My kids could eat those Quaker granola bars for every meal of the day, and for all snacks in between. They’re fine for the occasional snack, but I hate that they’ve become such a staple in our house. I’ve tried making my own granola bars before, but they’ve never turned out to be yummy enough to entice my kids to eat them over good ol’ Quaker.
Quaker meet Homemade Salted Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch.
That’s right, my kids like these better. And I like that they’re missing all the high fructose corn syrup gunk.
The only drawback to these (and most homemade granola bars) is that they need to be stored in the refrigerator to maintain their firmness. So, while not the best candidate for an all-day lunch box — these are the best after-school snack ever.
(They’re also the best all-day-nibble!)
Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod
No baking required on these. (Almost) instant gratification!
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup agave or honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
sea salt
Instructions
Line an 8x8 pan with foil leaving a two-inch overhang on the sides. (This will help you pull the bars out later.)
In a medium saucepan, add butter, brown sugar, agave/honey and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, combine the oats, cereal, and pretzels. Pour peanut butter mixture in and stir until well-coated. Pour into the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top and gently press into the granola bars with your hands.
Place the bars in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Cut into bars, sprinkle with sea salt as desired.
Store in the refrigerator to keep bars firm.
http://sugarmamacooks.com/homemade-chocolate-peanut-butter-granola-bars/
[…] (If you don’t feel like pausing and writing down ingredients, the actual recipe is here.) […]