These chewy, homemade sourdough granola bars are a great snack to have handy in your house. Everyone loves them and they will save you tons of money compared to buying granola bars from the store.
Here you will find a sourdough discard recipe that makes chewy and delicious sourdough granola bars.
I honestly love experimenting with different sourdough discard recipes. This is one of those recipes that I change almost every time I make them depending on what ingredients I have in the house. Here I have included my favorite way of making granola bars. But, the beauty of this recipe is that you can customize it with whatever ingredients you want to add. These turned out so yummy with just the right texture.
The Ingredients
Large Flake Oats
I prefer the large flake oats because it gives a good structure to the granola bars. In a pinch though, any oats will work.
Honey
You can use any kind of honey for this recipe. I used some raw honey from a local beekeeper for these ones but it was actually very difficult because the honey was crystalized. I had to heat it up to melt it and it took much longer than just having liquid honey. So I would suggest getting liquid honey to make your life easier.
Vanilla Extract
I use vanilla extract from Mexico and I love it because it isn’t the imitation vanilla extract. It is pure and gives a wonderfully rich flavor. However, any vanilla extract will do the trick in this recipe.
Mini Chocolate Chips
You can use regular size chocolate chips as well. The minis just make the texture and taste of the granola bars more similar to store bough ones.
Puffed Rice
This ingredient gives the granola bars a really nice texture. You can skip this and only use oats. However, I much prefer the texture and taste with these included. And so does my son!
Sunflower Seeds (or any nut or seed)
I like the taste and texture of sunflower seeds in this recipe but you can honestly add any seed or nut (or combination) that you would like.
Kosher Salt
Course kosher salt or sea salt gives a nice flavor because the salt is larger.
Sourdough Discard
This recipe uses unfed sourdough starter (also known as sourdough discard). You can feed your starter after taking some out for this recipe if you have plans for making something with your starter that requires an active starter. Just don’t feed it before taking out the discard.
*Sourdough discard benefits:
- rich in probiotics
- promotes feelings of fullness
- contains a range of vitamins and minerals
Peanut Butter
I use any brand of creamy, all natural peanut butter for this recipe. Just make sure the only ingredients are peanuts and salt to achieve the right consistency for these cookies. Be sure to give your peanut butter a good stir before measuring it out so there isn’t too much oil (or not enough oil) in the granola bars.
TIP: You can also replace the peanut butter with any other nut butter you prefer.
How to Shape and Flatten Homemade Sourdough Granola Bars
- Mix all the ingredients together in a stand mixer or by hand.
2. Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper so that the paper comes up the sides slightly.
3. Pour the mixture onto the parchment paper and press and shape with your hands. It helps to have another piece of parchment paper on top of the mixture so it doesn’t stick to your hands while you are doing this. Be sure to press into the corners and sides really well.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
5. Once cooled, you can lift the entire block of granola bars out with the sides of the parchment paper. Place on a cutting board and cut into whatever size bars you want. I like to try and get 12 out of a 9×9 dish.
Final Thoughts, Storage, and Tips
- Once you have baked these granola bars you can keep them in an air tight container for 7 days.
- You can freeze them for 4 months. Just put them on the counter to thaw and they will be ready to eat in about 20 mins.
- Wrap them in beeswax wrap to send them off to work or school. Parchment paper works as well.
- These granola bars are very similar in taste and texture to store bought granola bars. Making these will save you tons of money and will also give you peace of mind that your kids are eating a healthy, homemade snack.
I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated websites. This means that I will earn a small amount of money if you purchase through the links on my website at no additional cost to you
Homemade Sourdough Granola Bars Recipe
These yummy and chewy sourdough granola bars are an affordable and healthy alternative to store bought granola bars. Everyone in your house will love these as an “on the go” snack!
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Active Time 15 minutes mins
Allow to cool 30 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sourdough, granola bar, sourdough granola bar, healthy snack,
Yield: 12 Bars
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer or Mixing Bowl
- 1 9×9 baking dish
Materials
- 1 ½ cups Large Flake Oats
- ½ cup Puffed Rice
- ½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips
- ½ cup Sunflower Seeds Can be any nut or seed you like
- 6 TBSP Honey
- 6 TBSP Peanut Butter Smooth/Natural
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½-1 tsp Kosher Salt To taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix well.
- Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper and place the mixture on top.
- Shape and press down the mixture until it is evenly spread and evenly pressed down int he baking dish. Be sure to get the mixture into all the corners and sides.
- Bake at 350℉ for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden on the top.
- Allow to cool for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Remove from the baking dish and cut into 12 even pieces.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Freeze for 4 months.
Thank you so much for taking the time to try this recipe. Please leave a comment and let me know how your sourdough granola bars turned out. I would also love to know if you came up with any tips and tricks to make them even better!
*Please note that any nutritional or medical information posted here is based on things I have read, heard or experienced and is not medical advice. Please use your best judgment and talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have.
Leave a Reply