Sourdough Granola Bars Recipe (Easy And Chewy)

These Sourdough Granola bars are soft and chewy, full of flavor, and are so easy to make. They make a great snack for your kids that you can feel good about since they are made with simple ingredients. 

Sourdough snacks for kids

I love stocking my pantry with snacks for my kids made with my sourdough starter. Some of our favorites are cheez-its, goldfish, animal crackers, and now these chewy granola bars. This sourdough discard granola bar recipe makes a great after-school snack or addition to a packed school lunch. These bars are chewy and delicious, and won’t crumble like many of the homemade granola bars. You’ll also love this Sourdough Breakfast Bars with Jam recipe for a quick on the go breakfast option.

Reasons you will love these homemade granola bars

1. Made with simple ingredients like oats, honey, peanut butter, and sourdough discard. 
2. They don’t crumble or fall apart.
3. Great for kids and school lunches. 
4. Knock off version of the Chewy granola bars without all the extra ingredients. 

Tips for Success 

1. Press the granola mixture into the 9×9 pan with a piece of parchment paper before baking. This will help the bars stay together.
2. Do not skip putting the bars in the fridge for an hour before cutting into them. The cooler temperatures will set the bars and ensure they stay together when cut.
3. Wrap individually in beeswax or seran wrap for an easy grab-and-go snack option.  
4. Use rolled oats not quick oats. Quick oats are too thin and do not keep their texture as they cook.
5. You can substitute peanut butter for almond butter or another nut butter if preferred.  

Tools to make sourdough granola bars

The only tool you’ll need is a 9×9 pan. and some parchment paper. I don’t recommend skipping the parchment paper as it is very helpful in getting the bars out of the pan after baking.

Optional add-ins for Sourdough Granola Bars

I love using mini chocolate chips in this recipe, but you can leave them out if you’d like, or you can even substitute them for your favorite add-ins! You can use cinnamon, pumpkin seeds, nuts such as walnuts or almonds, or dried fruit such as golden raisins, cranberries, or apricots. 

Ingredients for Sourdough Granola Bars

• Melted butter- Salted or unsalted butter works great or substitute for coconut oil for a dairy-free option.
• Peanut butter – You can substitute for any nut butter you prefer such as almond butter but be sure to use a creamy version not crunchy.
• Honey – This helps not only sweeten the bars but helps them stay together. You can swap honey for maple syrup if you’d like.
• Sourdough discard- Discard is the portion of your sourdough starter that you remove before feeding. It is no longer active and bubbly and is not ideal for leavening bread, but makes a great addition to recipes like this one! 
• Vanilla extract – This enhances the flavors in the bars.  
• Brown sugar – The brown sugar not only adds flavor but also helps the granola bars stay together.  
• Rolled oats – Be sure to use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.  
• Salt – Any type of salt you have on hand will work.
• Mini chocolate chips – This is optional, you can omit or replace it with an ingredient like dried fruit or nuts. 

How to make Sourdough Granola Bars

Preheat the oven to 325F.

First, melt the peanut butter and butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then, mix in the honey, discard, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Add in brown sugar, rolled oats, and salt and stir to combine. Fold in chocolate chips. 

Line a 9×9″ square baking pan with parchment paper. Dump the mixture into the prepared pan. Using a piece of parchment paper press the mix into the pan to form an even layer. 

Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are lightly browning and then remove them from the pan and let them cool. Grab the ends of the parchment paper to easily lift them out. 

Once they have cooled, cover them and place them in the fridge for at least an hour or more. This makes it easier to cut and so they do not fall apart. Cut them into 12 equal bars. 

Wrap them individually in beeswax or plastic wrap so you can easily grab them for a quick grab-and-go snack. 

How to store Sourdough Granola bars

It’s best to store them wrapped in beeswax or seran wrap, or in an airtight container or ziplock bag. If kept on the counter they will last several days, or they will last up to 10 days in the fridge. If you want to freeze them, you can wrap them individually and then add them to a freezer bag. They will stay fresh in the freezer for a couple of months. To thaw, just remove them from the fridge and let them thaw on the counter or in the fridge.