No bake Granola bars

Adapted from Lauren's Latest  I needed something nut free to send with the kindergartners for snack.  I knew they would love granola bars but we're at a peanut and tree nut free school and most, if not all granola bars I checked out at the store had trace amounts of nuts in them.  I decided to make them instead. 


1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 c. raisins
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips



In a large bowl, stir oats and rice cereal together and set aside
In a small pot, melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble
Reduce the heat and cook 2 minutes
Pour in vanilla and stir
Pour over dry ingredients and mix well to moisten all ingredients
Pour into lightly greased small jelly roll pan {about 12x8x1} and press out to be about 3/4 inch in thickness. {If your pan isn’t small enough, pack the mixture into one side)
Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly
Cool on a countertop to room temperature for two hours or until the chocolate chips are set before cutting into bars
Wrap in parchment or plastic wrap and store at room temperature

Recipe Notes: If your granola bars don’t seem to be staying together when you cut them, you may have made them too thin or you didn’t pack them in tight enough. Stick them in the fridge for 20 minutes and that should help keep them together. {Be sure not to keep them in there too long or else they’ll become super hard!} The next time you make them, try reducing the butter to 3 tablespoons and really packing them down.

Toddler review-
The kiddos love these "gorilla" bars.   Definitely going to make these again and again.