Ingredients
2
1 / 2
cups quick oats
1
cup crispy rice cereal
1 / 2
cups unsalted butter
1 / 3
cups honey
1 / 4
cups, packed brown sugar
1
teaspoon vanilla extract
1 / 4
teaspoons salt
1 / 2
cups mini chocolate chips
Steps
Step 1
Line an 8x8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides so you can lift the bars out easily later.
Step 2
In a large bowl, toss the oats and the crispy rice cereal together.
Step 3
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, honey, and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle boil. Once it starts bubbling, turn the heat to low and let it simmer for exactly 2 minutes.
Step 4
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
Step 5
Pour the hot syrup over the oat mixture. Stir well until every oat is coated. Wait 5 minutes for the mixture to cool slightly before adding the chocolate chips (otherwise, they will melt completely and turn the whole bar brown).
Step 6
Fold in most of the chocolate chips. Transfer the mixture to your prepared pan. Press the mixture down very firmly using a spatula or the bottom of a heavy measuring cup. Scatter the remaining chips on top and press them in.
Step 7
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until completely firm. Lift the parchment paper out of the pan and slice into bars.
Footnote
If your bars are falling apart, you likely didn't press them into the pan hard enough. Really put your weight into it! This compacts the oats and the syrup into a solid block.
These stay chewy at room temperature for about a week if kept in an airtight container, but they are absolutely elite when eaten straight out of the fridge.
What makes this dish special?
Forget the crumbly, dry bars from the grocery store. These Homemade Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars are the gold standard of snacks. They are dense, buttery, and perfectly pliable, mimicking that famous "Quaker" texture but with much better ingredients.
The secret to their specialness is the syrup-to-oat ratio. By boiling a mixture of honey and brown sugar, you create a natural binder that keeps the bars chewy rather than crunchy. They are special because they are infinitely customizable; once you master the base, you can swap the chips for dried fruit or nuts, making them a parent’s (or a hungry adult’s) best friend.
