Gluten-Free Cranberry Chocolate Granola Bars | The LaVere Altered Cookery

I miss granola bars like something fierce. The chewy kind. The yummy, yummy chewy melt-in-your-mouth on-the-go granola bars.

So while wandering aimlessly on Pinterest, I came across a homemade granola bar recipe that stopped me in my tracks. Less than 10 ingredients? All ingredients that were in my cabinet? A recipe that could easily be converted into a gluten-free recipe? WHOA. It needed to be done.

Rusty has been eating a lot of granola bars recently just for a quick snack at work... and granola bars are expensive without coupons. AND they have all sorts of extra unnecessary ingredients.

You see where I'm going? This recipe was a mission of love, health, and frugality! :) And of course, chocolate chips.



Gluten-Free Cranberry Chocolate Granola Bars

INGREDIENTS:
* 1/2 cup of honey
* 2/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
* 1/4 cup of crunchy peanut butter (We eat Skippy Natural Super Chunk.)
* 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
* 4 cups of Quick Oats
* 2 cups of Rice Krispies Gluten-Free Crispy Rice Cereal
* 3 teaspoons of gluten-free vanilla extract
* 3/4 cups of dried cranberries
* 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips

Quick Oats Note: Be sure to use a certified gluten-free quick oats like Bob's Red Mill where no cross-contamination during oat production may occur.

DIRECTIONS:
* In a large heat-resistant bowl, stir crispy rice cereal, quick oats, and dried cranberries together.
* In a medium saucepan, combine honey, butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Bring to a light boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat.
* Pour in vanilla extract and stir.
* Pour the hot mixture over dry ingredients. Mix until all ingredients are moistened.
* Into a 9x12 glass pan, press granola bar mixture. Pack the granola mixture tightly into the pan so that the mixture is no thinner than 1/2" thick.
* Lightly press chocolate chips onto the top of the bars. (Don't do this any sooner, or you'll get a chocolate mess!)
* Let cool on the counter for 10 minutes, then place the granola bars into the fridge for about 20 minutes to allow the chocolate chips to harden again before cutting.
* Cut into bars of your preferred sizing and wrap in wax paper or sandwich baggies.
* If properly stored, they can last up to 2 weeks.
* Enjoy!

** Alterations Note: You can do so many other add-in variations with this recipe like peanuts, banana chips, almonds, et cetera. Next time, I'm doing a sunflower seed and raisin mix. :)