I love granola bars. Especially when they’re no-bake and peanut butter and chocolate chips are involved. I’d go so far as to call these healthy because they’re made with whole grains and there’s fruit included. Raisins count as fruit for me.
I made them when I was in Aruba and I made so many things while I was there that I almost forgot about this recipe until I recently saw it peering at me in my saved drafts.
I thought last week’s Carrot Pineapple Banana Bread was the last Aruba recipe, but this one really is.
You probably have everything you need to make these fast, no-bake, vegan, and gluten-free numbers in your cupboard right now. If you need additional convincing, there’s a big dollop of peanut butter, oats, crispy rice cereal, cinnamon, raisins, and chocolate chips involved.
After making the batter, which takes just five minutes to stir together, pack it into a pan and place the pan in the freezer to encourage the bars to set up faster.
When I removed the pan from freezer and the bars came into contact with the 88F degree heat inside my kitchen, the bars started sweating and glistening a little. It happens to me too in the heat.
The heat and humidity in Aruba was actually a great recipe test because the bars held together, stayed chewy, and didn’t turn into a melty gooey mess even in the very hot and humid Caribbean air, which renders a box of Saltine crackers soggy in mere hours.
In climates without 90F temperatures and 90% relative humidity, these bars are very shelf-stable stored in an airtight container. Or, wrap them up individually in plasticwrap for a portable on-the-go snack. I pack lunches every day for Skylar and Scott and I am always looking for items to include that are new, interesting, transport easily, and on the healthier side of the spectrum. As opposed to this.
The granola bars are dense and very chewy. The rice cereal adds an unexpected and very noticeable pop of crispiness and crunchiness in each bite. I tossed it in on a whim and am glad I did.
You can also try these bars using other cereals; or try shredded coconut flakes, flax seeds, poppy seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, or whatever little seeds, nuts, or crunchy bits you enjoy in your granola bars.
The bars are ripe for customization and tweaks. I used a raisin medley but try diced medjool dates, dried cranberries, dried apricots, or any dried fruit you love from dried cherries to blueberries.
The chocolate chips can be replaced with white chocolate, butterscotch, or peanut butter chips; or use toffee bits, mini M & M’s, mini marshmallows, diced peanut butter cups, or any diced candy if you want to make these more dessert bar and less granola bar.
The peanut butter can be replaced with other nut butters from almond to cashew; Biscoff or cookie butter spread to Nutella. If using a thinner nut butter like almond butter or a thinner spread like Nutella, you may need to use less since those spreads are runnier than peanut butter and could render the batter a bit runnier, or you may need to bump up the quantity of dry ingredients.
The cinnamon, brown sugar, oats, and raisins are perfect fall flavors. Or anytime flavors for me.
The flavors were apparently perfect for the family too because this batch of ten bars was gobbled in 36 hours. Good thing they’re fast to make.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Ingredients
- â…” cup light corn syrup
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 2 cups quick cook oats Quaker], https://www.quakeroats.com/products/hot-cereals/quick-oats.aspx, [Bob's, or similar
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal Crispy Rice Cereal], https://www.naturespath.com/products/cold-cereals/crispy-rice-cereal, [Rice Krispies Cereal, or similar
- ¼ cup raisins, roughly chopped if they're large such as golden raisins
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, roughly chopped (or use mini chips)
Instructions
- Prepare an 8-by-8-inch baking pan by lining it with foil leaving overhang, spray with cooking spray; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl combine corn or brown rice syrup (I suspect maple syrup or agave are not quite sticky enough to properly bind the ingredients so bars will hold together), peanut butter, brown sugar, and heat on high power for 1 minute; stir to combine mixture. Heat for 1 more minute on high power and stir to combine.
- Add vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and stir to combine. Add oats and stir to combine. Add rice cereal and gently stir to combine so it doesn't become too crushed. Add the raisins and fold to incorporate. Add the chocolate chips and quickly and gently fold to combine so chips don't begin to melt. Pour mixture into prepared pan and pack it down firmly with a spatula or hands, and place pan in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or until bars have set up.
- Slice bars into desired sizes and shapes; I prefer 10 bars cut into rectangles about 4-inches long by about 3/4-inch wide, similar in size and shape to a Quaker Chewy Granola Bar; choose any shape and size desired. Bars will keep in an airtight container or wrapped in plasticwrap at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Related Recipes:
Cinnamon Oatmeal Date Bars with Chocolate Chunks (no-bake, vegan, GF) – If you omit the chocolate that’s used two ways on top of these bars, they’re quite healthy. Minus the chocolate, the bars themselves are just oats and dates, bound together by peanut butter, and I love them
Pumpkin Spice Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Granola (vegan, GF) – Crunchy, easy, packed with the flavors of fall, and you’ll never have to buy overpriced storebought granola again
Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter and Oat Snack Bars (No-Bake, Vegan, GF) – Makes just 3 bars in 5 minutes, perfect small-batch and fast recipe
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars (No-Bake, Vegan, GF)
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Oil Protein Bars (No-Bake, Vegan, GF)
Do you have a favorite granola or granola bar recipe?
Making granola and granola bars at home is so easy, cost-efficient, and you can control what does or doesn’t go into the bars. I’ll always control them so more chocolate goes in, of course.
Feel free to link up your favorite recipes.
Thanks for the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies + KitchenAid Stand Mixer + $200 Williams-Sonoma Gift Card Giveaway entries – ends Monday
Check back over the weekend for new giveaways each day. Have a great weekend!
I have made these bars three times already! When I made them yesterday I used almond butter instead of peanut butter and dried cranberries instead of raisins. They were really good. You can customize them any way you want, apparently. They are hard to resist!! I like these much better than the ones I was buying that only had 5 bars in the box. I will definitely keep making these, I think they are not only tastier, but more cost effective, too. And, that always helps!! Thank you so much for this easy, delicious recipe.
Almond butter with cranberries sounds great and glad you’ve made them three times already…wow! And I agree, they’re hard to resist and way more cost effective (and better) than storebought!
So I made these and they are awesome! I didn’t add the sugar and they are still sweet and delish. Do you have suggestions for reducing the honey that would still “bind” the mixture as needed? Could water or applesauce work?
In an entire pan of bars, 10 servings+, you’re really using such a small amount of honey or binding sweetener that I just wouldn’t worry about it. Using any less and no, I fear they will not hold together. You could try increasing the nut butter amount, but you’d be adding more calories since it’s more calorically dense than honey. Water would turn the oats into slop; and applesauce would likely do the same. I would just enjoy them and not get too hung up :)
Your peanut butter chocolate chip granola bars are not gluten free because they call for rice crispies. If you use gluten free rice krispies then they will be, but the regular one’s have gluten in them.
The bars more definitely ARE GF because I used GF crispy rice cereal and linked to a variety of options within the post. There are different versions of Rice Krispies brand, both GF and non. There is also Erehwon/Nature’s Path Krispy Rice cereal which is what I linked to in the post and used and it is GF. I link to as many products as possible but it’s up to the individual to read labels and choose products that are in accordance with his or her needs. I call for crispy rice cereal, not Rice Krispies. Big difference. Hope you make the bars and enjoy them!
Averie, Thanks so much for these so useful recipes! Does Quaker Oats also market gluten free oats? I didn’t know that. People who really need to be gluten free should know that Bob’s has regular and gluten free oats so they don’t get into trouble. (the oats are no different, but regular oats are contaminated with wheat). Thanks again for kid-friendly recipes!
Glad you enjoy the recipes! And oats are inherently a gluten-free grain, just like rice is, but due to cross-contamination in the production process gluten can be introduced. I’m sure you know this already though.
Those are probably the best looking granola bars I have ever seen. I MUST make those.
Thanks for the recipe! I’m running a 15k race in December and always looking for healthy snacks. I love that your bars have peanut butter and dried fruit – great for energy! I’ll probably add some walnut or peanut pieces to mine. I’ll definitely try making these at home!
Good luck on your race and LMK if you try these!
I made these this morning and just cut them. They are delicious!! May never buy one again. Thank you so much for an easy recipe. I had everything I needed to make them, I used brown rice syrup and then followed the rest of the ingredients and they are so good, I hope I can stop myself from eating them all!!!! I will definitely make these again and maybe try different things next time. But, I love this recipe!!!!
So glad they’re a hit and that the brown rice syrup did the trick for you. I love these, too. And that they’re easy! You can wrap them up in clingwrap and freeze them, too. They keep for months in the freezer. Just pull out as needed.
I love home-made granola bars: I make them not to sweet, and can use any ingredients I want. The best part is No Bake part… :)
Yes that sure IS the best part!
Thanks for catching up on all these posts today…you’re so sweet! Hope your time away was fun & rejuvenating!
I love love love no bake bars! These sound amazing!
oooo…these look perfect to eat for breakfast on my drive to work! I love the extra notes you have for extras to do with these. I want to reach and grab one….beautiful pics (as always)
I always like to include ideas & options. Variety is the spice of life!
Those bars look great!
You have me at 5 minutes!
My favorite thing to grill is fresh pineapple!
Fantastic idea, and I love how customizable they are. I’m not a big PB lover (I know, I know) but I bet almond would work nicely too. Also love the date and chocolate ones you’ve posted – one of my favorite combinations!
The bars looks fantastically delicious! I bet they are so good as a snack. Healthy snack!