No-Bake Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars {Gluten-Free}

As a mom of young kids, it is vitally important that I always have at least a couple of snacks packed in my bag whenever we leave the house. Store-bought granola bars are a great option due to their portability and long shelf life,

but even the “healthier” brands have a longer ingredient list than I would like, not to mention too much added sugar. Homemade granola bars solve those issues, and this recipe is super easy and quick!

The bars do not need to be baked, so they’re ready to eat in mere minutes. They’re soft & chewy with a healthy balance of nutrition and unrefined sweetener; and, of course, they’re absolutely delicious!

No-Bake Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars {Gluten-Free}

by Lauren Zembron (adapted from Present Glo Bars in The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats (you can certainly use regular old fashioned rolled oats if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe)
• 1 1/4 cups crispy brown rice cereal (naturally gluten-free; I love the Erewhon brand)
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup or honey
• 1/4 cup all natural unsweetened peanut butter (the only ingredients should be peanuts and salt; you can also use almond butter)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan (a 7 x 11 rectangular pan also works) with parchment paper going both ways, making sure to leave enough overhang to assist you in taking the granola bars out of the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, crispy rice cereal, and salt.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the brown rice syrup and peanut butter. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until the peanut butter has liquified. Add in the vanilla extract and stir until completely combined and smooth.

Spoon the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until well-combined. Make sure you scrape all of the wet ingredients out of the bowl and into the dry ingredients.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan and, using lightly wetted hands, press into an even layer. Lay an additional sheet of parchment paper on top of the mixture and firmly roll a pastry roller over the top to compact the mixture.

Place in the freezer to chill for 10 minutes. Lift the granola bars out of the pan by picking up the overhanging parchment paper, place on a cutting board, and cut into bars.

Store bars individually wrapped in an airtight container in the fridge.

Estimated Nutrition Per Serving (1 bar)

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Dietary Fiber: 3g
• Sugars: 13g
• Fat: 11g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 95mg
• Potassium: 145mg