Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Breakfast foods are some of my favorite foods.  I love french toast, pancakes, eggs, bacon, and even cereal but during the week, I am definitely a breakfast-on-the-go type person.  I never seem to have the time or effort for putting together something to eat before getting out the door for work, so I tend towards grabbing a granola bar and a piece of fruit as I head out.  I have found a few decent store bought granola bars that I like to eat, but since I love making things from scratch I decided to find a good homemade recipe to try.

My childhood favorite granola bar was the peanut butter chocolate chip Quaker chewy bars, so when I found this copycat recipe I knew this was the one I wanted to try first.  Let me just tell you, these granola bars  mimic the flavor profile and chewy texture of the store bought version very well, but they are about a hundred times better tasting!  The bars are perfectly sweetened with a great balance of peanut butter and chocolate flavors.  The combination of oats, rice krispies, and coconut create exactly the right chewiness that these granola bars should have.  Plus there is always the added benefit of knowing exactly what is in the bars, no preservatives or other unknowns that might come with a store bought product.  I will definitely be making these bars instead of buying them and experimenting with other flavor combinations as well.  

Luckily little K has been snoozing away in his swing while I typed this post out but he has started his waking up routine of growling and peeking his eyes open, so I will quickly wrap this up and end the post with a picture from last week when he was one month old. Ahh, I can't believe more than a month has past by already!   

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

1 2/3 cups rolled oats

1 cup rice krispies cereal 

1 cup sweetened coconut flake

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

2/3 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)

1/2 cup melted butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup chocolate chips (milk or semisweet)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray.  Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well.  Pour the mixture into the baking pan and press it out into an even layer.  Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.  Let the bars cool complete before cutting.  Cut into bars and store in an air tight container or wrap individually in plastic wrap.

Enjoy!

Inspired by Yammie's Noshery