Chewy No-bake Granola Bars

Total Time: 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups rice krispies
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped or 1/2 cup any dried fruit
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped or 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Recipe

• 1 prepare a 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.
• 2 in a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients so they are ready for the hot sugar mixture.
• 3 in a sauce pan, make sugar mixture. combine brown sugar, corn syrup and optional molasses; bring to a full boil and allow to boil 1 minute. turn down heat and add peanut butter and vanilla, stirring quickly until smooth.
• 4 work quickly - pour the hot sugar mixture over dry ingredients and use two wooden spoons to thoroughly combine ingredients. stir in chips last so they don't melt in the hot mixture.
• 5 press mixture very firmly into prepared pan. keep pressing down until your bars are dense in order to keep them from crumbling later when you cut them.
• 6 when cool, use a sharp knife to cut into 18 bars (1 cut lengthwise and then 9 cuts across).