Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

After heaps of testing, I can attest that that is the right batch of chocolate chip granola bars. They’re the perfect moveable snack that strikes a steadiness between candy and salty. However most significantly – they nail that chewy texture everyone knows and love in a traditional granola bar.

It’s no secret that I love chocolate, particularly in a granola bar. However as at all times, I search for methods to provide a more healthy, home made spin to packaged variations. So right now, it was about time I made my very own chewy chocolate granola bar recipe!

To not toot my very own horn – however I actually nailed the feel on this one. All due to a number of failed batches (the 4th time’s the appeal proper?). Not like my path combine granola bars which might be exhausting and crunchy, these ones are comfortable and chewy. Each are nice, simply completely different – and selection is at all times welcome! So for those who’re in want of extra on-the-go wholesome snacks, these granola bars will definitely match the invoice.

What’s In This Chewy Granola Bar?

Fortunately, you may need many of those substances already in your pantry. Particularly for those who are inclined to bake lots. If not, every little thing on this record is simple and accessible – no difficult substances right here!

• Fast Cooking Oats: After testing with each quaint rolled oats and fast cooking oats, I discovered that fast cooking oats resulted in a greater texture. The place it wasn’t too oat-y, and created a smoother granola combination for a softer, chewier chunk.
• Puffed Rice: Sure, there’s a distinction between puffed rice and rice crisps cereal. Puffed rice is a single ingredient that’s undergone a dilating course of (i.e. the way it will get “puffed”) and it stays pretty comfortable. However, rice crisps are often crunchier and have added sugars and different substances (like your typical “rice krispies” cereal). Each can work on this recipe, that is simply my reminder to at all times learn labels.
• Nuts: Use any of your favourite nuts! Personally, I really like to make use of a mixture of pecans and walnuts for granola bars.
• Chocolate Chips: Relying in your chocolate desire, you need to use darkish to take advantage of chocolate chips. Simply ensure that to seize mini chocolate chips in order that they mix properly with the remainder of the substances.
• Flaxseeds: These powerhouse seeds add wholesome vitamins to those home made granola bars. Be happy to substitute with chia seeds.
• Honey: That is the sticky “glue” that holds the granola bars collectively. I haven’t examined this recipe with maple syrup but, so for those who do, tell us within the feedback under the way it seems!
• Creamy Nut Butter: I’m utilizing almond butter, however any nut or seed butter will work simply high quality!
• Coconut Oil and Vanilla Extract: Two baking necessities to bind the dry substances along with a touch of vanilla.

Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.

How To Make Home made Granola Bars

A easy mixture of moist substances into dry substances brings these granola bars collectively. Right here’s the way you make them!

Stir the dry substances. Preheat your oven to 325°F/165°C. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with additional paper popping up the perimeters. Then in a big bowl, stir collectively the oats, puffed rice, chopped nuts, flaxseeds, chocolate chips, and salt.

Stir the moist substances. In a medium bowl, stir collectively the honey, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla, till clean.

Combine collectively. Pour the moist substances into the dry, stir collectively, and scoop the combination into the pan.

Press the combination. Use a bit of parchment paper to press the combination into an excellent flat and even layer. Then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, till there’s only a little bit of golden shade across the edges. For crunchier bars bake 25 to half-hour.

Cool and agency up. Let the granola bars cool to room temperature within the pan. Then place the pan within the fridge for 1 hour to agency up. Gently elevate the parchment paper out of the pan, and slice into 12 even granola bars!

Ideas For The Finest Granola Bar

• Use a creamy nut / seed butter. Make certain to decide on a creamy butter, and never the crunchy form. If the butter is just too dry, the substances received’t bind collectively very properly after baking within the oven.
• Chop up any giant substances. For the most effective chewy texture (that received’t collapse), it’s greatest to maintain your substances on the smaller (or finer) aspect. So once more, use fast cooking oats as an alternative of rolled oats, and chop up your nuts to smaller items. Professional tip – you need to use a mini meals processor to rapidly blitz the nuts!
• Make certain the combination is tremendous compact. I can not emphasize this sufficient when making the granola bars! Any empty areas in between the combination will lead to bars that can fall proper aside. So ensure that to press down exhausting with the parchment paper, or roll it down with a mason jar.
• Be affected person with the chilling time. The longer you let your bars chill, the higher the feel might be as soon as they’ve reached room temperature. So don’t minimize the 1 hour brief!

Storage Ideas

That is what Sunday meal prep is all about! Make a batch of those granola bars, and also you’ve received a snack to take pleasure in daily of the week (or for future weeks for those who freeze them).

• To retailer: Place the sliced bars in a bag or container and retailer within the fridge for as much as one week. And to forestall them from sticking to one another, add a slice of parchment paper in between every bar.
• To freeze: Sure, these are freezer-friendly! Add them to a freezer-safe bag or container (with parchment paper in between), and retailer within the freezer for as much as 3 months. Allow them to thaw at room temperature for 15 to twenty minutes earlier than consuming.

Granola Bars Recipe Video

This granola bar recipe is fairly simple, however a step-by-step video at all times helps – proper? Observe together with me within the video under!

Extra Wholesome Snack Concepts

It’s at all times a good suggestion to prep some wholesome snacks to take pleasure in for a noon chunk. And whether or not you’re in search of one thing candy or salty – you’ve received just a few choices under.

Goodbye packaged chocolate chip granola bars! This wholesome snack is one which makes whole sense to make at house. Give it a attempt to let me know the way you want them in a remark under!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

These wholesome granola bars are the perfect moveable snack that is each candy and salty. Belief me, these home made chewy chocolate chip granola bars which might be significantly better than store-bought! Watch how I make them within the video above!

• Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with the paper arising the perimeters.

• Stir the dry substances. In a big bowl, stir collectively the oats, puffed rice, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, and salt.

• Stir the moist substances. In a medium bowl, stir collectively the honey, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla, till clean.

• Combine collectively. Pour the moist substances into the dry and stir collectively till properly mixed.

• Press the combination. Scoop the combination into the pan and press it into a good layer, utilizing one other piece of parchment paper to firmly press the combination flat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, till barely beginning to get somewhat little bit of golden shade across the edges for chewy granola bars. For crunchier bars bake 25 to half-hour. Let cool to room temperature.

• Agency up. Let the granola bars cool to room temperature within the pan. Then place the pan within the fridge for 1 hour to agency up the granola bars utterly. Gently elevate the parchment paper out of the pan, and slice into granola bars.

• Puffed rice: In case you’re not sure about what sort of puffed rice to purchase – you should buy this bag of puffed rice straight from Amazon! That is the one I’m utilizing on this recipe.
• Mini chocolate chips: if in case you have a tough time discovering the mini chocolate chips, you may also use your favourite chocolate bar and finely chop it up! 
• In case you discover that your bars are nonetheless not sticking collectively very properly, strive including somewhat bit extra honey and baking them somewhat bit longer. 

Energy: 289kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 6g, Fats: 18g, Saturated Fats: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 5g, Monounsaturated Fats: 5g, Trans Fats: 0.01g, Ldl cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 56mg, Potassium: 184mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 18IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 66mg, Iron: 2mg

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