Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
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After I graduated from college I did a short stint at an advertising agency and then I took my first full-time job in the cube-laden world of corporate America. As most young, eager college graduates, I looked at my new opportunity as a mountain of potential. I felt like a bona fide grown up – I got up early every morning, got dressed in my business casual attire, went to meetings, and became better at what I did. Ahh, the enthusiasm of the young buck (in my case, young doe, of course). By the end of my time in corporate America I had a plethora of stomach issues, was getting migraines about once every 7-10 days, and loathed my boss’ voice more than anything in the world. If I got to my desk in the morning and the red voicemail link was blinking (she was notorious for leaving messages at 5am, because she enjoyed working that early), I got nauseous. When I heard the wheels of her little pull-along briefcase rolling down the cube aisle I wanted to hide under my desk. The phrase “going above and beyond” was showing up in my nightmares. Clearly, corporate America had taken a toll on me. The one constant through all of my time spent there? Through the good, the bad, and the ugly?
Chocolate chip granola bars.
I always had a box stashed in my desk drawer just in case I got a case of the hungries and had to rush off to a meeting or needed an afternoon pick-me-up. I loved that they were soft and chewy, and of course that they had chocolate in them. I am honestly not sure if I’ve eaten even one since I stopped working in an office, but they’re the one food that I associate with that time in my life. They got me through some killer afternoons.
Recently, one of my best friends mentioned that she was trying out some of my granola bar recipes to find a homemade replacement for her husband’s infatuation with the same packaged chewy chocolate chip granola bars that I loved. I wasn’t sure that any of them would be an exact match, but lo and behold less than a week later this recipe popped up on Lauren’s blog. I was certain that it was fate and set out to make them immediately so I could report back to my friend on a possible recipe for her. The verdict? These taste pretty much EXACTLY like the ones I lived on for years. They have a tad bit more honey flavor, but aside from that the flavor, the texture, the appearance – a spot-on match. I was astounded, actually! Throw in the fact that these can be whipped up in 10 minutes and require no oven, it’s pretty much a no-brainer to make these instead of going to the store to buy the packaged version!
This recipe is dedicated to everyone toiling away in a cubicle. Make these, keep them at your desk, and enjoy a homemade, non-processed treat when you get a craving in the middle of the work day.
Four years ago: French Bread[/donotprint]
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (73.33 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (84.75 ml) honey
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups (162 g) quick-cooking oats
- 1 cup (18.67 g) crispy rice cereal
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan; set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir the oats and rice cereal together; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar, honey, and butter together over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the melted mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour the oat mixture into the prepared pan and press down to ensure that the ingredients are tightly compacted in the pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with the miniature chocolate chips and press down on the top lightly with the back of a spoon.
- Cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in plastic wrap or keep in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Great recipe made it today and it was the best thing ever!!!!
any tips on how to make them stick together, even if you use quick cooking oats?
These are delicious but even after refridgerating, they were a bit crumbly. That’s the only reason I dated 4 stars.
Rated *
Made these today – excellent! Most recipes I don’t have all the ingredients on hand when I first read it, this one I did. Will definitely make again/
What the sugar & fat content in this please?
Hey can you frezze these and if so hoe long will they last please?
You so inspire me! Thanks! I have two questions though…do you use Rice Krispies (this recipe calls for crispy rice cereal and your newest granola bar calls for puffed rice cereal…are they one in the same), also where do you find your packaging…I would love to make these and give them to a hiking group I belong to. (My escape from my corporate cubicle!!!)
Hi Vickie, Yes, I use Rice Krispies for this particular recipes. The packaging is actually just parchment paper and the twine I bought in the baking aisle at Michael’s.
The directions do not say how long to bake them and at what temp?
Hi Debbie, These bars are not baked, they merely need to sit at room temperature in order to set.
LOL thank you,I was confused because it said to let them cool at room temp for 2 hours.I actually made them last night and baked them for 10 mins at 350.they didn’t come out to dry!!! :)
Hi, i haven’t tried this receipe yet, however, I want to use mini marshmallow’s along with all the other ingredient’s, but don’t know how many marshmallow’s i should use..
Hi Ruth, As many as you’d like! They also sell smaller marshmallow bits now for adding to baked goods, that aren’t as big as mini marshmallows.
I’m a muesli bar fiend, especially when I’m in ‘diet mode’. Really looking forward to giving these a go, going to swap the honey out for a golden/maple syrup duo and swapping the butter for coconut oil, but do you think I could sub some of the syrup with mashed banana? Hubby is a banana-holic, and I’m looking to lighten the sugar content on the bars a little.
Hi Mandi, I have not tried using mashed banana, but I think it’s worth a try. I’m not sure how the texture will be affected; let me know if you try it!
I just made these yummy bars. . Subbing the honey for molasses and cinnamon chex for rice cereal because that’s what I had on hand. . Look so good! Love your website! I bookmark tons of recipes!
opps ment grandparents
LIKE I SAID SUPA DELISH BUT SO CRUMBLY I USED OLD FASHIONED OATS AND I GROUND THEM DOWN A TINY BIT I THINK IT MAY BE THE EXTRA CHOCLATTE I USED
SUPA DELISH WANT TO MAKE SOME SUGUR FREE ONES FOR MY PARENTS THEY HAVE DIABETES ANY TIPS?
Unfortunately, I don’t do any low or no-sugar baking, but you could try some of your favorite sugar alternatives as a substitute and see how they work with the recipe.
they look so good i subbed the unsalted butter for solid coconut oil and also i subbed about a quarter of the honey for maple syrup also i was thinking why not add more chocolate so i put a good amount in the dry batter and it melted when i put the liquid batter in so they should be super delish
Just made these tonight yummy!!!! I added about 2 tablespoons of low cal peanut butter and used less real butter as well I added a few more chocolate chips…they were a hit!!!
could u dip these in chocolate?
I believe everything can be dipped in chocolate :) I would refrigerate them before you do, however.
I’m a vegan and I was wondering if I can substitute vegetable oil for the butter? They look great!
Hi Faye, Vegetable oil might cause them to have too much of an oily texture/taste. You may want to try coconut oil (in solid form).
My 4 yr old is “addicted” to the “other” chocolate chip granola bars. I cannot wait to make these for him! I don’t have all the ingredients, or I’d be making them right now. So many variations… chocolate chips and the teensy mini marshmallows for s’mores, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips and craisins, butterscotch chips, english toffee chips, yum!
I ran this recipe through My Fitness Pal and it came out to 183 cals/serving without using name brands. That’s not bad! I think most of the bars I usually get are 100-150. So a few more, but it’s worth it for the healthier/non chemical ingredients.
My husband like your friends is also in love with the boxed chewy chocolate chip granola bars. They seem to be getting more expensive in stores so I set out to find a recipe to make our own. Thanks for this!
These granola bars are amazing! I took your advice for the peanut butter by doing 2 T. butter an 2 T. peanut butter and it turned out great! I found on Google how to use old fashioned oats instead of quick oats and it mentioned to put the old fashioned oats into the food processor and grind them down just a little bit. It worked out perfect and my granola bars are very tasty!
I made these the other day and they turned out perfect! They have a pretty strong honey taste though and my husband doesnt like honey. What can I use instead?
Hi Tina, You could try agave nectar, molasses or maple syrup (or a combination of them).
My family absolutely loves these bars! Have you ever tried to make them with less sweetener? Would you leave out some of the brown sugar or some of the honey? I am trying to make them healthier. I have subbed coconut oil for the butter, and replaced 1/4c. of the oats with flax meal and they turned out great. I just would like to cut down on the sweetener and wasn’t sure the best way to do it. Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, You could substitute some of the honey with unsweetened applesauce, if you’d like.
I don’t have crispie rice cereal, but I do have Special K.. Does anyone know if I can substitute it and use the Special K? Thanks!
Hi, could I male several batches of these and keep them in the freezer, just take out what we would use in a week? I have a foodsaver so it would be airtight too. (would vacuum sealing help them last longer when kept at room temp?)
Hi Erin, You could certainly store these in the freezer, that would definitely work! Vacuum sealing them would keep them fresher longer at room temperature, but I actually think they’re better in the fridge for longer periods of time – they won’t get as soft.
Yum! I made these yesterday, sent one with my kindergartener for lunch, and ate half of one (a sample) this morning. They are very good, but I should have pushed down harder before letting them set, they are bit fall apart. But still so delicious that there will be no complaints. I like being able to make these as a treat instead of buying hem!
So i just made a batch but used the homemade gronala i made yesterday and just added a tablespoon of peanut butter, then when i mixed it i added mini marshmillows ..as my girls called them and chocolate chips…. I hope it works.
Just made these…didn’t have rice cereal but added shredded coconut and slivered almonds…the batter was amazing! :) can’t wait til the bars are set!
Thanks!
I made these but had a problem…they fall apart. Taste is good but not something you could hold and eat…am I doing something wrong??? I used the standard square pan to make them.
Hi Asiya, Did you use quick oats, or the “old-fashioned, traditional rolled” oats? The old-fashioned oats are significantly larger than quick oats and can cause the mixture to be crumbly and not stay together as well.
I used quick oats to make these.
I didn’t have any puff cereal so I chopped up some raw almonds in a food processor as a substitute. Delicious, thank you for the recipe. My family will be enjoying these all week.
Ooh wonderful! I’m going to have to make my husband a care package of these to take to work. Chocolate chip granola bars are his favorite!
Love, love, love these! I have made them several times but they never stay together so I throw them in the freezer and they get hard and I eat them frozen. Not sure what my problem is though with getting them to set. I’ve tried using less butter and really packing them down. Could I be using the wrong Oats and that is what is causing my problem? I have the big thing of Quaker, Is that right? Thanks BEB!
Hi Jessica, Quaker Oats make two different types of oats – old-fashioned traditional rolled oats, and quick cooking oats. The old-fashioned style oats are cut larger and thicker; if you’re using these that’s probably why they’re not setting. Make sure you use the quick cooking variety, which are smaller and thinner.
I want to eat healthier and also be conscious of calories. Any idea as to if the calories would be the same as store bought bars or less?
Hi Kim, I haven’t figured out the caloric content of these bars, but I think there are some sites where you can put in ingredients and quantities and get the nutritional info. For comparison sake, it would all depend on what store bought brand you are looking at!
I just made these and they are perfect! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. It’s so simple I’m going to have my kids make the next batch.
I was wondering were the chips milkchocolate or semi sweer
Hi Alexa, Semisweet.
FREAKING A. Forgot the vanilla extract. Waiting for them to cool. Hope they turn out okay.. :c
Boy do these look amazing.
Passed the husband test!! He loves these things right out of the box, and was very skeptical. Quick, easy and yummy, and about 75 cents for 16 bars out of my 6×9 pan. Yay!
This a a fantastic recipe….incredibly easy, delicious and using ingredients I always have on hand. This is the perfect thing to send with my son in the morning when he leaves for school. A true winner!
This has definitely got to be one of the most useful recipes yo have at hand! Thanks a lot!
Michelle, Now I’ve done it. My son shared his granola bars with the crew team….it’s now a request for all their regattas!
I just made these, and they are addictively delicious and so easy! Thanks Michelle.