Homemade Chewy Bars (Gluten Free!)

When I was little my mom made these granola bars for us all the time. Now, the boys I nanny for go totally gaga over them! They are super simple, only seven ingredients, and are great for snacks and lunches.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Quick Oats
• 1 1/2 cups Chopped Nuts
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 3/4 cup Melted Butter
• 1/2 cup Melted Honey
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 tsp salt

Notice anything missing? Yes... shamelessly I exchanged the nuts for Reece's Pieces.
In honor of the season I decided they looked festive. Peanut butter is a nut, right?

           

As a quick aside, these chewy granola bars are FANTASTIC for picking and choosing different added goodies. The plain recipe is just oats and nuts. I have made different variations, but the favorites in my house are "Almond Joy" (chocolate chip, almond and coconut flakes) and raisin. You can pretty much throw in any baking chip, any nut, and/or any dried fruit and you will have a delicious granola bar.

Additional Supplies:

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Spatula
• Cookie Sheet
• Aluminum Foil
• Cooking Spray
• Sharp Knife

 In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. (Even though honey is already in a pour-able state {unless it has solidified, like mine}, I like to heat it for a few seconds anyway. It makes it easier to mix in with the rest of the ingredients.)

I always add everything but the "melt-y" items first and let it cool slightly before
adding things like chocolate chips, or in this case, Reese's Pieces. If not, they
tend to melt in the warm honey and butter and you have a completely chocolate
granola bar instead of  a plain one with big chocolate surprises.

Like my lady bug spatula? I think it is adorable :)
I love the fall colors of  Reece's Pieces!

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

I used the Pam for baking, but the original works just as well. Just don't
accidentally use the garlic kind or something... yucky.

 Press the mixture into the cookie sheet using a spatula (or your hands if you're more of a "hands-on-I-don't-care-if-I-get-sticky" type person).

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 425 degrees. Remove from the oven when the the edges are crisp and golden brown.

Look at those beautiful, crunchy, caramelized edges! (All my Reece's Pieces
sunk to the bottom when I baked it, by the way... so I sprinkled more on top when
they were just out of the oven!)

Let the bars cool slightly before cutting. (I usually lift the foil from the cookie sheet and move it to a cutting board. It cools faster this way and makes them easier to cut.)

When they have cooled enough to comfortably handle, cut them into your desired shapes. (I cut mine {with a very large, sharp knife} into traditional rectangles. Nine cuts down and two cuts across, giving me 30 bars. I haven't done the math, but for 30 bars these are WAY cheaper and so much better than the packaged kind.)

Serve when completely cooled. 

Enjoy!