• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Conscientious Eater
  • START HERE
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • Meal Plan
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook
  • 8-Week Meal Plan
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Cookbook
    • 8-Week Meal Plan
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home | Recipes | Granola Bars

    Chewy Homemade Popcorn Granola Bars

    Sep 28, 2022 by Faith VanderMolen

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Full of whole grains and natural sweetness, these homemade chewy Homemade Popcorn Granola Bars will quickly become your family's favorite snack!

    A chewy, craisin studded popcorn granola bar on a plate
    Jump To
    • Also Featured In
    • Popcorn Granola Bars Ingredients
    • Best Homemade Granola Bar Mix-Ins
    • How to Make Popcorn in the Microwave
    • How to Make Gluten-Free Granola Bars
    • How to Keep Homemade Granola Bars from Crumbling Apart
    • Storage
    • More Homemade Bar Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Homemade Chewy Popcorn Granola Bars

    Also Featured In

    This recipe is also featured in the following vegan recipe roundups:

    • Easy Plant-Based Breakfast Ideas

    I make homemade granola bars every week.

    In fact, I don't know what I'd do at snack time if I didn't have some homemade or store-bought granola bars on hand to feed my kids.

    Granola bars are great for so many reasons

    • they're versatile (flavor possibilities galore!)
    • they're delicious, and
    • if made with wholesome ingredients, they're a nutritious snack that can pack a lot of calories to keep you going in between meals.

    Some of our favorite granola bars currently are these No-Bake Granola Bars, these Oatmeal Date Granola Bars and of course, today's recipe for Chewy Homemade Popcorn Granola Bars!

    Let me show you how to make these!

    Popcorn Granola Bars Ingredients

    Recently, these homemade popcorn granola bars were the wonderful result of some late-night inspiration.

    They have the most amazing chewy texture which is speckled with more chewy dried fruit and crunchy chopped nuts.

    To make these vegan and gluten-free Popcorn Granola Bars you'll need the following ingredients:

    • Air popped popcorn
    • Rolled oats
    • Nuts
    • Dried fruit
    • Sticky liquid sweetener
    • Nut butter
    • Coconut oil
    • Cinnamon
    • Sea salt

    I think the popcorn is the star of the show when it comes to these homemade granola bars. It adds the best flavor and texture!

    I prefer to use air popped popcorn to keep them light and healthy.

    If you don't have a hot air popcorn machine, don't worry! Neither do I. I'll share how I'm still able to pop my popcorn at home without one below.

    As for the dried fruit, nuts and nut butter, just use your favorites or whatever you have on hand.

    Additionally, these popcorn granola bars can easily be adapted to use whatever dried fruit, nuts and nut butter you have on hand and I'd love to hear what combinations you all come up with!

    Best Homemade Granola Bar Mix-Ins

    Granola bars are so fun to make at home, because you can always switch up the mix-ins and create delicious new flavor variations every time!

    Some of our favorite granola bar mix-ins are listed below:

    • Chopped roasted and salted nuts
    • Pumpkin seeds
    • Sunflower seeds
    • Craisins
    • Raisins
    • Other chopped dried fruit
    • Chocolate chips
    • Cacao chips
    • Coconut flakes
    • Crushed, puffed cereal

    Get creative with the mix-ins you put in your granola bars. That way you'll never get bored!

    chewy popcorn granola bars on baking paper

    How to Make Popcorn in the Microwave

    My favorite way to make the air-popped popcorn for this recipe is to use a paper bag, popcorn and a microwave.

    Yep. A paper bag and a microwave.

    Simply put about 3-4 tablespoons of un-popped popcorn into a paper bag, close the top of the bag by folding it over 1 to 2 times.

    Then microwave the bag on high. After about a minute or two the popping of the popcorn will become less frequent and you'll know the popcorn is done when you can count 3 seconds between pops.

    As soon as you can get to three seconds between pops, stop the microwave. You don't want to over-microwave the popcorn or else it will burn.

    And that's it! You now have easy and healthy air-popped popcorn that you can use in these vegan and gluten-free granola bars!

    How to Make Gluten-Free Granola Bars

    Let me talk you through how to make these deliciously chewy, gluten-free granola bars.

    1. Start by lining an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and set is aside.
    2. In a large mixing bowl, crush the air-popped popcorn with your hands until there are no large pieces remaining. Stir in the rolled oats, chopped almonds and dried fruit.
    3. In a sauce pan, combine the liquid sweetener, nut butter, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt and heat the mixture over low heat for about a minute, stirring constantly until smooth and combined.
    4. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir everything well until all the dry ingredients have been coated in the sticky mixture.
    5. Pour the batter into your lined baking pan and, using damp hands, press everything down until nice and compact. You can use the base of a cup to press everything down even more tightly.
    6. Place the pan in the fridge to set for 1 hour. Once chilled, remove the mixture from the pan and cut it into whatever size bars you desire. I love making 9 large squares.

    Gluten Free: Obviously, if you want your granola bars to be gluten-free, you need to ensure that all of the ingredients are themselves gluten-free.

    chewy popcorn granola bars cut up on parchment paper

    How to Keep Homemade Granola Bars from Crumbling Apart

    I can understand why some people like store-bought granola bars better than homemade.

    One big reason is because store-bought granola bars often stick together well and don't crumble apart when you take them with you throughout the day.

    But, homemade granola bars can stick together too!

    You just need to learn a few tricks to keep them from crumbling apart.

    Some of my tips for keeping homemade granola bars well stuck together are to:

    • Use sticky ingredients to bind everything together (nut butter, dates, coconut oil, etc.)
    • Press your mixture together well before chilling to make sure things stick together
    • Keep your granola bars chilled until just before eating
    • Add a thin layer of chocolate to help bind everything together

    Mess around with one (or all!) of these methods and I'm sure you'll get the hang of it!

    a thick, chewy homemade popcorn granola bar on a plate

    Storage

    These bars stay best when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

    I'd say they should last about a week, maybe even up to two weeks!

    I haven't tried it, but I don't think they'd freeze well due to the air-popped popcorn. I'm guessing it would get too chewy after being frozen and then thawed.

    Three chewy, homemade popcorn granola bars stacked high on a plate

    More Homemade Bar Recipes

    If you like this homemade healthy popcorn bar recipe, you'll love my other healthy snack bar recipes!

    • Homemade Clif Bars
    • Homemade Whole Wheat Fig Newtons (Vegan)
    • Easy Homemade Oatmeal Date Granola Bars
    • Black Tahini Date Bars stacked on table
      Tahini Date Bars (Vegan)

    📖 Recipe

    Homemade Chewy Popcorn Granola Bars

    Faith VanderMolen
    Full of whole grains and natural sweetness, these homemade chewy Popcorn Granola Bars will quickly become your family's favorite snack!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course Snacks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9 bars
    Calories 294 kcal

    Equipment

    • Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
    • Unbleached Parchment Paper

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 3 cups air popped popcorn crushed
    • 1 ½ cups rolled oats
    • ½ cup almonds chopped
    • ½ cup craisins*
    • ½ cup rice syrup or honey if not vegan
    • ½ cup peanut butter**
    • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
    • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

    Instructions 

    • Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
    • In a large mixing bowl, crush the popcorn with your hands until there are no large pieces remaining. Stir in the rolled oats, chopped almonds and dried fruit.
    • In a sauce pan, combine the remaining ingredients and heat the mixture over low heat for about a minute, stirring constantly until smooth and combined.
    • Pour the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir everything well until all the dry ingredients have been coated in the sticky peanut butter mixture.
    • Pour the mixture into your lined baking pan and, using damp hands, press the mixture down until level and compact. You can use the base of a cup to press everything down even more tightly.
    • Place the pan in the fridge to set for 1 hour. Once chilled, remove the mixture from the pan and cut it into whatever size bars you desire. I love making 9 large squares.
    • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for a week or longer!

    Video

    Notes

    *You can use whatever dried fruit you desire. Just make sure it's cut into small pieces.
    **If you have a peanut allergy or want your kids to take these to school, feel free to use a different nut/seed butter!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 8gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.001gSodium: 141mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 4gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 9IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

    More Granola Bars

    • Vegan Protein Bars
    • Vegan Oatmeal Bars with Jam!
    • Vegan Breakfast Cookies
    • Healthier Peanut Butter Bars (Vegan + Gluten-Free!)


    Plant Biased Cookbook


    Plant Biased cover
     

    Plant Biased is my new cookbook and beginner's guide to eating a more plant based diet! I describe it as "the book I wish I had when I went vegan back in 2013."

    Plant Biased includes...

    90+ beginner recipes! My top breakfast, main dish, dessert & snack recipes!
    Why Plant Biased? Understand the "why" behind your choice to go plant-based!
    Vegan Cooking Basics: What you need to know and what to avoid when cooking.
    Grocery Shopping: How to confidently find healthy, unprocessed foods at the store.
    Nutritional Guidelines: Make sure you meet all your nutritional needs!
    Kitchen Essentials: Learn to create a place where you'll LOVE to cook!

    Buy it now for only $18.95 $9.95!

     
    Preview & Buy!


    buy Plant Biased on Amazon  

    Customer Reviews
    ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.8 out of 5


    31 All-Time Greatest Eats Cookbook!

    For a limited time, I'm giving away a 68-page cookbook of my reader-favorite recipes called my "31 All-Time Greatest Eats"!

    Just click the cover image above or the Download button below and it will take you directly to the PDF!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marie says

      September 10, 2019 at 1:58 pm

      These looks good! Never though about adding popcorn, but assume the corn tastes amazing with the other add-ins!
      Do you find that the popcorn gets somewhat soggy after a while, or does it work out ok in these bars? I have some bad memories when it comes to leftover popcorn, and is scared that it will get soft and weird if I store the bars a couple of days. Or maybe it works better as its covered in other good things... ? Maybe I just have to try ! 🙂

      Reply
      • Faith says

        September 11, 2019 at 9:48 am

        I totally understand your concern, but don't worry! The popcorn doesn't get stale or soggy. It's just wonderfully chewy. I hope you give these a try and like them. Let me know if you do and what you think!

        Reply
        • Marie says

          September 11, 2019 at 2:11 pm

          Thank you for the reply! Wonderfully chewy is good 🙂 Will definitely give them a try and report back!

        • Faith says

          September 14, 2019 at 4:09 am

          Yes please report back! Hope you like them!

    2. Elizabeth says

      September 10, 2019 at 1:01 am

      This looks delicious! I've been looking for a good granola bar recipe. Glad I met you at the playground! 🙂 I'll definitely try out this recipe.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        September 11, 2019 at 9:47 am

        I'm so glad you commented Elizabeth and that I met you at the curve. Thanks for chatting and hope to see you again! Let me know if you make and like these granola bars!

        Reply
    5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

    Please Leave A Star Review In The Recipe Card! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm a plant-based digital nomad mom-of-two living in Malaysia. Meet Faith!

    For a limited time, I'm giving away a free cookbook of my Top 31 recipes!

    Get it while you can!

    Free Download

    Eat Healthy in 2023!

    • Healthy Cookie Dough Overnight Oats

    • zucchini bread baked oatmeal
      Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal

    • creamy tomato zucchini soup topped with grilled cheese croutons
      Creamy Vegan Tomato Zucchini Soup

    • Vegan Broccoli Potato Soup (Dairy-Free!)

    • Vegan Soba Noodle Recipe!

    • Refreshing Green Smoothie Recipe!

    Most Popular Recipes

    • whole wheat artisan bread on a cutting board
      Easy Whole Wheat Artisan Bread Recipe

    • Easy Homemade Oatmeal Date Granola Bars

    • Whole Wheat No-Yeast No-Rise Vegan Pizza Dough

    • Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cashews

    • 5 Vegan Overnight Oats Recipes You Can Meal Prep!

    • two glasses of oat milk next to a jar of oat milk
      Homemade Oat Milk Recipe

    8-Week Plant Biased Meal Plan Cover

    DON'T think about recipe planning for weeks!

    ✅ Save Time

    ✅ Reduce Stress

    ✅ Eat Healthy

    Preview & Buy!

    Sourdough Heaven!

    • Vegan Sourdough Waffles

    • Sourdough Pumpkin Bread (Vegan!)

    • Sourdough Banana Bread

    • Easy Sourdough Muffins

    • Vegan Sourdough Pancakes (6 Ingredients!)

    • Vegan Sourdough Bread (Beginner-Friendly!)

    Footer

    The Conscientious Eater

    • START HERE
    • All Recipes
    • Plant Biased Cookbook
    • 8-Week Meal Plan

    Sponsorship

    Sponsor My Emails
    Sponsor Youtube, IG, Website

    My Recipes

    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes by Cuisine
    • Main Dishes by Recipe Type
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Snacks
    • Breads
    • WIAW

    Important Stuff

    • Privacy Policy
    • Site Accessbility
    • No AI Training
    • Disclosure
    • Contact
    • Some icons from flaticon.com

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 This website was designed using the Seasoned Pro Theme from Feast Design Co.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.