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No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
  • Calories: 190
  • Protein: 6 g
  • Total Fat: 10 g
    • Unsaturated Fat: 8.5 g
    • Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Total Carbohydrate: 20 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 2 g
  • Total Sugar: 9 g
    • Natural Sugar: 2 g
    • Added Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 135 mg

These crave-worthy bars are on your required reading  “eating” list. Whether your kids gobble them down while doing some homework or before hitting the soccer field, they’re addictively satisfying and totally totable. And hey, they’re not just for little ones— my college girl has a big stash to enjoy with her friends at school and my husband and I can’t get enough of them. Homemade bars are even better than store-bought because you get to control what goes in and what stays out. They also get extra credit points for being so simple to make (no baking required!). You oat to try ’em—they’ll set the bar pretty high come snack time.

  • Prep time
  • Total Time
This recipe makes 14 bars
Ingredients:
  • • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • • 1 cup creamy peanut butter
  • • 1/3 cup honey
  • • 1/3 cup natural (no-sugar-added) applesauce
  • • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • • ¼ cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped
  • • ¼ cup chocolate chips, optional
Preparation:

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on either side for easy removal when the bars are done. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the oats, cinnamon and salt and stir to combine.

In another mixing bowl, add the peanut butter, honey, applesauce and vanilla. Stir with a rubber spatula or spoon until everything is well combined.

Add the oat mixture, along with the chopped peanuts and optional chocolate chips into the peanut butter mixture and continuously stir until you create a stiff batter (you’ll give your arms a bit of a workout).

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking pan, and using your spatula or spoon, distribute the mixture evenly over the bottom. Then, take an extra piece of parchment paper and place it over the top so you can use your hands or the bottom of a glass or mug to pack the mixture down firmly and evenly. Peel off the top parchment paper, then reposition it loosely over the top and stash the baking pan in the freezer to allow them to firm, at least 1 hour to overnight. When they’re ready to slice, lift the parchment paper (and bars) out of the pan and cut into bars (make one slice down the center and 7 slices across).

To store, wrap each bar individually so they don’t stick together and keep in the freezer (they will not freeze, they simply become more firm and remain deliciously chewy!)

 

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