Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

My family loves granola bars so I wondered about making them myself.  I found this recipe and I'm sure there are loads of variations you can put together with what you add in but I think this is a great base.  I started out with plain chocolate chip granola bars as the original recipe called for 2 cups of mini chocolate chips, but it they were really chocolaty which is great but probably not super healthy. Next time I am going to mix it up with different nuts, rice crispy cereal, dried fruit.  In my 9x13 inch pan I cut up 18 individual bars that were about 1" thick.  You can always use a 12x17 inch jelly roll pan to make about 28 bars that are 1 1/2x4" and thinner like the "store bought" bars but be sure to cut the cooking time down to about 12-13 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups rolled oats (or 4 cups oats and 1/2 cup rice crispy cereal)

1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1-2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips/dried fruit/nuts

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 F (165 C). Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.

In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda.

Add in vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar.

Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.

Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. 

Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. 

Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. 

Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.  

I wrapped my granola bars with a bit of waxed paper and then placed them in a large plastic baggie. But you could wrap them in plastic wrap as well (I just thought the waxed paper was easier to cut up). I kept them all in a baggie in the freezer and took bars out as I needed them and let them defrost before eating.