pam sprayed Silpat mat, and they didn't stick a bit. I cut them within 5 minutes, but didn't take them out till completely cooled. They turned out so hearty, chewy, sweet, and delicious! This gets 6 stars in my book!

I will never buy store-bought granola bars again! My husband and I love trail mix so raisins, peanuts and mini M&M's were the perfect combo. I added 1/3 cup wheat germ for added texture/crunch. Yum!

Yet another rave review...Rave! Rave! Rave! I have never been able to eat granola bars before due to nut allergy, but now I make my own so easily! The pickiest husband in the world gives them two thumbs up and takes one for breakfast every morning. Use parchment paper (not wax paper) and they don't stick at all.

I've already made 4 batches of this stuff. Every week I make it since I found it. The first two times I found it a bit dry, I think you can totally ge carried away with adding stuff. So what I did was I bought all my nuts and mixed them in a tupperware bowl I could keep for next time and measured out a cup of them, and the same with my fruit. I also added a little less coconut in exchange for a 1/2 cup of protein powder. And the other thing I had to do was use a smaller pan, as well as use 1/4 cup of honey to make them moist enough for my 2 year old to eat as well which made for a really nice chewy bar. I've used both regular and light condensed milk with really not much of a taste difference probably because I do add 1/4 cup of honey to the mix. My mom and I discovered you could make different kinds using just like pecans and almonds with apple pieces and cinnamon and using a butterscotch chip in replace of the regular chips. This is a favorite in our house, and I have now the recipe down to a science without looking. Thank you for sharing such a healthy snack for me and my family!

Absolutely DELICOUS!!! Made recipe as close to original as possible with raisins as a substitution for the cranberries, 3/4 cup chocolate and only 1/4 cup almonds for that is all I had on hand. As mentioned by another reviewer, I did cut with a pizza cutter immediately after baking and covered pan in foil and was able to flip entire pan of bars over to cool. Nice brown crispy bottom. Devoured one before they even cooled. Easy, delicous and will make again and again. YUMMMMMMM.

In my biased opinion (as a fan of many types of boxed granola bars--NOT a fan of all the junk they put in it), I found this to be the best I've tried so far...and I've tried a LOT of recipes for granola bars from this site! The consistency was exactly right once cooled. They hold their shape, not too crumbly, slightly chewy, perfect amount of sweetness. As long as I've got oats and sweetened condensed milk in the pantry, I have no need to pay through the nose for a box at the store!! Thanks for sharing!

Great recipe. Used the rest of a trail mix I had (cheerios, raisins, granola, pretzels (crushed), m&m's, peanut butter chips)my 5 kids loved them. Will definately take them on our camping trip. SO EASY!!! Wasn't sure if consistency was right, but was perfect after letting them sit in fridge for about 30 min.

I make these often for my 5 children. I use regular oats and combinations we have enjoyed are: almond/blueberry/white chip/vanilla extract, cherry/dk choc/pecan, peanut/heath bits/peanut butter instead of the butter walnut/pecan/cinn chips/raisins/cinnamon Perfect recipe! Cut right away and let cool before removing.

The only change I would make is to bake on parchment paper or aluminum foil since I found it took a lot of patience to get the bars off the pan, and I greased it really well.

AMAZING. I used karo instead of sweetened condensed milk, and also used pecans. I had the nifty idea of using muffin tins, and they work out just as well, and store better too.

This is a very good recipe--not exactly what I was looking for, but very good. Chewy, held together well once cooled, came out of pan nicely, good flavor. I didn't have all the add-ins listed, instead I used chocolate chips, raisins, and a few chopped walnuts. Also added in some flax seed meal for nutrition's sake. They are very sweet, but the kids loved 'em and they thought they were getting cookies instead of (halfway) heathly food. Thanks for sharing!

This is a great recipe as-is, absolutely no adjustments needed. The oats/condensed milk/butter/coconut base is great for experimenting; I add all sorts of various dried fruits, nuts, and sweets. My favorite is cranberries, macadamia nuts, and white chocolate.

I just wanted to add to the reviews that I have made this recipe into granola to serve with vanilla yogurt as well. I just bake as directed and stir after the 20 min, then bake and stir in 5 min intervals till it all looks golden. After baking a spread it all out on tin foil and break up into small pieces and let it cool. This is a great recipe!

LOVED THESE!! A very easy recipe for kids, and so adaptable!! I love use-what-you-have recipes, and this is certainly a good one for that! (I substituted raisins and miniature M&M's, yummy!) Yes, even though they're delicious warm they really need to cool to firm up - we ate some out of the oven with spoons though as we just couldn't help ourselves!! Thank you.

I love this recipe. I use this site all the time and never leave a comment but I had to post and say how yummy these were. If you're looking for a healthy granola bar recipe this isn't for you. But if you're looking for a recipe that tastes like what you buy at a store this is it. I made a substitute for the sweetened condensed milk using 2 eggs, 2 tbsp flour, 1 c. Brown sugar,1/2 tsp. Of baking powder, and smoothly salt. Sooooo much cheaper than buying the real thing. After the bars cooled I made a thick powder sugar icing and drizzled it on top. Yummy!

I found this recipe a few months ago, printed it up and have been making it quite frequently. I lost my print out, and came back for another copy! I would be lost without this recipe. It turns out perfect every time, with all the different varieties I have done! The 2 recipes that are requested the most are a mix of 1 c raisins, 1 c sunflower seeds, 1 c coconut and 2 c of mixed dried fruit, 1 c sunflower seeds, 1 c coconut. Thank you so much for contributing this recipe Aliceyn! My family and I greatly appreciate it.

nice, i like that's it's quick and customisable. I used ground up hazelnuts instead of sliced almonds. I also like that it's got lots of oats. I used rolled oats instead of quick cooking. A keeper. Hazelnuts and apricots come to mind, as does white chocolate chips and cranberries. Lots of possibilities. (I just noticed, reading other people's reviews, that I forgot to add the butter to the recipe! oh well, it was nice anyway!!) * * * Made it a second time, used 1 cup almond meal in lieu of sliced almonds, dessicated coconut in lieu of flaked coconut, 2 tbsp rice bran oil in lieu of butter, and added one egg white (just because I had it on hand) and it turned out beautifully! I absolutely love this recipe. I have a healthier one with yoghurt and honey instead of sweetened condensed milk, but I love that this one is so delicious, versatile, and QUICK!!! Thanks again!

I just took these out of the oven a hour ago....used parchment, not greased and they did not stick at all. Used a 9 x 13 pan..thought they would be too thin with the 10 x 15 pan. At first they were crumbly when i started to cut them but when I let them sit about 20 mins they firmed up and I was able to make squares easily. I should have cut the peanuts up and should have cut the cranberries (trader joes) up as alot of them kept falling out...otherwise the recipe is very good..thanks

i didnt have condensed milk on me..so i combined a can of evaporated milk and 1 1/4 cups of sugar in a saucepan and simmered it until the sugar was dissolved. it took almost an hour to bake the bars and they came out a little too sweet

This is exactly the type of granola bar recipe I have been searching for! I followed the recipe but added a few more ingredients -- 1/2 c. wheat germ, 1/4 c. flaxseed, 1/2 c sunflower seeds, 1 c Craisins, 1/2 c raisins, 1/2 c shredded coconut and a 1/2 c mini chocolate chips... my boys LOVED them. This will definitely be my go-to recipe from now on. SO happy about the money I will be saving, not to mention knowing exactly what I'm feeding my kids! Thanks!

OH MY GOODNESS, SOO GOOD! No, really. . I would give these 10 stars if I could. So simple, so delicious, so many options. I'll be making these again and again. . . After mixing the first 3 "base" ingredients, I added a dash or two of cinnamon and salt, 1/2 cup toasted coconut, 1 cup toasted sliced almonds, 1/2 cup pecans, and 1/2 cup craisins. But, again, as long as you have the first 3 ingredients, the rest of the recipe is very forgiving and flexible. . . thrown in a few cups of whatever you like! Next, for my mix-ins, I'll try a little pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, toasted pecans, and perhaps butterscotch chips. Thanks for such an amazing recipe!

Great texture and flavor. Followed other suggestion of 3c oats and 4 c of whatever. It worked perfectly. I added craisins, chopped nuts and choc chips. I'm getting ready to make them again and I'm going to try peanut butter and mini choc chips. The tin foil flipping suggestion worked great also.

These are pretty good. I added seedless raisens rather than cranberries because of the cost, and couldnt find anything other than organic chocolate drops so used smashed up plain cooking chocolate pieces. I also missed out coconut because I can't stand the stuff! They're really moreish and my daughter loves them. We will be taking them camping with us on Saturday.

These work great! I read the reviews and used greased parchment paper in a jellyroll pan. I cut them as soon as they came out and covered with foil, flipped them over on a cooling rack right away. I have made them with many different ingredients and they're always great! Just keep to about 3 cups oatmeal and about 3 cups add-ins. This would be a good recipe for those who have nut allergies with coconut, chocolate and dried fruit!

These are great, and super easy. I make them healthier by doubling the recipe, and use 1 1/4 cups of Almond butter instead of the second can of condensed milk. Per recipe I also sub 3 tbsp canola oil for the melted butter, use pumpkin seeds in place of the coconut, up the cranberries to 1 cup, omit the choc chips and add 1/3 cup of flax seeds and 1/3 cup of whey protein powder. (These substitutions are per recipe. Double them if you are doubling the batch like I do.) Super healthy and high in protein and Omega 3's...nothing bad in there except the condensed milk, and one can divided between 2 pans of bars is pretty minimal saturated fat. I freeze one of the pans (cut into bars, layer between wax paper in an airtight container). Awesome grab and go breakfast with some fruit (even my breakfast-hating husband will eat one of these every morning on his way to work), or a great post-workout snack.

fun and easy to create custom granola bars by substituting your favorite ingredients. I used craisins and mini chocolate chips. Very yummy!

Very good. Will bake 5-8 min less next time. A bit too crunchy for us.

Sooo tasty, and really easy to put together. I don't think it's possible to screw this recipe up!! With a base of oats coconut and sweetened condensed milk you can customize these granola bars to suit any taste preferences. I added 1/2 cup of 100% bran and 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds to my granola bars and they are delish! Great recipe!!!

i was really looking forward to making this, especially because of the high rating and reviews. But unfortunately it did not come out the way i hoped for. The bars did not stick together--i had to cook them an extra 10 minutes. The bottom was really moist. I think this was partly on my fault because i added the "3 cups of whatever" that had some moisture in it. i will be trying this again with drier ingredients though. thanks for the recipe! God Bless! __Alexus

I love how easy it is to change the ingredients in this recipe to suit your mood. I've used mini m & m's and mini marshmallows for a sweeter treat, and sometimes substitute dried cherries for the cranberries. Thanks for such a yummy, easy to follow recipe.

Excellent!! Didn't change a thing. Reminded me of the trex mix bars that I use to get at Trader Joe's until they were discontinued. So happy to come across this recipe!

I make these all the time. My family LOVES them! I usually substitute peanut butter for the butter and change up the add-ins. Basically 3 cups oatmeal, can sweetened condensed milk, 2-3 tbsp peanut butter (or butter) and 3 cups whatever else sounds good! Our favorite is mini chocolate chips, coconut, craisins and macadamia nuts. :) My husband says they taste like the expensive, all natural granola bars only better (and cheaper!).

This was very simple and very good, I don't like coconut so I substituted 1/2 cup sunflower seeds and 1/2 cup chow mein noodles! I used dried bing cherries instead of cranberries. I took them to work and they disappeared!! Everyone wants this recipe! They held together fine, not much crumbling & I did line the pan with parchment paper. I will do less chocolate & more fruit next time.

Just made 2 versions of this. I made it "as is" and also made it substituting 1/2 of the almonds with sunflower seeds and 1/2 of the chocolate chips with peanut butter chips. The second version is my favorite. I saw in other reviews that theirs came out soggy. I suspect that they may have used evaporated milk instead of condensed milk. There is a big difference in volume and consistency that might explain why theirs did not turn out. I will be making this and will continue to substitute. This is by far one of the easiest.

Wonderful taste. I have made this twice. Still having trouble keeping their shape. But yummy!

Great filling healthy bar. I made with fat-free condensed milk and have changed the ingredients many times. It is fun to see what you can create and such a nice option to have on hand. I like my bars a little crunchy so I bake them a little longer and put them in a cookies sheet pan 11x15. I baked them on parchment paper for 25 minutes. When they came out of the oven I slid them off the pan, let them cool on the parchment paper 5 minutes and then cut with my pizza cutter and let them cool. WI cut these into 36 bars. When cool, I wrap 2 bars in plastic wrap and put them in a sealed bag. I can then have them convenient to grab and not eat the whole pan as they are so good but they are so filling you don't need anymore than 2 bars at a time. Easy and fun recipe.

Made these for my daughter's volleyball team and they went crazy for them! I used parchment paper on a jelly roll pan and had no problem getting them out. Also used this as an opportunity to finish up all the half empty bags of granola in our snack drawer...put in about 2 cups of it. My daughter did comment however, that she'd prefer fewer chocolate chips (I'd used 1 cup), as we don't really love the combination of dried fruit and chocolate. I'll experiment more next time...and there will be a next time!

These bars were great! SOOO easy and versatile! I toasted the almonds and coconut and put peanut butter in place of the butter. Took them camping last weekend, and they were a hit! Thank you for awesome recipe :)

Very easy recipe. Only problem is it too chewy and doesnt "stick" together enough. not sure how to resolve it, otherwise very tasty.

I replaced the melted butter with peanut butter, reduced the flaked coconut to 1/2 c and increased the choc chips by 1/2 cup to compensate. I also did not use 1.5 c of nuts/fruit but substituted with rice krispies which worked well. Totally a versatile recipe if you bear the general proportions in mind :)

OMG! This recipe was a hit with my husband. He LOVED them! I added dried cherries instead of cranberries and used fat free condensed milk but they turned out great! Very easy to make, very tasty, will make again. The chocolate and cherries were very good together. Thanks for sharing!

My husband loves these, he's been taking a couple in his lunch box the last few days. I used a jelly roll pan and found the bars to be the perfect thickness that way. I also recommend following the suggestions of the most helpful reviewer, I did...and had no problems with a soggy bottom crust. I added raisins into the mix as well as the cranberries. Very good, moist and chewy. I'm storing mine in the fridge in a plastic container and on day 4 they are still moist and fresh tasting.

I don't know if it is just me but after eating a couple of 1 inch by 1 inch portions of these, I start to feel nauseaus (sp?). I'm not lactose intolerate, though I have a very mild allergy to dairy but I eat cheese everyday and not go through this. I think it's a little too sweet for my taste and way too moist.

This recipe is so versatile. I used 3 Cups quick oats to 3 1/2 Cs of chopped pecans, dried cherries and one entire large 8 ounce bar Lindt 90% cocao. The 90% cocao kept the sweetness of it down while the cherries added just enough. I baked them for 27 minutes, took them out, cut them into bars and let them cool completely. They were perfect!! For second batch I used 14 ounces of Karo syrup instead of the sweetened condensed milk. Then I added 2 cups raisins, 1 cups finely chopped becans and about 1/4 cinnaman and a tsp. of salt. I baked it the same way, cut them into bars and then let the cool. Again, very awesome. Oh, one more tip. I lined my 9x13 pans with parchment paper first. The bars came out like a dream both times. Thanks for sharing this great recipe. I can't wait to try another combination. I'm thinking peanut butter and chocolate chips with salted peanuts. Mmmmmm

I added 1/2 cup peanut butter instead of butter. I left out the coconut and added a dash of salt. THese are AWESOME!

A new fav at my house!

Awesome, Awesome! I did white chocolate chips, cranberries, and almonds. My family loved this!

Wow! Easy and so many options to try. I read all the reviews and and made mine with all of them in mind.I stirred the mix for 4 minutes. I used the Jelly Roll pan with parchment paper and coconut oil on the bottom, and then I pressed down the granola firmly with wax paper. I coverd the finished granola with foil for easy flipping. I used the pizza wheel after 5 minutes, and it worked beautifully! I pretty much stuck to the recipe except I added the one extra cup of oatmeal(old Fashioned). I used 1 cup of chocolate chunks, and 1/2 cup of dried cherries. I also warmed the condensed milk. Thanks to all of your reviews! They all helped. My bars tasted GREAT! This recipe will be a staple!

this was way easy and adapatable and yummy! okay, maybe it's not a healthy granola bar exactly but I don't eat granola bars for the health anyway :) I added Goji berries, ground hazelnuts and walnuts and used regular chocolate chips - the goji berries gave them a festive holiday look for the party I went to (cranberries would work the same) and they were gobbled up faster than the chocolate chip cookies on the table. Thanks - I'll use this one over and over again!

Very easy and yummy. Have made this several times and have made the following alterations to my liking. I use old-fashioned oats or a mix of old-fashioned and quick cooking. Also use whole almonds. Makes for a heartier bar. The whole almonds are definitely harder to cut, but worth it. Easiest prep I have found for this is to line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper, dump in the stuff, cover with a sheet of waxed paper, and roll with a rolling pin. When done baking, slide them off the pan (while still hot and on the parchment paper), cut with a pizza cutter (while still hot).

these are VERY sweet but good

This recipe is GREAT, I will be using it regularly. I used coconut, craisins, and chocolate chips, they are much better than any store bought variety! I let them cook for only 20 minutes, so they would still be chewy. Could not believe how sweet they turned out to be (though not too sweet), with no sweeteners other than the sweetened condensed milk.

This recipe was a good starting point. I made it vegan by using 2 mashed bananas instead of the butter, coconut milk instead of sweetened condensed, and agave to sweeten. I had to use more nuts (chopped walnuts, almonds, and a few brazil nuts instead of sliced almonds) and added chopped dates. This is a very versatile starting place for really good, healthy granola bars.

I made two batches. The first with 2 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 C peanuts, and 1 C mini chocolate chips. They're pretty yummy, but not as sweet as store-bought, so you can't expect that. I might add more peanut butter and a little brown sugar next time. My second batch had 1 C coconut, 1 C sliced almonds, 2/3 C white chocolate chips, 1/2 C craisins, 1/3 C flax seeds, and about 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Oh my goodness. Delicious!

I've made this twice in two weeks. The first time I made the easy recipe even easier by using Sam's Choice "indulgent trail mix" from WalMart. The mix has white chocolate, choc chips peanut butter chips, golden raisins, cranberries, almonds, peanuts, and cashews in a 1 lb. 12 oz bag. I found this a good mix, not too much of any one thing, plus cheaper ($5 for entire bag) than buying separate components. I had coconut in the freezer so I threw a little of those in. I also doubled and used a jelly roll pan. I also used one can fat-free condensed milk and one regular because that is what I had on hand. I used 1/2 quick oats and 1/2 old fashioned. I found that these were thicker and needed a little more cook time but turned out great and chewy! The second time I made a single batch with fat-free condensed milk, the trail mix, no coconut but added cinnamon, 1/2 quick oats 1/2 old fashioned oats, and 1/2 C wheat germ. In a 9 x 13 these were thinner and didn't need additional cook time, in fact 20 minutes was almost too much. Either way, they were great! They also freeze very well!

Super easy! 3 cups of oatmeal, 3 cups of various mix-ins (craisins, choc chips, nuts, etc) and a can of sweetened condensed milk. I skip the butter and use fat free milk. Comes out great everytime.

This recipe was fabulous with dried cherries in place of cranberries. I make these and give them away as gifts, and everyone raves about them!

I use this recipe all the time, or at least the general idea of it. I always change the ingredients, just keep the same proportions. I always sub out the butter for extra virgin coconut oil - and if you aren't aware of the benefits of coconut oil you really should look it up. Its great. :) I sub in things like chia seeds, hemp hearts, quinoa puffs, ground flax. Sub in organic agave nectar instead of sugar. I use a baking sheet with a lip and line with parchment paper. A regular sized sheet will fit two batches nicely. I press the mix into the pan until firm and smooth. I bake until the top starts to turn golden and then when I take it out of the oven I slide the parchment and granola out of the pan and leave it to cool on the stove top (glass top) I find the key to getting good shape is to gently and quickly cut the granola while it sits warm and then leave it to cool completely before running the knife through again to cut them apart.

EASY is the key word here! These are so fast and easy to throw together. Took them to a meeting this afternoon and got rave reviews from several people . . . a definite KEEPER!

I liked this recipe. Easy to make and you can make substitutions with what you have on hand! They were very tasty!

These were delicious! Great flavor! I had the same problem with these that I have with all the granola bars I've made though, they don't hold together like the kind you purchase! I don't think it's the recipe though...it's me! I think I need to get a larger pan and cook them slightly longer. I would definitely make these again, they were the perfect fix when I had a sweet tooth!

I followed the recipe the first time, but since nuts and coconut are not allowed in our school here in town I had to make some changes - just eye balling I added raisins, white chocolate chips, more oatmeal, cranberries and fresh apples! They are super tasty!!! My son LOVES them and now I have a healthy alternative for a snack! Thanks!

These were very good, though I wasn't totally blown away. Anyway, I made these pretty much as called for, just varied the mix-ins somewhat and added a pinch of salt and some spices. That long review a page or two back by wife2maleRN was very helpful. I baked mine in a 11x17" jelly roll pan, lined with foil that was heavily buttered. When it came out, I scored it with the pizza cutter & flipped it onto another sheet of foil to cool. After cooling, it easily broke into nice clean bars. My husband and I took them camping this weekend and ate every one. His only complaint was that they should be chewier -- but maybe if I had used the 9x13" pan as called for, the thicker bars might've been chewier. May make again if occasion warrants. Cost-wise this doesn't beat store-bought by much, since nuts aren't cheap.

These are great! I just added trail mix, craisins, and chocolate chips. My husband loves them, thanks!

honestly, I have not tired these yet (had some of the raw "batter")... I am in the process of baking them, but it 10:30pm and I have to wake up at 6:00am. I really look forward to trying these, but I found this recipe under healthy treats. There is no way these are healthy unless you cut and add a bunch of different stuff. They were extremely easy to make, which I loved! I look forward to these. Thank you for the idea!

wonderful granola bar, easy, and no honey! yay! family member deathly allergic to honey in any form. just about every granola bar on the market has honey! thanks for the recipe!

Good base recipe. I used what I had on hand: walnuts, dried dates, chocolate & some cinnamon-pretty good but not great with these changes. UPDATE: followed recipe but used 1c of dried cranberries, only 1/2c chocolate and fat-free sweetened condensed milk. I baked them on a foil-lined cookie sheet sprayed with Pam and they're excellent! My son snuck one off of the cooling rack and gobbled it down immediately. He says they're "cookies". I got the crunchy texture I was looking for!

These turned out great! I followed someone elses review and baked on a Jelly Roll Pan, I wanted them a little thicker so I just left a few inches at the end of the pan and it worked out great. I didn't have everything in recipe so I added what I had, almonds, pecans, sunflower seeds, and coconut. I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you put in it. I will bake for 17-18 min. next time. I especially liked that they weren't real sweet as with store bought granola bars.

Great, easy recipe. I love how you can easily tweak it to your preferences. I used 1.5 c regular oats and 1.5 flavored oatmeal packs. I omitted butter and used fat-free condensed milk. Take the greasing the pan part very seriously!

Easy and delicious!

These were OK at best. They were a little too hard to get out of the pan then would fall to pieces in my hand. The flavor was a little bland. My daughter wouldn't eat them. Don't think I'll make these again.