We’ve been a little obsessed with homemade granola bars lately. They’re crunchy, chewy, and endlessly customizable — not to mention so much better than the store-bought versions that are often packed with refined sugar and unnecessary fillers.
I originally found the base recipe on cookingwells.com, but after a few rounds of experimenting in my kitchen, I wanted to play with flavors that felt a little more fun than your standard peanut butter and jelly. The result? Granola bars layered with pecan miso butter and a blueberry-blackberry chia jam. Think PB&J, but more grown-up, sophisticated, and… honestly, addictive.
For my kids’ lunchboxes, I’ve also made a simpler version without the nut butter and jam — just the granola base itself — and they’ve been a total hit. These bars pack perfectly into a snack box, keep their shape, and sneak in fiber, protein, and healthy fats in every bite.
Why These Bars Are Worth Making
Besides being delicious, these bars are nutrient-dense and actually energizing. Here’s why:
- Rolled oats + puffed rice cereal → give that chewy-meets-crispy texture and steady energy.
- Hemp seeds + pumpkin seeds → rich in plant-based protein, omega-3s, and minerals like magnesium and zinc.
- Dates (or dried fruit) → natural sweetness plus extra fiber.
- Honey + maple syrup → a gentle sweetness without the blood-sugar spike of refined sugar.
- Coconut oil → healthy fats that help bind everything together.
- Cinnamon + cardamom → warming spices that make the bars taste like they came from a chic bakery.
- Pecan miso butter → creamy, savory-sweet, and full of healthy fats. Miso adds a subtle umami twist that keeps the flavor complex.
- Berry chia jam → tangy, lightly sweet, and packed with antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3s from the chia seeds.
These bars are the kind of snack that works just as well for an afternoon pick-me-up as they do tucked inside a lunchbox.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup puffed rice cereal
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup dates (or other dried fruit, chopped)
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (I used 1/4 cup honey + 1/4 cup maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/4 cup egg whites (optional) – for extra binding
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour (optional) – helps keep bars firm
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the pecan miso butter:
- 1 cup pecans, roasted
- 1 teaspoon white miso
For the berry chia jam:
- 1 cup fresh blueberries + blackberries
- 1–2 tablespoons honey (to taste)
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1teaspoon strawberry live vinegar
How to Make the Bars
1. Make the jam.
Steam or gently simmer the berries until soft. Stir in honey and chia seeds, then blend (I used my Thermomix, but any blender works) until smooth. Let it cool and thicken.
2. Make the pecan miso butter.
Roast pecans at 350°F (175°C) for about 8 minutes. Blend with miso paste until a creamy butter forms.
3. Preheat your oven.
Set it to 350°F (175°C).
4. Mix the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine oats, puffed rice, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, dates, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt.
5. Mix the wet ingredients.
In another bowl, whisk melted coconut oil, honey/maple syrup, vanilla, and egg whites (if using).
6. Combine.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry, mixing until everything is evenly coated.
7. Layer it in the mold.
Instead of a parchment-lined baking pan, I used a silicone rectangle mold (no parchment needed). Press half the granola mixture into the bottom, then spread a thin layer of pecan miso butter, followed by the chia jam. Top with the remaining granola mixture and press everything down firmly.
8. Bake + set.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden at the edges. Let them cool completely in the mold, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Tips + Tricks
- Storage: Keep the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze beautifully — just wrap individually in parchment or beeswax wraps for grab-and-go snacking.
- Lunchbox-friendly: Skip the nut butter if your child’s school is nut-free. The base bars are still delicious and travel well.
- Press firmly: Really pack down the mixture in the mold before baking — it helps the bars hold their shape.
- Want them chewy? Reduce baking time by a couple of minutes. For crunchier bars, bake the full 25 minutes.
Flavor Variations
- Classic PB&J → Swap pecans for peanuts, keep the jam.
- Tropical → Use dried pineapple, mango, and coconut flakes, and layer with cashew butter.
- Chocolate Espresso → Add cacao nibs to the granola base, and swap jam for a thin drizzle of melted dark chocolate.
- Fall Spice → Use apple butter instead of jam, with almond butter as the nut layer.
These granola bars aren’t just a snack — they’re a little ritual. I love making them on Sunday afternoons and knowing that we’ll have something nourishing and delicious ready for busy mornings, school days, and those 4 p.m. “I need something sweet” moments.
Trust me: once you try the pecan miso + berry chia version, you’ll never look at peanut butter and jelly the same way again.
I'll have what she's having 
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