Your kids will love baking (and eating!) these soft, chewy Chocolate Granola Bars, from the cookbook Super Simple Baking For Kids.

Are boxed granola bars in heavy rotation at your house? Wish you could replace some of those with a simple, homemade version–and even better, with a recipe your kids could make themselves?

Charity Matthews has you covered. These Chocolate Granola Bars come from her new book Super Simple Baking For Kids, which is full of fun recipes that kids can bake themselves (or with your help) for everything from cookies and cupcakes to pizza dough and soft pretzels. Charity is founder the site Foodlets, and all of her recipes are tested and approved by her four kids.

If your kids are already pros in the kitchen, hooray! If they’re not, baking is an easy way to get them creating something they can’t wait to eat, like Cookies And Cream Cupcakes, which was the first recipe my son chose to make from Super Simple Baking For Kids (and they were swoon-worthy).

Since so many of you ask for snack ideas, I thought I’d share this particular recipe, with Charity’s blessing.

How to Make Homemade Chocolate Granola Bars

These granola bars are soft and chewy, not hard or crumbly. And they come together so easily! First, mix together oats, coconut, flaxseed (or wheat germ), and walnuts in a bowl.

Melt chocolate chips, butter, honey, salt, and vanilla together and pour it over the oats mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula until it’s all coated and covered.

Then spread the mixture evenly into a square baking pan lined with parchment. Press it down firmly with the spatula, your hands, or the bottom of a measuring cup until it’s nice and flat.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. After the granola cools in the pan (and you press down on it one more time to really pack it tightly), lift it out and cut into rectangles or square bars–whatever works for your gang.

Charity says these bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperatures for up to one week. 

Here’s a little peek at some of the other recipes in Super Simple Baking For Kids, like Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake…

…and these Fruit-Filled Triple Vanilla Cupcakes.

If your kids love to bake already–or you’d love to get them started–get these recipes and others in Super Simple Baking For Kids. Find more of Charity’s recipes at Foodlets.

Chocolate Granola Bars

Yield: 8 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Customize your own granola bars with this recipe! From raisins and peanuts to dried cranberries or M&M's, there's no limit to the flavors you can create. Add up to 1 cup of additional mix-ins when you mix the dry ingredients together.

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Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed or wheat germ
• 1 cup walnut pieces
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line the baking pan with enough parchment paper so the edges reach over the sides of the pan. (You'll pull up on the paper to remove the bars from the pan when they're done baking.)
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In the mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to combine the oats, coconut, flaxseed (or wheat germ), and walnuts. Stir well.
3. Melt the chocolate. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the chocolate chips, butter, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir continuously, about 1 minute, until the chocolate has melted.
4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the oat mixture. With a rubber spatula, stir until all the oats are coated. (Use your hands if you like, but ask an adult first to make sure the chocolate isn't too hot!)
5. Press the oat mixture into the pan. Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared pan and, using your hands, spread it out so it's flat and even.
6. Bake. Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake the mixture for 20 minutes, until the edges are golden.
7. Let cool. Remove the pan from the oven. Let the granola cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
8. Cut the bars. Using your hands, press down on the granola one more time to ensure it is packed tightly. Holding the edges of the parchment paper, transfer it to a cutting board. Using the sharp knife, cut into 8 rectangles. Granola bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Recommended Products

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• 
  Pyrex Square Baking Dish
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  Parchment Baking Paper

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 8 bars
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 469 Total Fat: 27g Saturated Fat: 10g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 16g Cholesterol: 8mg Sodium: 193mg Carbohydrates: 56g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 8g Sugar: 34g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 8g

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