These easy homemade peanut butter granola bars are perfect for an after school snack or road-trip treat for the kids.
One of my favorite things about road tripping is indulging in some sweet treats for the ride. We love to do pitstops at the gas station and stock up on Junior Mints & Swedish Fish.
That was all well and good when it was just Handyman Tim and myself but now with the two growing girls in the back, I feel way more than guilty eating all that junk food.
So instead I compromise. I'll make some treats at home so I can control the amount of sugar but they still better be tasty enough that I'm not missing those darn Swedish Fish.
This recipe for granola bars is AhMazIng. They remind me so much of my beloved Peanut Butter Cups. They are dense and chewy and very rich. You might want to consider packing little pints of milk into that car cooler.
Our girls adore these bars so much I can even use them as tempting breakfasts in the hotel room alongside a serving of fruit. They are a decadent way to start the day and all those oats and that protein make for a very filling kickstart to our adventures!
Thanks so much to my friend Renee for sharing this wonderful recipe with me. If this is a hint at what her family gets on road trips I call shotgun!
Our favorite homemade peanut butter granola bars:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
These yummy homemade granola bars are filled with protein and just the right amount of sweetness. Creamy peanut butter and chocolate chips make them a treat!
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour (1 cup quick oats finely ground in a food processor or blender)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp butter, room temperature
- ½ cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cup quick oats
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup peanut butter chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper; spray paper cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
In mixer bowl, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed. Add egg, followed by honey, peanut butter, and vanilla.
Working by hand, stir in the oat flour mixture and the oats until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and peanuts.
Spoon into prepared pan, flattening with the back of spoon or hands.
Bake for about 23-25 minutes or until light brown at edges. They may seem soft and underbaked, but theyʼll set up as they cool. Cool completely on a wire rack, then refrigerate several hours or overnight before cutting. This will help them hold together better and be less crumbly.
Looking for more road trip snacks?
When our family is on the go, these are some of our favorite snacks and treats to bring along:
Katherine Taylor
PS - Can you freeze these successfully?
Katherine Taylor
Hi,
Sounds great! I'll be trying it for our upcoming trip.
One quick note- in the lower portion of the recipe it says to add peanuts, along with chocolate and peanut butter chips, but it doesn't list them in the ingredients. I assume it's just 1/2 a cup, like the chips, but thought I'd let you know. 🙂
Thanks!
Katie
Cinnamon Vogue
Even though I know you didn't use real Ceylon Cinnamon, this recipe is so yummy I will forgive you for it. 🙂
Renee
Thanks, Tiffany! I'm so glad your family enjoyed them. Brent and I are headed to Indianapolis to meet friends next week, and the mom has already requested granola bars (apple cinnamon) for the hotel room 🙂