Jan 27

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars {easy & healthy!}

granola bars final 1Hello Friday. Boy have I missed you.

Guys, I have found THE BEST and easiest way to make granola bars on this sweet planet earth. I found a link on Pinterest to a recipe that had been adapted from Rachael Ray. So, I followed the trail along and found the original recipe….which I then adapted myself {you must have seen that coming…} to be healthier and to use what I had in my cupboards. Pretty darn simple granola bars AND amazingly delicious. I was seriously shocked at how well these turned out for 3 minutes of work. Literally 3 minutes.

If you have kids make these! Heck, even if you don’t, make ‘em anyways. They are great snacks or fast breakfasts.

Here’s what you do: In a small saucepan, heat up some butter, honey and brown sugar over medium high heat. Stir it together and let it bubble for 2 minutes. You want all the brown sugar granules to dissolve.
granola bars 1While that is doin’ it’s thang, pour 2 cups of oats into a bowl with 1 cup of rice krispies. The original recipe calls for 2 cups of granola, but I didn’t have any. Granola can be pretty high cal stuff, so I was happy to use the straight up oats.
granola bars 2 Remove the hot mixture, stir in some vanilla and pour over the dry ingredients.
granola bars 3
Stir to coat them all evenly.
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Press firmly into a lightly greased small jelly roll pan {I used this one}. I wanted my bars to be a little thicker, so I pushed them into one side. Sprinkle with a few mini chocolate chips and cool on the counter for an hour or so.
granola bars 5
Once the bars are cool, slice into bars and that’s it!
granola bars 6
Hello my pretties!
granola bars final 3See? Now wasn’t that so easy? Feel free to add in any spices or other add-ins that you like. Raisins, nuts, maple syrup, flax seeds, cinnamon, butterscotch chips, coconut, agave, craisins, citrus zest, the list goes on. And, it’s all super healthy! Love it!

No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
yield: 10 bars
Print This Recipe Print This Recipe
adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats {not rolled oats!}
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Directions:
In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes. Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan {about 12x8x1} and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. {If your pan isn’t small enough, pack the mixture into one side. You really want to press them down so they stick together.} Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly. Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.

Recipe Notes: If your granola bars don’t seem to be staying together when you cut them, you may have made them too thin or you didn’t pack them in tight enough. Stick them in the fridge for 20 minutes and that should help keep them together. {Be sure not to keep them in there too long or else they’ll become super hard!} The next time you make them, try reducing the butter to 3 tablespoons and really packing them down.

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{ 178 comments… read them below or add one }

Becky {Becky Bakes} January 27, 2012 at 4:01 pm

These look simple and perfect!! Totally going to adapt these to be dairy-free for my boys’!

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Emilie @ Emilie's Enjoyables January 27, 2012 at 4:09 pm

ahh, this looks like a healthy rice krispie treat! Love.

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Lauren @ What Lauren Likes January 27, 2012 at 4:12 pm

so pretty! I love how simple they are :D

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Kathryn January 27, 2012 at 4:24 pm

This sounds a bit like what I would call a flapjack – I don’t know if you have flapjacks in the US? They’re super delicious though and this looks a lot healthier than the ones I usually make!

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Lauren January 27, 2012 at 11:13 pm

Flapjacks in the states are pancakes. Not quite the same! :)

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Rachel January 28, 2012 at 7:01 pm

My husband is British and he introduced me to flapjacks. In the US we don’t have British flapjacks but these are probably as close as you will get. Similar. Both yummy.

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Dawn January 27, 2012 at 4:35 pm

These are very similar to the granola bars that I make, but I use peanut butter instead of butter. They are so yummy and they don’t stick around for long! I love, love, love your site, Lauren!

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Lauren January 27, 2012 at 7:43 pm

Oh, I’ll have to try THAT! YUM!

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honeywhatscooking January 27, 2012 at 4:36 pm

this looks so good Lauren. I’m loving these recipes. I have to make homemade granola. I know Granola can be pretty high cal, can’t be fooled. I think i’ll add granola and oats, skip the rice krispies, will that work??

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Lauren January 27, 2012 at 7:44 pm

I think it should work just fine.

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Trimble January 27, 2012 at 4:45 pm

Does it need to be quick oats or regular?

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Lauren January 27, 2012 at 7:44 pm

I used quick oats–the ones that are smaller than regular rolled oats.

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Trimble January 27, 2012 at 7:58 pm

Thank you!

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Sommer@ASpicyPerspective January 27, 2012 at 4:46 pm

We are going to have to try these this weekend. :)

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Living The Sweet Life January 27, 2012 at 5:09 pm

Delicious and Simple – - those chocolate chips seal the deal! Great recipe :)

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Blog is the New Black January 27, 2012 at 5:26 pm

You had me at NO BAKE!

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Jennifer | Mother Thyme January 27, 2012 at 5:27 pm

Yep, baking these this weekend! Love this recipe!

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Debbie Leatherman January 27, 2012 at 5:49 pm

Lauren,
Wondering if you could use Agave instead of the honey? Also, does anyone have a calorie count? Thanks, making.

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Andrea January 30, 2012 at 12:19 am

You could plug in the recipe at Sparkrecipes.com – they have a recipe calculator that breaks all the nutritional info for you.

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Lauren January 30, 2012 at 5:02 am

They are about 195 calories per bar if you cut this into 8.

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Volty February 10, 2012 at 4:32 am

I’ve used agave instead of honey. They tasted a bit sweet but my husband said they were the best bars he’s ever had…and he eats a lot of them. I did notice they were really crumbly so not sure if it’s my proportions or the agave or the use of granola but I’m determined to continue to make them til they are just right!

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Peggy January 27, 2012 at 5:53 pm

OH I can see this going into lunches bags this coming week!! What about toasting the oatmeal for a slightly nutty flavor?

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Joanna January 27, 2012 at 6:45 pm

These look great! I will be trying them soon.

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Lauren January 27, 2012 at 6:49 pm

YUM! Can’t wait to make these with my girls! About how long can you store them for?

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Laurie {Simply Scratch} January 27, 2012 at 7:25 pm

I’m book marking this my friend. My girls are gonna LOVE these!

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Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga January 27, 2012 at 7:28 pm

I love no bake bars and granola bars…they are so versatile and fun. Thanks for sharing these.

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Lauren at Keep It Sweet January 27, 2012 at 7:37 pm

I so wish I had some of these to snack on this afternoon!

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Erin January 27, 2012 at 7:40 pm

Oh and they look nice and chewy too which I love for a granola bar.

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Sheila January 27, 2012 at 8:01 pm

This is great! My sons would love it if I made these seeing as I only give in occasionally to buying chewy granola bars at the store. They devour them for breakfasts and snacks.

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Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray January 27, 2012 at 8:12 pm

Yum!! I love granola bars, especially the homemade kind. :) I just wish I had rice krispies on hand now! Darn it…

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Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts January 27, 2012 at 8:19 pm

Yummy!! I just posted about granola bars today too! LOVE simple easy snacks!

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The Hungry Housewife January 27, 2012 at 8:35 pm

These sound just perfect! I love that there is no baking involved!

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Misha @coffeetococktails January 27, 2012 at 9:17 pm

OH MY I cannot wait to make these for my girls and for myself (my husband probably won’t touch them, which is fine cause it’s more for ME)!!! These look fabulously easy and delish! Thanks for the post!!!!

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Stefanie January 27, 2012 at 9:58 pm

I made these today and they’ve been cooling for 2 hours but they’re not bars…they still crumble. They don’t stick together at all. What did I do wrong? I used regular oats. Is that what you used?

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Lauren January 27, 2012 at 10:45 pm

I’d try reducing the butter by 1 tablespoon and boiling it for an extra minute. Sorry they didn’t set up for you! I had to pack mine in pretty tight, almost like making rice krispie treats–maybe try pressing them down more next time too. Bummer!

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Stefanie January 28, 2012 at 12:38 am

I’ll try that. This is my first attempt at homemade granola bars so I just wasn’t sure what happened. The mixture is definitely yummy, though! I’ve managed to eat quite a bit of it despite how mine turned out :-) . I’ll try it again with your suggestions!

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lisa b. January 28, 2012 at 6:35 pm

I made these today and had the same problem. They taste amazing but will not stick together. They’ve now cooled for 2 hours and I’m pushing them down harder. I used regular oats as well. I wonder if that is the problem too! I’ll keep packing and let you know after a few hours if there is anything left to cut! ;) Thanks Lauren!

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lisa b. January 29, 2012 at 2:00 pm

nope, they never stuck together. i even let them sit on the counter uncovered all night and they are so sticky that i can’t get a nice bar cut. will try again with the other oats. they still taste great!

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Margo February 5, 2012 at 6:59 pm

Up a bit in a comment, she clarifies that she used quick oats. I bet that would be the problem.

Adria March 20, 2012 at 2:37 am

Absolutely the problem, you must use quick oats… I had the same crumbling problem with some cookies I made with regular oats (not thinking there was much of a difference…)- they’ll only work if you use QUICK oats…

JuliLoa January 27, 2012 at 10:16 pm

These were great. I used an 8×8 pan but will double next time for a 9×13. Kids loved them. Will add some different flavors next time. Really thrilled with how easy it was and how good they were. Will cook butter mixture an extra minute next time just so it sets a little firmer. Thank you!!

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Heather January 27, 2012 at 10:40 pm

Very easy to make this GLUTEN FREE too!

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DessertForTwo January 27, 2012 at 10:50 pm

Lauren,
Ok, level with me, sister. Do these really cut into neat bars??? I mean, REALLLY. Because I’ve made several granola bar recipes from blogs (even several famous bloggers with cookbooks!!) only to have a crumbly mess on my hands. If I wanted granola, I would make granola. I want a portable granola BAR.
So I’m looking at these and they look delicious. But if I cut into bars and wrap in plastic for a lunch box, are they going to stay?
Sorry to be so bossy and demanding and accusatory. I love ya!
Much love & kisses,
Christina

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Lisa March 9, 2012 at 11:18 pm

Yes….I made these today..delicious! I did exchange peanut butter for the butter…and they cut into bars perfectly…my kids and I love them…in fact I had 2 for lunch! ;) When I added the hot mixture to the dry…it seemed very crumbly and I was doubtful…but once I started pressing them into the pan..they really stuck together! Press firmly..really pack them in there!

Thanks for a fabulous recipe!

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Krissy @ Krissy's Creations January 27, 2012 at 11:10 pm

I used to eat these type of granola bars like crazy. I was addicted. I made a version of these but they didn’t look quite and neat and perfect. Yours look delicious!

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Amber/Sprinkled With Flour January 27, 2012 at 11:58 pm

I’m definitely going to try these! My husband loves the store bought chocolate chip granola bars but I’ve never found a good homemade recipe,until now. :)

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Jessica@MakingHomeSweeter January 28, 2012 at 2:09 am

What a simple and delicious looking recipe! I’ve been looking for a good granola recipe for awhile and this definitely looks like one I’m going to try.

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Zee January 28, 2012 at 7:38 am

These look lovely and delicious Lauren and you had me on No Bake!.. I just have one question.. Can you tell how many calories would there be in each bar and is it ok to have these while on a low calorie diet?

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Maribeth Patrone January 28, 2012 at 2:12 pm

I like your stuff! Easy and good. Tks.

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baker in disguise January 28, 2012 at 3:23 pm

Do these cut easily?? do you have to wait for it to cool completely before you cut them?? am making these.. and might put in some seeds and nuts and not forget the chocolate chips!! :) )

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Anna @ hiddenponies January 28, 2012 at 4:13 pm

Yum! I just made granola bars too, and am suddenly seeing them all over the place – who knew I was on trend (first time ever :) ) These look like perfect store bought granola bars!

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Stephanie January 28, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Genius!!! So simply and perfect. The ingredients are pantry staples. Only difference is I will use splenda brown sugar and agave instead of honey. Thanks for sharing!

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Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are} January 28, 2012 at 5:25 pm

I love this! I can’t wait to play with it a little and make it perfect for our family! Great idea!!

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Natalie @ Cooking for My Kids January 28, 2012 at 6:56 pm

Yummy! Oh, my littles are going to love these!

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Autumn@Good Eats Girl January 28, 2012 at 8:33 pm

I saw these on pinterest! I like your recipe even better…I need to make these!

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Rayna January 29, 2012 at 12:00 am

just bookmarked this to try soon!

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Kim B. January 29, 2012 at 7:31 am

Can I tell you how much I spend on granola bars a month?? My kids LOVE them in their lunches & as an afternoon snack. I’m sooo excited to make these!! Thanks for sharing :)

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Cassandra January 29, 2012 at 8:03 am

I chanced upon this from Pinterest, and came here to check it out! I been wanting to make granola bars for a while, and I love how simple this recipe is. Will be trying it out soon. Thanks for sharing :)

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jess white @athriftyfoodie January 29, 2012 at 12:29 pm

So easy. So delicious! Thanks!

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Emine January 29, 2012 at 12:39 pm

Hmm…..I wonder how one would make these high fiber?

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Lauren January 30, 2012 at 5:03 am

You can stir in some wheat germ or a few bran flakes in place of some of the oats, maybe. Never done that before….good luck!

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Chris February 4, 2012 at 3:45 pm

I don’t see why a little ground flax or some chia seeds would a problem to add in! It’ll give you more protein, too. I might back down on the crispy rice a little though… OR make sure to use crispy BROWN rice cereal! Definitely more fiber there! Oh, now look what you’ve done! I’ll be making these today…..’cause I have to play with this idea!

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Ann January 29, 2012 at 1:55 pm

Looks good but not super healthy ;)

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Mercedes January 29, 2012 at 3:39 pm

Yum! I love homemade granola bars and these look so perfect!

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Krissy January 29, 2012 at 9:57 pm

I made a batch the other day and between myself, husband and two year old we ate them all. I made another batch today, and put 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter in the butter mixture. Wow. Amazing, thank you for the great recipe, I will make these again and again.

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Lauren January 30, 2012 at 5:02 am

GREAT idea with the pb!! Mmmmm….

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January January 30, 2012 at 12:02 am

A total homerun! They were terrific! Thank you!

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Jill January 30, 2012 at 12:53 am

Just found your blog through Pinterest tonight and I love it!

This recipe looks great. I love finding recipes that are healthy and yummy!

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Shelley C January 30, 2012 at 1:33 am

These looked so good and simple that I just had to make a batch right away. I made a couple of minor changes, but they are SO good! I posted them and linked back to you – check it out :)

http://cmomcook.blogspot.com/2012/01/no-bake-granola-bars.html

Thanks so much for the delicious recipe!

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Jenn April 16, 2012 at 2:22 pm

I JUST made these…. I was SUPER worried that they weren’t going to mix as when I added the liquid to the dry it still VERY dry. But I kept on mixing as if my life depended on it, accidentally started too quick and burnt my finger too LOL :) . They are currently in the fridge cooling and I really hope they turn out well because hubby eats the store ones too fast and I don’t like buying them all that often, he would eat a box a day if the kids didn’t snatch some first! Now we wait a half an hour…. la dee da!

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