• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me & Contact
  • Cookbooks

2 Cookin Mamas logo

menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Subscribe
  • Cookbooks
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Snacks » Healthy Trail Mix Granola Bars

    Published: Feb 24, 2019 · Modified: Apr 30, 2020 by Linda Warren

    Healthy Trail Mix Granola Bars

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Trail Mix Granola Bars have everything you could want in a healthy snack. They're homemade with wholesome ingredients, no processed sugar and contain plenty of nutritious nuts, sunflower kernels and dried fruit. Plus they're finished with a topping of chocolate that puts them over the top! Great for hikes or an afternoon snack and gluten-free too!

    Healthy Trail Mix Granola Bars | 2 Cookin Mamas Trail Mix Granola Bars are a delicious, homemade & healthy snack. Sweetened with honey, flavored with almond butter and maple syrup and packed with a trail mix full of nuts, seeds & dried fruit. Finish with a topping of chocolate for an irresistible snack. #snack #granolabars #healthy #easy #recipe #glutenfree #lowcarb #almondbutter #nobake #homemade #chocolate #oats #glutenfree

    Have you ever tried making homemade granola bars? They are really easy and, when you make them yourself, you can be sure exactly what's going into them. I like to avoid processed sugar, preservatives and other unknown ingredients that are listed on most packages, so my solution is to make my own. It's a delicious and healthy snack to have on hand. I grab one after a workout, pack it to munch on while hiking or just nibble on it as a "get over the hump" mid-afternoon snack.

    Trail Mix Granola Bars on table with ingredients

     

    This recipe has only 5 ingredients including gluten-free oats and is held together with almond butter and maple syrup or honey. It was inspired by a trail mix made by Second Nature that I found in our organic food store. The mix contains nothing artificial and has raw almonds and cashews, sunflower kernels and dried blueberries and cranberries. Of course, I just had to add a little indulgence - a topping of dark chocolate chips!  I know, I know, I couldn't help myself. And it doesn't involve any baking! Just mix, pat into pan, then chill in the refrigerator.

    How to make Trail Mix Granola Bars

    Trail Mix Granola Bars Process Steps

    1. Pour oats, trail mix and additional seeds or chocolate chips into a large bowl.
    2. Melt almond butter and maple syrup or honey in a large microwave-safe cup or bowl.
    3. Stir into oat-nut mixture.
    4. Make sure everything is well coated and the mixture holds together when you pinch it with your fingers.

    Patting trail mix granola mixture into pan

    1. Pat the trail mix-granola mixture into a pan that has been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with non-stick spray. Chill for 2 hours.

    pouring melted chocolate on top of granola bars

    1. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe container and pour on top of chilled granola bars.

    spreading chocolate on granola bars

    1. Spread chocolate evenly on granola bars. Chilled Granola Bars ready to cut
    2. Chill again until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes.

    Cutting Trail Mix Granola Bars

    1. Cut into bars. I like to cut them into 16 bars for adults but smaller when serving children.

    These are a great way to get a healthy snack without blowing your diet and they're a lot less expensive than buying the packaged ones. It passed the taste test when I sent them into my husband's office, so that's a win for these tasty granola bars!

    Trail Mix Granola Bars overhead shot

    Ways to change up Trail Mix Granola Bars

    • Exchange the trail mix for a combination of your favorite nuts, dried fruit, chia seeds, flax seeds and coconut
    • Add a little spice like cinnamon or nutmeg to the mix
    • Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract
    • Supplement it with a protein powder for more on the go energy

    How long will these last?

    I've kept mine in the refrigerator for 2 weeks and they're still fine. 

    So, what are you waiting for? Grab the ingredients and whip up these granola bars in time for an after-school treat for the kids. Enjoy!

    Trail Mix Granola Bars stacked square

    HEALTHY TRAIL MIX GRANOLA BARS

    Trail Mix Granola Bars are a delicious, homemade & healthy snack. A combination of oats, almond butter and your favorite trail mix, sweetened with maple syrup or honey then finished with a layer of chocolate. Great for hikes and an afternoon snack. 
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Chill: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 4 hours hours 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Calories: 436kcal
    Author: Linda Warren

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cup almond butter
    • ¾ cup maple syrup or honey
    • 2 ¼ cups oats (gluten-free oats if needed)
    • 3 cups healthy trail mix (mine contained sodium-free dried cranberries, whole almonds, whole cashews, sunflower kernels & dried blueberries)
    • ½ cup favorite seeds or chocolate chips
    • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
    • Sea salt (optional)

    Instructions

    • Line a 9x13-inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray.
    • In a microwave-safe bowl, melt almond butter and honey or maple syrup. It takes about 1 minute on high power.
    • In a large bowl, combine oats, trail mix and extra seeds or chocolate chips.
    • Pour melted almond butter-honey mixture over oats-trail mix & stir until well combined and sticks together.
    • Spoon into prepared pan and press evenly into bottom of pan. 
    • Chill for about 2 hours.
    • Melt chocolate in microwave safe cup or bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in-between, until melted. Usually about 1 to 1-½ minutes.
    • Remove chilled granola bars from refrigerator and spread with melted chocolate. Return to refrigerator until set.
    • Cut into desired sized bars. I cut mine into 16 bars.
    • To store, wrap each bar separately and store in refrigerator. They can be stored at room temperature as well but may tend to be a little messier to eat.

    Notes

    To change up the recipe, you can leave out the chocolate chips from the mix. Instead, after pressing mixture in pan, melt the chips and pour over top of oat honey mixture then salt & chill.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 436kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 455mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 1.7mg

    This post was first published on March 15, 2017. Photos and recipe have been updated to make it even more delicious for you.

     

     

    DON'T MISS A RECIPE!

    FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST

     

    If you love eating healthy, check out our newest cookbook here. Over 60+ recipes that are free from gluten and GMOs as well as cow-dairy free.

    More Snacks

    • Two Ingredient Caramel Fudge stacked on plate.
      Caramel Fudge
    • Three monster Oreo truffles in front of platter.
      Halloween Monster Oreo Truffles
    • Banana Milkshake ready to dig in.
      Banana Milkshake
    • Honey Almond Butter Granola in jar among loose granola.
      Honey Almond Butter Granola

    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, I’m Linda, the recipe creator, photographer and cocktail lover at 2 Cookin Mamas. Here you’ll find easy recipes that are not only delicious but can get you out of the kitchen ASAP. Come and join me and let me take you on a tasty trip through your kitchen. Thanks for stopping by! Learn more about me

    Trending Recipes

    • Overhead closeup of plum jam in mason jar.
      Easy Plum Jam is a Breakfast Standout
    • Stuffed Shells with ground beef on serving spoon.
      Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef
    • Holding a meatball slider over tray.
      Easy Meatball Sliders with Hawaiian Rolls
    • Two pieces of Banana Snack Cake stacked in front of pan.
      Banana Snack Cake

    Seasonal Favorites

    • Waldorf Salad with Apples & Walnuts
    • Stack of four apple oatmeal cookies.
      Apple Oatmeal Cookies
    • Pouring syrup on French Toast.
      Crockpot Apple Cinnamon French Toast Casserole
    • Two glasses filled with sangria with pitcher in back.
      Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria
    As featured in list.

    Stay Updated!

    Subscribe and receive your free "AWESOME APPETIZERS FOR EVERY OCCASION" e-book.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter & Media

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Cookbooks

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • Sitemap

    Copyright © 2017 2CookinMamas