Fantastic Granola Bars

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

These homemade granola bars are so delicious, and the good thing about these is that you can add whatever you want to them, these are much better than store-bought.

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 1.0 13x9 in ...

• 1 cup brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ cup melted butter or ½ cup margarine
• 2⁄3; cup peanut butter
• 2 teaspoons maple extract
• 3 cups quick oats
• ¾ cup coconut
• 1⁄3; cup wheat germ
• ¾ cup craisins (or use raisins)
• 1 cup mini chocolate chip
• ½ cup chopped peanuts (or walnuts or pecans)
• ½ cup dried fruit (your choice of dried fruit)

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease BOTTOM ONLY of a 13 x 9-in baking pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients.
4. Stir well.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
6. You may add what ever you want, as long as the mixture is sticking together in several large clumps.
7. Press the mixture into the baking pan, using your fingers.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 mins, or until golden.
9. Cool completely, and cut into bars.

Reviews

[Blue Dragon]

I found that these crumbled quite a bit. I used half the sugar and sunbutter instead of peanut butter (allergies), and honey instead of corn syrup. Not sure if that affected it at all. However, it still tastes great.

[AprilShowers]

These were good....only WAY too sweet. I cut the sugar in half (used only 1/2 c.) and they still seemed excessively sweet. Next time I will try eliminating it all together. I really feel with the Agave (which I used in place of corn syrup), dried fruit and chocolate chips no additional sweetener is really needed. I used sunflower seeds in place of chopped peanuts and raisins & dried cranberries for fruit. Also, I was out of wheat germ, so I used Multi Grain cereal...which is like Oat Bran only with various grains mixed together.

[wealthave]

Wow! I'll just echo everyone else... these are DELICIOUS! I will never buy boxed granola bars again. This recipe is so versatile, the possibilities are endless. Thanks, Kitten, for sharing!