Peanut Butter Granola Bars
This incredibly simple recipe for granola bars is adapted from the Minimalist Baker. It was only five ingredients up until I added the optional chocolate chips :-)
To make this version of the recipe, you'll need an 8x8 cake pan, some parchment paper, and something heavy to help your press the bars together in the pan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pitted dates
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup creamy, salted peanut butter
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
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Line an 8x8 square cake pan with parchment paper.
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Process the dates in a food processor until they all clump into a ball.
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Put dates, oats, almonds, and chocolate chips (if using) into a large mixing bowl.
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Put honey and peanut butter into a small saucepan and place over low heat. Cook until heated through and mixed well.
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Pour heated honey and peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
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Stir together until well-mixed. This might seem impossible at first, but with some patience it will come together.
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Transfer to the lined 8x8 cake pan, cover with parchment paper and press down firmly until you have a somewhat uniform top. I used an 8oz canning jar to accomplish this. The firmer you press the mixture here, the better they bars will stay together.
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Keep covered and put in the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for 30 minutes so they can stiffen up before cutting. (Set a timer so you don't forget.)
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Take the bars out of the cake pan and cut into approximately 10 bars.
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Wrap each individually and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
Recipe Notes
You could easily change up the nuts (peanuts, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pistachios, etc.), nut butter (almond butter, sun butter, etc.), and chocolate chips (dried fruit, coconut, sesame seeds, etc.) to create a combination that your family likes best.