Homemade Granola Bars

My kids absolutely love granola bars, but I don't really like all the extra sugar and stuff that make them such unhealthy snacks.  So I went on a hunt for a homemade recipe that was simple and had "normal" ingredients that I already have.  My search led me to My Baking Addiction, a great blog that has a ton of delicious recipes.

I was able to whip up a batch of these goodies in no time.  Super easy and so yummy!  I like this recipe because now I have a basic recipe and can include my own add-ins based on the measurements provided.  For example, I know I can add 3/4 cups of chips (whatever type - dark, white, buterscotch), 3/4 cups of any nut, and 3/4 cup of any dried fruit.

In addition to changing the dried cherries (in the original recipe) to dried mixed fruit, I made some substitutions in order to make the granola bars more healthy - I noted my changes in the recipe below.

I hope your little people love these as much as mine did, and if you don't have ankle biters, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

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Homemade Granola Bars 

2 cups rolled oats
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup wheat germ
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour (I used ½ all purpose, ½ whole wheat flour)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup honey
1 egg, lightly beaten (I used Egg Beaters)
½ cup vegetable oil (I used ½ oil, ½ plain yogurt)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup dried sour cherries, chopped (I used dried mixed berries)
¾ cup dark chocolate chips
¾ cup slivered almonds 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil and vanilla. 

Mix well using your hands, add in cherries, chocolate chips and almonds. Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden around the edges. Cool on wire rack for about 30 minutes before cutting. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting because they will crumble. Makes 32 2x2 inch bars.