Granola bars are always a great to snack on the go and as college students, we’re always on the go. Whether it’s running to class, to club meetings or late night study sessions, it’s always a good idea to have a granola bar or two handy. But buying granola bars at $2 to $3 can get pretty pricey, especially if you eat them on a daily basis. Not to mention the fact that some granola bars aren’t really as healthy as we think they are. Either way, making granola bars at home is definitely a better investment. It takes less than $20 to make a single batch and it’s completely customizable for your own tastes. Choose your own nuts, dried fruits and sweeteners to make your homemade granola bars your new favorite.
There is also a variety of different granola recipes out there, but here’s a quick run down of what ingredients you’ll need and what ingredients are easily swapped in and out.
The base of your granola should include:
Photo by Patrick Domingo
2 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup nut butter of your choice (peanut, almond, hazelnut, sunflower, nutella)
1 egg white or egg white substitute (this is the binding agent)
1/2 unsalted butter (melted)
Optional Ingredients:
Chocolate chips
Roughly chopped nuts of your choice
Dried fruits
Coconut flakes
Flax seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Assorted spices (Cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, just to name a few)
Chocolate Raspberry Granola Bars
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup almond butter
1 egg white
1/2 unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 freeze dried raspberries
1/2 cup roughly chopped almonds
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350o F
- Mix your egg white with a whisk until nice and frothy.
Photo by Patrick Domingo
- Add in the honey and the nut butter. Mix to combine
Photo by Patrick Domingo
- Add in the rolled oats, melted butter and roughly chopped nuts.
Photo by Patrick Domingo
- Mix in the optional ingredients (chocolate chips, dried fruits, seeds, etc.)
Photo by Patrick Domingo
- Using a rubber spatula spread the mixture into a baking pan (8×8) lined with parchment paper. If using a smaller baking pan, divide your batch into 2.
Photo by Patrick Domingo
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the granola is brown along the edges.
Photo by Patrick Domingo
- Turn off the oven and let the bars cool in the oven for 1 hour