These Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars are chewy and filled with rolled oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips, with an egg to help with binding.
They take 5 minutes of prep and 25 minutes in the oven for a breakfast that’s easy and great for prepping for the week ahead.
I’ve been making granola, specifically Maple Pecan Granola, routinely for over 12 years, and more recently, I’m obsessed with this super crunchy Homemade Sourdough Granola.
In an effort to make a granola based breakfast easier and more transportable, I’ve started developing granola bar recipes, such as Sourdough Granola Bars, and these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars.
Variations
These granola bars can be made with a variety of different nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. When substituting, keep the total quantities the same to ensure that the wet-to-dry ingredient ratio does not change. This helps to keep the bars chewy in texture and not fall apart when cut.
- Nuts: Try almonds, sunflower seeds, or peanuts instead of the pecans or pumpkin seeds.
- Dried Fruits: Try dried cherries or blueberries instead of the dried cranberries.
- Chocolate Chips: Use any variety of chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, such as milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
- Rolled Oats: Substitute a small portion of the rolled oats with puffed brown rice.
- Without Egg: If you prefer not to use an egg, add an extra 2 tablespoons maple syrup to keep the same adhesive, chewy texture.
Ingredients
Below are the ingredients needed to make Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars.
- Maple Syrup: Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Peanut Butter: Use real peanut butter, not sweetened peanut butter.
- Egg: Use a large egg, pasture-raised if possible. This is used to keep all the ingredients together rather than having granola bars that are crumbly. I’ve tested this recipe without an egg, and the recipe ends up a bit crumbly (but still tasty). If you need to leave out the egg, add two extra tablespoons of maple syrup, which will have a similar binding effect, though it will be sweeter.
- Cinnamon: Use high-quality cinnamon. I prefer Ceylon cinnamon from a company called Simply Organic.
- Salt: Just a small amount to bring out flavor.
- Rolled Oats: Used rolled oats, not steel-cut oats. I've used rolled oats from Costco, Trader Joe's, and Quaker Oats with good success.
- Pecans: Costco and other wholesale stores sell pecans in larger quantities but at a much lower price per unit volume.
- Pumpkin Seeds: Look for pepitas, the little green seeds.
- Dried Cranberries: I frequently substitute dried cherries here.
- Chocolate Chips: You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, or any variety that you like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars
Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to make Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars.
Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 metal baking dish with parchment paper (not wax paper).
Step 1. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the maple syrup, peanut butter, egg, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 2. Add Dry Ingredients: Add the rolled oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips. Stir thoroughly to combine.
Step 3. Press into the Dish: Press the mixture firmly into the 9x9 metal baking dish. This can be done with the back of a spoon, the bottom of a measuring cup, or place your hand inside a sandwich baggie and use your hand to press down on the mixture.
Step 4. Bake: Bake at 350°F for 24 minutes. Remove and allow to cool fully. Otherwise, they may fall apart.
Once cool, slide a knife along any edges where the granola touches the baking dish. Then use the parchment paper to pull the granola out onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 equal granola bars.
Storage
Store the granola bars in an airtight container or quart-sized bag for up to a week.
For More Granola Recipes You May Love
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups rolled oats
- 1¼ cups pecans, chopped
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds pepitas
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 metal baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine the maple syrup, peanut butter, egg, cinnamon, and salt. Add the rolled oats, chopped pecans, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and chocolate chips. Stir to combine.
- Scoop the granola mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it firmly into the pan. You can use the back of a spoon, the bottom of a measuring cup, or your hand inside a small sandwich bag, pressing down on the mixture.
- Bake for 24-25 minutes. Remove and allow to fully cool before slicing into 12 granola bars.
Notes
- Maple Syrup: Use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Peanut Butter: Use real peanut butter, not sweetened peanut butter.
- Egg: Use a large egg, pasture-raised if possible. This is used to keep all the ingredients together rather than having granola bars that are crumbly. I’ve tested this without, and the recipe really benefits from having 1 egg. If needed, leave out the egg and add two extra tablespoons of maple syrup to similar effect.
- Cinnamon: Use high-quality cinnamon. I prefer Ceylon cinnamon from a company called Simply Organ
- Chocolate Chips: You can use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, or any variety that you like.
- Let the Granola Bars Fully Cool: This helps prevent the bars from falling apart when you cut them and gives you nice, clean lines when cut.
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