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Sourdough granola bars are delicious, filling, and a great way to use up extra sourdough starter discard. This easy recipe takes only an hour to make (including cooling time), and is easy to customize with your favorite add-ins.
These homemade granola bars are freezer-friendly and perfect for stocking up on healthy snacks. It’s a great recipe to keep on hand when you need something quick, filling, and nourishing.
Keeping up with snacks when you have kids at home can be a challenge, especially if you’re trying to offer healthier options without the extra cost of store-bought alternatives. That’s why homemade snacks like healthy granola bars are a staple in our home.
We also love making sourdough granola, healthy fruit juice gummies, and sourdough blueberry muffins for snacks.
We’re always looking for new ways to use up sourdough discard, and this recipe is one of our favorite ways to reduce food waste while making a nourishing recipe for our family. Plus you don’t have to worry about processed ingredients or all the extra sugar you’d find in store-bought treats. Some other favorite sourdough recipes are my easy sourdough crackers, vanilla almond scones, and chocolate chip muffins made with sourdough discard.
Why You’ll Love Homemade Sourdough Granola Bars
- Inexpensive: Just like my chunky sourdough granola recipe, this uses budget-friendly staples like oats, chocolate chips, peanut butter, and sourdough discard—making it an affordable and delicious snack.
- Healthier Option: This recipe uses wholesome ingredients with no processed add-ins. Honey and peanut butter are natural binders, and sweeten without the need for refined sugar.
- Make It Your Own: Mix in your favorite nuts, dried fruit, coconut flakes, or pumpkin seeds—you can change it up each time!
- Freezer-Friendly: These healthy granola bars freeze great! Make a big batch and save back for busy mornings, hungry kids after school, or a quick pick-me-up before dinner.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Sourdough Discard: Use unfed discard starter instead of active sourdough starter.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet is our go-to, but any kind works—white chocolate, mini chocolate chips, or butterscotch are all great options.
- Peanut Butter: Crunchy or creamy is fine—but be sure to use a high-quality kind for the best taste.
- Honey: Use raw honey for added nutrients and a richer flavor. I buy honey and oats in bulk from Azure Standard.
Equipment
How to Make Sourdough Discard Granola Bars
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making nutritious sourdough granola bars.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2: Butter and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, mix the oats, chocolate chips, roasted nuts, and chia seeds (Photos 1 and 2).
Step 4: Add the sourdough discard, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla (Photo 3). Mix until all ingredients are combined. You can use a mixing spoon or a fork.
Step 5: Pour the granola bar mixture into the prepared baking pan (Photo 4).
Step 6: Use a fork to spread the mixture evenly. Press down with the fork or the back of a measuring cup. The mixture should be evenly distributed in the pan and pressed down (Photo 5).
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 14-15 minutes or until the edges are set and slightly golden (Photo 6).
Step 8: Cool the bars in the pan for at least 30 minutes.
Step 9: Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Step 10: Cut into bars (Photos 7 and 8).
How to Store
Store at room temperature for 4 days or in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Tips
- Use mixed nuts or whichever nuts you prefer. To chop the roasted nuts, use a meat mallet or put them in a plastic bag and then use a rolling pin until chopped into small pieces. You can also chop them with a knife on a cutting board.
- Be sure to use a high-quality peanut butter, as this will make a difference in the flavor of the granola bars
- Instead of chia seeds, you can substitute with sunflower seeds or even pepitas.
- Add any dried fruit you’d like to the sourdough granola bars.
- Instead of chocolate chips, add chocolate chunks.
- Enjoy the bars as a snack or breakfast. Crumble the bar and add to yogurt.
Recipe FAQs
The sourdough discard helps add depth of flavor, improves the texture, and it’s a great way to use up excess discard.
This recipe is super flexible. Once you’ve made the basic granola mixture, you can try many different options. Golden raisins, hemp seeds, and dried cranberries are all fantastic for this healthy snack.
Yes, you can substitute rolled oats.
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
- Sourdough Blueberry Scones
- Sourdough Lemon Bread
- Sourdough Coffee Cake
- Overnight Sourdough Biscuits
- Sourdough Banana Bread
If you make this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you so much!
Sourdough Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats, or rolled oats
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or any chocolate chips of your choice
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted mixed nuts with sea salt, if the nut mixture doesn’t have salt, add ½ teaspoon salt to recipe
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard
- 1/3 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy will work
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Butter and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the oats, chocolate chips, chopped roasted nuts, and chia seeds.
- Add the sourdough discard, peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Mix until all ingredients are combined. You can use a mixing spoon or a fork.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan.
- Use a fork to spread the mixture evenly. Press down with the fork or the back of a measuring cup. The mixture should be evenly distributed in the pan and pressed down.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 14-15 minutes or until the edges are set and slightly golden.
- Cool the bars in the pan for at least 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Cut into bars.
Notes
- Use mixed nuts or whichever nuts you prefer. To chop the roasted nuts, use a meat mallet or put them in a plastic bag and then use a rolling pin until chopped into small pieces.
- Be sure to use a high-quality peanut butter, as this will make a difference in the flavor of the granola bars.
- Instead of chia seeds, you can substitute with sunflower seeds or even pepitas.
- You could also add any dried fruit.
- Instead of chocolate chips, add chocolate chunks.
- Enjoy the bars as a snack, breakfast. Crumble the bar and add to yogurt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chewy, wholesome, and lightly sweet, these bars combine toasted oats, nuts, and dried fruit with a subtle tang from sourdough discard for a perfect grab-and-go snack.