Description
Chewy homemade granola bars combine wholesome oats, nuts, and honey for a delightful snack packed with nutrients. Bakers can quickly prepare this simple recipe with minimal ingredients and enjoy a satisfying treat that energizes throughout the day.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (480 ml, 16 fl oz) quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup (240 ml, 8 fl oz) crispy rice cereal
- 3 tbsps (45 ml, 1.5 fl oz) mini chocolate chips
- ⅓ cup (80 ml, 2.7 fl oz) packed light brown sugar
- 4 tbsps (60 ml, 2 fl oz) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (60 ml, 2 fl oz) honey
- 1 tsp (5 ml, 0.17 fl oz) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preparation: Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper for effortless removal.
- Dry Ingredients Blend: Thoroughly mix rolled oats and crispy rice cereal in a large mixing bowl, establishing a robust foundational texture.
- Syrup Creation: Melt brown sugar, honey, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture transforms into a glossy, bubbling liquid.
- Flavor Infusion: Remove syrup from heat and incorporate vanilla extract, ensuring even distribution of the aromatic essence throughout the mixture.
- Coating Process: Pour the warm syrup over the dry ingredients, gently folding and stirring until every oat and cereal piece is uniformly coated and glistening with the sweet binding agent.
- Molding and Pressing: Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan, applying firm, consistent pressure to compact the ingredients into a dense, cohesive layer that will hold together when cut.
- Chocolate Embellishment: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips across the surface, delicately pressing them into the granola to ensure they adhere and create pockets of chocolatey delight.
- Setting and Cooling: Allow the bars to rest at room temperature for approximately two hours, enabling the ingredients to bond and develop a sturdy, chewy consistency.
- Portioning: Once completely cooled, use a sharp knife to slice the granola into uniform bars, transforming the mixture into convenient, portable snacks ready for enjoyment.
Notes
- Optimize Binding: Heat syrup slowly to prevent burning, ensuring sugar dissolves completely for maximum stickiness and bar cohesion.
- Pressing Technique: Apply consistent, firm pressure when compacting ingredients to create dense, well-structured bars that hold together perfectly.
- Chocolate Placement: Gently embed chocolate chips while mixture is still warm to help them melt slightly and create better adherence.
- Storage Wisdom: Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg