My friend Sandra swears by this recipe for homemade granola bars originally found at Inspired Taste. I made a few changes and I won’t lie – it took me a couple of tries to get it right. My kids weren’t crazy about the dried cranberries and sunflower seeds I put in the first batch AND the bars kept crumbling on me! BUT – after I found ingredients my kids were more agreeable to (mini chocolate chips and diced marshmallow) and ensured I brought the syrup to a boil (rather than just melted it), everything worked out just fine. Consider store-bought granola bars permanently deleted from my shopping list – I think I found myself a new homemade staple. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. mini marshmallows
1/3 c. honey
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. plus 2 T. mini chocolate chips
*Feel free to use almonds, peanuts, seeds, dried fruits etc. in your recipe. You can tailor-make these bars based on you and your family’s preferences.
Heat oven to 350F. Place oats (and nuts and/or seeds if using) on a small baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, stir and bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Then transfer to a large bowl.
Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and marshmallows in a saucepan – bring to a light boil. (This is important – if it does not reach a boil and simply just melts, the bars may fall apart).
Pour butter mixture into the bowl with the toasted oats. Mix well. Let cool for about 5 minutes and then add any dried fruit you may be using as well as 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. The chocolate chips will probably melt – this is okay.
Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Transfer oat mixture to the lined pan and then using a rubber spatula or damp finger tips, firmly press the mixture into the pan. Press long and hard – you want to ensure these bars are packed tight so they hold their shape when you cut them.
Scatter 2 T of mini chocolate chips over top of the granola and press gently into the mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove the block of granola mixture from the pan, peel away the foil and cut into 12 bars.
Store in an airtight container – at room temperature for softer bars and in the fridge for slightly harder bars.
My kids eat a lot of granola bars and I really should have thought to make my own years ago. It would have saved so much money. I will definitely be giving these a try – and I think my kids would be happier with chocolate than cranberries too 😀
Yum! I can’t have these but I’ll share!