These no-bake homemade granola bars with elderberry boost your immune system and are WAY BETTER than anything you can find in the store.
I don’t know about you, but I’m a label reader — like a big one.
And every time I stroll the granola bar aisle, I leave disappointed. The few that catch my eye have words like “organic” or “nothing artificial.”
But once I turn them over to read the “other ingredients,” I quickly return them to their original shelf spot.
Even the cleanest granola bars have ingredients like:
- Natural flavors, including naturally essenced (don’t be deceived, they may derive from a natural product but then they’re manipulated in a lab, yikes!)
- Pesticide residue
- Glyphosphate (especially in non-organic rice)
- Syrups and added sugars
- Preservatives
Yuck! Not to mention, these so-called healthy granola bars are crazy expensive!
Instead, you’ll find this as the list of ingredients for these healthy homemade granola bars:
- Organic peanut butter
- Organic elderberry syrup
- Organic sprouted brown rice cereal
- Organic raw honey
- Organic cacao powder
Irresistible, delicious, affordable and healthy with no weird additives or preservatives… sign me up!
The best part about this recipe? You can double the batch and stash them in the freezer.
When you’re running low, just pop those bad boys out and let them thaw, which doesn’t take more than 30 minutes.
Gluten allergy or sensitivity in your home? You’re in luck because these granola bars are gluten-free as well.
Perfect for Busy Families
Now that school and sports are back in full gear, our family is BUSY!
I know, I know, it’s important to slow down. And we do, where we can. But sometimes, the busyness is inevitable and part of life.
It’s sooo easy to eat crappy when you’re busy, right? You just grab what's convenient, which might not always be nutrient-dense. Seriously, there’s no quicker way for your immune system to take a hit than to start depriving your body of essential nutrition.
That’s why I like to start my day with a dose of elderberry syrup.
So on top of starting every day with a dose of elderberry syrup (because it’s a game changer when it comes to keeping your family healthy — even when everyone else is sniffling and coughing around you), make sure what you and the kids are eating is actually fueling them the right way.
Homemade No-Bake Granola Bars (Made With Elderberry Syrup)
These delicious bars are chock full of protein, vitamins, minerals, healthy carbs, and thanks to our special addition of elderberry syrup — antioxidants.
What are antioxidants?
In simple terms, antioxidants are molecules that fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals are compounds that can hurt you if they aren’t regulated. So antioxidants help your body ward off viruses, colds, etc.
Basically — the more antioxidants you consume, the stronger your immune system becomes.
Plus, my organic elderberry syrup is also bursting with fresh flavors like cinnamon and clove, so these no-bake granola bars are absolutely irresistible.
These granola bars work for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. Plus, they’re so delicious you could easily pass them as a treat for the kids.
Recipe for No-Bake Delicious Bars
Meet the best recipe for granola bars ever!
They’re so delicious with ingredients that are easy to find or might even be in your pantry right now.
This recipe takes 10 minutes (no joke) because you don’t need to bake them.
You’ll see this recipe is incredibly versatile. You can use the type of nut butter you prefer and choose from a long list of add-ins to customize it to your liking.
Here are a few of our favorite add-ins:
- Nuts: pistachios, peanuts, pine nuts, pecans, cashews
- Seeds: sunflower, pumpkin, chia, flax
- Chocolate chips: dark, milk, white
- Dried fruit: raisins, cranberries, cherries, coconut
Ingredients for No-Bake Granola Bars
Here’s what you’ll need to whip these delicious granola bars up. Remember — it’s a quick recipe, so that means just a few ingredients. Woohoo
Organic Peanut Butter
Always choose organic if you can, because nuts rate incredibly high regarding pesticide residue. This ingredient is the sticky glue that holds everything else together. You can sub for almond butter or cashew butter, and it still works out deliciously.
Organic Sprouted Rice Cereal
You can find organic sprouted rice cereal down the natural aisle at your grocery store. If you don't have any luck there, feel free to use regular rice cereal. Try and choose organic if you can.
Sprouted means that it bursts with nutrients and is easily digestible.
Organic means you’re protected from glyphosate and pesticides.
Organic Elderberry Syrup
There’s a ton of elderberry syrup on the market right now and most of them are filled with junk. Is there even elderberry in there? Yes, but how does it build your immune health when it has added sugar, artificial ingredients and preservatives?
With my USDA Organic Elderberry Syrup, you never have to guess.
There are seven simple ingredients: aronia berries, elderberries, honey, apple cider vinegar, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. That’s it!
Organic Raw Honey
This is our natural sweetener in this recipe, and it also helps create the stickiness needed along with the peanut butter to hold the rest of our ingredients and add-ins together.
Nothing better than this sweet nectar for these healthy granola bars!
Chocolate Chips
Our favorite add-in for this recipe!
We always choose either Lily’s dark chocolate chips or Hu chocolate gems. You could also choose milk chocolate or white chocolate. Honestly, you can never go wrong with any variety of chocolate.
Shredded Coconut
Double-check there’s no added sugar in your shredded coconut. It should only have one ingredient: coconut. If you’re not a coconut fan, you can leave this ingredient out altogether or substitute it for a different add-in.
How to Make Healthy No-Bake Granola Bars
Time to make these gorgeous granola bars, so let’s get mixing! Just six ingredients and 10 minutes, that’s all you need.
STEP ONE: In a medium saucepan, combine peanut butter and honey, and whisk on medium heat until creamy and smooth. If you plan on using more add-ins than the chocolate chips and shredded coconut, be sure to add an extra 3 Tbsp of honey to help the ingredients stick. Take the pan off the heat, then pour in elderberry syrup and gently whisk.
STEP TWO: Stir in the rice cereal. Let it slightly cool, then stir in chocolate chips and shredded coconut.
STEP THREE: Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and press evenly. Then chill in the fridge before cutting into bars.
Store the granola bars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or freeze them for up to 6 months.
Crazy easy, right?!
Homemade granola bars are just better. This recipe proves it.
So skip the grocery store, and have an arsenal of these quick and healthy snacks ready to go, especially during your busy season.
Some of our other favorite snacks include Energy Bites & Pumpkin Muffins with Elderberry Glaze. Perfect for on-the-go.
👉 Loving these simple and nutritious recipes that are perfect for busy families who want a rock-solid immune system?
