Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Snack Bars

Here is another recipe that has made it into our homemade snack rotation. They started with the very popular recipe Playgroup Granola Bars on allrecipes.com. My friend Lys made them for me and my kids during a play date and they were a big hit. As always, I have made many modifications. I use chocolate chips instead of raisins, which was actually Lys' innovation. Of course, if I had used only raisins I could have called my recipe "refined sugar-free" or something. But oh well. Chocolate chips make them extra appealing.

I use white whole wheat flour (instead of white flour plus wheat germ). You could probably use whole wheat flour plus wheat germ, but I don't happen to stock wheat germ. I cut the brown sugar entirely, because they really are plenty sweet with just the honey. I also tried substituting applesauce for some of the oil and that works too. I make them both ways depending on whether I have an open jar of applesauce on hand or not. I also added some nuts. As with all my favorite healthy homemade snacks, these freeze extremely well and are perfect for lunch boxes, picnics, and on-the-go snacking.

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Snack Bars

2 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

1/2 cup oil (or 1/4 cup oil, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)

2 teaspoons vanilla

3/4 cup raisins or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup slivered almonds

·         Mix together oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in nuts and raisins or chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, mix honey, egg, oil, and vanilla. 

·         Pour wet ingredients into a well in the dry ingredients and stir until combined. 

·         Spread evenly in a well-greased half-sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350. 

·         Allow to cool 5 minutes and then cut into bars while still warm. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

I almost always make a double recipe and bake in a half-sheet pan (13x18) since they freeze so well. I freeze most in a rectangular Pyrex container, but like to keep a small reusable food bag of them in the freezer that I can just grab on my way out the door as well.

Whole Grain Chocolate Chip Snack Bars (Double Recipe)

4 cups rolled oats

3 cups white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup honey

2 eggs

1 cup oil (or 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce)

4 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups raisins or 1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup slivered almonds

·         Mix together oats, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in nuts and raisins or chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, mix honey, egg, oil, and vanilla.

·         Pour wet ingredients into a well in the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in raisins or chocolate chips and almonds. 

·         Spread evenly in a well-greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350. 

·         Allow to cool 5 minutes and then cut into bars while still warm. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

Hope your kids love these as much as mine do!

Related Posts

Healthy Homemade Snack: Whole Grain "Cookies"
100% Whole Grain Muffins with Applesauce
Easy-peasy DIY Trail Mix
Homemade Chewy (Not Crumbly) Granola Bars
In Search of a Better Sweetener: Alternatives to White Sugar

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