Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars (2024)

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This Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar Recipe is THE BEST and easiest way to make granola bars! Plus, they’re cheaper and healthier than the store-bought kind!

You guys, I have found THE BEST and easiest way to make granola bars on this sweet planet earth. I was looking for recipe ideas and came across a few Pinterest photos that had me swooning over chewy chocolate chip granola bars and it made me want to try my hand at them. After a few testers, I ended up with a super kid and school lunch-friendly, *slightly* healthier version that has gotten rave review after rave review.

Granola Bar Recipe

These are pretty darn simple granola bars AND amazingly delicious. I was seriously shocked at how well these turned out for 3 minutes of work. Literally 3 minutes. If you have kids make these! Heck, even if you don’t, make ’em anyways. They are great snacks or fast breakfasts. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Butter –this is part of the boiled sugar mixture. Some readers have found that peanut butter works great here.
• Honey – a natural sweetener.
• Brown Sugar –more sweetener, this also is part of the boiled sugar mixture along with the honey.
• Quick Cooking Oats –not rolled oats!
• Crispy Rice Cereal –some readers have replaced this with other cereals such as Cheerios or Chex.
• Vanilla –to help the flavor.
• Mini Chocolate Chips –optional but highly recommended.

How to make granola bars

1. In a small saucepan, heat up some butter, honey and brown sugar over medium-high heat. Stir it together, reduce heat to medium low and let it simmer for up to 2 minutes or until the sugar dissolves.
2. While that is heating up, measure out oats and Rice Krispies into a large bowl.
3. Stir in vanilla extract into the hot syrup.
4. Pour the hot syrup over the dry ingredients and stir well to coat.
5. Press firmly into a greased jelly roll pan using either buttered fingers or a greased spatula.
6. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.
7. Cool to room temperature for about 1 hour or until set.
8. Cut into bars, wrap individually and use as desired.

Adapting your granola bar recipe

The beauty of this recipe is how adaptable it is. You can make lots of granola bar flavor combinations and create your very own recipe, based on what you and your family like. Feel free to add in raisins, nuts, maple syrup, flax seeds, cinnamon, butterscotch chips, coconut, agave, craisins, citrus zest, the list goes on!

Getting the boiled sugar mixture right

This recipe is very much dependent on the boiled sugar mixture. If your granola bars don’t seem to be staying together when you cut them, you may have not boiled the mixture long enough…you want it to make it just past the softball stage.

If you boil the mixture TOO MUCH, then once they set, they will be nearly too hard to eat. So, the best way to set yourself up for success is to bring the honey-butter mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.

Storing

After your bars have set, cut into portions, wrap individually in parchment paper or plastic wrap and store the whole lot of them in a large airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 7 days. I don’t like refrigerating or freezing because then the bars get really hard and don’t keep their amazing chewy texture, even after defrosting.

Of course, you can store them however you like, but keep in mind they are enjoyed best at room temperature.

More Granola Bars to Try!

• No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
• Homemade Granola Recipe with Almonds
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars Recipe
• No-Bake Nut and Seed Bars
• Homemade Granola

Printable recipe card is below. Make sure to save this recipe because it’s a good one for any day of the week. Enjoy!