NO BAKE CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
In our house, we love a good granola bar. We were usually picking up a box at Costco, or little boxes here and there on our weekly shopping trips. You name it, we have probably tried it. One morning, my friend Amanda brought me these incredible, fancy granola bars from a little boutique coffee shop in the city. It was amazing – the molasses-y (is this a word?) brown sugar sweetness, plump cranberries, rich dark chocolate chips and chewy oats. Legit heaven - everything you want in a granola bar. I couldn't wait to get home and try to recreate it and trust me, you'll never buy a granola bar again!
You are not going to believe how simple these are. We are talking one sauce pot, one bowl, and one pan and then into the fridge - or freezer if you're in a pinch for time! The ingredient list is short and I bet most of you already have what you need in your kitchen right now. The hardest part is going to be giving these a little time to set because you are going to want to dig right in.
CHEWY GRANOLA BARS
¼ cup butter (I use salted butter and then don’t add salt. If using unsalted, you can add a pinch of salt)
1/3 cup honey
¼ cup brown sugar (can be light or dark depending on your taste/availability)
1 tsp vanilla extract or paste (which contains the vanilla beans)
½ tsp cinnamon
2 & ¼ cups old fashioned oats
Mix-ins of your choice
1. Over medium heat, melt the butter, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla together. Once combined, remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the oats to a large bowl and then pour the cooled butter/sugar mixture on top. Mix until the oats are all well coated. *Note: If you’re adding chocolate chips, let this cool another 3-5 minutes if it still feels warm.
3. Stir in any mix-ins you are using and stir well by hand. I added dark chocolate chips and dried cranberries, but the possibilities are endless.
4. Press the mixture VERY tightly into a pan lined with wax or parchment paper. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until cold and firm. Lift out by the paper, slice and enjoy!
The best part about these bars for me is how versatile they are! You can use pretty much anything in your pantry for the mix-ins so you don’t have to worry about not having chocolate chips or dried fruit when you decide to make them. You could add coconut flakes, cocoa nibs, ginger pieces, sprinkles, or nuts! Literally anything you like!
I really hope you all enjoy these as much as we do! Please leave a comment telling me what your favorite mix-ins are for granola bars or which ones you've tried!
I love chewy granola bars so will try this recipe! I'd use dark chocolate chips, craisins and walnut pieces for mix-in's :)
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so good! I love walnuts too - I was also thinking of cashews or chopped dried apricots!!
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