Well, hello there π Happy New Year!
Long time no see, right? I can’t remember the last time I didn’t post for an entire week, and I certainly didn’t intend for that to be the way we started out 2013. I was greeted with a particularly nasty case of the flu when I woke up last Tuesday, however, and though I’ll spare you the details, I haven’t done much but lay on the couch since. Thank goodness for Shane, he’s been tending to my every need and nursing me back to health the whole time. I finally started to feel human again this weekend and am eager to get back to business as usual around here – I’ve missed you guys!
I’ve yet to cook or bake anything in my kitchen in the new year so yesterday I found myself digging through my draft folder looking for the perfect recipe to share today. I’m not going to lie, the ones I most wanted to share were also the most indulgent… Since it’s still so early in January I decided to wait just a little longer before ruining anyone’s diet π
These granola bars seemed like a fun compromise instead. They’re an awesome snack and seriously so simple to throw together – there’s not even any baking required! If you’re a fan of the store-bought version, you have to give them a try. I will note that they’re a smidge more fragile than their packaged counterparts, but the flavor is spot-on. And while chocolate chip was always my favorite flavor, you could easily adapt this recipe in so many ways to suit your personal preferences.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
adapted from Lauren’s Latest (via Brown Eyed Baker)
{Note: I used amber agave nectar in place of the honey as that’s all I had on hand at the time. Either should work, so go with the one you prefer. Also, be sure to use quick-cooking oats – don’t substitute rolled oats.}
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the bars out afterward. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Combine the oats and rice cereal in a heatproof bowl. Add the brown sugar, honey, and butter to a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a simmer then reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat under the pan and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir with a rubber spatula until well combined – the dry ingredients should all be moistened. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Spread in an even layer and press to compact (you really want to compact the mixture or your granola bars will be crumbly). Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the mixture and lightly press down on them with the spatula to compact.
Allow to set for at least 2 hours. (I transferred mine to the fridge briefly to speed things up and make them easier to cut.) Use the foil handles to lift out then cut into bars. Individually wrap the granola bars with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
I love making granola bars at home to save money, and let’s face it, they taste way better! Yours look great and I love the mini choc chips…so cute!
Happy new year! I’ve actually made these same bars too and absolutely love them! You get guilt and healthiness all in one bar. Can’t beat that!
Sorry to hear you have been unwell. These look delicious and wonderfully simple.
I make these all the time for our family now! Finally a granola bar that tastes as good (even better!) than the ones in the store! π We’ve eaten them with breakfast, taken them on car trips, and eaten them as snacks. They are so good!
Great minds thing a like today π I made this version once, they are so good! Glad that you are feeling better.
I buy granola bars like this too much! I can’t wait to try this recipe, and hopefully have some homemade even better bars on hand. Yum!
Having the flu is no fun, and definitely no way to start off the new year. I hope you get better soon π
As for the granola bars, these look really great! I always have trouble with them staying togehter and not falling apart when I make them :/
Sorry to hear that you were so sick!
I love making my own granola bars and the fact that these are no-bake makes them a must-try!
I love these granola bars! And I am glad to hear you are feeling better.
Why have I been buying these in a box for so long? They look great!
I hope you feel better soon! These look wonderful.
Made these this afternoon and cannot stop eating them! I usually make more time-consuming crunchy granola, but I gotta say these chewies are fast, easy, and delicious – these may be my new go-to! Thanks π
I love that these are no-bake; they look like they work out better than some of the baked granola bars I’ve made.
Glad that you’re back on your feet!
Happy New Year Tracey! Glad to hear you are feeling better. We missed you! I was starting to wonder if you high tailed it back to Disney World for a little New Year’s vacation.
The granola bars look tasty and I love there is no baking involved!
Yum! I love the idea of homemade granola bars! What a great New Years healthy-eating snack!
I made these last month from Lauren’s website and didn’t post them because nobody liked them. Maybe we are so used to the Quaker brand? I love homemade granola and everything. These were way too sweet and I ended up throwing the batch away. Most people DO like these, so I guess we are weird π
I did like the ones in the link below. You have to bake them, but they were worth it. http://whisktogether.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/chewy-granola-bars-from-scratch/
Oh I’m so glad you loved these! They have become a staple on our road trips – perfect portable snack!
So glad you are feeling better! These look amazing! I loooove Chewy granola bars!! YUM!!!
These are sooo cute! Just like I remember my Chewy Bars when I was little π I love that these are customizable though – yum.
Just made these yesterday. I doubled the recipe to put in a 9 X 13 pan but kept the sugar and honey the same and only added 3 tbsp of butter. The texture turned out fine, but it certainly wasn’t sweet enough for all of our tastes. I’ll definitely have to up the sugar. Thank you for sharing!
I’ve been meaning to make these forever but every time I buy Rice Krispies, someone in my house eats them! I need to hide them next time because yours look so good!
I buy granola bars for my boys non-stop. I always say we should own stock in the Sunbelt company. I’m going to make these and see what they think.
Oh, and I love that these are no-bake.
My family LOVES this recipe!! I used half honey half maple syrup, a bit on the sticky side, but still delicious! Next time I’m going to substitute peanutbutter for the syrup.
This recipe is wonderful! Since I am sick, I can’t eat these, but I make them for my brother and sister to take to school in their lunches. They love them! My sister tells me they taste better than the store bought ones! I think next time I make these I’m going to add some nuts and dried berries to the mixture.
And this is certainly on my “to-do” list as of now.
Thanks for posting!