I use these granola bars as bribery. I’ve been making them for ages and my Main Taste Tester begs for them on a regular basis. I know if I really want something all I have to do is whip up a batch and my wish is granted. I can understand why he likes them so much. They taste like a treat but have a lot of good stuff in them too. These are a dense, crunchy bar, and they make an awesome afternoon snack or addition to breakfast. Once they are all gone, they also leave you with lots of good granola crumbs at the bottom of the dish. They are awesome sprinkled on ice cream. Not that I know or anything…

Chocolate Covered Pretzel & Peanut Butter Granola Bars

 Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups crushed salted pretzels
• 1 cup multigrain Cheerios (any kind will work)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flax seeds
• 1/4 cup wheat bran
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup liquid honey or corn syrup
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all of the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips together in a large bowl. Add peanut butter and stir until the mixture is well combined (I like to use my KitchenAid mixer with paddle attachment for this; before I had one I just used my hands). Add the honey and vanilla and mix again. You may need to add more honey if you feel like the mixture won’t stick together to form the bars. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and press the mixture firmly into the dish, packing it down well.

Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. As mentioned above, these aren’t very chewy so they can be a bit crumbly when cut. Enjoy!