recipe: chocolate & pretzel chewy granola bars

These homemade granola bars are chewy & soft. Also, they are no-bake & super easy to make.

I have already made them twice, so this is easily one of my new favorite recipes!! The combo of chocolate 

& pretzel is my favorite, but I think next time I might try cranberries & almonds. I love that this is a recipe 

that you could get really creative with. YUMM!!!

Chocolate Chip & Pretzel Granola Bars

{ original source of recipe }

Ingredients...

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup crispy rice cereal (I used plain Chex)

3/4 cup chopped pretzels

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips 

Plus extra chocolate chips to sprinkle on top

(mini chocolate chips would be best, but I only had regular)

Directions...

Coat and 8x8 baking pan with non-stick spray.

Combine roughly chopped pretzels & crispy rice cereal with old-fashioned oats in a large bowl. 

Add sea salt. Measure out 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, combine butter, brown sugar, honey and peanut butter. Heat over medium-low heat,

 stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to bubble. Once bubbling, cook for 2 minutes while continuing 

to stir. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the peanut butter mixture into the bowl with the oats, cereal, and pretzels. Stir until everything is 

well coated. Pour in the chocolate chips and mix. The chocolate will begin to melt. Use a spatula to evenly 

& firmly press the granola into the pan. Sprinkle the top of the granola bars with extra chocolate chips and

gently press them into the granola bars.

Refrigerate the granola bars for at least an hour before cutting. Once you are ready to cut the granola bars,

 just run your knife around the edges until the whole piece comes loose from the pan, all in one piece. 

Cut into bars and serve. Enjoy!!