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This Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar Recipe is THE BEST and easiest way to make granola bars! Plus, they’re cheaper and healthier than the store-bought kind!
You guys, I have found THE BEST and easiest way to make granola bars on this sweet planet earth. I was looking for recipe ideas and came across a few Pinterest photos that had me swooning over chewy chocolate chip granola bars and it made me want to try my hand at them. After a few testers, I ended up with a super kid and school lunch-friendly, *slightly* healthier version that has gotten rave review after rave review.
Granola Bar Recipe
These are pretty darn simple granola bars AND amazingly delicious. I was seriously shocked at how well these turned out for 3 minutes of work. Literally 3 minutes. If you have kids make these! Heck, even if you don’t, make ’em anyways. They are great snacks or fast breakfasts. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Butter – this is part of the boiled sugar mixture. Some readers have found that peanut butter works great here.
- Honey – a natural sweetener.
- Brown Sugar – more sweetener, this also is part of the boiled sugar mixture along with the honey.
- Quick Cooking Oats – not rolled oats!
- Crispy Rice Cereal – some readers have replaced this with other cereals such as Cheerios or Chex.
- Vanilla – to help the flavor.
- Mini Chocolate Chips – optional but highly recommended.
How to make granola bars
- In a small saucepan, heat up some butter, honey and brown sugar over medium-high heat. Stir it together, reduce heat to medium low and let it simmer for up to 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
- While that is heating up, measure out oats and Rice Krispies into a large bowl.
- Stir in vanilla extract into the hot syrup.
- Pour the hot syrup over the dry ingredients and stir well to coat.
- Press firmly into a greased jelly roll pan using either buttered fingers or a greased spatula.
- Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
- Cool to room temperature for about 1 hour or until set.
- Cut into bars, wrap individually and use as desired.
Adapting your granola bar recipe
The beauty of this recipe is how adaptable it is. You can make lots of granola bar flavor combinations and create your very own recipe, based on what you and your family like. Feel free to add in raisins, nuts, maple syrup, flax seeds, cinnamon, butterscotch chips, coconut, agave, craisins, citrus zest, the list goes on!
Getting the boiled sugar mixture right
This recipe is very much dependent on the boiled sugar mixture. If your granola bars don’t seem to be staying together when you cut them, you may have not boiled the mixture long enough…you want it to make it just past the softball stage.
If you boil the mixture TOO MUCH, then once they set, they will be nearly too hard to eat. So, the best way to set yourself up for success is to bring the honey-butter mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.
Storing
After your bars have set, cut into portions, wrap individually in parchment paper or plastic wrap and store the whole lot of them in a large airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 7 days. I don’t like refrigerating or freezing because then the bars get really hard and don’t keep their amazing chewy texture, even after defrosting.
Of course, you can store them however you like, but keep in mind they are enjoyed best at room temperature.
More Granola Bars to Try!
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
- Homemade Granola Recipe with Almonds
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
- No-Bake Nut and Seed Bars
- Homemade Granola
Printable recipe card is below. Make sure to save this recipe because it’s a good one for any day of the week. Enjoy!
Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats not rolled oats
- 1 cup crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together. Set aside. In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium-high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. (should take 1-2 minutes) Pour in vanilla and stir. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients.
- Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan {about 12x8x1} and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. {If your pan isn't small enough, pack the mixture into one side. You really want to press them down so they stick together.} Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly.
- Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
I have been searching endlessly for a simple granola bar recipe using simple ingredients that my kids will eat. My search came to an end today. I just made these and they are AWESOME! They are very similar to the Cascadian Farms ones that I buy for $3.99 a box (no more). The real test will be after school when the kids try them, but I’m confident they will like them. I substituted light corn syrup in place of the honey becasue I am out. I also added 2 tbs ground flax seed and 2 tbs wheat germ. Next to make a hubby version with dried fruit and nuts and more fiber! Your site relects my cooking and baking philosophy very well. Glad I stumbled upon it and I am looking forward to trying new recipes!
Wonder how it would turn out using coconut oil instead of butter? Has anyone tried that?
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These are so simple and cheap to make and delicious. I made a small batch based on the recipe above and then doubled the recipe and added marshmallows.
I have tried these before, but I can’t get them to stay together in a bar. They always crumble.
I just tried this recipe and my family and I loved it! It’s just in time for back to school. I posted our results on our family recipe blog, http://mybiscuitsareburning.blogspot.com/2012/09/no-bake-chocolate-chip-granola-bars.html
I hope that’s OK. Thank you for this great recipe!
I made these today. Delicious!! I used a full 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and ran the recipe through my Weight Watchers Recipe Builder. If you make 16 bars, they are only 3 points plus per bar. Of course, I ate 3 of those bars….. too good to resist!
Can these be made without the rice krispie in them, we have a rice allergy here. Also, what can be used instead of honey?
thank you.
Do you know how many Calories these are? They are DELICIOUS! I’ve made them twice now!
[…] granola bars are super easy to make and healthy too! Just in time for back to school! Try substituting the chocolate chips with peanut […]
[…] came across this No Bake Granola Bar recipe, tried it, and loved it! My sons and husband did it. I had to quickly sneak out a few pieces to […]
I just made these 5 minutes ago and can’t wait to try them once they’ve cooled. I think this is a great idea and sounds like they will be tastier than the store-bought kind. Thanks for the recipe!
How many days do these stay good for at room temperature?
I’d say a week as long as they’re wrapped well.
[…] Yields about 20 squares depending on size, Adapted quite a bit from Lauren’s Latest […]
DO you think you could sub the honey for agave nectar or does it need the consistancy of honey??
Do you happen to know how these freeze? I like to back big batches of things and then freeze them and pull them out as needed. I am wondering if these would stay hard after thawing them out. Have you ever tried it?
Thank you! The look great!
Never tried it. You can give it a whirl, but I would think they would stay rock hard. If they so soften up, then that would be awesome 🙂
How long do they keep for? I just made some with dried apricots n pepitas. Mmmmmmmm
I’d say up to a week as long as they are stored in an airtight container.
[…] if you are buying organic. We had actually quit buying them all together to cut down. Then I saw this Pinterest Pin and was too excited! We had to try it. I followed the directions exactly with only two changes. All […]
Chocolate, butter, sugar and honey – delicious I’m sure but far from healthy!
So can you freeze these?
I wouldn’t freeze these, unless you want to chip your teeth.
Sorry – I’m missing what makes these healthy. Tons of sugar, honey and butter, then add in a LOT of a simple carb: rice krispies?? And chocolate chips? The only healthy thing in here is oats. Am I missing something?
healthy meaning no preservatives.
[…] can’t take credit for the recipe, as I borrowed it from another wonderful blog site, Lauren’s Latest. I also need to give credit to my Hubby for the protein addition that he came up with in the 2nd […]
Does it make a difference what honey you use? (ie creamed, liquid, pastureized?)
Thanks
I’d use liquid honey.
I just made these in a (dried) cherry almond chocolate chip version. Deeeelish.
[…] No-Bake Granola Bars that was my most recent discovery/pin on Pinterest. Lauren’s Latest adapted it from a Rachael Ray […]
I made these and they are SOOOOO good! My 5 yr old thinks they are candy bars they are so good and they were super easy to make. I am freezing them and then using them for school lunch treats for a while. This is the best, easiest granola bar recipe I found on Pinterest! 🙂 THANKS! (One note – they didn’t stick together very well so I’ll try cutting back on the butter next time, thanks for the tip!)
we are about to try these today!! I’m also british and LOVE flap jack, i have an amazing flapjack recipe that includes coconut flakes and dried apricots, its simply delicious but takes a little longer to make than these look like they do.
Thanks!
Elisa
I found this recipe via Pinterest. Just made them, how delicious!
I swapped the rice cereal for puffed quinoa, added 2 tbsp of black chia seeds and a handful of dried cranberries. They could be a little firmer in holding the bar shape but I’m happy with them in any case because they taste so good. Next time I might use less choc chips and just melt it and drizzle across the top.
[…] for them to cool so that I can try them. Here is the website that I got the chewy bars from https://laurenslatest.com/no-bake-chocolate-chip-granola-bars-easy-healthy/. and this is what they look […]
[…] saw this recipe for chocolate chip granola bars on Pinterest last week and have made it twice since. It’s easier than making Rice Krispie […]
Lauren, I found your recipe through a link on “foodgawker” and got goosebumps. My guys go through the Quaker granola bars so fast, and I needed a quick simple replacement. Took me less than 10 minutes to make, AND clean up from. They taste EXACTLY like the Quaker ones. My son (12 yr old Autistic) watched and assisted. He said to send a thankyou and “Lauren Rocks!!!”
Kudos and thank you!!!
Easy! Would not say healthy – lots of butter, sugar and honey – but look tasty.
This was the best thing ever. Easy to make and good to eat. My kids loved it. The only problem I had was they didn’t stay together. I am going to remake them and pack them down better. Thanks
[…] lunches, I ran across an intriguing recipe for a no-bake homemade granola bar. I found it on Lauren’s Latest, but she originally got it from Rachel Ray and adapted it to make it healthier. That’s […]
How much honey, brown sugar, and butter do you melt? it just says “some”.
Thanks! Looking forward to trying these!
It’s always nice to find an easy, practical recipe that comes together just how it’s supposed to. I like the peanut butter suggestions and will have to try that sometime.
I made these yesterday. They wouldn’t setup for me. I used Quaker quick oats. I finally put them in the fridge to see what would happen. They looked better; however, as soon as I cut them up and started wrapping them for the bike, they fell apart. Yummy recipe but I don’t know how to make them stick together! HELP! love this idea for taking on the bike!
I used splenda brand brown sugar mix, added almond slivers and raisins. Because I added ingredients, I increased amount of honey and butter . I made them twice, ea. time increasing honey and butter (more honey than butter) and they still did not stick together. I pressed them very well and even baked 2nd batch (after they cooled) to see if that would help. They were still crumbly. My kids still loved the taste, they were just messy. Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?
You need to use real sugar in order for the mixture to boil and then harden properly. Splenda is different from sugar and doesn’t act quite the same. Try using real sugar 🙂 It should work…
Ok, so I must have done something wrong – these did not cut/stay into bars at all. They tasted delish, even my 3 year old twins loved them. But I had to scoop them up from the pan and just put into a bowl and eat with a fork. Any tips? Id really like to make these again…but into bars this time lol
Thanks for this recipe. These will be my daughter’s first granola bar. She has severe multiple food allergies. The best part was that my 10 year old made them herself.
Boy do these look delicious! But what part of this recipe is healthy??
I can’t wait to make these for my kids I found you over on Second Chance to Dream’s blog……….I’d like to invite you to share some of your great post at CountryMommaCooks Link and Greet Party………..the top 2 links will receive 1 week of free advertising……have a great weekend : )
Literally saw this on Pinterest and went straight to the kitchen to make them. Fantastic and super easy! Thanks so much!
These bars look wonderful! I am going to make them. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe 🙂
Add coconut and almonds!!!
These were awesome. I doubled the batch and added salted peanuts just because I like them. Mine didn’t harden much, but I was able to cut, wrap in plastic, stash in a freezer bag in the freezer. They thaw in a lunchbox and are also great straight from the freezer, albeit a little hard.
I’m getting ready to make another big batch, most likely triple this time. I think they taste better than store bought, are super easy to make, and I can also add a little extra vanilla just because I like it– this makes it taste even better, too. This is about the fourth granola bar recipe I’ve tried, and it’s the keeper.
My daughters LOVE granola bars….I am going to make these this afternoon I do believe!! Thank you!
I don’t see how these are “super healthy” when they have butter and brown sugar…
Made these with my 5 year old son this morning. Super easy to make and they tasted awesome! Great recipe!
For those who had a crumbly mixture, I suggest using a candy thermometer and make sure to heat up the ‘caramel’ mixture to between 240 and 250 degrees. This gets it between soft and hard stage and should provide enough stick when its cooled. Definitely pack it tightly. I have made three batches and they have all cut up into perfect granola bars and have a good chewy texture.