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Homemade Granola Bars
“Mykids will neverthrow tantrumsin public.” “Mydaughter will always wear matching outfits.” “Mychild will never eat processed junk food or suck down juice.”
You know all those lofty claimswe make before havingkids? Like a good friend of ours says, “I was the perfect parent until I had kids.” Too true.I am the mom whorips intothe box of fruit snacks in the middle of Target, who lets my daughtermix polka dots with plaids, who allows my son topee under the car in parking lot emergencies. I’m so sorry.
And don’t even get me started on those boxes of granola bars that are so easy to grab. Nutritious? No. Fast? Easy? Yes and yes. Oh, and they also helpwith those publicmeltdowns that were never supposed to happen.
Threeyearsago, I bought a bunch of juice on a great sale with coupons. The added bonus? Forevery four jugs of juice you bought, youreceivedone free box of granola bars! I normally don’t buy those super-sweet sawdusty rectangles, but free? Why not.
The following week, whenhunting around for an afternoon snack, Ipulled out one of those granola bars. As I ate it, I thought, “Why am I eating this? I don’t like it. It doesn’t taste good, and I will be hungry again in approximately 8 minutes.” I was eating it because it was free and fast. Those two things only get you so far, though. It was not filling or satisfying or… good.
Granola bars were officially added to my growing list of “Things I Will No Longer Buy in a Box.” To fill their place, I decided it was time to make my own. Shocking, I know. I have tried several different recipes, but finally settled ona variation of a recipe I ripped out of a magazine what feels like YEARS ago.
Thesebars areslightly sweet, super dense, and chock-full of good things. With a glass of milk, one square makes a filling, protein-packed snack I feel good about eating and feeding my family. We haven’t bought a box of granola bars in three years, and I haven’t missedthem one bit.
Making granola bars is very similar to making homemadegranola. Once you find the right ratio of fillers (dried fruit, nuts, seeds, etc.) to binders (honey, syrup, peanut butter, etc.), you can mix and match flavor combinations to your heart’s content. (You can also make our no-bake energy bites or homemade larabars for no-bake options.)
Try dried apricots, chopped almonds, dark chocolate, and shredded coconut. Or chopped cashews, mini chocolate chips, and dried cranberries. Or maybe dried mango, flaxseed meal, and coconut. Or…
Thick & Chewy Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients
Bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week or frozen for 3 months.
4 1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats 3/4 c. all-purpose flour* 1/4-1/3 c. packed brown sugar 1 t. baking soda 1/2 c. butter, softened 1/4 c. water 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter 1/3 c. brown rice syrup or corn syrup 1/3 c. honey 2 t. vanilla extract 2 c. chocolate chips, dried fruit, seeds, and/or chopped nuts (check the bulk section at your local grocery store for inspiration!)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Cut a rectangle of parchment paper to line the pan bottom of the pan, leaving several inches hanging over each side to create a sling. Grease the parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl,combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, stir together the butter, water, peanut butter, brown rice (or corn) syrup, honey, and vanilla extract. Add to the dry ingredientsand mix until well incorporated.
Press the mixture evenly into the pan and bake for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Let cool for about 10 minutes beforelifting thebars out of the pan with the parchment paper sling.
Lay on a cutting boardand then cut into 12 equal pieces.
If you’ve been on the hunt for a good allergy-friendly chocolate chip that actually tastes good, Enjoy Life is an excellent brand! Free of dairy, soy and gluten and no additional garbage preservatives.
The idea is that the egg's protein will help the oats bind to each other and create delicate clusters. Results: Not only does the egg white work as a glue to hold the oats together, but it also gives the granola an incredibly crispy bite.
Not only can you transform that soggy, chewy granola back to being blissfully crunchy, but it's easier than you might think. All it takes is spreading the granola in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and heating it in a 400 degree oven for five minutes — essentially re-baking it.
While there are several different sticky ingredients that you can use, we've found that the binding agent that works the best is honey! When added to your homemade granola bars, honey acts as glue that sticks all the pieces together.
The recall affects certain varieties of Quaker cereals, such as Oatmeal Squares, Chewy granola bars, Cap'n Crunch products and more. The Quaker Oats Company issued a recall in late 2023 and has added more products to its recall list in 2024 due to a risk of contamination with salmonella.
When dampened, chia seeds gel and swell to several times their original size, plus they get very sticky. Since they're already used as egg alternatives in baking, it's not surprising that chia seeds act as the ideal granola binder, but it is strange that they do it better than eggs.
The whites act as a kind of glue that binds the ingredients together. To ensure that the egg whites coat all the ingredients, I beat them with a whisk until foamy and increased in volume, which makes it much easier to fold into the granola.
They save well (wrap and freeze them for up to two months), are more affordable than store-bought bars, and don't contain the long list of unpronounceable ingredients. Plus, your kitchen will smell like a bakery while these granola bars bake. Ahhhh.
While the oats and nuts bake, you can make the sticky glue that holds our bars together. You'll melt butter, honey, and brown sugar in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar dissolves. Mix this sticky mixture with the toasted oats and nuts.
The trick to getting homemade granola bars to stick together is to use lots of sticky dates, nut butter AND coconut oil. If you don't the coconut oil in this recipe, these granola bars would be dry and crumbly. The oil makes them moist and hold together.
Fill the bowl up with water to completely cover the mixture – enough that you can stir to combine. This soaking process will help the oats and seeds digest better. After the oat/seed mixture has soaked 8-12 hours, add the rest of the ingredients and combine.
If your granola bars are falling apart or seem too crumbly, here are a few tips. Make sure you use honey or another sticky sweetener such as maple syrup in the liquid part of the recipe; this recipe calls for honey. This will help bind together the ingredients and keep that signature bar shape.
Try putting a scoop in the microwave and heating it in 30 second bursts on high. If it starts to get sticky, you're golden. Let it cool and the granola should stick together. Then just break it apart into clumps with your fingers!
Your homemade granola will continue to crisp up as it cools. It's tempting to start eating it as soon as it comes out of the oven, but if you let it rest for 15 minutes on the sheet pan, it'll be extra crisp and toasty – totally worth the wait!
Are Chewy bars the worst snack in the world? No. The overall calorie total is fairly low and the sugar total could certainly be worse. However, the bars are simply too small and too lacking in fiber and protein to consistently satisfy hunger and prevent overeating.
Quaker Chewy Yogurt Granola Bars are made with real fruit pieces, whole grains, a delicious yogurt-flavored coating and other yummy ingredients. These BERRY tasty bars are a snack that the family will love!
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Introduction: My name is Ray Christiansen, I am a fair, good, cute, gentle, vast, glamorous, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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