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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Source of Recipe

From "Half Homemade, Fully Delicious" by David Venable


Recipe Introduction

"Most granola bars are dry, crumbly, and way too sugary for my taste. Chocolate chip, peanut butter, and coconut add just the right amount of sweetness to these moist, chewy bars. They keep well in an airtight container for nearly a week."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Vegetable oil spray
â—¦ 2 cups old-fashioned oats
â—¦ 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
â—¦ 2 large egg whites
â—¦ ½ cup (packed) light brown sugar
â—¦ â…“ cup smooth or chunky peanut butter
â—¦ ¼ cup honey
â—¦ 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ¾ cup milk chocolate chips, chilled (so they don't melt)


Recipe

Heat the oven to 325° F. Lightly coat the bottom of a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray. Line the bottom and two sides of the baking pan with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly coat the paper with vegetable oil spray. Set aside.

Spread the oats and coconut on a sheet pan and bake until lightly browned, 11 to 12 minutes. Let cool for three minutes.

Whisk together the egg whites, brown sugar, peanut butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Add the oat-coconut mixture and stir until the oats are coated. Stir in the chocolate chips until incorporated.

Evenly spread the batter into the prepared pan. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top. Using your hands, firmly press down on the granola, packing it as tightly as possible. Remove and discard the plastic wrap. Bake until golden brown around the edges, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes.

Turn the contents of the pan out onto a cutting board, remove the parchment paper, and flip the whole thing over. Slice into eight bars. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container up to 6 days at room temperature.

Makes 8 bars