Almond, Blueberry & Date Homemade Granola Bars
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These homemade granola bars are a mishmash of almonds, dried blueberries, oats, cereal and coconut — all held together with a sweet almond butter-date paste.
Meet my new favorite homemade granola bars. They’re crispy, chewy, and rich: a mishmash of nuts, cereal, coconut, and dried blueberries held together with a sweet almond butter-date paste. Unlike most homemade granola bars, they hold together as well as store-bought bars. You can pack them in the kids’ lunches or stuff them in your purse for on-the-go snacking — and they won’t crumble into a million pieces when you’re noshing on the sofa either.
The trick is to purée the dates with the liquid ingredients to make a sticky concoction that binds the ingredients together. A quick flash in the oven helps the bars set too. Keep in mind: these are quick to throw together but they do take a few hours to set up after baking. They also keep well; actually, they seem to get better and better so stash them in a zip-lock bag and leave them on the counter all week long to grab-and-go as you please.
For more granola bar recipe inspiration, check out my Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars and my Crispy Honey Nut Granola Bars. I also have a wonderful peanut butter granola recipe in my cookbook.
Table of Contents
“These granola bars are delicious–so much better than anything store-bought! They’ve been a hit with anyone who has tried them.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Granola Bars
- Pitted Medjool Dates: Provide natural sweetness and bind the ingredients together.
- Unsalted Melted Butter: Adds richness and helps with binding.
- Light Brown Sugar: Enhances sweetness and contributes to the chewiness.
- Honey: Adds additional sweetness and acts as a binder.
- Unsalted Creamy Almond Butter: Contributes to the nutty flavor and acts as a glue for the ingredients.
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Offer texture and substance to the bars.
- Crispy Rice Cereal: Adds crunchiness and lightness to the bars.
- Unsweetened Flaked Coconut: Provides texture and a hint of coconut flavor.
- Chopped Almonds: Add crunch and nuttiness to the bars.
- Dried Blueberries: Offer bursts of sweetness and chewiness to the bars.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-BY-Step Instructions
To begin, place the dates, melted butter, brown sugar, honey, almond butter, and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade (or use a blender).
Process until mixture is smooth and thick.
Transfer to a large pot or microwave-safe bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients, and bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk to combine, and then add the oats, rice cereal, coconut, almonds, and dried blueberries.
Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture until the wet ingredients evenly coat the dry ingredients. Be gentle so as not to crush the rice cereal.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, using the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, press firmly into an even, compact layer. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Set the pan on a rack and let cool completely, a few hours. (Please do not attempt to cut the bars while still warm, as they will fall apart.)
Use the foil overhang to lift the uncut bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the block into 16 bars.
Wrap the bars individually with foil or parchment paper for easy on-the-go snacking, or place them in an airtight container.
Frequently Asked Questions
You’ll need about 5 Medjool dates for this recipe but it’s best to weigh them if possible, as sizes vary.
Definitely! You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in an airtight container with layers separated by parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, take them out of the container and let them come to room temperature.
You can wrap the bars individually with foil or parchment for easy on-the-go snacking, or put them in an airtight container. They will keep nicely for up to a week at room temperature.
Peanut butter is a fine substitute but for best results, stick with a smooth and creamy commercial almond (or peanut) butter. (I don’t recommend all-natural or chunky nut butter.)
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Almond, Blueberry & Date Granola Bars
These homemade granola bars are a mishmash of almonds, dried blueberries, oats, cereal and coconut — all held together with a sweet almond butter-date paste.
Ingredients
- 3 oz pitted Medjool dates (see note)
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp honey
- ¾ cup unsalted creamy almond butter (see note)
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2½ cups crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
- ½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped almonds
- Heaping ⅓ cup dried blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 9-by-13-in pan with aluminum foil, so that it hangs over the edges, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the dates, melted butter, brown sugar, honey, almond butter and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or use a blender. Process until mixture is smooth and thick. Transfer to a large pot (or microwave-safe bowl) large enough to hold all of the ingredients; don’t worry if the butter separates. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stovetop (or in the microwave), whisking to combine. Take off the heat.
- While the mixture is still hot, add the oats, rice cereal, coconut, almonds, and dried blueberries. Use a large rubber spatula to gently fold the mixture until the wet ingredients evenly coat the dry ingredients. The mixture will be thick. Be gentle so as not to crush the rice cereal.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and, using the bottom of a glass or dry measuring cup, press firmly into an even, compact layer. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown. Set the pan on a rack and let cool completely, a few hours. (Please do not attempt to cut the bars while still warm, as they will fall apart.)
- Use the foil overhang to lift the uncut bars out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Using a large chef’s knife, cut the block into 16 bars. Wrap the bars individually with foil or parchment paper for easy on-the-go snacking, or place them in an airtight container. The bars will keep for up to a week at room temperature.
- Note: You'll need about 5 Medjool dates for this recipe but it's best to weigh them if possible, as sizes vary.
- Note: For best results, use a smooth and creamy commercial almond butter. (I do not recommend all-natural or chunky almond butter.)
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The granola bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 bar
- Calories: 264
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Sugar: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Sodium: 113 mg
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Can you use 1 minute oatmeal instead of old fashioned oatmeal?
I think that would work here. Enjoy!
Love these – a great option for busy mornings! The texture is great – satisfyingly chewy. This recipe is wonderfully flexible. I’ve made a couple batches, and experimented a bit. The coconut and nuts both really benefit from a light toasting in a 350 degree oven first – really enhances the flavor and texture. Let them cool before you use them. Pecans and apricots are a great combo. I’ve also made a batch subbing in peanut butter, dried strawberries, and honey-roasted peanuts – they taste like a classic PBJ. I didn’t reduce the salt, cuz’ I’ve got a bit of a salt-tooth. They’re like crack in the form of a granola bar! This batch disappeared in three days. Next time, I’ll throw in some flax or chia seeds to boost their nutritional content . Thanks for this!
These came out great! Made them exactly as written. Will definitely make again, may try with different fruits and nuts. My husband loved them and wants me to try with chocolate chips, but I think they may melt too much. Maybe I’ll do chocolate dipped after they cool.
Loved this! Delicious and filling. May try with other dried fruits. Thank you!
Delicious. Not inexpensive but worth every penny.!
I’m allergic to almonds so I used pecans as a substitute…amazing bars!!!
a little labor intensive, but well worth it. super yummy and easy to grab in the morning.
I made these following the recipe exactly. Once again, this is a winner! I’ve made at least 25 of your recipes, and they never fail to wow me and my family. I’ve shared your recipes and your website with countless friends and family…it’s a go to resource for me, given that I try new recipes every week. Thanks for the delicious inspiration!!
This is the granola bar of my dreams – crispy, chewy, packed with flavour, and NOT cloyingly sweet. Thank you!
Not a granola lover. but these bars hit the mark. Used chopped dried apricots instead of blueberries and could not stop munching. Thanks Jenn