Granola bars make delicious snacks and they are relatively healthy. The thing is that you can make them for so much less money than you would spend at the store – and they aren’t hard to do at all.
Do you need more convincing? Those commercial bars contain a variety of additives that you probably don’t want your family to eat. When you make them at home you are in complete control of the flavor and ingredients you put in them.
You can use a little less sugar if you like but if you don’t use enough your bars will be crumbly. Don’t cut it by more than 1/4 cup or so. Plain granola works the best in this recipe. You can find it in the bulk section of most natural foods stores.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups granola
- 2 cup crisp rice cereal
- 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter chips, mini marshmallows, or chopped nuts
Instructions
- Spray a 9×13 pan with baking spray, line with parchment or waxed paper, and spray again.
- Set aside.
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, honey and vanilla in a large pan over medium heat.
- Stir until the butter melts.
- Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Remove from heat.
- Quickly add the granola and cereal into the pan and mix gently but thoroughly.
- Spread in the pan and press the top down firmly.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips, nuts, and other additional ingredients on the top and press down gently.
- Cool completely and then cut into bars.
photo credit:  Alejandra Owens
