These wholesome easy homemade muesli bars (granola bars for USA readers) are the perfect grab-and-go snack for busy families. Packed with goodness and just the right amount of sweetness, it’s a lunchbox hero and a make-ahead favourite.
Whether you're looking for a healthy (& super simple) alternative to store-bought bars or a simple slice the kids will love, this recipe delivers on flavour, texture, and convenience.
This recipe for homemade muesli bars using packet muesli is a delicious breakfast alternative or snack on the go and so so very versatile.
When my kids were little little, I always had some of these in the fridge or freezer for a super quick but healthy 'breakfast entree.' Yes it's a thing.
You know when little kids wake up and they're hangry - give them homemade muesli bars while they wait for their proper breakfast & thank me later.
Why this recipe?
- Quick and Easy: Simple steps and pantry staples make this a hassle-free snack even the kids could make.
- Healthy: Packed with oats (basically a superfood), fruit, and natural sweeteners, it’s a wholesome choice.
- Perfect for Lunchboxes: Kids (and adults!) will love it as a snack or treat.
- Customisable: Swap in your favourite fruits, nuts, or seeds or even use the dregs of cereals (it's very flexible) to make it your own.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: Bake, slice, and store (or freeze) for an easy grab-and-go option all week.
- Economical: You'll never have to spend money on muesli bars again.
Ingredients
To make these delicious breakfast muesli bars you will need:
- Muesli - homemade muesli or storebought muesli or any combination or cereals, rolled oats, nuts and dried fruit. My favourite is Carmen's fruit-free muesli.
- Plain flour - also called all purpose flour. You could also use spelt flour.
- Brown sugar - firmly packed.
- Honey
- Butter - melted (coconut oil could be used instead but it will alter the taste)
- Eggs
Substitutions
Sugars
You can mix up the sugars if you like. Brown sugar does make for a softer bar.
If you use something like raw sugar you will have crunchy muesli bars.
We also like rapadura sugar that has a similar texture in the finished muesli bars.
Honey
Instead of honey you could use pure maple syrup or rice malt syrup.
Instructions
Step 1
Start your super saver bars by mixing the muesli (or whatever you’re using) with the flour in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
To the flour and muesli, add the melted butter, sugar and honey.
The original recipe says to melt the three together in a small saucepan over low heat but I took the lazy route and zapped the butter mixture in the microwave 10 seconds at a time until it was smooth.
Step 3
Finally, add the eggs and mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Step 4
Spread the mixture into a lined slice tin and press it down with the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula.
Make sure that the top is even or you’ll have some extra crunchy bits and some soft sections.
Bake muesli bars at 180C fan-forced for 25 minutes.
Step 5
Leave the cooked slice to cool in the tin.
Step 6
Chop it up using a serrated knife.
Of course you can cut it into muesli bars if you like.
Variations
You can mix up the flavours in these. They're so versatile. A few ways you can spice up the flavour of these yummy bars:
- Add spice like cinnamon or some vanilla extract
- Mix in some natural peanut butter (or other nut butters) - you'll probably want to melt this a little with the butter mixture.
- Add choc chips - add when you add the muesli
- Tip with a chocolate drizzle - once cool pipe on melted chocolate using a small ziplock bag with the corner snipped off
Storage
Store your homemade muesli bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 7 days or freeze.
To freeze, I just throw them all in a container or ziplock bag. I pop them straight into lunchboxes still frozen and they're thawed by morning tea time.
FAQs
Most muesli bar recipes will include a brown sugar, honey and butter mixture.
While you can substitute some of those ingredients for other options, that combination makes the perfect glue to hold muesli bars (or granola bars) together and stop them crumbling.
Absolutely you can make it into a homemade muesli bar with no nuts. Just swap the nuts for seeds like sunflower or pepitas or sesame seeds (or choose a nut-free muesli) to make it school-safe.
Yes, but the texture may be slightly softer. Rolled oats give the slice more chew and structure.
Yes. Just make sure the nuts or seeds are finely chopped (or even in meal form) and honey is avoided for children under 1.
You can reduce or replace the sweetener with mashed banana or a bit of apple puree, though it may alter the texture.
You sure can. Just us a gluten free muesli and substitute the flour with a gluten free version (just not coconut flour as it changes the consistency too much).
Enjoy!
Recipe
Muesli bar slice (using packet muesli)
Ingredients
- 3 cups home-made toasted muesli regular muesli or any combination of cereals, oats, nuts and dried fruit
- ½ cup plain AP flour
- ⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup honey
- 60 g 2oz butter, melted
- 2 eggs beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C(360F) fan forced and grease and line a 20x30 slice pan with baking paper so that it extends over the long sides.
- In one bowl, mix together the flour and muesli (or whatever you are using - add chocolate chips here too if you like).
- In a heat-proof jug or bowl, mix together the butter, sugar and honey then in 10 second goes, microwave it (stirring between each 10 second blast) until the sugar has dissolved and it has formed a smooth mixture. Alternatively you can melt them together on the stove.
- Add the mixture to the muesli/flour and stir to combine.
- Add the beaten eggs and mix it all up until everything is evenly distributed.
- Spread the batter into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon making sure that the top of the slice is even.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Be aware that the slice will harden as it cools so don't overcook it.
- Leave it in the tin to cool completely and then cut up and serve.
Claire says
Such a simple and flexible recipe great for a quick snack (perfect for arvo teas when you forgot to prepare anything).
Felicity says
Thanks! This is just what I'm after :)
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
Hehe you make me laugh. You didn't sound like a Danoz Direct person at all-there was no mention of steak knives too! ;) Making muesli bars is a great idea and that way you can put just what you want in them!
Claire says
You can indeed. I'm a no fruit girl but I love added nuts and the rest of the muesli.