Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

These homemade chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are easy to make with only a few simple ingredients. They are an easy snack to pack up for school lunches or on the go.

Packing lunches is one of my least favourite parts of being a mom.  Who’s with me on this one?

I want my kids to eat healthier food like any mom, but the choices at the grocery store frankly make me panic a bit seeing all those crazy ingredients.  I have been on the quest to find great ways to make their favourite treats but with ingredients, I can pronounce.

Now don’t get me wrong I am not a mom who has tonnes of time on her hands so when I do decide to make homemade lunch snacks instead of store-bought. They need to be of course kid approved but also super quick to whip together. 

It can be really hard here in Canada to find healthy snack recipes for my kids that don’t include peanut butter.  In Ontario, elementary school kids can’t bring peanut anything into schools to protect children with peanut allergies.

But these homemade chewy granola bars have hit the mark. Quick, chewy and delicious! My kids also like these Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies and Decadent Chickpea Brownies.

Ingredients & Subsitutions

• Butter – Unsalted or salted in this recipe works.
• Honey – Liquid or creamed honey can be used because the honey will be heated and melt if it is solid. The honey can also be substituted with maple syrup if you prefer.
• Brown sugar – Adds some structure as well as a key ingredient in melting with the butter to create the sweet glue that holds the bars together.
• Rolled Oats – I prefer old-fashioned rolled outs as opposed to quick oats because the grains are larger and give these bars a chewier texture.
• Rice Krispies – or any other puffed rice cereal.
• Vanilla – because all baked goods pretty much have vanilla for flavour.
• Chocolate chips – You can use any type of chip you like!

How to Make Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Using butter, lightly grease an 8″ X 8″ square pan.

In a large bowl add the rolled oats and Rice Krispies. Mix well to combine and set both aside.

In a small pot over medium-high heat melt the butter, brown sugar and honey together. Bring the sugary mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Don’t mix it while it is boiling or continuing to cook.

Test to see if the sugary mixture is ready using the soft-ball method. To do this you will fill a glass halfway with cold water. Then take a spoonful of the sugary mixture and drop it into the glass. If it forms a soft ball then the mixture is ready.

You will need to do this step fast and check often because if the mixture overcooks when the sugar hardens it will make your granola bars hard vs soft and chewy. Still good just a different texture.

Once done, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the sugary mixture into the bowl of cereal and mix well to ensure all of the cereal is coated.

Act quickly because as the sugary mixture cools it will be harder to mix. Once mixed add the chocolate chips and mix once more to make sure they are evenly dotted throughout the mixture.

Pour the homemade chocolate chip granola bar mixture into the prepared dish, spread it out evenly and using the back of a measuring cup gently press it down to make a smooth even top.

Set aside to cool completely, about half an hour and then cut into 10 pieces. Five wide and half down the centre.

How to store Homemade Granola Bars

After they are cut I like to transfer them to an airtight container or to add a tight-fitting lid to the baking dish I used. Store them on the counter for up to a week.

You can also wrap each of these easy snacks in plastic wrap individually so that they are ready to grab and go.

Do not store them in the fridge or they will become hard.

Tips & Tricks

• If your granola bars seem to fall apart or be a bit to crumbly the first time you make them you likely did not boil the sugar mixture long enough.  To test, grab a gold glass of water and a spoon.  Drop a little of the hot sugary mixture into the water and feel it.  It should form a soft ball.  If it doesn’t form a ball continue to cook the sugar mixture for maybe 10-15 more seconds.
• For a crunchier granola bar, you can cook the sugar mixture another 10 or so seconds beyond the soft ball stage and you will get a harder, crunchier granola bar when they set
• Pan to big? Not to worry.  When mixed simply press the granola bar mixture to form the size and depth of bars you like.  I usually have about 2 inches left on the long side of my pan but just make sure the edge that is not against the pan wall is lightly packed in so it doesn’t crumble.
• Cut the granola bars and wrap in saran wrap individually so they are ready to throw into those lunch bags

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