18 Healthy Homemade Breakfast Bars to Jumpstart Your Day

Homemade breakfast bars are one of the most satisfying make-ahead breakfast options. They can be chewy, crunchy or soft-baked. Plus, they’re made to be portable. No microwave needed, just grab and go.

While the grocery store has a wall of breakfast bar options (and some can be on the healthier side), most also contain refined sugars, preservatives, fiber boosters that can cause tummy troubles and some (especially protein bars) can contain food dyes. Our breakfast bar recipes are packed with protein and fiber from whole foods, and most contain zero refined sugars.

The best part of these bar recipes is that they are each customizable to your own taste. Just substitute any of the fruits or nuts for similar ingredients in your pantry. If you want to bump up the protein content, swap in a half cup of protein powder for a half cup of oats (most recipes are oats-based).

For a complete breakfast, grab one of these bars along with a piece of fruit and a glass of protein-rich milk or a sugar-free latte.

Start with Apricot Sesame Energy Bars. The sweetness of dried apricots pairs perfectly with the richness of sesame and hemp seeds in these nut-free, no-bake treats. Hemp seeds have a unique nutrient profile as they are a source of both types of healthy omega fats: omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Hemp seeds are also a source of complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids. These bars are a wholesome breakfast with a total of 10 grams of protein and eight grams of dietary fiber per serving.

With four grams of fiber to keep you full until lunch, these chewy bars are a little sweet, a little tart and totally satisfying. Toasted oats and almonds form the hearty base. The oats and almonds also contain the nutrient magnesium which helps the body efficiently create energy. The chia seeds add a boost of healthy omega-3 fats and also more energy-enhancing magnesium. Even that drizzle of dark chocolate contains some magnesium – and makes the breakfast bars feel like a treat.

These healthy bars are inspired by ssal gangjeong, a traditional Korean snack made from deep-fried puffed rice coated in rice syrup and honey and mixed with a varying assortment of nuts, seeds and dried fruits. We add cashews, dates and sesame seeds and use Korean rice syrup and honey as the sweet binder. Think of it as a healthier, lighter take on marshmallow-based rice crispy treats. With three grams of protein and two grams of fiber, the bars are deliciously fun as a breakfast or snack.

For a homemade granola bar, this recipe packs a notable amount of protein. All plant-based, it contains seven grams of the macronutrient to keep you satisfied all morning. Crunchy pepitas (a.k.a. pumpkin seeds) are a nutrient powerhouse filled with fiber, healthy fats, zinc, phosphorus and magnesium, not to mention eight grams of protein in a quarter-cup serving. This fruit-and-nut bar also has that store-bought chewy texture that comes from brown rice syrup. Dried cherries give it a burst of sweet-tart flavor that is balanced by optional flaky sea salt.

Store-bought granola bars can contain a lot of sugar. In the ingredients list of one popular bar we counted six types of sugar including malted barley extract, corn syrup and invert sugar. We also did not find many nutrient-rich ingredients beyond whole grains. This granola bar, however, is packed with nutrition-rich ingredients including plenty of dried fruit, whole-grain oats, seeds, nuts and wheat germ. It’s sweetened with a touch of brown sugar, and honey which also contributes to the familiar chewy texture we love in granola bars.

Say good morning to a bar that could easily fit into the Mediterranean diet, thanks to all the whole grains, nuts, seeds and sweet figs stuffed into it. It’s also sweetened with honey, the sunny sweetener of the Mediterranean. But thanks to the naturally sweet figs, the total amount of added sugar is only 1.5 teaspoons per bar. Swirl on the topping, which contains protein-rich Greek yogurt and dream of Mediterranean beaches all morning.

With just eight ingredients, these granola bars are easy to mix up in minutes from ingredients you probably already have on-hand. A simple mixture of whole-grain oats, peanut butter and chocolate chips make these a favorite way to start the day. The genius hack of adding an egg white increases the protein and also makes the bars stick-together-sturdy, so that they are perfectly portable.

Every ingredient in these bars is jam-packed with nutrition – quite literally – as even the jam slathered on top is sweet “fruit only” preserves. Two types of whole grains form the tasty foundation of these breakfast bars along with wheat germ and walnuts which are chock-full of healthy fats. Dried cherries contain antioxidants known as anthocyanins, which are powerful nutrients that help reduce inflammation and add their signature deep red pops of color.

This nut, seed, dried fruit and chocolate chip bar is also packed with the protein-rich seed quinoa. Much like popcorn, puffed quinoa can be made by placing uncooked quinoa in a hot, dry skillet and watching it puff up in a few seconds. Using a sprinkle of flaky salt on top of the bars means we can use less sweetener. Best of all, it’s easy to grab and go.

These bars are the perfect combination of soft and chewy with crunchy bites of almonds and sunflower seeds. Studded with sweet apricots, dates and raisins, and sweetened with maple syrup, this filling breakfast contains zero refined sugars. Two of these bars will nourish you all morning with around 10 grams of protein and five grams of fiber, coming in at about 260 calories.

If you’ve ever made Peanut Butter No-Bake Cookies, mixing up these energy bars might remind you of them. Here, the combination of cinnamon, roasted peanuts, dried apricots and figs, along with the sweet peanut butter oats is deliciously satisfying – and maybe a bit like eating cookies for breakfast! But these bars are also packed with super nutrients including the antioxidants, potassium, magnesium and zinc.

Cinnamon and ginger are signature spices in oatmeal cookies and here they’re baked into an oatmeal bar that might taste just as cozy as cookies. The spices are also rich in plant flavonoids that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This recipe is overflowing with ingredients that add nutrients and good flavor including figs, walnuts and honey. Eggs and dry milk powder increase the protein content and crunchy bran cereal bumps up the fiber count.

Grab one of Ina’s vanilla-scented granola bars along with a latte and the morning might turn out extra special. That’s because the recipe combines all the ways to make a granola bar scrumptious including butter, shredded coconut, toasted wheat germ, and both honey and brown sugar. Several nutrient-rich ingredients are also stirred in including whole-grain oats, crunchy almonds and antioxidant-rich dried cranberries, apricots and dates.

This granola bar recipe is one of our most customizable. Make it with whatever is in your pantry. Choose antioxidant-rich dried cherries and raisins or fiber-containing figs to add natural sweetness. Use any seed from hemp seeds to pumpkin seeds; they both happen to be abundant in the minerals magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, iron and potassium. Even the nut butter could switched up; mix in protein-rich peanut butter or nutty tahini.

One serving of these Protein Bars would make a great post-workout snack, but for breakfast take along two servings. Two of these substantial bars pack in 16 grams of protein and six grams of fiber. Along with a piece of fruit, that’s a breakfast of champions. This recipe uses a variety of wholesome ingredients to reach these protein totals including tofu, eggs and peanut butter. A bounty of dried fruit adds an abundance of antioxidants and yummy ‘mixed berry’ flavor.

These healthy breakfast bars are inspired by ssal gangjeong, a traditional Korean snack made from deep-fried puffed rice coated in rice syrup and honey and mixed with a varying assortment of nuts, seeds and dried fruits. Our version uses puffed brown rice cereal, puffed quinoa and rolled oats as a whole-grain base. We add cashews, dates and sesame seeds and use Korean rice syrup and honey as the sweet binder. Think of it as a healthier, lighter take on marshmallow-based crispy rice treats that will appeal to all ages. With just 168 calories and 7 grams of total fat, the bars are lower-calorie and lower-fat and still deliciously fun for breakfasts and snacks (see Cook’s Note).

A puffed quinoa breakfast bar is a nutritious snack or meal-on-the-go made primarily from puffed quinoa, often combined with ingredients like nut butters (such as almond or peanut), sweeteners (such as honey, maple syrup or dates), nuts and seeds (such as almonds, chia or flaxseed) and dried fruits (such as cranberries or raisins). It is a healthy alternative to processed bars and a great source of plant-based protein. Best of all, it’s easy to grab and go.