Homemade Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bars - no bake!
Sweet, salty, crispy, and chewy, these homemade chocolate chip granola bars are no-bake and easy to make. Loaded with oats, honey, chocolate chips, and crispy rice cereal, these bars are perfect for hikes, snacks, or kid’s lunchboxes!
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a lipped baking sheet with parchment paper. Separately, line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
Pour the oats onto the lipped pan and spread into an even layer. Toast the oats in the oven for 3 minutes, stir, then toast for another 5 minutes or until golden. Do not let them brown, just toast. Remove from the oven and set aside.
1 ½ cup old fashioned oats, 1 cup quick oats
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the honey, butter, and brown sugar. Stir frequently until fully melted and sugar dissolved. Turn the heat to low and let simmer, stirring constantly, until bubbly.
½ cup honey, ¼ cup salted butter, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large mixing bowl, add the toasted oats, crispy rice cereal, and salt. Stir to evenly distribute.
1 ½ cups crispy rice cereal, ½ teaspoon salt
Once the oats mixture is cool to the touch, stir in the mini chocolate chips. If you don't wait for it to cool, the chocolate will melt.
½ cup mini chocolate chips
Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish, packing it in evenly. Top with additional mini chocolate chips, if desired. To pack the bars into the pan, I recommend topping with a layer of parchment paper and using the bottom of a flat glass, or a spatula, to evenly press the mixture into a layer.
Move the pan to the refrigerator to set for an hour before slicing into approximately twelve 1" bars.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. I recommend using parchment or wax paper between the layers as they can get sticky.
The bars are fine at room temperature to pack for lunches or snacks, they will just soften a bit as they warm.
Switch up the mix-ins to dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, etc.) or nuts.
If you prefer less sweet, reduce the amount of brown sugar.