These dark chocolate cranberry granola bars are so simple to make and are a great addition to your child’s lunch box. If your children are anything like mine, they always ask for a treat in their lunch. Usually I pack them a store bought granola bar, but I wanted to try my hand at making them myself. I knew there could be no nuts as we are a nut free school, and I wanted to make sure they had a fruit as well as a sweet factor, so I created these tasty dark chocolate cranberry granola bars.
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bars
I chose cranberries because I love them – I like how tart they are, and I knew they would pair great with the dark chocolate. I used quick cooking oats and crisp rice cereal. I added cinnamon to them just to spice them up a bit.
In the end, the kids loved them and I loved that I knew exactly what went into these sweet treats.
What you will need:
- 2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 cup crisp rice cereal
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Line a brownie pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Combine quick cooking oats, rice cereal, cinnamon and dried cranberries in a large bowl and stir.
In a sauce pan set over medium/high heat, melt together the butter, brown sugar and honey. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is coated. Add in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips and stir again.
Place mixture into prepared pan and press down into the pan. Add the remaining chips on top, and cover with plastic wrap.
Place another brownie pan on top of the granola bars and weigh down. Place in fridge overnight.
Cut into squares and enjoy.
I found that I liked these in the fridge. Store in an airtight container.
- 2 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 cup crisp rice cereal
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- Line a brownie pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine quick cooking oats, rice cereal, cinnamon and dried cranberries in a large bowl and stir.
- In a sauce pan set over medium/high heat, melt together the butter, brown sugar and honey. Bring to a boil and cook for 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour the butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is coated. Add in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips and stir again.
- Place mixture into prepared pan and press down into the pan. Add the remaining chips on top, and cover with plastic wrap.
- Place another brownie pan on top of the granola bars and weigh down. Place in fridge overnight.
- Cut into squares and enjoy.
- I found that I liked these in the fridge. Store in an airtight container.
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