Lauren's Latest » No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars {easy & healthy!}

Friday, January 27, 2012

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

Hello 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.
While 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.
Remove the hot mixture, stir in some vanilla and pour over the dry ingredients.

Stir to coat them all evenly.

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.

Once the bars are cool, slice into bars and that’s it!

Hello my pretties!
See? 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!

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No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Healthier and cheaper than the store bought kind!

Yield: 10 bars

Prep Time: 2 hours including cooling time

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

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 not boiled the mixture long enough...you want it to make it just past the softball stage. OR you 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 boiling for an extra 15 seconds or so.

Adapted from a recipe from Rachael Ray.

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