No-Bake Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars — These homemade granola bars are ready in just 10 minutes! Packed with peanut butter chocolate flavor, they’re bound to be your new favorite snack in no time!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Move over, Quaker Soft and Chewy Granola Bars. You can make these soft, chewy, vegan, gluten-free, and healthier DIY bars in 10 minutes. This homemade granola bars recipe is adapted from my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars and I included a very similar recipe in my first cookbook.
Readers have said they’re the best granola bars they’ve ever had, their kids love them, and they’re saving so much money making their granola bars at home.
It would have been too easy to just leave the recipe alone. That’s not what food bloggers do. It’s mandatory to keep tinkering.
So I made a chocolate version. Double chocolate. There’s both cocoa powder and mini chocolate chips, and while the chocolate flavor is present, it doesn’t overwhelm the peanut butter flavor. You get a pop of chocolate and peanut butter in every bite, and that’s a beautiful thing.
The no-bake granola bars are naturally vegan and gluten-free. Always read labels to select certified brands and the exact ingredients that are right for your dietary needs.
The special ingredient that gives the bars an extremely authentic mouthfeel and texture is crispy rice cereal. As you’re stirring it in, it magically seems to disappear into the very thick mixture, but does so much when you bite down for lightness and subtle crunch.
The batch makes 1 dozen bars, very similar in size to the Quaker version. I wrap them individually in plastic wrap, keep a gallon-sized Ziplock filled with them, and then just toss the bars into school lunches, my purse, or my car. They’re not too messy which is nice, too.
The chocolate peanut butter granola bars can be customized with the add-ins you prefer, from dried fruit to nuts, making them very versatile.
They taste like a candy bar, but much healthier than eating candy bars or chocolate peanut butter cookies when chocolate + PB cravings strike. They’re my new best friend.
What’s in Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars?
To make these no-bake peanut butter chocolate granola bars, you’ll need:
- Light corn syrup
- Creamy peanut butter
- Light brown sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Quick cook oats
- Crispy rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
- Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the corn syrup, peanut butter, and brown sugar. Heat on high power for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another minute.
Add in the vanilla, oats, cocoa, and salt. Then, add 1 cup of the crispy rice cereal and gently stir to combine. If needed, add extra cereal until the right consistency is reached.
Lastly, mix in 3/4 of the chocolate chips. Turn the mixture into a foil-lined 8×8-inch baking dish, then sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips. Chill the chocolate peanut butter granola bars until set, then slice.
How to Store Homemade Granola Bars
Bars will keep wrapped in plastic wrap inside a large ziplock at room temperature for up to 1 month, in the fridge for up to 2 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Tips for Making Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
The bulk, heft, and bigtime chewy-factor comes from quick cook oats. Quick cook oats are just whole-rolled oats that have been cut smaller in the manufacturing process to cook quicker. If you typically buy whole-rolled oats, pulse them in your food processor or blender for about 5 seconds and you’ve got quick cook.
It’s important to use quick cook because they behave more like flour, binding together the wet ingredients. Whole-rolled oats are bigger, coarser, and won’t act as a proper binder and the bars won’t hold together.
If you’d rather not use corn syrup in these no-baked granola bars, you’re welcome to use brown rice syrup or honey instead.
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No-Bake Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup light corn syrup, brown rice syrup to keep vegan or honey may be substituted
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- 2 cups quick cook oats, Quaker, Bob’s, or similar; don’t use whole-rolled oats, pulse/grind briefly if that’s what you have
- 2 cups crispy rice cereal, Rice Krispies, Erewhon, or similar
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl combine corn syrup, peanut butter, brown sugar, and heat on high power for 1 minute; stir to combine.
- Return bowl to microwave and heat for 1 more minute on high power, and stir to combine.
- Add vanilla, cocoa, optional salt, and whisk to combine.
- Add oats and stir to combine.
- Add 1 cup rice cereal and gently stir to combine so cereal doesn’t become too crushed.
- Slowly add the second cup of cereal, stirring while adding to incorporate. Mixture will be very thick, which is good so bars hold together after they’re set up. However, if your mixture seems extremely thick or dry, and doesn’t quite need the entire second cup or cereal, refrain from adding it all.
- Add 3/4 cup chocolate chips and stir to combine. The mixture is warm and chips will likely begin to melt, which is okay but the less stirring, the less melting. Reserve remaining 1/4 cup chips.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan and pack it down firmly with a spatula or hands.
- Evenly sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips and very lightly tap them down with a spatula.
- Cover pan with a sheet of foil (to prevent fridge/freezer smells) and place pan in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or in the freezer for at least 1 hour, or until bars have set up.
- Using foil overhang, remove bars from pan, place on cutting board, and slice. Mine are sliced 4-inches long by 1/2-inch wide, similar in size and shape to Quaker Chewy Granola Bars. Wrap bars individually in plastic warp.
Notes
- Bars will keep wrapped in plastic wrap inside a large ziplock at room temperature for up to 1 month, in the fridge for up to 2 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Is it possible to use all bran flakes instead of rice krispies?
Hi Averie,
I made these today (because it seemed like a healthier alternative to your beautiful brownies and bars) ;)
I had never made anything with uncooked oats before. So when I first had a bite I quickly got worried and wondered if it was safe to eat. I googled it and it seems okay. I mean you seem to be pretty healthy and you make quite a few granolas with unbaked oats. (For that matter I love nature valley stuff but I have no idea what their cooking process is). But bottom line is that these are nice! And they are super filling. I can def. keep them handy.
My 6yr old daughter wanted to make cookies the other day so together we made the latest m&m cookie recipe you posted a lil while back. She loved them! :)
Have a great week. Hope you do something sweet for V-day. If you make your hubby/daughter something sweet can you post a pic of it on your twitter please?
Glad you guys enjoyed these! And how cute you and your 6 yr old baked M&M cookies together :)
Hi! I love this recipe. I have already done two batches and they are simply delicious. I have a question, do you know how many calories does the bars have?
Greetings fromMexico!
I don’t know the calories on it, sorry! Thanks for trying it twice already!
It looks so good!!!! And the chocolate…hmmm… Great recipe!! Can I skip the sugar? I don’t eat at all except coconut sugar (rarely)!! What do you suggest?
I really haven’t experimented without the sugar but I think they would taste quite bitter and not enjoyable if you left it out due to the cocoa powder.
I have old-fashioned oats – it that considered quick-cooked or whole-rolled? Once you answer-I will know how to proceed. I can’t wait to try this recipe since it has my name all over it.
old-fashioned oats are whole-rolled.
My 6-year-old and I made these this afternoon. They are absolutely amazing! We made them over the stovetop and it was very easy. Definitely making them again. Thanks for the recipe!!
Glad you and your 6 y.o. are cooking together! How sweet! And glad these are a hit and you’ll make them again!
Hi Averie- These look yum but you may want to clarify a couple things in order to ensure a gluten free status. Quaker Oats aren’t gluten free, Bob’s Red Mill or other certified gluten free oats would be fine…while oats do not contain gluten they get cross contaminated while growing sometimes by wheat in the field or during harvesting. Also I would not only gluten free Rice Krispies, while it is linked to those it doesn’t state that specifically and regular rice krispies contain malt (not gf). Just passing these notes a long. Thank you!
sparks people have a calorie calculator. As written – these are pretty high in calories- over 300 per bar. We don’t count calories here, typically, but do watch sugar so I calculated the recipe info for that reason – about 30 grams per bar as written. I’m going to try the recipe with decreased sugars and add a touch of salt to enhance the flavor. Cut into 16 bars too – perfect size for my young kids. Thanks for the recipe.
I assume I can do this on the stove top instead of the microwave – issue is to heat it up? Cannot wait to try this!
Yes you can although I use the micro for speed and ease and haven’t done it on the stovetop so cannot quote exact times/temps.
Thank you! Am trying to avoid microwave use so I will give it a whirl and let you know!
These are absolutely amazing! I’m about to make my third batch. They go so quickly. Everyone says that they are better than anything you could buy in the store. I’m in love!
Oh I’m so glad to hear everyone loves the bars. They’re one of our favorites, too! And yes, better than anything storebought :)
I made these yesterday, and they’re absolutely delicious! Easy to make, too. Thanks for the great recipe!
Glad they worked out great for you!
These were simply delicious! Thank you so much:)
What is the rough calorie count for the bars ?? Thanks
Not sure, I don’t count, but a pure guess is maybe 175-200 each, that’s a TOTAL GUESS though.
363.75 calories per bar!
Mine worked out at 242 calories a bar. Not bad considering their more nutritious than a chocolate bar of similar calorie content
Thanks for sharing and I totally agree!
I am waiting for these to chill right now and cannot wait to taste one! The recipe reminds me a bit of my favorite no-bake cookies–but of course, these have much less sugar and no butter! Hurrah!
That’s awesome that they have less sugar, no butter, and thanks for trying them – hope they’re almost done chilling now for you and you can sample them! :)
These are so good. Easy for me to make since I’m busy in the morning and need something quick! Plus I love all you recipes. They all look so good! thx!
Glad you like these, Bridget, as well as my other recipes. Thanks for letting me know!
The Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars were delicious and tasty. I wondered if you might have the number it serves as well as the number of calories in the total recipe.
I get 12 bars from the recipe but I don’t do stats. Use an online calculator to plug the data in on your own if you have the time.