Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

It’s not so easy to find nut free granola bars. With a few quick ingredients, you can whip some up at home. The house smells terrific and warm, they are unbelievable. The rice krispies keep them light and chewy. You can use whatever mixins you like – at our house its always chocolate. I think they’d be great with some craisins, but then I’d be the only one eating them. This recipe makes a big batch, so I wrap up a bunch individually in plastic and freeze them to have another time. That also makes it easy when the kids make their lunches, they can just grab one from the freezer. It will be defrosted by the time they have lunch in school.

Ingredients:

5 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats
4 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 – 14 oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk (one can I used was fat-free)

Toss the oats and cereal together in a big bowl.

Line a baking sheet with foil and then parchment paper.

Add chocolate chips (or any other mix-ins you like – coconut, dried fruit, mini marshmallows, etc..)

Add sweetened condensed milk and mix thoroughly.

Mixture will be very sticky. Pour it all on the parchment paper.

Pat it down with a spatula or your hands (sprayed with cooking spray)

Looks delicious raw, right?

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly brown.

Let cool and take the foil right off the cookie sheet.

Cut into squares or bars.

These are slightly stickier than store bought granola bars, but they are also more delicious. 🙂 ♥