This recipe is totally versatile, based on what you have on hand, and what your likes/dislikes are. Don’t be afraid to mix things up a little. I just tried to make my dry ingredients & my add-ins the same as the original recipe (but all gluten free ingredients, of course), and it worked great. I think using some gluten-free puffed rice or corn flakes may be nice next time, just to lighten them up a little, making them a little less dense.
What are your favorite granola add-ins? M&M’s? Chocolate chips? A certain dried fruit? Herb (that could be interesting, huh?) Please share, the combinations are endless, I’m sure.
Yields: Approximately 26 bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups certified gluten-free rolled oats
- 3/4 cup rice bran
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1/4 cup shelled sunflowers
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup flaked coconut
OR You can do:
2 cups certified gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup rice bran
1 cup of nuts, crushed (pecan, walnut, cashew, macadamia, almond, etc.)
3/4 cup seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame, etc.)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey (or 1/4 cup honey, plus 1/4 cup maple, agave, or brown rice syrup)
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, blueberries, apricots, etc.)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Mix together all dry ingredients (oats, bran, seeds & nuts) on the baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven and toast the dry ingredients for 10-12 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent them from burning. As soon as the ingredients are toasted, remove the pan from the oven.
- While the dry ingredients are toasting, line a 9×13-inch rimmed pan with waxed paper and spray it lightly with cooking oil.
- Next, place a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add in the brown sugar, honey, butter, cinnamon and salt. Bring the mixture to a strong boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and stir in vanilla.
- Place the toasted ingredients in a large bowl, and stir in the dried fruit. Pour the hot liquids into the bowl and stir aggressively until all the ingredients are moist and well combined.
- Using a wooden spoon or heat resistant spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared baking sheet, pressing down to evenly spread out the mixture. I found wetting a rubber spatula with water helped to keep the granola from sticking, but still allowed me to press the mixture down hard enough. Set the baking sheet aside and let the bars cool for 2-3 hours until they are hardened.
- Once the bars are hard, remove them from the baking pan and turn the granola out onto a cutting board. Remove the waxed paper (I had to heat up a skillet and use it like an iron over the waxed paper, to get it to release from the granola bars. It heated it up just enough for the bar & paper to separate). Cut the granola into bars by pressing straight down with a long knife (don’t saw or they will crumble). The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature individually wrapped in plastic wrap for up to a week.
I cut approximately 26 bars from this recipe, 1″x5 1/2″, and stored them in tiny snack sized zipper bags (1 per bag). Perfect to grab on the way out the door, so you will never be stuck without something to snack on.
Source: Based on a recipe from Phoo-d.com
That is a beautiful looking granola bar. I really need to venture into the world of making my own granola bars. I love my bars to taste like oatmeal cookies, but with cranberries instead of raisins. Thanks for sharing this.
There's nothing like a good homemade granola bar. This one looks perfect.
Oh, you have come to the rescue! I have been looking all over for a granola bar to make to go camping with this weekend and coming up with nothing that may work. I cannot have oats however so I wonder if ground up walnuts may work as a replacement – any ideas on that?
Also, I am fairly new to the gf world so is the quinoa cooked, or just the dried grain or flakes? Sorry, I know very little about them.
Thanks for the recipe!
Sarah, I was thinking of doing a batch with dried cranberries & white chocolate chips. I bet that'd taste great!
I used the uncooked grains, but I'm thinking flakes would work well too. As for the oats, maybe try a combination of ground nuts and crushed gf cereals? Like I said, there are SO many different variations that can be made, just try to keep the dry ingredients about the same quantity as this recipe, so that the syrup quantity is still right for it. 
Betsy, I so know what you're talking about! Wow! First off, this recipe is compiled of a bunch of things I had on hand. I threw the quinoa in cause I had it.
I love homemade granola bars..your recipe looks much like mine.
I need to make them again.
In that case, Betty, you have a great granola recipe! I like that it isn't baked, and it doesn't have flour in it, so it's not cookie like. Very impressed with this recipe, may have to make some for the gluten eaters in the family too.
These sound really good, thanks for the recipe.
You listed "Barley Malt Syrup" as a sweetener in the ingredients. Barley Malt contains gluten, so I am thinking it is a typo. I just thought I would bring it to your attention just in case.
Duh! Good point, Cinde! I'm thinking brown rice syrup. I'll go change that.
Thanks!
I'm very excited to try this recipe! I'm always looking for healthy homemade treats for me and the fam. thx!
hi, these look fantastic. ive been looking EVERYWHERE. can you provide a sub for ricebran? (i havent got any) any grain will do? flour? cooked rice?
Don't let the rice bran stop you! I'd replace it with quinoa flakes, or up the seeds to make the 3/4 cup needed. As long as your dry ingredients equal about the same, so that the syrup that you pour over there isn't too much, it should be good. Don't be afraid to play around with this recipe, it's very forgiving!
This is delicious! It's the second time I make it. Kids adore it!
How would I make it less sweet thou? Should I simply put less brown sugar? Will it remain the right consistency?
I made it with blueberries today! DELISH!!
OH MY GOSH!!!!!! I have been looking for a chewy gf granola bar that actually holds together since my 3 yr old was diagnosed with celiac in May. I have tried, miserably failed at, and thrown away, many many recipes, and many many granola bars. These are perfect!! I used oats, Koala Krisp cereal and raisins, I also subbed Karo syrup instead of honey and they are FANTASTIC!!!! He gobbled them with his lunch. Thanks for making my little man smile and feel a little more "normal"!
Awwww…Lauren, THAT is exactly why I share recipes. I know what you mean about trying & failing to find "THE" recipe. So glad that they worked out as well for you as they did for me.
I'm so glad that these worked out for you and that you were able to make them gf! We love these bars and they are the perfect snack for high energy activities.
Yes, I'm lovin' these granola bars.
The recipe is so versatile & the syrup is perfect! thanks so much for the base recipe. 
what can you do if someone has an allergy to honey? i would LOVE to be able to make some granola or granola bars but they all call for some amount of honey. ack! any suggestions? i am TOTALLY new to the gluten free, healthy, whatever cooking stuff. so i'm like a newborn! but i'll learn! thanks ahead of time!
rho
@Anonymous Welcome rho to the crazy world of gluten-free baking/eating!
Don't worry, you'll be cruising along without "training wheels" in no time.
If there is an allergy to honey, I would try doing 1/3 cup maple syrup, brown rice syrup or light molasses PLUS 2 Tbsp granulated sugar in place of the 1/2 cup of honey. I can't guarantee it'll be the same, as I haven't tried it, just what I'm "guessing" at after doing some reading.
These taste good with 1/2 cup brown rice syrup (no honey) and a tbsp or two of (soy or cow's) milk added to the cooking mix, which seems to tenderize them a bit – the first batch was very hard after it cooled.
I use wet hands to press the mix into the pan, and cut them while they're still warm. Quinoa flakes instead of rice bran, and pumpkin seeds instead of quinoa grains – this is really a good recipe that I make regularly now. Many thanks!
I am so completely in love with your site! I feel so free to be able to make actual good gluten free- it sure has come a long way!!!!
Thank you, Stephen & Rebekah! It sure has come a long way, I can't wait to see what the next few years brings.
This looks fantastic! Any ideas of what I could use instead of rice bran? My sweet GF girl is allergic to rice (and corn). Thank you!
Oh! I just found another comment above about trying quinoa flakes instead of rice bran. No need to answer the previous question.
Glad that you found your own answer, Marianne! The recipe for these granola bars is very flexible. Basically, you want to come up with the same amount of dry ingredients, so that the wet ingredients cover it the same way (not too syrupy, but enough that it will still stick together). Quinoa flakes are a good sub, or even ground flax seed. Hope you enjoy them!
I just made these. I used mostly lyles syrup (I had about 2tbs of honey left) and they turned out great.
I also used 1 cup of coconut and used sunflower and pumpkin seeds making sure to keep the total dry ingredient measurements the same.
Thanks for the recipe base! I’ve been on the search for a good granola bar for a long time
That’s great, Dawn! As long as you keep the dry & wet ingredients about the same, the combinations are endless!
Can you freeze the ones you won’t eat in a week? Might be a dumb question but I’m new to all of this too!
Also, do you think margarine would work instead of butter? I have a dairy allergy as well as gluten intolerance.
I think as long as you wrap each bar individually, it would work to freeze them without a problem. And margarine will work just fine.
I have been looking high and low for a glutn free granola recipe! Thank youuu! I am on a anti candida diet and I cannot have dairy, sugar (except stevia) and wheat. I may have to replace the oats with steel cut but its okay in moderation.
Thanks again! I love quinoa
These are amazing – I accidentally toasted my 2nd batch a bit too much, but one person said it made them better and it was the “best granola he’s ever tasted or purchased!”…and he’s not even gluten free.
My substitutions were milled flax seed, I used raisins and flavoured dried cranberries and also put in extra cinnamon. The first time I used agave nectar and maple syrup – but the bars fell apart. Definitely need to use some honey for a better binder.
Question – do you have the nutritional information on these handy? (calories, fat, sodium, protein etc..) If not I will calculate, but thought I’d ask
That’s awesome, Sylvia! It is amazing what a little extra toasting can do for the flavours.
I don’t have the nutritional information available though, sorry. If you do figure it out, would you mind sharing? Thanks!
Hi Jeanine, I just made these today, let cool. They aren’t staying together. I doubled the recipe and may have goofed on some math. I also soaked my oats overnight but dried, toast in oven. I even tried taking a mound in my hands and squeezing and it still does not hold together. Any ideas? I’m willing to take it all out of the pan and add whatever may get it to work and repress. It tastes delicious though. We leave in two days for a week long camping trip. Thanks!
Update…I put wax paper on them and pressed down with all my strength. Then let them sit in the tray overnight covered with the wax paper. I was able to cut them this morning and they held together as long as they were cut very small. Yeah! I think I will use the suggestion from above and use all honey next time. (I used a combo of honey, maple and agave).
I just made these last night… super delicious!! I used the bran, oats, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup pecans, 3/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup coconut, and 1 cup cranberries… excellent combination. Thanks for the recipe!!! And the brown sugar added in is TO DIE FOR!!!