Low Fat Chewy Granola Bars with Pecans Raisins and Chocolate
Moist and Chewy low fat granola bars loaded with chocolate chips, raisins and pecans in every bite. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
You’re probably wondering why I am posting so many baked recipes in this heat but I am having some work done to my house and it’s really hard to cook around here this week. I made these last week knowing things would be chaotic around here… you are going to love these!!!
I cut them in long bars like the granola bars you buy in the store, but it’s actually a lot easier to cut them in squares which is how I will make them in the future.
If you are a regular on my site, you might notice the similarities to my chewy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies! I used that recipe as a base and made some modifications to create this as a bar. I knew they would work out great and they disappeared quickly in my house as you can see by the photo, they almost left me nothing to photograph!
Try them with cranberries instead of raisins, you can replace the chocolate chips with mini m and m’s, leave the nuts out, add coconut, whatever you like!!
Low Fat Chewy Granola Bars with Pecans, Raisins and Chocolate Chips
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oat flour* (or 1 cup oats finely ground in food processor or blender)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unpacked brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups quick oats*
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Line a 9 x 9 baking pan with 2 long pieces of parchment paper, long enough to go up over the sides for easy removal.
- Lightly spray with oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, with a mixer cream together the butter and the sugar on medium speed.
- Add the egg followed by the honey, applesauce and vanilla extract.
- Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture and the oats until just combined and no streaks of flour remain; stir in the chocolate chips, raisins and nuts.
- Spoon oats onto prepared baking dish, flattening to make even.
- Bake for about 23-25 minutes, or until light brown at the edges. They will seem soft and undercooked, but once they cool they will set completely.
- Cool completely on a wire rack then refrigerate before cutting.
- This will help them hold together better.
- To cut use a long serrated bread knife and cut in a sawing motion.
*use gluten-free oats if you are on a gluten free diet
Nutrition Information
Yield: 16 servings, Serving Size: 1 square or bar
- Amount Per Serving:
- Freestyle Points: 7
- Points +: 5
- Calories: 183.1 calories
- Total Fat: 7.8g
- Saturated Fat: g
- Cholesterol: mg
- Sodium: 162.5mg
- Carbohydrates: 29.7g
- Fiber: 2.6g
- Sugar: 17.4g
- Protein: 2.8g










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Love these! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, I've been missing granola bars since going gluten-free & it's fantastic to be able to make my own with whatever add-ins I choose!
Have made them as instructed & have also subbed in coconut for the chocolate chips. My next batch will sub in dried cranberries for the raisins & coconut for the chocolate chips. On my last batch I actually didn't have enough oat flour & didn't feel like processing oats for more, so I just reduced the oat flour by 1/2 cup & increased the oats by 1/2 cup. I also was out of applesauce & left it out, but added a tiny bit of coconut oil (not a full substitution). Anyway, they turned out much more chewy granola bar-like than cookie bar-like for those people that are having issues with that (I think reducing the flour & increasing the oats was the key).
I was so excited when I stumbled upon this recipe. I love granola bars and making healthy bars at home where I control the ingredients…it was a no brainer that I would make these immediately! Aside from substituting a few of the ingredients, i.e., dried cherries and almonds for raisins and pecans, I followed the recipe to a "T". I had such high hopes. Mine looked exactly like Gina's photo, but for some reason they turned out very dry and crumbly. Not sure what happened. Next time I will make some slight modifications and perhaps decrease cook time by a few minutes to see if this yields different results.
I just put mine in! Peanut Butter and Jelly with Raisins!!!
I want to turn your trail mix post from today into granola bars – To do this would I just add to the trail mix the butter, brown sugar, applesauce, honey, and egg from the recipe above?
Gina can you freeze these?
Love these! I added a banana to the batter and they turned out great! Thank you! Will definitely be making these again!
Gina, Can you freeze these? I'd love to make them for my son's on the go breakfast for preschool mornings, but there's no way we'd finish them in 3 to 4 days. Thanks so much for all you do, most of my meals come from your blog, I love having people over who don't do WW, they think they're going to get "diet food" and instead they get healthy, low fat dinner that is delicious, it always surprises them.
Great recipe! I used regular oats and they worked fine. I also put a scoop of protein powder in, which seemed to help them stick together better and I left out the brown sugar. Next time I want to put peanut butter in.
Oh and I added strong coffee and chocolate covered espresso beans for an "adult" version.
Yes! I was looking all over the internet for a good healthy granola bar recipe to send with my hubby to school. Then I looked on here to see if you had one. This will hit the spot! Thank you!
FABULOUS! Just made these for my husband's lunch. Didn't have oat flour or a food processor, so used wholemeal flour. Also did them with walnuts, raisins, coconut & chopped dried apple. Thank you for a great recipe!
Side note = I just calculated how much each "bar" would cost, given you get 16 bars, and it came out to $0.42 each! And I used some expensive fillers such as walnuts and dried fruit. Cost effective and healthy!
Hi Gina!
Love your site. Thank you for the recipes. I made these granola bars and they came out cakey. Any suggestions?
I have made these a few times and they never fail to amaze me! Last night I did them in cupcake tins and they were actually a lot easier to manage than as bars. I was also able to weigh out each portion with my food scale so that they were even. That will be my new go to method. Love all of your recipes, Gina!!
I just made these and they smell delicious and im sure they taste even better!! I added a little bit of coconut along with Mini chocolate chips, pecans and almonds!! So excited! Thank you!!
I made two batches of this today, one for my gluten-free mom and one for myself. I used Gluten free Old fashioned oats for my mom and I added coconut, almonds, and dried cherries. It came out perfectly brown on top and tastes delicious. The non-gluten free one for myself has dark chocolate chips, dried cherries, pecans, and coconut in it. It is also very delicious but not as brown as the gluten free came out. I would actually suggest to use old-fashioned instead of quick!
Planning on making these on my day off this Friday! What can I do with the batch after I've made them? Freeze them, just refrigerate them, or can I keep them in the pantry?
Thanks!!
How long will these stay good?
Refrigerated for a week, you can freeze the rest.
Hello! My entire family is in love with Gina! I've made these a couple of times and they have come out too crumbly each time…trying to make them as a good to-go option. What are your thoughts?
I just made these and they came out perfect and tasty!
Subbed 1very mushy banana for apple sauce. Subbed flax meal for oat flour. Added a scoop of protein powder and some chopped up mixed nuts and berries. I think these are great!
Perhaps you altered it too much.
To preface my comment I love your website, you've inspired me to cook in such a huge way! Regarding this recipe, I believe I followed it (didn't have a 9×9 pan and used an 8×8 instead) but my bars came out cake like. I'm not sure exactly what could've caused this, any thoughts?
Can we get Slow cooker Minestrone soup and ppv (receipe) or other soups for lunches
Can we get Slow cooker Minestrone soup and ppv (receipe) or other soups for lunches
Yummy! Will cut back on the sugar next time but just love them! Wonderful alternative to bought & healthier. Thanks, Gina! Love, love, love your site!
Amazing! I made one batch with PB2 and dark chocolate chips and the kids devoured them. My second batch was made with pomegranate craisins, nuts, and dark chocolate (whatever I had on hand). Delicious! Thank you!
Hi Gina,
I recently joined ww plus program. I've noticed that you used both brown sugar and honey. Could you not omit the sugar to reduce the sugar intake? Also could you use regular oats (not quick cook) instead? As well could you use wheat bran to boost up the protein intake? Is there also a way to reduce the point value to a 3-4? Also I noticed that you say you can use different ingredients (would that not change the point value)?
Thanks Serena
Gina- I found your website on Pinterest. and I am totally addicted. I've printed off so many recipes I had to get a 3 ring binder to put them in. And When I come home from work and my husband sees my stack of recipes he jokes and says hard day at the office I see. Thanks so much for posting, they have all been delish!
hello Gina,
these sound great. Any idea on how to sub something else for the egg? My son is allergic to egg. What else would work as a binder?
Made these last night and am having one for my snack now at work and they are awesome!! I have plenty of ingredients to keep on making them which will definitely save money in the end for how many boxes of granola bars I usually go through. For anyone that says they fell apart, make sure you completely cool them on a wire rack and then I put mine in the fridge overnight. They sliced easily and are holding together. I used an 8×8 pan so they're like thick squares of delight. Thanks Gina!
So so so good
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I make this recipe once a week for my husband and myself. We freeze batches of them for easy snacks, break them apart and pour milk over them for “cereal” and eat them as dessert. I substitute whatever we have on hand. Some combinations that we have loved are subbing pumpkin for applesauce and adding pumpkin pie spice, adding partially cooked apples, raisins and walnuts, using mini chocolate chips instead of regular and making them banana nut by subbing a ripe banana for the applesauce and honey along with walnuts.
We make these in muffin cups instead and they hold together MUCH better. One batch makes a dozen muffins – I fill each cup with 1/4 cup of the batter. Makes them so much more portable and easier to eat! Thanks for this recipe!
The muffin cup idea….genius! Mine are staying together wonderfully. I’m not a huge fan of raisins so I used hemp seeds along with the pecans and chocolate chips.
I would like to know how others have lowered the sugar content. I know the honey is necessary for the ‘sticky’ factor. Is the same true with the brown sugar? I’m no food scientist so I’m timid about just subbing more oat flour or another ingredient to make up the 1/2 cup of brown sugar. What have you tried and who has been successful? Thanks everyone!
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