Chocolate Pretzel Granola Bars

This was supposed to be a different recipe.

I love it when my family requests something for me to make. I keep a list of recipe ideas I want to try out, but I can get into a little bit of a rut and stick to my own personal likes (pizza flavored everything! oats where they don’t belong! truly irresponsible amounts of peanut butter and/or chocolate!).  When I get an outside request, it can get me to try new things.

Except that didn’t happen here. My brother asked for a granola bar based on a particular list of ingredients… and those ingredients are technically all present! I got a bit carried away while creating, though, and so they bear very little resemblance to the bar I set out to make.

These granola bars are a super yummy and nutritious snack, packed with ingredients meant to keep you full and satisfied between meals. My brother ended up being happy with the result– and I’ve promised to make him the bars he originally wanted over the weekend. 🙂

• Difficulty: easy
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Yield: 8-12 granola bars

Ingredients

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter, or nut/seed butter of choice
• 1 cup oats
• ½ cup oat flour
• ½ cup pretzels, crushed
• 2 tablespoons granulated sweetener of choice
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons chocolate protein powder (optional– if using, you’ll probably need to add a few splashes of milk)
• 2-4 tablespoons raisins and/or chocolate chips

Directions

1. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with aluminum foil and grease with cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl, stir the syrup and nut butter together until smooth.
3. Add oats, oat flour, pretzels, sweetener, cocoa, and protein powder and stir till combined.
4. Pour into the prepared pan and press down firmly.
5. Add raisins/chocolate chips and press into the top.
6. Refrigerate until set before cutting.