Need a fun and delicious snack to munch on after school or to add to your school bake sale? These Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Granola Bars have been kid-approved in our house. Peanut butter, chocolate cookies, and candy make these one delicious bar to enjoy any time of day.
*This post is sponsored for One2One Network on behalf of ACH Foods and Karo® Corn Syrup. I am partnering with them as a Become a Better Baker Blog Ambassador.
Over the years we have gone through boxes and boxes of granola bars. My kids love packing them in their lunch boxes, eating them after school, or having one as a bed time snack. With three growing kids you can see how we would end up going through quite a few granola bars.
Fast forward a few years, and I realized that I could make my own granola bars customized with what my kids like to eat. We love coming up with fun new combos every time we make a new batch.
I have a few recipes for baked granola bars that I make every so often. But when I’m running short on time, the no-bake versions get made more often. Easy and no-bake always win out when it comes time to make a new batch for the week.
These easy granola bars are also fun treats to share at bake sales. Our school hosts a fun cake walk/bake sale each spring, and I love making something kid-friendly to share.
This week I used this Chewy Chocolate Granola Bars recipe from the Karo® website as my starting point. My kids suggestions for mix ins were Oreo cookies and Reese’s Pieces, but the good thing about this recipe is that the options seem endless for what to try.
Feel free to add whatever you have lurking in your baking cupboards. We always have a few half empty bags of candy, cookies, or chocolate that gets thrown into granola bars. Granola bars are a great way to use up those partially full bags.
Because food is always more appealing in cute packages, I wrapped each bar in a small glassine bag, added a chalkboard label
Wrapping the granola bars this way is also an appealing way to share them at bake sales or parties. Cute food always catches our eyes first, right? And who wouldn’t want a delicious peanut butter granola bar full of cookie chunks, candies, and chocolate chips?
Bake sales are fun, easy, and something the kids enjoy helping with too. Karo® Syrup has launched its Baking a Difference campaign to support Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® cause. All across America, families are struggling with hunger, and children are often hit the hardest. You can help fight hunger right in your community by hosting a fundraising bake sale to help these families in need. If you are interested, click HERE for your Bake Sale Starter Kit.
My kids all agreed that these bars were amazing! I see many more peanut butter cookies and cream granola bars being made and eaten in our house and sent to bake sales in our area.
Connect more with Karo® Syrup:
These Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Granola Bars are kid-approved in our house. Peanut butter, chocolate cookies, and candy make these one delicious bar to enjoy anytime of day.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups quick oats
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal
- 1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup + 3 Tablespoons chocolate peanut butter candies
- 10 chocolate cream-filled cookies, chopped finely
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup Karo® Light Corn Syrup
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Stir together the oats, cereal, 1/2 cup peanut butter candies, chocolate chips, and cookie chunks. Set aside.
- Combine the peanut butter, corn syrup, and brown sugar in a microwaveable bowl. Heat on HIGH 1-2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the syrup mixture over the oats mixture and stir until everything is coated.
- Spoon the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Use a sheet of parchment paper and press the mixture down firmly. Top with the remaining candies and press them gently into the bars. Let cool and set for an hour. Cut into 16 even bars. Store in a sealed container on the counter.
Notes
*Slightly adapted from Karo® Syrup's Chewy Chocolate Granola Bars
Mir says
Wow. Talk about putting all the good stuff in one place! Love these granola bars. Nobody sells a flavor this awesome!
Jocelyn says
I’m all about making treats that can’t be found anywhere else 🙂
Holley Grainger says
Yum! What a delicious idea packed with such fun ingredients. Will be pinning these for later.
Jocelyn says
Thank you so much for the pin love!!!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg says
Om nom nom. These look too good. Your packaging is adorable and such a great way to take these treats on the go. LOVE!
Jocelyn says
Thank you! They were so fun to come up with the cute package for sales!!!
Amanda says
These look so delicious. These would make a great road trip snack this spring! 🙂
Jocelyn says
I agree…these are perfect road trip snacks!!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love making my own granola bars. So much better than the store bought kind and so easy to customize! These look amazing, Jocelyn! I’m in love with the flavors. Pinned!
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert says
I plan to attempt making granola bars soon. It’s such a better alternative to the store bought ones. I love all the goodness you packed into these! They look amazing.
Jocelyn says
Yes, definitely make your own. It is so fun to customize them based on what’s in the cupboards 🙂
CakeSpy says
Almost too much awesome to even put in your mouth! * = almost.
Jocelyn says
Almost…but let’s keep it real. I ate way too many of these awesome bars 🙂
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Love the versatility of homemade granola bars! I need to make these for our next batch!
Trish+-+Mom+On+Timeout says
Pretty much all of my favorite things – in a granola bar! Now this is how I like to snack 🙂
Jocelyn says
Best way to snack right there girl!!!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
These look loaded with flavor! So yum 🙂
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
I really need to try making my own granola bars because I love granola bars! These look like the perfect ones to start with!
Tonia from TheGunnySack says
I love no bake recipes! Save so much time. I’ll have to try these for my kids!
Jocelyn says
No bake recipes really are the best for those busy days! I hope your kids love them as much as mine did!!!
Elle @ Only Taste Matters says
These look fantastic. I love the idea of emptying out the half bags of candy. The pantry is always cluttered with them.
Jocelyn says
Granola bars and cookies are perfect ways to get rid of those half used bags of treats! My cupboards are always full too!!!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
I need to remake granola bars. I made them once and they never harden up, darn them. These look perfect. I love the added candies. Such a winner! Pinned! 😉
Chandra@The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen says
I love granola bars! These have all the best flavors packed in. Love it!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
Your kids know how to pick some good add-ins; these are the BEST!
Jocelyn says
I have trained them well over the years 😉 Haha! Yes, they are so good at the flavor combos!!! Future food bloggers maybe?
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel says
Now THESE are my kind of granola bars! The more fully loaded, the better 🙂
Jenny Flake says
Love these!!! Wish I had some now!!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
This sounds like my kinda granola bar!
Jennie+@themessybakerblog says
I’m drooling over here! These look absolutely delicious. Your photos are beautiful. Pinned.
Jocelyn says
Awe thank you so much Jennie! You totally just made my day 🙂
Amy@Little Dairy on the Prairie says
I’ve been looking for the perfect granola bar recipe. This one looks perfect. No bake, cookies, peanut butter…what else could a girl want? This recipe is happening soon!
Jocelyn says
Woo hoo! Gotta love when you find that perfect recipe that you know you will be making!!! These really were so good! I hope you enjoy them!