This no-bake recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars has enough honey-induced sweetness and chocolate to satisfy a sweet tooth but oats and peanut butter enough to make for a reasonably healthy snack.
I’ve been in a bit of vacation mode the past couple weeks. Yes, I’ve still been in Bangkok and going to work, but I seem to have found a number of excuses to eat out, stay up late, skip a few morning trips to the gym, and generally have all sorts of fun. It’s been great.
This happens a lot when we have visitors from home, but not usually when it’s just Frank and I. This weekend will be a bit more low-key, although we have a potluck/pool party to attend on Saturday and are meeting friends out that night. Otherwise for the next couple days, you can find me hanging out in the kitchen and catching up on episodes of Master Chef.
These homemade bars are just the thing for coming off of two weeks of staycation without losing all the fun. The recipe, generously adapted from a version by Rachael Ray, requires no baking and takes all of about 15 minutes to make. The bars have this great crisp, chewy texture when stored in the fridge.
As for that potluck we're attending tomorrow - I'm still not sure what I'm bringing. It's been ages since I went to a potluck; they're less common here in Bangkok where you can get amazing food for cheap on every street corner!
More Healthy Snack Recipes
- Frozen Greek Yogurt Bark
- Strawberry Oat Streusel Bars
- Sweet and Salty Snack Mix
- Oat, Cashew, and Chocolate Granola Bars
- Sweet and Spicy Sriracha Snack Mix
- Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Sugar Chips
- Strawberry Banana Muffins
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars Recipe
Equipment
- 8x8 baking dish
- Mixing Bowl
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup Puffed Rice Cereal
- 1 ½ cup Rolled Oats
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ½ cup Honey
- ¾ cup Peanut Butter
- ½ cup Mini Chocolate Chips (or 100 grams dark chocolate, chopped)
Instructions
- Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking dish. Combine the puffed rice cereal and rolled oats in a large mixing bowl.
- In saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, honey, and peanut butter. Heat the mixture, stirring constantly, until it is smooth and pourable, 3-5 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Pour the peanut butter mixture over the puffed rice and oats and stir until evenly combined (if cool enough to handle, it helps to use your hands). With slightly damp hands, firmly press the mixture into the prepared pan. Gently press the chocolate chips into the top of the bars. Chill the bars in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into 16 squares or rectangles. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Alyssa D. {Suitcases & Sweets}
Here in the States there's a commercial where you find out that a woman has been unwrapping Fiber One granola bars and passing them off as homemade. Are you sure you didn't do that here?! These look phenomenal!! 🙂
Monica
These look awesome! I made something similar once and loved the PB and chocolate combination (obviously...). It's nice and filling, too, so you don't need a lot. I didn't use puff cereal and that sounds great to offset some of the richness. I'd love to try this since it's great for Fall and back to school.
Ashley
I love making granola bars at home ... they are definitely a great snack to have around : ) Have lots of fun at the potluck/pool party this weekend!
Claire @ Claire K Creations
I get like that sometimes. I stay up too late a few nights in a row and start acting like I'm on holidays. Usually it happens around my Birthday and after Christmas. These look like a rather tasty snack!
Have a good weekend.
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs
I love peanut butter everything and these bars look like the perfect snack! So delish!
Have a lovely weekend 😀
Debra
I was going to make granola for our breakfasts this week, but this recipe looks like it is faster and easier to grab and go!
Debra
OK--- I just whipped these up using coconut oil and cocao nibs. The "batter" tasted yummy. I am putting them in the fridge to firm up b/c of the coconut oil. I told you I was going to make these! 🙂
Jess
Awesome, Debra! What a great idea to use coconut oil! Let me know how it goes. (The few times I made these, I ate several servings of the "batter" before they turned into bars too.)
Anne ~ Uni Homemaker
I don't eat much granola bars but when I do... it's gotta have some sort of chocolate in it. I bet these homemade ones are fabulous vs the store bought ones. Thanks for sharing Jess!
Cookie and Kate
So I'm starving, but I'm trying to hold off until my dinner date picks me up in an hour and 45 minutes... I wish I had one of these granola bars to hold me over! They look perfect.
Jeannette
I just made these and they didn't turn out. 🙁 I'm not sure what I did wrong. I followed the recipe exactly as it is written. They taste great but they did not stay in bars. It is more of a crumble....
Jess
Oh no, Jeannette! I'm so sorry to hear that. I tested these several times and never had a problem. Did you use natural peanut butter by any chance? Sometimes that doesn't have the binding qualities that conventional brands have.
Liz
I agree with Jeanette, these just didn't turn out. I followed the recipe as written and used JIF peanut butter but they just fell apart. Also - if you want the thickness shown in the picture I suggest either doubling the recipe or using a smaller pan. I think these would have been just fine in a smaller pan, but they were just spread too thin to hold together.
Jess
Hi Liz - thanks so much for the great feedback. I spent much of yesterday up to my elbows in Rice Krispies to make sure I could get the recipe to work for you the way it did for me. You were right - I did have somewhat inconsistent results when I made the recipe as written, although my bars always did hold together. However, I found that increasing the peanut butter base resulted in bars that were always more stable. You were also right that using a smaller pan resulted in thicker, more substantial bars like those shown in the photo. I've updated the recipe completely and emphasized the importance of pressing the bars very firmly into the pan and refrigerating them before serving. Thanks again!