Book: I have found another Alton Brown book! How does he have the time? Well, anyway it is “I’m Just Here for More Food: Version 2.0 Baking”. This is probably the BEST baking book out there for understanding baking. I love love love King Arthur Flour and all of their recipe books. But, if you want to understand WHY things work in baking this is the book for you! I love the humor and the detail in the book. Probably the best of the 3 in the series in my opinion. If you get it from the library, make sure it is the later edition. The first run through had some bad edits.
Recipe: So, back when Maddox was around 3 years old his favorite thing for breakfast was: Quaker Oats Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars. He would eat 1 for breakfast and a glass of milk (which was consumed on our 90 second drive to preschool that started 15 minutes after he woke up!). What can I say? I hate waking sleeping children. Anyway, this recipe is no -bake just like the other Trail Mix Bars I have made in the past. One pan makes a lot of chocolatey, peanut buttery goodness.
As with many no bake recipes, you can substitute peanut butter for almond butter and the chocolate chips for another dry ingredient.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup light corn syrup
- heaping 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (natural or Dutch processed)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 cups quick oats or old-fashioned oats cut down in the food processor
- 2 cups rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
Instructions
- Take out your 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Create a sling in the pan with wax paper or foil. (Tip: Non stick aluminum foil is super easy in sticky recipes!) Make sure the foil hangs off the sides 1-2".
- In a great big glass or ceramic bowl, mix the corn syrup, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Cook for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir it up a bit. Cook another minute in the microwave.
- Add cocoa, vanilla and salt. Stir some more!
- Fold in the oats. Fold in 1 cup of rice cereal. The mixture is now going to get really thick. I added the second cup of rice cereal, but if it gets too hard to stir then stop adding rice cereal.
- Stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips. Press the mixture into the pan. Use the back of a spatula or greased hands to press down on the mixture.
- Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top and press them in lightly.
- Cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours or freezer for 1 hour. Use the sling to lift the batch of granola bars out of the pan and slice with a big knife. You can individually wrap them and store in the fridge, or freeze some for lunches later, or leave them in the pan covered and eat as you go!
- Recipe from Averie Cooks
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Granola Bars
makes 12-16 bars
2/3 cup light corn syrup
heaping 1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder (natural or Dutch processed)
1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups quick oats or old-fashioned oats cut down in the food processor
2 cups rice cereal (Rice Krispies)
1 cup mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
Take out your 8×8 or 9×9 or 7×11 pan. Create a sling in the pan with wax paper or foil. (Tip: Non stick aluminum foil is super easy in sticky recipes!) Make sure the foil hangs off the sides 1-2″.
In a great big glass or ceramic bowl, mix the corn syrup, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Cook for 1 minute in the microwave. Stir it up a bit. Cook another minute in the microwave.
Add cocoa, vanilla and salt. Stir some more!
Fold in the oats. Fold in 1 cup of rice cereal. The mixture is now going to get really thick. I added the second cup of rice cereal, but if it gets too hard to stir then stop adding rice cereal.
Stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips. Press the mixture into the pan. Use the back of a spatula or greased hands to press down on the mixture.
Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips on top and press them in lightly.
Cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours or freezer for 1 hour. Use the sling to lift the batch of granola bars out of the pan and slice with a big knife. You can individually wrap them and store in the fridge, or freeze some for lunches later, or leave them in the pan covered and eat as you go!
Recipe from Averie Cooks
