Food Storage Recipe: Granola Bars
I realized back in my Whole Wheat Update Post I never gave you the recipe I have been using for Granola Bars. Since I don’t really like oatmeal for breakfast that much, I figured trying out different granola bar recipes would be a good way to use my oats. I got this recipe from allrecipes.com. Granola bars can be tricky, some people like them crunchy some like them soft. This recipe is pretty basic and you can switch out the chocolate chips for raisins or whatever your family likes.
Easy Granola Bars
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat flour that I ground)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup butter, softened — Better believe I substituted this with Applesauce 
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9×13 inch pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar. Stir in the 2 cups assorted chocolate chips, raisins, nuts etc.
3. 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 love making these and them putting them individually cut in a Tupperware for a quick snack option. You don’t have to substitute the butter with applesauce, I just always like to try it whenever I can…;)
For more great recipes, make sure you check out our friend Crystal’s book:
Filed under: Grains, Oats, Oats Recipes, Wheat, Wheat Recipes
is it a straight sub for the butter? 2/3 c applesauce?
is this good with dried fruit?
thanks! found this on google, was so excited cause its exactly what i was looking for to use our storage stuff!
Yes it would be a straight substitute. Julie thinks it's great, I prefer the butter. hehe.
-Jodi
I wonder how well this would make up with the butter powder?
I think I'll try these “three” recipes tomorrow. One with butter, one with applesauce and one with butter powder. I'll let you know which one goes first!
I think I'm going to make these today (although I don't seem to have trouble finding ways to use my oats from FS – pancakes, waffles, bread, etc.) and use coconut oil instead of the butter to up the nutritional value. I keep CO in our FS b/c we use it regularly, but also because it's a metabolic-booster and is loaded with super-healthy things.
Can't wait to try them out on my guinea pigs… erm…family! 
I think I'm going to make these today (although I don't seem to have trouble finding ways to use my oats from FS – pancakes, waffles, bread, etc.) and use coconut oil instead of the butter to up the nutritional value. I keep CO in our FS b/c we use it regularly, but also because it's a metabolic-booster and is loaded with super-healthy things.
Can't wait to try them out on my guinea pigs… erm…family! 
I'm glad I'm not the only one substituting applesauce where I can:) Any recipe I have done this had always worked out. I made cornbread last night from your recipe and used applesause instead of oil…My husband said it was the best cornbread he had ever had! Thank-you
I just used this recipe as the basis for granola bars. Because I am on a diet currently I used coconut oil instead of butter (I would have tried applesauce, but can't do apples right now) and molasses in stead of brown sugar, no changes in dry ingredients out of curiosity. I made a double batch. One batch I added chocolate chips, which my family loved, and the other batch I only added chopped almonds, no chips. I thought the ones with the almonds were great! My family liked the chocolate chip ones, but noticed a “weird” taste, which I attribute to the molasses. I'm not eating chocolate right now either so can't tell you how I liked the chip ones. Over all I'd say this is a definite keeper! Sorry this is so long, but thought some one might be interested. thanks for the recipe. now to try the granola recipe.
So are these soft or crunchy? I prefer crunchy and am guessing subbing applesauce would make them softer. I am going to try the “chex mix bowl” recipe with granola for granola bars too. That looks super easy and no added sugar in the “glue”.