Homemade Chewy Granola Bars made with crunchy peanut butter, honey mixed seeds, dried cherries, shredded coconut, and oats are super easy to make. These naturally gluten free granola bars can be enjoyed for breakfast or a snack. No need to bake, just mix the ingredients together, press into a pan, chill, then eat!

🌿 Ingredients You Need & Why

Old-fashioned oats – These are the heart of the bars, giving them that perfect chewy texture. I love how they hold everything together without feeling too heavy. If you’re gluten-free, just be sure to grab certified gluten-free oats.
Unsweetened shredded coconut – Adds a soft hint of tropical coconut.
Roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds – For a salty crunch and a little dose of healthy fats and protein.
Dried cherries – A sweet-tart bite that keeps that adds contrast to the nuts.
Creamy peanut butter – This is what makes the bars rich, satisfying, and just a little indulgent. It helps bind everything together and gives that classic nutty taste we all love. Swap for any type of natural nut butter.
Honey – Works with the peanut butter to hold the bars together, and adds a lovely warm sweetness.
Coconut oil – Helps melt everything into a smooth mixture and adds just a subtle richness. You’ll stir it in with the peanut butter and honey for that perfectly glossy finish.

How to Make Chewy Granola Bars

Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
You can substitute any dried fruit in place of the cherries.
Any smooth nut butter will do.
Heat the sunflower butter, honey, and oil together just enough to combine and stir into a smooth mixture. Do Not over heat or boil.
Add the vanilla in after the sunflower butter mixture is smooth.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sunflower mixture out of pan and into bowl of dry ingredients.
Fold until well mixed and coated.
Use a 8x8-inch or 9x9-inch square baking pan to form the granola bars.
I prefer to run a long strip of parchment paper across each side that overhangs. So there is parchment paper overhanging on all four sides. Then, I place an additional square of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.
Lining the pan this way helps prevent sticking, and makes it easier to lift the entire square out and place on the counter for easy cutting.
Use the rubber spatula to even out the granola mixture in the pan. Chill for 1 hour.

Healthy granola bars with seeds and coconut.

Storage & Leftovers

Once the bars are sliced, pop them in the fridge or freezer to keep them fresh. You can leave them in the pan and cover it, or stack them in an airtight container, just slip a piece of parchment between the layers so they don’t stick together. They’ll stay good in the fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze them for up to 2 months. I like them cold straight from the fridge, but if they’re frozen, give them about 20 minutes at room temp to soften up before you dig in.