Granola Bars

Submitted by Terri Newell

"This recipe is from hillbilly housewife. My kids say it's better than the granola bars I buy."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 24 bars

ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup margarine
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1⁄2 cup applesauce
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 3 cups cereal
• 1⁄2 cup raisins (optional) or 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

directions

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Melt margarine.
3. Add honey, applesauce, brown sugar and egg.
4. Add flour, cinnamon, soda, salt and oatmeal. Dough will be sticky and stiff.
5. Add dry cereal. I used a bran flake type that had added dried strawberries and strawberry yogurt chips.
6. Add raisins or chocolate chips if desired.
7. Press into 9x13 pan. This is easier if you use your fingertips -- wet them slightly first.
8. Bake 20 minutes.
9. Cut into bars.
10. Note -- I left out the optional raisins, but sprinkled one cup of peanut butter chips over top after baking, then spread them over the surface after they melted slightly.
11. Store individually wrapped in waxed paper for easy snacking.

Reviews

[Shwltr78]

These weren't exactly what I was looking for. I used rice crispies and thought they would be at least a little crunchy, but they were really chewey and didn't stay together very well. I did double the amount a raisins because my boys really like them. I think that may be why they crumbled - the raisins didn't cut nicely. They were also a tad bit bland. The applesause I used did not have any added sugar, so that may have altered the taste. My youngest son did like them alot though and couldn't get enough. But, I think I'll keep looking for something the whole family likes.

 

[free-free]

Great granola bars!! I used bran flakes and brown rice crisps (1.5 cup each) as the cereal...added 1/2 a cup of chopped walnuts and about 1/4 cup of peanut butter chips (I probably would have added more of these if I had them on hand) I did add have to add a bit more applesauce with the optional extras because my mix was beginning to look a bit dry and this worked out great for me. I love the versatility of this recipe...any combo of cereals and optional dried fruit or chip would give it a nice new twist. I look forward to playing a lot more with this (I already have cinnamon chips just discovered on this past weekend shopping excursion that I am dying to try!! :) - Thanks Teri !