About the Recipe
This recipe has become a tried and true staple for me. It is incredibly easy and quick to make! I love knowing what ingredients are going into my granola bars. They store the best in the fridge and tend to get softer (and sometimes more sticky depending on your honey) when left out - this may mean they aren't necessarily the best for on-the-go. Even still, I often will put a couple in my stasher bag to have to snack on during the day and it works out well :)
Ingredients
1 cup very smooth creamy natural peanut butter or cashew butter (runny nut butter = better)
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2½ cups whole rolled oats
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (larger chips don't work as well)
3 tablespoons pepitas or crushed peanuts or cashews
Preparation
Step 1
Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large bowl, stir together the peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and salt, until smooth. (I use my food processor for easy and very quick mixing).
Step 3
Add the oats, chocolate chips and the pepitas (or nuts). The mixture might seem dry at first, but keep stirring and it'll come together. Stir to combine and press firmly into the pan. Use a second piece of parchment paper and the back of a measuring cup to help flatten the mixture.
Step 4
Chill for at least 1 hour, then slice into bars. (Don't skimp on this chill time!)
Store bars in the fridge or fridge, with parchment paper in between to avoid sticking together.