3 Ways To Make Homemade Energy Bars

You can make these delicious energy bars in the oven, in the microwave or simply without cooking them. In addition, you can choose the ingredients to make energy bars to your liking, all from the comfort of your home.

Energy bars are a healthy option for those who need to recharge their bodies. However, most commercially available bars often contain colorants, preservatives, and other additives. But how about making your own homemade energy bars?

That way, you’ll ensure that all the ingredients are high-quality and also to your liking. Keep reading to learn how to make delicious homemade energy bars!

How to make homemade energy bars

In general terms, energy bars are made from grains, which provide extra energy thanks to their high content of complex carbohydrates. They’re also compact, making them ideal for carrying and eating when you need them, for example, before or after physical exercise.

Although grains are the main ingredient in bars, they also often include other ingredients rich in complex carbohydrates such as nuts and fruits. Likewise, they’re also made with a more liquid ingredient that will help join all the ingredients together: honey, yogurt, butter, etc.

On the other hand, you can make homemade energy bars in different ways, depending on the time you have and your taste, of course. Indeed, you might have to bake some, while you can make others without having to turn on the oven.

In this article, we’ll introduce you to three ways you can make energy bars. We’ll also give you three recipes.

Baked energy bars

Ingredients

• ½ cup of almonds
• ½ cup of walnuts
• 1/2 cup of raisins
• 2 cups of oat flakes
• 2 cups of wheat flakes
• 1 cup rye flakes
• ½ cup of chia and sesame seed mix
• 200 grams of honey

Preparation

1. First, chop the nuts. It’s important that you don’t crush them because later when you bake the bar, it may dissolve in your hands. Therefore, it’s better to leave them in small pieces.
2. Next, crush the seeds.
3. Then, in the same bowl, add the grains, nuts, and seeds and mix them well.
4. Now you have to stick the ingredients together by adding the honey little by little. To do this, stir while adding the honey until everything is stuck together as a paste.
5. After that, on parchment paper in a mold or oven tray, spread the paste or dough and give it a rectangular shape, smoothing the surface.
6. Then, put the mold in the oven and bake at 150-170 ºC (about 300-340 ºF) for about 20 to 25 minutes. It’s important to check it every once in a while: don’t let the dough harden too much.
7. Finally, take it out of the oven and wait for it to cool down. You can now cut it into bars as big as you want.

Homemade energy bars without using the oven

Ingredients

• 25 dried figs
• 100 g of grains (mix of muesli, oats, etc.)
• 25 g of nuts (walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts, depending on what you like)
• 2 tablespoons of honey

Preparation

1. First, crush the figs completely, until they don’t have lumps, like a thick paste.
2. Then, mix the figs and honey in a bowl until they’re well combined.
3. After that, crush a little more than half of the grains and nuts.
4. Next, add the crushed grains into the fig and honey mixture and stir very well.
5. Spread the mixture in a square or rectangular container. Make sure you shape it until you have a smooth and elongated rectangular mass.
6. Then, cut it into smaller pieces, which will later form the bars.
7. Finally, separate the bars and pour the rest of the grains and nuts over them.
8. Put them in the fridge separately and wait for them to cool down (about two hours) before eating. It’s that easy!

And finally…Energy bars in the microwave

Ingredients

• 40 grams of butter
• 20 grams of brown sugar
• 120 grams of oats
• 40 grams of almonds
• 100 grams of dark chocolate (to melt)

Preparation

1. First, crush the almonds.
2. Then, mix the powdered ingredients in a bowl: sugar, oatmeal, and almonds.
3. After that, melt the butter in the microwave.
4. Next, add the butter to the powdered ingredients and mix everything very well.
5. Then, put the dough that you get in a microwave-safe container. Smooth the dough and give it a rectangular shape.
6. Heat in the microwave for about 2.5 minutes on high.
7. Then, let it cool.
8. After that, melt the chocolate and then pour it over the bars.
9. Once everything has cooled, cut the bars to your preferred size.

As you can see, there are three groups of ingredients that you have to include: grains, nuts/dried fruits, and an ingredient to bind them (honey, butter, yogurt, etc.). From there, simply let your imagination run wild.

Indeed, you can prepare the bars with whatever ingredients you like the most. For example, oats and bananas, grains and apples…Have fun with it!