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Chocolate Peanut Granola Bars

What's better than chocolate and peanut together? Nothing! These delicious snacks are nutritious, easy to make, and easier on the wallet than store bought versions. See notes below the recipe for tips and tricks.
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Servings 10 Bars

Ingredients
  

  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
  • 1.5 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 4 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
  • .5 cup sunflower seeds
  • .5 cup roasted peanuts roughly chopped
  • .25 cup hemp seeds
  • .25 cup raisins
  • .25 cup chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/3 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup strawberry jam or other liquid sweetener

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Mix the ground flaxseeds and water together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Mix all dry ingredients (oats through brown sugar) together in a large bowl. Whisk the peanut butter and jam in with the water and flaxseed mixture until well combined. Mix the wet ingredients in with the dry and stir to combine. It will seem like there is not enough moisture - keep mixing! I mix with my hands after a bit to kind of smoosh everything together.
  • Line an 8x11 or similar size baking dish with parchment paper. The wider the dish, the thinner the bars will be. Press the mixture into the lined dish. Press it in firmly and smooth out the top. Aim to have a flat top that meets all edges of the dish evenly.
  • Cut the bars - I use a dough scraper because I can just push straight down without a sawing motion, but a knife will work too. Cut the mixture in half lengthwise. Then cut the bars crosswise to your desired size.
  • Carefully lift the parchment paper out of the dish and place onto a cookie sheet. I find this method of cutting and moving the uncooked bars to prevent breakage/crumbling, and allow for more even cooking.
  • Bake for 20 minutes. Move parchment paper and cooked bars to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

Notes

Feel free to swap ingredients i.e. different nuts and seeds, dried fruits, etc. When swapping ingredients, pay attention to size, consistency, wet vs. dry etc. to ensure the finished bars have the appropriate consistency.
The depth and width of the casserole dish you initially press your bars into will determine their thickness, and potentially their size, shape, and how many you’re able to cut. This could impact cooking time and how soft or dry they are. Experiment with different sizes to see which result you like best. You could even shape your "bars" with a tablespoon or double tablespoon to make round granola cookies.