These soft and chewy Homemade Snack Bars are just like the Clif® Bars you find in store – only better, because you make them yourself! This protein bar recipe is easy to make from scratch with wholesome ingredients like old fashioned oats, peanut butter, honey and shredded wheat.
As you all know I am not really outdoorsy.
And while oats and raisins and granola can certainly be eaten indoors it kinda seems like the outdoors have claimed them as their own.
So what I am proposing is that all us indoor people take back granola. That’s right. You don’t have to hike mountains and wears khaki to enjoy an oat bar. You don’t have to drink water out of a water bottle and wear a backpack to enjoy raisins.
It’s a fact. I am currently indoors, wearing non-khaki clothes, drinking a beverage out of a cup with no squeeze lid, and am gazing at my cute new bag that is on the table next to me. All safely indoors. AND I am eating an oat-packed, raisin-filled bar.
The whole idea of this snack might seem out of place on my sugar filled site, but I assure you, it’s every bit as delicious as say, a Caramel Swirled Pretzel M&M Blondie…ok, well, that’s not entirely true…but they’re really good. A close second to those bars, for sure!
They are much like the Clif Bars that you can buy in the supermarket…but better, because you make them. Homemade is always better, don’t you think?
My kids love them too, but I make them eat them outdoors. Kids are messy, plus I’ve heard fresh air is good for kids. Whatever.
So let’s get down to the dirty…
Grab your food processor. I loathe mine…anyone have any suggestions about a good food processor? I need a new one!
Anyway, pulse some raisins until they are chopped up a little. They will get a little sticky, that’s ok.
Then add in some of your other healthy stuff…oats, shredded wheat, cinnamon and a pinch of salt…pulse it together.
In a separate bowl whisk together some honey, some vanilla, a couple eggs and some peanut butter.
Mix the wet and the dry and if you’re feeling crazy add some mini chocolate chips. Press it all into a prepared pan.
Bake it up and let it cool before cutting into squares.
No khaki necessary.
Print
Homemade Clif® Snack Bars
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 23 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
These wholesome, soft and chewy Homemade Snack Bars taste just like the Clif® Bars you find in store – only better, because you make them yourself!
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 3 large biscuit style shredded wheat cereal, or 1 cup un-frosted spoon-size shredded wheat
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Spray an 8×8 pan lightly with cooking spray.
- Place raisins in food processor and pulse until lightly chopped (it will be sticky)
- Add the shredded wheat, oats, cinnamon and salt in food processor and pulse until mixture is finely chopped and incorporated.
- In a large bowl whisk together eggs, honey, vanilla and peanut butter.
- Add the oat mixture and chocolate chips and stir until combined.
- Spread in prepared pan and bake 15-18 minutes until edges are slightly golden.
- Let cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares.
Notes
recipe adapted from California Raisin
I’m also curious if the raisins are essential. I love the idea of making these, but no one in my house is a fan of the raisin!
I love Clif Bars! I especially love heating them up just a bit in the microwave so they taste like a warm cookie! These look fantastic and I can’t wait to try making these!
My son LOVES Clif bars, but he eats the ones geared towards kids.
Are the raisins in these essential for the texture/taste? My son is not a raisin fan…..
also, could you use regular sized chocolate chips instead?
I think I’ll make some of these for this weekend (he prefers a chocolate base though, any ideas?) as he’s running an 8K and a 1mi race and then has a soccer game later that same day. He’s gonna need the nutrition and energy!
I don’t imagine they are essential, but they do add a lot of sweetness, so if you don’t add them I would recommend using a bit more honey, maybe 2 Tbsp, and add in a little more of the oats to substitute for the bulk of the raisins 🙂
You could replace the raisins with dates, they get sticky and binds things together well.
How cool is that?!?! I think we’ll have to give these a try. Although I only have frosted shredded wheat right now….
These look great! I love Cliff bars.
Yum these look delicious! Definitely going to be making them soon :). Bookmarking your site!
If you are ready to spend some money, I am in love with my Cuisinart Elite Collection 14-cup Food Processor. The only downfall is that the base is heavy, otherwise I love that it has three different cup capacities.
Someone gave me an OLD Cuisinart when I was due with my first baby…. That was 13yrs ago and it is still going strong! Also, I’ve eaten SW for years and it is wonderful and filling! I put in strawberries or bananas to add sweetness.
My family has a major aversion to pb, all nut butters really, any suggestions for a like consistency exchange? I assume it is used not only for protein, but for binding as well?
“anyone have any suggestions about a good food processor? I need a new one!” <— I use my Vita for everything. LMK what you end up getting b/c I'm game to try what you try 🙂
These look awesome. I love Clif bars!
Great bars! I am a sucker for that kind of treat.
Cheers,
Rosa
Do these bars stick together like Cliff Bars? It seems whenever I make something similar to this they seem to crumble apart and end in in a gazillion pieces which is so always so disappointing.