An Easy and Delicious Granola-Inspired Treat!

Does anyone else have recipe boxes still? Yes, in this digital age, I could digitize them, but there is something so special about pulling out the recipes cards. There are so many recipes in my recipe box that have quite the story. My Great Grandma’s Potica, my mom’s recipe for “mommy’s mess”, my granola snack bite recipe, all of my experimental recipes that turned out perfect and I said, “I have to save this!” are part of my cherished recipe box.

Tucked in my recipe box, is Jess’s Granola Snack Bites, a recipe I created back when I was in college. I was on the search for a quick, easy-to-make treat and was tired of buying pre-made snacks from the store. This recipe became an instant hit with my family. The perfect mix of oats, honey, and chocolate! It was one of my Grandpa’s favorite recipes I would make for him. He was very health-conscious, and this recipe fit right into his routine for a treat!

I have made this recipe 100 plus times and I still make these granola snack bites on a regular basis. They are perfect for “farm fuel” on a long day of chores. The ingredients are simple to find and don’t cost too much. Within less than an hour, you will have fresh, homemade granola snack bites!

Time to Bake!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. For mixing this recipe, you need 2 separate bowls. One bowl will be mostly dry ingredients, and one will be the wet ingredients. In the “dry” bowl mix 1 cup flour, 1 ts cinnamon, 1/2 ts baking soda, and 1/4 ts salt. Use a whisk, and whisk everything together.

In the “wet” bowl mix 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp honey, 1 ts vanilla, and 1 large egg. Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together. For an added treat we like to use maple sugar in place of the regular sugar!

Now combine the dry and wet ingredients, making sure to really give everything a good stir. I like to mix this recipe by hand but you can use your mixer as well.

After everything is all combined, gently fold in 1 1/4 cup Rice Krispies, 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, and 1 1/2 cup rolled oats.

With the next step, you are going to get your hands a little dirty! Pour the mixture onto a 9″x13″ baking sheet lined with parchment (we like to add a quick spray of non-stick spray as well). Gently push, and form the granola “dough” into a rectangle, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Be sure to push those edges in to get a good rectangle shape. I like to use the 9″x13″ baking sheet because if our bars spread a little, the pan helps to keep everything together.

Time to Enjoy!

Bake the granola snack bites for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Pull the granola snack bites out of the oven and allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes. You want to be sure to cut your granola snacks into bite sized bars before it cools completely. After the bars cool, they are not as easy to cut. You can cut the granola bites into what ever size you would like.

The granola bites will firm up a bit but still be chewy in the center, yum! Store your cooled granola bites in an airtight container and enjoy! It is best to use up these granola snack bites within 5-7 days, and they can be left on the kitchen counter.

I hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as we do! Homemade treats are the best! Happy Baking!