These Copycat Kind Granola Bars are loaded with nuts and drizzled with chocolate and sea salt. They taste just like the Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Kind Bars! They turn out perfectly crunchy, delicious and nutritious!
If you love easy and filling snacks as much as I do, try my Energy Balls and my Pumpkin Pecan Granola!
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Copycat Kind Granola Bars
During the week, granola bars are always my breakfast go to. I have been eating the Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt Kind bars for the past couple of months and decided to try making them at home. After all, Kind Bars are actually a bit pricey and I figured it would be pretty easy to make at home!
I was right. These bars taste EXACTLY like the Kind Bars I love. Perfectly chewy, crunchy, sweet and chocolatey. These bars are perfect as a snack for back to school or as an on the go breakfast. These granola bars are easier to make than you might think. They take 20 minutes to prep and makes 20 bars!
Ingredients Needed
These Copycat Kind Granola Bars use whole ingredients for a nutritious and filling snack. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Nuts: Almonds, Peanuts & Walnuts make a great combination of flavors for these granola bars.
- Crispy Rice Cereal: An addition of crispy rice cereal adds some carbohydrates and a great crunchy texture.
- Ground Flaxseed: Ground flaxseed has beneficial fiber and will keep you fuller for longer!
- To Sweeten: A combination of Honey, Light Corn Syrup and Maple Syrup are combined to sweeten and act as a binding agent for the granola bars.
- Sea Salt: Sea salt is crunchy and balances the sweet and nutty flavors of these bars.
- Vanilla: A bit of vanilla adds a nice flavor!
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: You will want to melt some chocolate chips of your choice to drizzle on top of the bars.
- Coconut Oil: I like to combine coconut oil with the chocolate to help with the texture of the chocolate.
How to make Copycat Kind Granola Bars
- Prep and Mix: Generously grease a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, add all of the nuts, cereal and flax seed. Set aside.
- Cook the Syrup Mixture: Add honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt to a medium saucepan. Over medium-high heat continuously stir until the mixture reaches 260 degrees on a candy thermometer. Immediately pour the syrup mixture over the nuts. Stir until well incorporated.
- Pour & Chill: Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden. Once chilled cut into 20 bars.
- Melt the Chocolate: Add chocolate chips and coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave for 15 second increments until fully melted and smooth.
- Assemble: Dip the bars in the chocolate and place on parchment paper greased with cooking spray. Drizzle with extra chocolate on top of the bars and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Place back in the refrigerator to let the chocolate set. (About 30 minutes).
- Store & Enjoy: Store the bars in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy for an easy breakfast or snack!
Tips for the Best Granola Bars
- If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can cook the syrup mixture until it comes to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, stir continuously for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture is thick. Once it is cooked for a few minutes, it will be sticky enough to hold the bars together!
- Make them sweeter! If you prefer a sweeter copycat Kind granola bar, try using milk chocolate or white chocolate instead of semi-sweet!
- For the crispy rice cereal, you can choose a natural, organic brand of cereal or regular Rice Crispies will also work.
- Add some dried fruit! You can really make these granola bars your own. If you like some dried fruit in your bars, feel free to add some!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store my granola bars?
You can store these granola nut bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. I like to wrap them individually so that I can grab them and go!
Do I have to use corn syrup in these granola bars?
The corn syrup in this recipe is essential to making the granola bars hold their shape. If you skip the corn syrup, they might not stick together as much as you want them to. However, they will still be delicious!
Do I have to use Sea Salt?
You don’t have to use sea salt, but I highly recommend it. I like the way the sea salt tastes with the nuts and chocolate, and regular salt just won’t do the same thing. If you don’t have sea salt on hand, you can use course kosher salt instead.
Here are more breakfast recipes to try!
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
- Easy Breakfast Cookies
- Healthy Baked Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Smoothie
- Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Granola
- Chocolate Protein Balls
Copycat Kind Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole unsalted almonds
- 3/4 cup unsalted peanuts
- 3/4 cup walnuts, almonds or cashews chopped
- 1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup honey
- 3 tbsp light corn syrup
- 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Generously grease a 13 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add all of the nuts, cereal and flax seed. Set aside.
- Add honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt to a medium saucepan.Over medium-high heat continuously stir until the mixture reaches 260 degrees on a candy thermometer.
- Immediately pour the syrup mixture over the nuts. Stir until well incorporated.Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
- Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden.Once chilled cut into 20 bars.
- Add chocolate chips and coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl.Melt in the microwave for 15 second increments until fully melted and smooth.
- Dip the bars in the chocolate and place on parchment paper greased with cooking spray.
- Drizzle with extra chocolate on top of the bars and sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.Place back in the refrigerator to let the chocolate set. (About 30 minutes).Store the bars in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Adapted from Comfort of Cooking
Dawn D
So yummy – yes ditch the box ones, use better ingredients and still save money! Thanks!
Janice M. Salotti
Is coconut oil the only option?
Kelley
Hi Janice!
Yes you can use canola oil or vegetable shortening.
I hope you enjoy! Thank you!
Kelley
Meredith
Any substitute for the corn syrup? Do you think honey would work?
Meredith
Haha, and then I notice that honey is already included ? Any other suggestions?
Kelley
Hi Meredith!
No problem! You can use brown rice syrup as a substitute for the corn syrup.
Thanks!
Kelley
JenP
You could most likely also use homemade glucose syrup
Jessica
When does the vanilla get added? With the honey and syrup mixture? Or with the chocolate chips and coconut oil?
Kelley
Hi Jessica,
Sorry about that you want to add the vanilla with the honey and syrup mixture.
Thanks!
Kelley
Melissa
Could you freeze these?
Kelley
Hi Melissa,
I have not tried freezing these so it is hard to say for sure. Let me know how you make out if you freeze them.
Thank you!
Kelley
Fariba Famili
Hi,
Do you use roasted almonds and nuts or raw?
Thanks,
Fariba
Kelley
Hi Fariba,
I use raw nuts however you can roast them before hand to add extra flavor.
Thanks & Enjoy!
Kelley
sm
i see someone comment about freezing these. has anyone tried it?
Kelley Simmons
Hi!
I have not tried freezing these but I don’t see why they wouldn’t freeze well. Let me know if you do try!
Have a great day,
Kelley
Heather Sella
I really like the kind bars, but they ALL have almonds in them, which I allergic to. So, I eat them sparingly. Can I just make up for the 2 cups of almonds by adding 1 cup of peanuts and 1 cup of cashews? Or maybe all cashews? It seems like a drastic change and I don’t want to deviate from the recipe too much. That are your thoughts?
Thank you!
Kelley Simmons
Hi Heather!
No that is perfectly fine. I typically use whatever nuts I have on hand when making these bars too. I used almonds originally because that is typically what is in the kind bars.
Thanks and enjoy!
Kelley
Daisy Isaac
I tried it today and it is amazing. I just substitute the sugar with non calories sugar. Thank you so much.
Kelley Simmons
So glad you enjoyed this Daisy! Thanks so much for sharing!
Dawn Wilson
Hi Kelley
I am looking forward to making so many of these wonderful recipes!
Dawn ~
Kelley Simmons
Thank you Dawn!!