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Save money by making copycat Nature Valley granola bars at home (and save time by not having to run to the store to buy them)! This homemade version is super simple to make and tastes just like the real thing. Using my food scientist background, I worked backward to duplicate the flavor and texture of this classic snack at home.
save this recipe!Granola bars are a great way to get nutrients on the go. Living in the mountains, I’ve eaten my my fair share, none more well-known than Nature Valley granola bars.
But if you’ve even stepped foot in a grocery store in the last year, you’re well aware that the cost of goods has drastically increased. So, in an effort to save some money, I have perfected how to make these tasty and crunchy oats ‘n honey granola bars at home.
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- Easy to make with just pantry staple ingredients (like oats and honey!)
- Quick to whip up. Most of the time to make these granola bars is spent waiting for them to bake.
- Customize them by adding mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, or a chocolate drizzle.
Here’s what you’ll need
You probably already have these ingredients in your pantry!
- Rolled Oats: Otherwise known as “old-fashioned oats”. Avoid using Instant or steel cut oats here, which don’t have the same texture.
- Sweeteners: To achieve the perfect sweetness, these bars use both honey and brown sugar.
- Oil: Vegetable oil helps to bind everything together. You could also use coconut oil here (or even olive oil if you don’t mind the hint of olive flavor but want the health benefits).
- Vanilla Extract: Just a splash adds major flavor.
- Baking Soda: This is important for developing crunch in the bars.
- Salt: Salt helps to elevate the flavor of the bars, taking them from good to great.
DIY Oat Flour
Blending some of the oats creates oat flour, which acts as the binder for these bars. It’s a cheap and effective way to create texture yet still have a gluten-free bar that holds together. If you love learning how to make granola bars and plan to make more, you can also buy oat flour.
How to make Nature Valley Granola Bars
Very similar to other homemade granola bars, these involve just a few simple steps and minimal active work.
- Blend some of the oats into oat flour.
- Stir together the oat flour with the wet ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix in the remaining dry ingredients and press the mixture into a lined baking dish.
- Bake until golden brown and firm.
More on-the-go snacks
If you’re taking these copycat granola bars on the road, here are a few more grab-and-go options.
- Quinoa Granola: Packed with nuts and dried fruit, this granola can be enjoyed with a handful of it. It’s so tasty!
- Homemade Larabars: This copycat recipe is easy to make and includes 4 different variations, so there’s a flavor for everyone.
Copycat Nature Valley Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats, divided, 200 g
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, or any neutral oil, 60 mL
- ¼ cup honey, 60 mL
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup brown sugar, 50 g
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Blitz: Add ½ cup of the oats to a blender or food processor and blitz into a flour.
- Wets: Stir oat flour together with ¼ cup vegetable oil, ¼ cup honey, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- Dries: Stir in remaining rolled oats, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp salt.
- Press: Line a baking dish (7×9 inch or similar) with parchment paper, then transfer oat mixture into it. Press the mixture firmly down into the pan (use the bottom of a glass to flatten it).
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and firm. Immediately after taking it out of the oven, use the bottom of a glass to press the bars, flattening the top firmly. Let cool fully before cutting into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Perfect match to Nature Valley crunch granola bars!!!
Yay! So happy you loved it, Jenn! 😀
I used almond flour instead of the 1/2 cup of oat flour, they turned out AMAZING!!! Loved it for my Kids lunchbox. Will definitely make the again!
I’m so happy to hear it, Paola! Enjoy! 😀
I love this recipe because I can add less sweeteners than the store bought bars. It taste great! Mine turned out half crunchy half chewy. How can I make it more crunchy?
Kindest regards
Hi Mel! You can reduce the oven temp and let them cook a little longer (after cooking, you can also prop open the oven door and let them sit in there to further dry out and become crunchy!)
Quick question- in the picture with the ingredients, there’s brown sugar and white sugar but then the recipe doesn’t call for the white sugar. So, no white sugar- just brown sugar? Thank you! Can’t wait to make this recipe for my kiddos!
Oops! The recipe is correct, the image is wrong (it should be labelled as baking soda). Thanks so much for pointing that out! Enjoy 😀
Hi Sarah!
Thanks for all your recipes.
I like the bars with peanut butter in them. How can I modify the recipe to add it?
Thanks,
Pierre
Hi Pierre! I haven’t tested this recipe with peanut butter so I can’t say for sure, but you might try replacing the oil with peanut butter! 🙂 Would love to hear how it goes if you try it out.
Easy recipe with great flavor. Would like if they were a little crunchier – I wonder if doing a second “toast” on them after cutting would help?
Oh that’s a good idea!
Hello,
Can the oil be replaced with butter?
Thanks,
Brooke
I haven’t tested with butter so I can’t say for sure! I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it out!
Oustanding recipe Sarah, I prefer the taste and texture over the original crispy NV. The batch I prepared browned very quickly in my hot oven after 22 minutes. I plan to experiment to attain a crispier bite. This is be a keeper in my recipe book. Thank you
I made these a few weeks ago and my kids loved them and asked for me to make them again, they have the natural sugars in them and the oats which keep them fuller for longer. Win, win in my house and eveb shared the recipe with others as they were so impressed. Thank you!
Just made these and they taste delicious! I followed everything exactly but I found that my bars aren’t staying together. They are quite crumbly! Any suggestions?
I’m sorry to hear it, Britt! They should be pretty sticky when mixed all together. You could add a bit more honey next time to really help them get sticky, then be sure to compress them well with a glass. Popping them in the fridge to cool and harden might also help!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I added a little more vanilla extract and a little almond extract to the wet ingredients and a little cinnamon to the dry ingredients. I also added a tablespoon of cornstarch with the oat flour. It was delicious!
This is dangerous. I just ate two back to back. They’re not even cooled yet. And I made a double batch. I loved the other commenter’s suggestion about subbing almond flour for oat flour because I had extra on hand. I used a blend of honey and maple syrup. I baked longer at 325 but might even drop to 300 for even longer to get these to crisp more. Just because that’s what my son asked me for was crunchy bars. To me they are perfection. I don’t know how I’m going to keep from eating too many. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear they were a hit, Christine! 😀