No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I have been looking for a no-fail, easy homemade granola bar recipe for a few weeks now. Fall is coming and my sweet Madison is starting Kindergarten. How did that happen so fast? I blinked and suddenly she was 5. Crazy. I cannot wait for after school snack time. I remember that being the best thing ever. Come home from school to a glass of cold milk and some kind of treat? Oh yeah. This recipe is going to be made every single week I’m sure. It takes 5 minutes, you don’t have to bake anything and they are incredibly delicious.

Seriously. No baking. It’s a dump and press recipe. Awesome.

I used this local honey I got at a farmers market. They make the best stuff. Blackberry honey. Mmmmmmm.

Gorgeous amber deliciousness. Note, no honey was wasted in the making of this recipe. That dribble off the edge somehow made it’s way into my mouth.

The first four ingredients are butter, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter. And they get combined together. Winner!!

Then you add oats, pretzels and rice cereal (krispies). These babies can be made gluten-free in a snap!

Combine everything, press into a pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips. I butter my hands when pressing things into pans. First, because it is really fun to dip your hands into a stick of butter. Second because using anything else won’t work as well AND you’ll dirty another utensil. No thank you.

These granola bars are absolutely glorious. Sweet and salty with a little crunch and perfect chewiness. You’ll never want to buy them again!

Really. I always feel ripped off when I get store bought granola bars. First, they taste pretty much like cardboard. Second, you can eat them in a bite and a half. You need three to feel like you’ve even had a snack. And finally, there’s so much processed crap in them that I kind of feel like it would be better to just throw a candy bar into my kid’s outstretched hands. I’ll let you be the judge though. On the left, these homemade delights. On the right, a granola bar I found skulking around in my pantry. Which would you choose?

Yeah, I thought so. It’s pitiful really. I mean, that’s supposed to be a peanut butter chocolate chip granola bar on the right. Where’s the chocolate? And that pale pasty color? Shudder. Take a few minutes and throw together a batch of these. Pop them in lunchboxes or set them out for the kids when they get home. You’ll be the most popular mom in the neighborhood.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
From Two Peas and Their Pod

Yield: 10-12 bars

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup chopped pretzels
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cut out an 8 x 8 inch square of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper in the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Spray lightly with cooking spray.

2. In a large sauce pan, add butter, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Stir in the oats, crispy cereal, and pretzels. Stir until well coated. Pour into the prepared pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan and press firmly with your hands. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top and gently press into the granola bars with your hands.

4. Place the bars in the refrigerator and let cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Cut into bars and serve.