Packed with sweet chocolate morsels and toasty oats, these Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars make any snack time better! These have a chewy texture that kids love and, best of all, require almost no time in the oven.
Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Homemade chewy granola bars are just about the perfect snack for so many occasions. While I enjoy a crunchy granola bar, too, these chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are extra satisfying.
I bake up a batch of these on a Sunday to keep on hand for easy snacks throughout the week. Homemade chewy granola bars taste so much better than the store bought ones and I love knowing exactly what’s in the snacks I feed my family.
These satisfy my sweet tooth (and my kids’) without crossing over into full blown dessert territory!
Chewy Granola Bars
If you’ve never made granola bars before, it really is super simple. It’s almost no bake! The only baking involved is toasting the oats in the oven for a few minutes.
This granola bars recipe is extremely, adaptable too. I always include chocolate chips in mine and sometimes like to mix in nuts or dried fruit, too.
For those who want to include nuts, I recommend toasting those along with the oats.
Once you try homemade Chewy Chocolate Granola Bars, you might never by the processed packaged kind again!
I use rolled oats, butter, honey and brown sugar to make this granola bar recipie. You’ll also need mini-chocolate chips (or regular sized morsels) along with nuts and dried fruit (both optional).
Did I mention yet that this happens to be a naturally gluten free recipe? It’s definitely healthier than most granola bars on the shelf at the grocery store too. There’s no corn syrup or partially-hydrogenated oils and very little added sugar.
How to Make Granola Bars
The first step is toasting the oats (and nuts, if you’re using them) in the oven for a few minutes. Do NOT skip this step! It gives the oats a toasty flavor and cooks them a bit so that we can skip baking the bars later.
Once the oats are toasted, I combine my honey, butter, brown sugar and vanilla. That mixture is cooked for just a few minutes, long enough to melt everything and allow it to combine.
I let both my oats and liquid mixture cool for a bit (a step you can skip if you aren’t adding chocolate chips to your bars) and then combine them in a bowl.
Once combined, I let them cool a little longer. Again, this step not necessary if you aren’t using chocolate chips, which can easily melt due to the heat. Then I mix in my mini chocolate chips, and if I’m using them, dried fruits.
Once this mixture is combined it’s pressed into a pan that has been lined with foil or parchment paper. And when I say pressed, I mean pressed! I use a separate sheet of parchment paper to really press down on my bars.
This pressing is what helps your bars hold together versus fall apart, so it’s an important step!
After your bars have been pressed into your pan, they go into the fridge for about four hours. The pressing, combined with the chilling, helps your bars stay together once they are removed from the pan and cut into your desired shape and size. It works like a charm!
Chewy Granola Bars Recipe Notes
- I prefer the mini chocolate chips, as it gives a bit of chocolate flavor in each bite. They also make it easier to shape and press the bars. That said, if regular size chocolate chips are all that you have on hand, those will also work.
- You can use an 8×8 or 9×9 pan for this recipe. I happen to have a wide silicone bread loaf pan that is perfect, so I use that. It creates bars almost the exact size as the store bought ones. Again, work with what you have, no reason to buy a new pan just to make granola bars.
My girls both love these bars, and I love that they get a nice serving of whole oats with their lunches. That little sprinkling of chocolate chips makes them feel like they are getting a treat, while I know they are getting in some whole grains and fiber. Everyone wins!
Looking for another fun recipe for the lunch box? How about some homemade fruit leather?
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Chewy, chocolate-y granola bars made right in your own kitchen! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe and let me know how you like it.
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups rolled oats not quick cook oats
- 1/3 cup O Organics Honey
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dried fruit of your choice
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
- cup Optional - 1/4 nuts such as walnuts almonds or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread oats (and nuts if using) onto a large cookie sheet and place in the oven for eight minutes to lightly toast. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack for at least 15 minutes. Turn off oven, no further baking is required.
- In a heavy pan combine honey, butter, brown sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir over medium heat until butter melts, sugar dissolves and mixture comes together. Remove from heat and allow to cool at least ten minutes.
- Once oats and liquid mixture have cooled slightly, place both in a bowl and stir well to combine. Once combined stir in dried fruit, chocolate chips and nuts.
- Press mixture into an 8x8 or 9x9 pan that has been lined with foil or parchment paper and sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Once mixture is in pan, press mixture down firmly. Using a piece of parchment paper between your hands and the mixture will help keep it from sticking. It's important to makes sure you do this step, otherwise your granola bars will not stay together very well.
- Place pan in fridge and chill for at least four hours. Remove from fridge, remove bars from pan and parchment paper/foil, and cut into 12 pieces. Bars can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
If you love oats, I have some other great recipes to check out. Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies do just that, vanish, every time I make them! Oatmeal Cookie Muffins are one of my favorite ways to start the day. Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies bring together two of my favorite ingredients, chocolate and oats!
I hope you’ve enjoyed these homemade granola bars and hopefully your family will enjoy them as well! Make sure to check out the other great O Organics recipes at Albertsons and Safeway and follow along on Pinterest for more great kid friendly recipes and ideas!
Originally published September, 2015. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of O Organics. The opinions and text are all mine.
amanda says
These are a perfect back to school treat!
Maggie Hawkinson says
Can these be frozen to keep fresh if I make a large batch?
Jill says
These are the most delicious granola bars I have ever eaten!
Lisa Huber says
These look fantastic! Have you ever tried with steel cut oats? I have lots of “quick cook” steel cut oats, as that’s what our kids eat often for breakfast. I wonder if they would work, but noticed your caution on using quick oats. Otherwise this recipe is made with all things I already have in my kitchen! My favourite kind of recipe!