Healthy Chocolate Granola Bar Recipe I Can’t Stop Making

Okay friend, if you've been searching for a snack that your kids will actually get excited about AND that you feel good giving them,  look no further!

These healthy chocolate granola bars are chewy, chocolatey, packed with wholesome ingredients, and honestly so much better than anything you'll find in a store wrapper.

We're talking real oats, flaxseed, peanut butter, and a little drizzle of royal icing on top that makes the kids think they're getting a total treat. 

These are perfect for busy families! I like to make a batch on the weekend to get ready for the week ahead.

These are the perfect got grab and go snacks and breakfast bars ready for the whole family when they need them.

Let's dive in!

Tools You'll Need To Prepare This 

• A large mixing bowl
• A small bowl (for the eggs)
• A baking pan
• Parchment paper
• A whisk or fork or mixing spoon
• A knife for cutting bars
• A small bowl and spoon for the royal icing

Healthy Chocolate Granola Bar Ingredients

For the Granola Bars:

• 2 cups of oats
• 1/3 cup of flaxseed meal
• 1/2 cup of coconut sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1Tbs of honey 
• 1/2 cup of peanut butter
• 2 Tbs 100% cacao powder 
• Chocolate protein powder (1 scoop makes it a protein bar )
• A handful of almonds minced 
• A handful of pumpkin seeds minced 
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened chocolate chips chopped or mini chocolate chips 

For the Optional Royal Icing:

• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp whole milk

Quick tip: The royal icing is totally optional, but if you've got little ones at home it makes this feel extra special! It makes these bars look like something from a bakery and gets the kids SO excited about eating them. Worth the extra two minutes!

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking pan with parchment paper. Set it aside.
• Mix your dry ingredients. In your large mixing bowl, combine the oats, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, cacao powder, protein powder, chopped almonds, and chocolate chips. Give everything a good stir until well combined.
• Fluff your eggs. In a separate small bowl, whisk your eggs until they're well beaten and a little fluffy. This helps bind everything together beautifully.

• Add the wet ingredients. Add your peanut butter and fluffy eggs into the dry mixture and stir everything together.  

The mixture should be sticky and well coated, just not soggy and drippy, but definitely not crumbly either.

If it feels too dry, add 1 tbsp of water or milk at a time and mix well before adding more. If it gets too soggy, add a little bit more oats to even it out. A little goes a long way here!

• Press into the pan. Transfer your mixture into the parchment lined baking pan and press it down firmly and evenly.

The more evenly you press it, the more uniform your bars will be when you cut them!

• Bake it up! Pop it in the oven at 350°F. Bake for 10 minutes for a chewy bar, or 13–14 minutes for a crunchier bar. The longer it bakes, the crunchier it gets — so it's totally up to you and your family's preference! 
• Let it cool completely. This part requires patience! Don't skip it — the bars need to be fully cooled before you cut them or they'll crumble. 

Royal Icing Directions

• Make your royal icing (optional but so fun!). Mix together 2 tbsp of powdered sugar and 1 tbsp of whole milk until smooth. Using your spoon, drizzle the icing over the cooled bars however you like — zigzags, swirls, go wild! Then pop the whole pan in the fridge for about 20 minutes to let the icing set.
• Cut and store! Once the icing is set, cut the granola into even pieces. Transfer your bars into a storage container and keep them in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

Final Thoughts

These are fun to make and the kids love getting involved in making these granola bars.

I have several other favorite granola recipes I will be sharing in the future so be sure to subscribe for more simple, wholesome recipes!