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Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites

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Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch ArtistAbout a week ago I had the idea to turn granola bars into bite-sized single-serving pieces.  I gave myself a hearty pat on the back for being a super inventive chef-blogger extraordinaire.  And then I realized that there are a billion (and one) granola bar recipes and half a billion of them are bite-sized, no-bake ‘granola bar bites’.  Not only was my idea not original, but my super-catchy, slogan-worthy name is already overused and eye-roll worthy.  Sigh…

Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch ArtistHomemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch Artist Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch ArtistHomemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch ArtistThere is not much new under the sun when it comes to food.  Someone, somewhere has done it.  If I had realized how hackneyed my dish was before taking a million pictures and playing around with recipe ideas, I probably would have just abandoned this post.  But here we are.   I share this with you because they are delicious, they are super convenient to pop in your mouth, and it is an easy made-from-scratch recipe that will take you less than 30 minutes of hands-on time.  So although they aren’t unique, they are quite wonderful!

The idea is pretty simple.  Take your standard granola bar recipe and form them into gnarly-like masses and then enjoy.  I frequently eat half to three-quarters of a granola bar and then it lies sadly in its wrapper, losing freshness by the moment, until the next time I am in the mood for a quick bite (which is not all that frequently).  I am a freshness snob and turn my nose up at day-old, half-eaten food…half eaten granola bar, not my thing.  I adapted a recipe that I really enjoyed from Minimalist Baker to make these bites.  Dates are what hold these magical little bites together.  If you are new to using dates in this way, you are going to be so happy you discovered this.  The combination of nuts and dates tastes like nougat (think Baby Ruth), all-natural plant based nougat that is.  So good!

Enjoy, sweet friends.

Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch Artist Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites - The Scratch Artist

5.0 from 2 reviews
Homemade Peanut Butter & Honey Granola Bar Bites
 
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Serves: 20
Ingredients
  • 1 Rounded cup deglet dates (you can substitute medjool, but I strongly prefer deglet, which have a less fruity flavor)
  • ⅛ Cup honey (substitute maple syrup or agave if Vegan)
  • ⅓ Cup Homemade salted peanut butter (or store bought peanut butter that has been microwaved for 10-15 seconds so that it is pourable)
  • ½ Teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 Cup whole roasted peanuts
  • 1 Cup gluten free rolled oats
  • Salt to taste
  • 1.5 oz dark chocolate bar (I prefer 70% cacao content or above)
Instructions
  1. Place cup of peanuts in food processor and blend until tiny bits remain. Set aside.
  2. Combine the oats and blended peanuts.
  3. Blend dates in food processor until a paste consistency is attained. (The date pieces will probably form into a large ball in the food processor. Continue processing until this formed ball falls apart and becomes a paste.)
  4. Combine your liquid-y peanut butter, honey, and vanilla. Add mixture to oats.
  5. Finally add your processed dates to the oats and mix everything together. If you find it too difficult to stir, roll up your sleeves and mash everything together with your hands. You want a consistent looking mixture.
  6. Using a parchment lined small baking sheet as a tray, gather up clumps of the oat mixture with your fingers. Squeeze the clumps together to form 20 mounds.
  7. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  8. minutes before you remove the granola bites from the freezer, set-up a double boiler and melt your chocolate.
  9. Dip the base of the granola bites in the melted chocolate. I leave half plain and half with chocolate for variety. Place tray of chocolate covered bites in freezer to set for 30 min.
  10. Store in refrigerator or keep for longer in freezer.
Notes
*Adapted from Minimalist Baker 5 ingredient Granola Bars.

 

Comments

  1. Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says

    Original or not, this is the first time I’m seeing granola bar bites – so that’s at least one person who’s wowed by your creativity! Haha. Don’t be so down on yourself, Kathryn – there are very things in life still left to originality.

  2. Christine | Vermilion Roots says

    I need this recipe in my life right now! You are right, there are many recipes like this on the Internet. But it’s nice to get it from a trusted source. 🙂 I have a big weakness for granola, peanut butter and dark chocolate so this recipe is a total win for me. The only hesitation is fearing I will not be able to stop popping them in my mouth! Any advice on that subject? 🙂

    • Kathryn says

      I can offer NO advice in popping prevention. I would suggest not spreading fresh peanut butter on the bites because then you will never be able to resist eating the whole batch…I speak from experience 🙂

  4. Liz says

    You’re SO right! Almost everything has already been done— but I don’t even care because these look AMAZING! I actually have some dates on hand too (win!) so I think I’ll just have to try these this weekend!

  5. genevieve @ gratitude & greens says

    I love the little chocolate dip they go in! They remind of coconut macaroons, but granola version. Some of the best recipes aren’t the super original ones but the ones we’ve all been making for ages- think of all the Italian grandmas who pass on their secret pasta recipes! Also, what Ksenia said: original or not, this is the first time I’ve seen granola bar bites! <3

    • Kathryn says

      I know! I think I unconsciously modeled the shape of these after monster macaroons I used to eat all the time. I agree about the best recipes being the ones that have been done time and time again. There is a reason everyone is making them! Thanks, Gen <3

  6. Erin says

    I love the idea of bite size granola bars! So fun! There can never be “too much” of anything yummy and pleasurable 😉

  7. audrey @ unconventional baker says

    I’m actually glad you shared your bites — I for one never came across a granola bites recipe. I’ve seen some similar-looking things at the store, but never a recipe. So there you go — I learned something original from YOU today 🙂 And I’m totally with you on the freshness thing — it’s a dilemma I’m always faced with when it comes to bars of any kind.

    • Kathryn says

      Thanks, Audrey…before I thought of it I had never seen them and then I googled it and there were so many results! One more delicious granola-thing never hurts though! I hope these solve your bar problem 🙂

  9. Liora (Allthingsloveli) says

    You are still a genius blog extraordinaire to me because this is the first time I have seen granola bar bites as well, and I am all in! These look so delicious, I love the added chocolate bottom you gave them.