Our gluten-free granola bars are free from oats. These cereal bars are made with Chex cereal, toasted coconut chips, peanut butter, honey, and chocolate chips. These are made in the microwave and are a kid favorite!
Easy to make, these granola bars are the perfect snack any time of the day and are great for breakfast on the go.
Looking for more delicious yet simple gluten-free recipes? Our Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins, Caramel Puff Corn, and Air Fryer Banana Chips are all kid favorites!
Not only does this granola bar recipe have an amazing flavor, you don’t need to worry about ending up with a crumbly mess. The bars firm and hold together extremely well.
Those of us with Celiac should avoid oats for at least the first year (and then be careful with oats and make sure they are certified gluten-free). Granola bars are a favorite around here so cutting oats out has been more challenging than expected.
For these bars to be completely gluten-free, we swapped the more commonly used Rice Krispies or oats with Corn Chex (you could use rice Chex too) and used coconut chips to fill the bars with more than just Chex. This turned out to be a delicious choice as the coconut makes these bars the best.
Gather the ingredients and equipment then follow the step by step instructions or use the printable recipe card below.
Table of Contents
Equipment
- 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan
- large mixing bowl
- glass bowl with pour spout
- mixing spoon
- nonstick cooking spray
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn Chex
- 3.3 ounce bag toasted coconut chips (about 1.75 cups)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
How To Make
Homemade granola bars can be made in under 10 minutes. Start by prepping an 8×8 inch pan with baking spray to prevent the bars from sticking to the dish.
Microwave the sugar and honey
In a glass bowl combine the brown sugar and honey. Heat for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture just starts to boil. Carefully remove and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract.
Using the microwave makes this recipe perfect for kids to make since there is no burners used to heat ingredients on. Make sure kids use pot holders when removing the hot peanut butter mixture from the microwave.
Combine the dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Chex cereal with the toasted coconut. Set aside.
Mix It Up: Easily swap the corn Chex with rice Chex or any flavored gluten-free Chex cereal like peanut butter, vanilla or chocolate.
Add the peanut butter mixture to the cereal mixture
Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal, mix well. Add the chocolate chips and stir.
Press the granola bar mixture into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into squares or rectangles to store or serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can! After the bars have been cut, place in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag. We recommend layering the bars with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Add a Printable Freezer Meal Label and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.
Swap the toasted coconut with 1/4 cup of apple chips, banana chips, nuts, seeds or dried fruit. Any of these mix-ins could also be added along with the coconut.
For a dairy-free granola bar, swap the chocolate chips with dairy-free chocolate chips or omit as an ingredient.
More Kid-Friendly Snacks
Along with this granola bar recipe, we wanted to share even more popular snack recipes! From homemade energy bites to fruit salad, popsicles to slushies, there is a recipe for everyone to enjoy at snack time.
- Easy Summer Fruit Salad Recipe (with a dressing)
- Homemade Protein Bars
- Healthy Apple Muffins
- Rainbow Popsicles
- Mango Slushie Recipe
- Campfire Banana Boats
- Peanut Butter Powder Smoothie
- Healthy Energy Balls
- Kid-Friendly Pizza Puff Snack Recipe
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Gluten-Free Granola Bars
Equipment
- 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan
- large mixing bowl
- glass bowl with pour spout
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn Chex
- 3.3 ounce bag toasted coconut chips ✅about 1.75 cups
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla ✅
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips ✅
Instructions
- Prepare the pan. Prep 8×8 inch pan with baking spray.
- ⭐️Microwave the sugar and honey. In a glass bowl combine the brown sugar and honey. Heat for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture starts to boil. Carefully remove and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the Chex cereal with the toasted coconut. Set aside.2 cups corn Chex, 3.3 ounce bag toasted coconut chips
- ⭐️Add the peanut butter mixture to the cereal mixture. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the cereal, mix well. Add the chocolate chips, stir. Press into prepared pan and let cool. Cut into squares or rectangles.1/2 cup natural peanut butter, 1/3 cup chocolate chips
Notes
- Swap the toasted coconut for 1/4 cup of apple chips, banana chips, nuts, seeds, or dried fruit. Any of these mix-ins could also be added along with the coconut.
- For a dairy-free granola bar, swap the chocolate chips with dairy-free chocolate chips or omit them as an ingredient.
- Store for up to 3 months in the freezer by placing in a freezer-safe container or Ziplock bag. Layer the bars with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
Nutrition
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