Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

10/9/2020

I tend to get hangry if I don't snack throughout the day, and I'm a sucker for a good bar. I have plenty of store bought bars on hand, but love making my own when I can. Either Energy Balls or these Homemade Granola Bars are my go-to. They're super simple to make, easy to adapt, so yummy and it's nice to know exactly what's in them. My husband and his crew on the boat are big fans. Best part is, I store these in the freezer and they keep great.

Ingredients

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cups creamy natural peanut butter
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
dash of sea salt
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2 generous tbsp flaxseeds
1/2 cup dried raisins or dried cranberries
1/2 cup unsalted or lightly salted cashews (finely chopped)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

** feel free to substitute nuts, fruits and seeds with what you have on hand

The Process

The great thing about making these bars, is your literally just throw all the ingredients in large bowl and start mixing..and mixing until all your ingredients are blended well.

I use an 8x10 baking pan and line it with parchment paper, using a piece larger than the pan to have extra on the sides. With a sticky bar, lining the pan is key! Once all the ingredients are combined, pour the picture into the lined pan, spreading evenly throughout. Next you'll want to press down on the mixture either with your hands or with a large spoon. I actually cover the pan with a piece of aluminum foil and then press down firmly on that.

Place the baking pan in the freezer for a couple hours or the day. Then pick up the edge of the parchment paper lifting the mixture out of the pan. I then set the it onto a cutting board and begin cutting my bars. Cut them into whatever size works best for your household. Once they're cut, I put the individual bars into tupperware, lining each layer with parchment paper. I store the tupperware containers back in the freezer and just pull bars out as we need them. They typically don't last long in our house, but the freezer helps keep them firm and stretch out the shelf-life.

Can't wait to hear what you think! Fair-warning I find them addicting :-) Also don't be afraid to substitute ingredients based on what you have in your pantry.

Thanks as always for stopping by!