Homemade Granola Bar Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds

Homemade Granola Bar Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds; This easy granola bar recipe is backed with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, rice puffs, and almonds. Gluten-free, peanut free and dairy free

Welcome to the breakfast rut. For years, you've been on a steady diet of cereal and toast. And while the former might be able to hold your attention for a while, it's time to spice things up with this delicious and healthy recipe for homemade granola bars! From the crunchy texture to the sweet flavors in every bite, these homemade granola bar recipes will help you out of your breakfast rut like never before.

I love to snack on granola bars. They're a great way to grab a quick and healthy bite, but store-bought versions often have too much sugar. Luckily, it's super easy to make your own! This recipe uses pumpkin seeds for added protein and fiber. Enjoy them in the fall or all year round!

If you're looking for a quick, healthy snack with staying power, this homemade granola bar recipe with pumpkin seeds is a great choice. These delicious bars are easy to make, free of refined sugar and processed ingredients, and full of wholesome goodness! Great for kids lunches and back to school.. or just enjoy on the run out the door every morning!

Let's jump into this Homemade Granola Bar Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds!

Homemade Granola Bar Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds Ingredients:

• Honey
• Vanilla Extract
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Almonds
• Rice Puff Cereal
• Almond meal (or oat flour)
• Salt
• Pumpkin Spice (or ¼ teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and ⅛ teaspoon each ground cloves and ground allspice)
• Almond Butter (or another nut butter/seed butter like peanut butter or sunflower seed butter)

You can always add in other ingredients like cranberries, chocolate chips

How To Make Homemade Granola Bar Recipes

1. Start by preheating your oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Make sure there is enough hanging over the sides to easily remove the bars from the pan once they are cooked. Set this pan aside for now aside.
2. The first thing you need to do is mix the honey, vanilla, almond meal, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and almond butter together until fully combined in a large bowl. This may take some arm work here! haha
3. Stir in the almonds, rice puff, and pumpkin seeds making sure they are fully incorporated into the mixture. I suggest using a wooden spatula or spoon for this!
4. Transfer this mixture to a prepared baking pan and press very firmly into an even layer. Make sure it is TIGHTLY packed. Bake for 20-22 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack for 1 hour, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 1 more hour. This is super important because it will help hold the granola bars together.
6. Remove bars from the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. Individually wrap each bar in plastic wrap or parchment. 

You can store these granola bars at room temperature for 1 week, or you can put them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Health Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds - Nutrition Info

Pumpkin seeds are a great snack and have many health benefits. They are rich in protein, iron, zinc and magnesium. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. Pumpkin seeds are high in fiber and they can help lower your cholesterol levels.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in antioxidants that help fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals can damage cells and cause them to age prematurely. Regular consumption of pumpkin seeds can help reduce the risk of developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

Healthy Granola Bar Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Use a nonstick pan or baking sheet. It's important to use a nonstick pan, otherwise your granola bars will stick! But if you dont have a non stick pan, definitely use my parchment paper trick
• Make sure your oven is preheated before you put the granola bars in! This will help ensure that they get nice and crispy on top.
• Spread the mixture evenly in the pan or on the baking sheet. If you don't do this, they won't bake properly and they'll turn out unevenly done.
•  You can store these granola bars at room temperature for 1 week, or you can put them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 
• Cool completely before slicing into bars using either a sharp knife or kitchen shears; otherwise they might crumble when cut! Store in an airtight container once cooled completely--otherwise humidity can get inside of them and make them go bad faster than normal 🙂
• These bars are freezer friendly! After wrapping individually with parchment paper, or tin foil , freeze for up to 3 months and thaw before enjoying. I like to throw a frozen one in my lunch bag, it acts as an ice pack and is usually thawed by the time I go to eat it!
• Avoid using a thinner sweetener like maple syrup or agave. These will not hold the granola bars together and it will crumble easily. Honey or brown rice syrup is the perfect sweetener to hold these bars together!

Granola bars are a great snack because they're portable and high in protein, fiber and other nutrients. The best part is that you can customize the recipe to suit your specific tastes! Here are some tips and tricks for making your own granola bars.

1. Use whole grains: Whole grains are high in fiber and protein, so they make a great base for granola bars. You can use rolled oats or wheat germ as your base, but also try using whole wheat flour or ground flaxseed instead of white flour.
2. Add nuts and seeds: Nuts and seeds add healthy fats and plant-based protein to your granola bar recipe! Try adding walnuts, almonds or cashews for an extra crunchy texture; sunflower seeds for additional crunchiness; pumpkin seeds for a nutty flavor; or chia seeds for added health benefits like calcium, iron and omega 3 fatty acids!
3. Play with flavor combinations: There are tons of different flavors that go well together in a granola bar recipe! Try mixing cinnamon with raisins for a sweet-spicy snack; peanut butter with chocolate chips for chocolate lovers; lemon zest or pumpkin puree

This delicious and healthy recipe for homemade granola bars will help you out of your breakfast rut.

These homemade granola bar recipes are great for breakfast or even as a midday snack. They're also easy to make, so you can throw them together whenever you get the urge.

You'll find that there are many variations to this recipe—you can change up the flavors and ingredients depending on what's available in your kitchen! Here are some ideas:

• Use different nuts (cashews, almonds)
• Use different dried fruits (raisins or cranberries)
• Add pumpkin seeds or pecans instead of walnuts/almonds

I hope you enjoyed these homemade granola bars! They’re a great snack that you can feel good about eating. They also keep well in the fridge, so they’ll make a great breakfast or afternoon snack that won’t get old as quickly as store-bought versions do

If you have any questions about this recipe, leave it in the comment section below and I'll make sure to get back to you on it!

If you make any of my recipes please tag your photos with #nikkisplate so I can see your beautiful creations! Any feedback in the comments below is greatly appreciated. I hope you have fun! 

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Homemade Granola Bar Recipe with Pumpkin Seeds; This easy granola bar recipe is backed with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, rice puffs, and almonds.