These no bake Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Granola Bars have been kid-approved in our house. Peanut butter, chocolate cookies, and candy make these homemade granola bars taste so good.
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 decided to make some homemade granola bars. My kids suggestions for the 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 and tied some bakers twine to the top.
These bags were stored in a container on the counter, so the kids could grab one to go any time they needed a sweet snack. Since they were already wrapped, there was no need to find a plastic bag each time they packed one in their lunches.
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?
Our kids all agreed that these homemade granola 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.
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Granola Bars
These no bake Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Granola Bars have been kid-approved in our house. Peanut butter, chocolate cookies, and candy make these homemade granola bars taste so good.
Ingredients
- 2 ยฝ cups quick oats
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal
- ยฝ cup miniature chocolate chips
- ยฝ cup + 3 Tablespoons chocolate peanut butter candies
- 10 chocolate cream-filled cookies, chopped finely
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- ยฝ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Stir together the oats, cereal, ยฝ 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
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 309Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 179mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 3gSugar: 31gProtein: 6g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Jennie+@themessybakerblog
I'm drooling over here! These look absolutely delicious. Your photos are beautiful. Pinned.
Jocelyn
Awe thank you so much Jennie! You totally just made my day ๐
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting
This sounds like my kinda granola bar!
Jenny Flake
Love these!!! Wish I had some now!!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
Now THESE are my kind of granola bars! The more fully loaded, the better ๐
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
Your kids know how to pick some good add-ins; these are the BEST!
Jocelyn
I have trained them well over the years ๐ Haha! Yes, they are so good at the flavor combos!!! Future food bloggers maybe?
Chandra@The Plaid & Paisley Kitchen
I love granola bars! These have all the best flavors packed in. Love it!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze
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! ๐
Elle @ Only Taste Matters
These look fantastic. I love the idea of emptying out the half bags of candy. The pantry is always cluttered with them.
Jocelyn
Granola bars and cookies are perfect ways to get rid of those half used bags of treats! My cupboards are always full too!!!
Tonia from TheGunnySack
I love no bake recipes! Save so much time. I'll have to try these for my kids!
Jocelyn
No bake recipes really are the best for those busy days! I hope your kids love them as much as mine did!!!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats
I really need to try making my own granola bars because I love granola bars! These look like the perfect ones to start with!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout
These look loaded with flavor! So yum ๐
Trish+-+Mom+On+Timeout
Pretty much all of my favorite things - in a granola bar! Now this is how I like to snack ๐
Jocelyn
Best way to snack right there girl!!!
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction
Love the versatility of homemade granola bars! I need to make these for our next batch!
CakeSpy
Almost too much awesome to even put in your mouth! * = almost.
Jocelyn
Almost...but let's keep it real. I ate way too many of these awesome bars ๐
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert
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
Yes, definitely make your own. It is so fun to customize them based on what's in the cupboards ๐
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice
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!
Amanda
These look so delicious. These would make a great road trip snack this spring! ๐
Jocelyn
I agree...these are perfect road trip snacks!!
Erin @ Miss Scrambled Egg
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
Thank you! They were so fun to come up with the cute package for sales!!!
Holley Grainger
Yum! What a delicious idea packed with such fun ingredients. Will be pinning these for later.
Jocelyn
Thank you so much for the pin love!!!
Mir
Wow. Talk about putting all the good stuff in one place! Love these granola bars. Nobody sells a flavor this awesome!
Jocelyn
I'm all about making treats that can't be found anywhere else ๐