Description
These homemade granola bars are a quick, delicious, and naturally gluten-free snack that combines creamy peanut butter, honey, oats, and mini chocolate chips. Perfect for a sweet treat, they are easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins and ideal for an energy boost or on-the-go snack.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup very smooth creamy natural peanut butter or cashew butter
- ⅔ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Heaping ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2½ cups whole rolled oats
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips*
- 3 tablespoons pepitas, or crushed peanuts or cashews
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make it easier to remove the granola bars after chilling.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and sea salt until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Add dry ingredients: Add the rolled oats, mini chocolate chips, and pepitas or chosen nuts to the wet mixture. Initially, the mixture may seem dry, but continue stirring until all ingredients are well combined.
- Press mixture into pan: Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan. Use a second piece of parchment paper and the back of a measuring cup to press the mixture down firmly and evenly, ensuring the bars will hold together when sliced.
- Chill: Refrigerate the pressed mixture for at least 1 hour to allow it to set firmly.
- Slice and store: Once chilled and set, remove from the pan, slice into 8 bars, and store the bars in the refrigerator to keep them fresh.
Notes
- Use mini chocolate chips for better cohesion; if unavailable, chop regular chocolate into mini pieces to prevent the bars from falling apart.
- Customize your bars by substituting pepitas with crushed peanuts or cashews as preferred.
- For a less sweet option, consider trying alternative recipes like energy balls.
