These chewy, crispy no-bake chocolate chip granola bars are easy to make — and they put all those store-bought bars to shame.

Chocolate chip granola bars are a staple in my pantry, but between my husband, my kids, and my kids’ hungry friends, I can’t seem to keep enough of them in the house. So I figured it was time to try and make them from scratch, and maybe even sneak in some health food. After many trials, I finally cracked the code and came up with a version that puts all those store-bought bars to shame. What’s more, they’re no-bake and take only ten minutes to make.

What You’ll Need To Make Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Be sure to use quick-cooking oats, which are rolled oats that have been coarsely chopped. Regular old-fashioned oats are too coarse and chewy for this recipe and cause the bars to fall apart. If you don’t have any quick-cooking oats in your pantry, you can make your own by pulsing regular oatmeal in the food processor a few times.

The nice thing about these bars is that they’re versatile. If you don’t like chocolate chips, you can use raisins or cranberries. If you’re not a fan of almonds, you can throw in some unsalted sunflower seeds instead. Aside from the oats and Rice Krispies (those are a must), as long as you keep the ratio of wet to dry ingredients the same, you can substitute just about anything you like.

How To Make Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Begin by combining the butter, brown sugar and honey in a large pan.



Bring it to a boil, then let it bubble over low heat for a few minutes to thicken slightly.

Off the heat, stir in the salt and vanilla extract.

Then add the oats, crispy rice cereal, almonds, and flax meal (or wheat germ).

Fold the mixture with a rubber spatula until evenly combined.

Transfer the granola bar mixture to a 9 x 13-inch pan lined with aluminum foil.

Press the mixture lightly with a rubber spatula to flatten, then sprinkle the chocolate chips over top. Use the spatula to press the chips firmly into place and compact the mixture into the pan as much as possible. (The reason you don’t mix the chips in is that they’ll melt.)

Place the pan in the refrigerator for 1-1/2 -2 hours, until the bars are cool. Then use the foil overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut into rectangles.

Keep the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator; if you have to stack them, be sure to use parchment paper or foil in between the layers, otherwise, they’ll crumble and stick. Enjoy!

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