Homemade Granola Bars

Pumpkin Granola Bars

S'mores Granola Bars

Here are TWO yummy granola bar recipes. One for me, and one for Landon. He isn't a fan of the healthy pumpkin stuff. The first is a wonderful pumpkin granola bar recipe. I LOVE these...they taste a lot like the pumpkin granola I posted about a couple weeks ago. These bars are just a great portable version. The second recipe is a great no-bake S'mores Chewy Granola Bar...these taste JUST like the little quaker granola bars. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup pumpkin puree
¼ cup applesauce
¼ cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk oats, spices, and salt together. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk brown sugar, pumpkin, applesauce, honey, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over oats and stir well, until all of the oats are moist. Stir in chocolate chips.

4. Evenly press oat mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. The pumpkin keeps the bars moist, so make sure they are golden and set-you don’t want them to be under baked. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

5. Using a sharp knife, cut into bars. Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Makes 10-12 granola bars

S'mores Chewy Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 cups plain granola - i used Special K low-fat granola
• 1 cup rice cereal (Rice Krispies, etc.) - I used Chocolate Rice Krispies...that is all we had! Tasted great though!
• 2 tbsp. graham cracker crumbs
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Combine honey and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in brown sugar after butter starts to melt.

2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

3. Add the granola, rice cereal and graham cracker crumbs into the saucepan and fold them into the sauce until evenly coated. Very gently fold in the marshmallows.

4. Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch ungreased baking pan and press firmly with a spatula to evenly fill. Sprinkle the chocolate chips onto the top of the granola and gently press them down.

5. Put the pan in the refrigerator until cooled and firm, about 15 minutes, then cut into bars.

18 servings