Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

I am so excited to have discovered these little gems! Super quick and easy to make using ingredients that can easily be stocked in your kitchen.  These granola bars make for a great snack on the run and can be stored in the freezer!

Making your own granola bars allows you the freedom to choose precisely what you want in them and also to pump up the nutrition factor if you like!

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars:
(recipe modified from moneysavingmom)

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups Rice Krispie cereal (if you want to make these healthier, you can use plain puffed rice cereal)
• 1 ¾ cups quick oats (regular rolled oats work too)
• ¼ cup wheat germ (or ground flax seed, wheat bran, or additional oats)
• ½ cup additional mix-in ingredients, optional (i.e. shredded coconut, chopped nuts, raisins or other dried fruit, sesame or sunflower seeds, etc.)
• ½ cup honey (agave should work here also)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup chocolate chips (mini M&Ms)

Directions:

1. Mix together the first four dry ingredients (cereal, oats, wheat germ, & additional add-in)
2. Over medium-high heat, boil for 1 minute the honey, brown sugar, and the salt.
3. Remove mixture from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
4. Pour and mix mixture over and into the dry ingredients.
5. Add the chocolate 5-10 minutes after to prevent your chocolate from just melting into the mixture.
6. In a greased 9x13 pan, pour the mixture and press it into the pan.
7. Let it cool and harden - then flip the rectangle out and cut into your preferred sizes.
8. Individually wrap the bars with clear plastic wrap for easy grab and go convenience. 

Notes:

• To store - place the granola bars (once wrapped in plastic wrap) in freezer-safe plastic bags and place in the freezer.  They store well and thaw really quickly!
• I only had about 1/4 cup of honey in the kitchen.  I substituted maple syrup for the other 1/4 cup.  The flavor was delicious, however the bars didn't harden as well as I had hoped.  But after being cut and wrapped, they did continue to harden.
• Play around with the ingredients and you will always have a new version!

 

See you in the kitchen!

Katie