No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars have been a family favorite for quite a while. I decided to play with the recipe a bit and add dried cranberries, replace the vanilla with almond extract and sprinkle roasted, chopped almonds on top with the mini chocolate chips. That's how these Cranberry Almond Chewy Granola Bars came to be. Sometimes, it is fun to play in the kitchen! :)
Recipe Link
Ingredients
4 cups quick cooking oats (not old fashioned)
2 cups crispy rice cereal (rice krispies)
1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins), chopped
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup honey*
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
Cooking spray
Optional topping:
1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped small
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Directions
1. Mix together oats, crispy rice and dried cranberries in large bowl. Set aside.
2. In a pot on the stove, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat (but keep bubbling) and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour in almond extract. Stir.
3. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased (cooking spray works well) 9x13 pan and press out evenly, packing mixture together.**
4. If making the topping....Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and chopped almonds. Press chips and nuts down into the mixture with a rubber spatula. Cool on the counter to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars.
5. Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
Notes: *Spray measuring cup with cooking spray before adding honey. The honey will slide right out!
**I spray my hands with cooking spray and then, pack the mixture into the dish really well using my hands.
Adapted from No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
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| First, mix together oats, crispy rice cereal and chopped Craisins together |
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| Add brown sugar, honey and butter to a pot on the stove |
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| Bring to a bubble on medium high heat. Reduce heat, but keep mixture bubbly and cook 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in almond extract. |
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| Pour sugar/butter mixture onto oats/cereal mixture. Mix well. |
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| Pour into a 9x13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. |
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| Sprinkle on chopped almonds and mini chocolate chips, if you like. Use a spatula to press into the granola bars. |
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| Let cool and cut into bars. Enjoy! |
Sweet, chewy, crunchy from the roasted almonds and slightly tart from the dried cranberries. Lots of yummy flavors and textures in these simple-to-make granola bars. My kids aren't crazy about Craisins, but they still liked these granola bars. They prefer the original No-Bake Chocolate Chip Granola bars, but it was fun to come up with a new flavor and play with that recipe a bit. My husband liked the cranberry and almond flavors together, but suggested I add a melted chocolate layer on top, then sprinkle the chopped almonds on top of the melted chocolate. That might help save some of those chopped almonds from falling off of the bars. Maybe next time....
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