Mini M & Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Homemade chewy granola bars studded with mini chocolate chips and mini M&M's. They're the perfect snack to pack for road trips! These chewy, crunchy, and chocolatey treats will satisfy any sweet tooth, and they're a pretty healthy too.

We went on a 7-hour road trip yesterday, and these little treats were a life-saver. I like to snack on sweets in the car, and one of these little beauties keeps me full for a while and satisfies my intense sweet tooth.

These granola bars are best eaten they day they are made, or the day after. However they can be stored in an air-tight container for up to one week--- though don't expect them to be as chewy on the fifth day as they were on the first or second day.

Be sure to boil the sugar mixture for the full two minutes so that the granola bars stick together well and become chewy. If they fall apart you didn't boil it for long enough.

Mini M&M Chewy Bars

1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4-1/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups plain granola or quick cooking oats *I've used both, though I prefer them with the granola
1 cup rice krispies cereal
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
2 tablespoons mini M&M's

Stir the granola or oats and crispy rice cereal together in a large mixing bowl. Line a small jelly roll pan or about 1/3 of a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Combine butter, honey, and brown sugar together in a small saucepan. If I'm using just the oats (not granola) I use 1/3 cup brown sugar. If I'm using my plain granola recipe I reduce the amount of sugar to 1/4 cup. Bring to a rolling boil on medium high heat. Let the mixture boil for 2 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour immediately over the rice cereal mixture, and stir quickly until it is evenly coated. Press into a 12x8x1" rectangle (or about that size). I press my mixture evenly into one side of my cookie sheet until it is about 3/4-1" thick.

Working quickly press the mini chips and M&M's into the top of the granola bars. Let cool for 2 hours before cutting into twelve bars and devouring. They're really good, and won't last ten seconds. I promise.

Recipe Yield: 12 bars

Recipe Source: adapted ever so slightly from Lauren's Latest and Back to the Cutting Board

My Notes: 
Be sure to boil the sugar mixture for the full two minutes so that the granola bars stick together well and become chewy. If they fall apart you didn't boil it for long enough.