Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars

Yeah...so I made these a while ago and apparently never took a pretty photo of a stack of granola bars. And we ate them all.  Oops.

Remember the other day when I told you I made two batches of Applesauce Granola in a day?  Well, it wasn't because I ate all of the first batch.  The first batch, made without cranberries or other dried fruit, went into making these wonderful granola bars laden with peanut butter and chocolate.  A soft, chewy bar, they rival the store bought variety.  The chocolate and peanut butter flavors from the chips were the perfect match to the nuttiness of the granola.  Overall the bars weren't too sweet and were pretty low on the fat/sugar scale compared to store-bought versions.

I scoured Pinterest for granola bars that I could make using my homemade granola that didn't have too many other ingredients that might not have a home in my kitchen.  I giggled when I found this recipe from Emily at Back to the Cutting Board because she too uses Amanda's Applesauce Granola from Fake Ginger.  Guess it really is a winner.  Emily did a very thorough job testing three different chewy granola bars, providing lower sugar options, and including several tips and tricks to get the perfect bars.  Dave really likes to have a granola bar for a mid morning snack, so I make a double batch for a 9 x 13 pan based on Emily's recommendations.  One thing I did was to include my chocolate chips and peanut butter chips mixed into the dry ingredients rather than smooshing them on the top of the bars.  This resulted in a melt-factor when the hot syrup hit the bowl so the "chips" weren't defined.  While I liked the flavor that resulted, I would have enjoyed some chippage.  So instead, I would put maybe half the chips in the dry mix and reserve the remaining chips for topping. These are great treats that hold well stored in an airtight container and are a great lunch box addition.  Make up a batch and you'll never by store bought again!



Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 honey
4 cups plain granola (I used this recipe)
2 cups rice cereal
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips


In a large bowl, combine granola, cereal, and about half of each type of chip.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and honey.  Stir over medium heat until butter is melted.

Bring mixture to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Pour mixture over the dry ingredients and use a large silicone spatula or spoon to fold together until everything is evenly coated.

Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with foil or parchment and lightly spray with cooking spray.

Spread granola mixture into prepared pan and press firmly to even it out.  Sprinkle remaining chips over top (I didn't do this; my chips were all mixed in and melted) and press into the granola with spoon or spatula.

Let sit for 20-30 minutes until set.  If they start to fall apart, chill in refrigerator until set, but allow to come back to room temperature before cutting.  Slice into bars.

Makes about 36 bars.

Happy Baking,
The Cookie Princess

Printer Friendly Recipe